RANDOM THOUGHTS (International Blog)

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

We Live By Faith Not By Sight

WE LIVE BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT
What is the difference between living by faith and living by sight (senses)? Let us illustrate the examples of each one to see their differences. To live by sight (or senses) is to live in this physical world with all its physical realities. We use our five senses, our own strength, our own resources, our connections, our human intelligence and our inter social activities with other people. We live by the standards set forth by man. When we get sick we see our doctor and take the prescribed medicines. We breathe, we live and die by the standards of men.

Not so with those who live by faith. They live by the standards of God. They cling to God's promises even if the physical reality says otherwise. They cling to the very idea that all things are possible with God. They have surrendered their will to God and have let God have a free reign in their lives.

Let me illustrate this with my own personal example to see how God works with individual persons. My eldest sister had recurring hypertension for just a little over two years and had diligently taken her prescribed medicines. When her finances got strained, she failed to take them for about a week. She got a massive stroke that almost resulted in her death. She was confined at the intensive care unit of a hospital for two months. Lately when I visited her, she was so emaciated and could no longer talk. She had her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. I have a brother in the province whom I was not even aware had diabetes like me. It was probably very recent only. I was shocked to hear that his right leg was already amputated because of his diabetes.

Then I consider God's protection and guidance over me. I have hypertension for more than 20 years now and diabetes for about 10 years and have been in the valley of the shadow of death so many times that I lost count already. It has been two years since I last saw a doctor although I am regularly taking my prescribed hypertension and diabetes medicines. I was scheduled for three major operations two years ago which did not push through due to some problems. After all those years, I am still alive and relatively healthy to give glory to God and becoming a living testimony to His goodness and grace. Not that I commend myself for what I am doing but I am giving all the praises and glory to my living God who provides for all my needs and have never left me nor forsaken me. TO HIM BE GLORY, HONOR, PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING FOREVERMORE.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Living By Faith, Live By Sight, Living Faith, Grace, Trust in The Lord

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Climb Every Mountain

CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
Are you facing a mountain of problems right now and you feel so helpless and alone? Are you traveling in your own desert of trials right now, thirsty and forlorn for your long sought after deliverance and the advent of your own promise land? Is your back against the wall and you feel that the whole weight of the world is crumbling down upon you and you have nowhere else to go? Are you so sick that you could almost smell the scent of death lingering around your bed and you feel that there is no longer any hope nor remedy for your illness? If you are in these kinds of situations right now, cast off your long faces and rejoice for your deliverance is at hand.

Yes, you have now felt the full power of God bearing down upon you. He permitted these things to happen so that you will humble yourself before Him and finally acknowledge that you are totally helpless and that apart from God you can do nothing. Remember, these situations were a result of your own making, when you casted out God from your life in your mad quest to be your own "captain of your ship and master of your soul." They were caused by excessive pride and self glorification and the total disregard of God in your life. It is a good thing that God has given you a last chance to turn a new leaf on life and retrace your steps back to His loving arms once more. Let us surrender our lives to God and cast all our burdens to Him for He cares for us. Let us trust God that He will deliver us from all our predicaments and trials in life. Did He not promise, "Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) All things are possible with God to him who believes and trust in his unfailing love. So next time that you are confronted with a mountain of problems so high, just go ahead and climb it, for the Spirit of the Lord is with you and you will surely succeed. GO AHEAD AND CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN.

Tags: Climb Every Mountain, God, Mountains of Problems, Back Against The Wall, Trials, Desert Experience, Promise Land, Deliverance, Kingdom of God

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Thursday, October 2, 2008

"The Kingdom" (A Short Story)

He surveys his kingdom from all directions. His kingdom extends far beyond his eyes could see. There is so much abundance in his kingdom. Supplies are plentiful.
Here, he reigns sovereign over all his subjects. His subjects love and respect him so much that there is nothing they will not do for their king. He walks leisurely refreshing his lungs with the pure air that he breathes. Ah, how lucky can he be. He is almost on top of the world. Here, he reigns supreme. There is no rival nor opposition to his kingship. Here, his loyal subjects obey his every wish and command. All kinds of sweet and delectable fruit bearing trees abound his kingdom. The majestic flower beds in his numerous gardens are unmatched in beauty and perfection. He even has a harem of of beautiful and subservient wives. What more can he ask for? A majestic mountain with a perfect blue top stands majestically guarding his kingdom. Birds of all kinds fly in the air resonating with their melodious voices. Even the animals in the forest beyond his kingdom are tame. They would willingly and leisurely saunter in the yard of the king. Music wafts melodiously in the whole kingdom as though a dozen symphonies were waxing their classical repertoires. Yes, it is a perfect kingdom, fit for a sovereign king such as he.

He sleeps peacefully knowing that all is well in his kingdom. Suddenly, he heard a buzzing sound in his ears as though a bee was surveying his ears as a possible hive. He awakened and was startled to see a barren and desolate isle with nary a sign of life nor activities. Now, he awakens from his delirious stupor. Yes, he is in a desolate island alone. He was shipwrecked and was carried ashore by giant waves. He has been there for three weeks with no food and in his weakened state, he dreamed of his beloved kingdom. He gingerly sleeps again to awake no more.

Tags: The Kingdom, Dreams, Sovereign, Loyal Subjects, Castles in the Air

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Sunday, September 28, 2008

God's Perfect Time

GOD'S PERFECT TIME
Are we so anxious for the answer to our prayers that sometimes we feel that God is not listening to us? Do we sometimes teach God what to do to answer our petitions? Church Fathers say that God has only three answers to our prayers: yes, no and later. We may wonder, why later? Could not God give us what we ask for now, at this very moment when we feel we need it most? The Church Fathers also teach us the doctrine of God's sovereignty over all His creation. We can never question God nor His motives for everything He does, for He is God. God gives us what we need and not what we want. And God answers our prayers in His own perfect time and not when and how we want it to be. God is also dramatic. He is fond of pushing us to the very edge of the cliff where we have nowhere else to go, and at the very last moment, He delivers us with dramatic and unmistakable effect that we can never deny His divine intervention and providence.

God's intervention and providence are greatly influenced by the degree of faith by the petitioner. The Bible says, "it is impossible to please God without faith." Faith is the language of the spiritual realm. Who among us would readily sacrifice the life of his beloved son if ordered by God to do so? But Abraham did. And God rewarded his faith and credited it to him as righteousness.

When we pray, let us humble ourselves before a sovereign God who created everything visible and invisible, and let us trust in His unfailing love that in His own perfect time, He will answer our petitions. Prayer with unshakable faith can move mountains.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, God's Perfect Time, Divine Providence, Faith

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Divine Providence

DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Have you ever been so financially short in your life that you worried about where you will get your next meal? Do you find it harder and harder to make both ends meet? Do you always find yourself always in debt and your expenses always outstrip your earnings? Do you sometimes feel like your pocket has holes in it and that money is so easily lost? Have you worked yourself to death only to find out you still have no security for your future? Stop for a moment and survey your life, your thoughts and your philosophies in life. We must first accept that money will never be enough. As long as we are slaves to our cravings for material things, then we will always be short of everything. We must first take stock of ourselves, what we can do, the talents we have, what we are good at, the connections we have, the opportunities on hand and how we value money in our lives.

The Lord said that by the sweat of our brows shall we live. That means all must work to earn a decent living. Paul said in the Bible that, "those who do not work will not eat." So God taught us the value of hard work and honest living. But He also taught us to pray for our daily bread. He did not say for our weekly, monthly or yearly bread because God wants us to focus on our immediate needs and entrust the future to Him. To those who worry about what they shall eat or what clothes they should wear, He told them that the birds in the air neither sow nor reap yet your heavenly Father feeds them in time. And the lilies of the field neither spin nor weave yet not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like them.

We must acknowledge first that every good thing comes from God and God will always help those who help themselves. We must live simple lives always contented with what we have and always expectant of the very best from our heavenly Father. He said, we must seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all things else will be added to us. We must first enrich ourselves with heavenly treasures before we strive for worldly treasures. Those who seek only the riches of the world at the expense of their soul will find death so terrifying because they are so bankrupt of the riches of heaven. Trust the Lord and His divine providence. "BUT MY GOD WILL SUPPLY ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY BY CHRIST JESUS." (Philippians 4:19)

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Divine Providence, Trust in The Lord, Heavenly Riches

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Saturday, September 20, 2008

A Reprint From Judie (Please Read This Post And Let It Melt Your Heart)

REMEMBERING ALETAIn the late evening hours of January 7, 1968 a star was born. Two minutes later, another star was born. And from that moment on my life was catapulted into the hectic days and nights and months and years of raising twins, along with their older sister, the first star.

And the first-born twin was Aleta. She was beautiful, with eyes that sparkled and twinkled, a laugh that tinkled, and a hearthat went out to anyone in need...her family, eventually her children, her patients. For she became a nurse and she was much loved. Once, in college, she went to where there were homeless people and talked with them, trying to understand why their life seemed so hopeless. She loved fiercely.

Excerpt from a teen letter to mom while she visited her older sister: "Dear Mom, Hello! I love you alot and boy do I miss you. I just thought I'd write to let you know how much I love you and that I'll never stop thinking about you. You're the best mom anyone could ever have!............... "

Several years ago she became a single parent. She worried about her children all the time. Having grown up in a single parent home, she had emotional needs I never knew about until she was grown and told me. My heart loved her even harder then.

A pre-teen little league cheerleader

Once a hopeful bride.

A beautiful young lady.

One of her children was Lindy, and Lindy had Down Syndrome. She called Lindy her little shadow and chuckled when she said it. She took Lindy everywhere: shopping, swimming, camping, working with her one-on-one, teaching her to sign, teaching her about life. A wonderful mother.

<>If you walk through a park and see a lady sitting on a bench with her hands over her face, shoulders shaking, that's me....grieving. I lost her on Sunday, May 4 in a freak ATV accident in the mountains in the Tahoe area. I never liked it there, even when she first took me there years ago. She loved it. She thought those God-forsaken, ugly, Nevada/California mountains were so beautiful. Not me. She never had a chance as an adult to see the wonders of the Blue Ridge mountains, the Shenandoahs, the Poconos. So she settled for the shale-covered, barren, whatever mountain range that is. Those mountains took her from me, and I hate them. But it's where she wanted to be.

<>If you hear a loud, haunting wailing in the darkness of the night, that's me, calling for my child to be returned to me. Or perhaps it's her twin, searching for the spirit of her other half.

<> Exerpt from an email I received on Mother's Day, 2006: "Happy Mother's Day Momma! I want to take this minute to explain that it is because of you that my life is so great. I have taken all your words of wisdom and am practicing them now. It's working just fine. Thank you so much for guiding my life the way you do. I miss you so much. Check your mailbox this week to grab your surprise. It may be late but at least I'm consistent, never without you in my mind as the best momma for me!!! I love you..........God Bless you......Rainbow."

That was her nickname. Rainbow. And she was.

The thoughtful one.

Always a talker.

Aleta, a hero. She saved her daughter's life before she lost her own. When she was on that icy incline, she put the child off and told her to wait while she got back to a safe place. That's where Aleta's fiance found Lindy - standing by the road waiting for her mommy to come back up that mountainside she slid over, that heavy machine on top of her.

Things she loved:

- Those mountains
- Guinea pigs and bunnies
- Family
- Especially her twin
- Camping and Quadding
- Her precious two boys and one girl
- Her work as an R.N.
-Her fiance
- Life
- Smiling

Excerpt from a note she left me July 2001: " I love you so much....I'll take care of you forever whenever you need me......(heart, heart, xoxo) Dr. Black, BSN, RN"........We always called her Dr. Black!

Her fiance told me she woke up that morning in the campsite and said" Isn't it wonderful to wake up next to someone you love?"

The week before the tragedy she went to see her twin, and when she got home she sent her beloved twin a bible and a picture of Jesus, with Matthew 5:3-12 marked. She wanted her sister to apply these lessons to her own life. There is a heaviness inside me that won't go away. One third of my heart is broken off, and though it will eventually heal over, it will never be repaired or replaced. And how can a twin left behind ever heal? There is no creativity left in me. All my paints are now put away. I am colorless.

ALETA GAYEL BLACK

Just like a beautiful flower. She grew, she blossomed, then she was cut from the stem of life and perished. I am grateful only that she found her spiritual self before she left. I love you my child.

Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.THIS BLOG IS CLOSED.