RESTORATION

We all know the parable of the prodigal son and how many sermons have been preached about repentance, from that parable. We are told that 'he came to himself and said, I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.' In preaching, we speak of this as the first step in a changed life-as conversion, as repentance, confession, returning to God. But, as this is the first step for the prodigal, we must remember that this is also the step to be taken by His erring children-by all the ninety-nine 'who need non-repentance ,' or think they do not. Those Christians who do not understand how wrong their low religious life is must be taught that this is sin-unbelief; and that it is as necessary that they should be brought to repentance as the prodigal. You have heard a great deal of preaching repentance to the unconverted; but I want to try to preach it to God's children. We have a picture of so many of God's children in that elder brother. What the father told him, to bring about a consideration of the love that He bore him, just as he loved the prodigal brother, thus does God tell to us in our contentedness with such a low life: -'You must repent and believe that I love you, and all that I have is thine .' He says, 'By your unbelief, you have dishonored me, living for ten, twenty, or thirty years, and never believing what it was to live in the blessedness of My love. You must confess the wrong you have done Me in this, and be broken down in contrition of heart just as truly as the prodigal.'

There are many children of God who need to confess, that though they are His children, they have never believed that God's promises are true, that He is willing to fill their hearts all the day long with His blessed presence. Have you believed this? If you have not, all our teaching will be of no profit to you. Will you not say, 'By the help of God, I will begin now a new life of faith, and will not rest until I know what such a life means. I will believe that I am every moment in the Father's presence, and all that He has is mine?'

May the Lord God work this conviction in the hearts of all cold believers. Have you ever heard the expression, 'a conviction for sanctification?' You know, the unconverted man needs a conviction before conversion. So does the dark-minded Christian need conviction before, and in order for sanctification, before he comes to a real insight to spiritual blessedness. He must be convicted a second time because of his sinful life of doubt, and temper, and un-lovingness . He must be broken down under that conviction; then there is hope for him. May the Father of mercy grant all such that deep contrition, so that they may be led into the blessedness of His presence, and enjoy the fullness of His power and love!

IS LOVE AN EMOTION?

Very often people confuse love and emotion. They are not the same, although there is a connection, because love is the highest expression of which we are capable, and it would be strange, therefore, if our emotions were not affected in some way. They may well be, although the effect on them can be felt as either positive or negative, and we have all had both kinds of these experiences.

Yet love essentially transcends the emotions and, in its essence, is fundamentally an act of will. (It should be noted in passing that, while in the world in which we live, "love" is frequently used as a synonym for "sex", love has no necessary connection in with sexual act). That act of will is quite independent of what we feel at the time we express love. Indeed, it could be argued that the expression of love is purer the lower is the involvement of our emotions. On the other hand, one could even more strongly argue that our expression of love is greater the greater the negative emotion we are feeling at the time we make the act of love (in the sense that what we are feeling is nothing like what we might imagine love for the other person to be).

When Jesus died on the cross he was certainly not having warm, gooey feeling. He was in dreadful pain: he had been scourged twice, had the crown of thorns thrust upon his head, made to carry his cross in a very weakened state, nailed through his feet and hands, and was then hanging in a position which constantly threatened to cause his suffocation. (They broke the legs of men crucified to prevent them raising themselves up in order to breath). His death was anact of love, the ultimate act of love, but it was also an act of will. We need only reflect on his inner struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane, in seeking only to comply with his Father’s will, to appreciate that.
At one level he was putting into practice his own teachings:

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12).

It sums up the Law and the prophets because it is God’s ultimate law. If we are ever in any doubt as to how we should act in order to love another, we need only ask ourselves how we would desire them to act, were we in the same situation. The answer has nothing to do with how we feel. Indeed, if the situation is one in which we consider we have been, or are being, injured, it is likely that our feelings will be telling us to do exactly the opposite!

As Christians, we have taken up an option. Above anything else, it is an option of Love and it is therefore an option to love. We have no choice in the matter — whatever the matter happens to be. If it happens that our emotions are tending to move us in the same direction as our will, that is merely an accidental benefit. We are certainly glad of it because it makes our actions easier.

But we are never called to be people who are controlled by their emotions: that is to be enslaved by a facility which should be at our service in making decisions, decisions which we are led to and which are determined by the Holy Spirit. Indeed, theologians explain to us the nature of the Holy Spirit as being the love which exists between the Father and the Son.

Hence, when we are led by the Spirit we are led by love, and emotions do not enter into it.

LOOKIGN THROUGH A WINDOW

Living in today's metropolitan world of cellular phones, mobile computers and other high-tech gadgets are not just hectic but very impersonal. We make money and then invest our time and effort in making more money. Does it end? Not usually because we are never satisfied. How many times have we convinced ourselves that if only we had some more money, life would be so sweet? But then, after receiving a substantial raise, we realize that it wasn't enough and that we need more?

What Should You Do?
I have read many books on life such as Robin Sharma's Monk says this and the monk says that, and they all seem to say that money is not necessary. But it is. Can you do without cash and a lot of it? I know I can't.

So, I went to the neighborhood Rabbi and asked for advice that will help me find my true way in life. The rabbi nodded and took me to the window. "What do you see?" he asked me.

Promptly, I answered, "I can see people walking to and fro and a blind man is begging for alms at the left corner."

The Rabbi nodded and guided me to a big mirror. "Now look and tell me what you see?"

"I can see myself," I man answered.

The Rabbi smiled. "Now you can't see anyone else. The mirror and the window are both created from the same raw material: glass, but because on one of them they have applied a thin layer of silver, when you look at it all you can see is your own reflection."

The Rabbi placed his arm on my shoulders. "Compare yourself to those two pieces of glass. Without the silver layer, you saw the other people and felt compassion for them. When you are covered with silver, you see only yourself."

I looked at the Rabbi and stared. "I don't understand."

The Rabbi continued. "You will become someone only if have the courage to remove the silver covering over your eyes in order to again see and love others." He patted me on my back and sent me on my way.

I have thought of what he said and come to the conclusion that he had a point. Yes. We need money and we should not aim to lead a moneyless existence; it’s pointless and will only cause our families and us much heartbreak in the future.

Instead, I suggest that we should follow the advice the Rabbi gave me. When we approach life through a silver covering, all we are able to see is ourselves. But discard that covering, and you will be able to see and feel everyone else.

In life, we are allowed to and should be able to look at both kinds of mirrors, but we should remember that a mirror reflects only us; a window is the door to compassion, health and true wealth. In other words, seek wealth by all means, but don't let it dissuade you from life, people, children and the poor and needy.

HEARTBEAT OF HOPE

The beating heart is a sign of life. Hope is what sustains that life. Yes, food, water, sunlight, these sustain life also but, it’s HOPE that really keeps you alive. Hope is what has brought you to today. Hope is what inspires us to move forward because we believe that tomorrow will truly be a better day. Tomorrow, will give you that new house that you have been saving for. Tomorrow, you will finally be able to spend time with your family – and, tomorrow is the day that you will receive your raise for a job well done. Hope is optimism. Hope is a belief that all your desires will be fulfilled and all your positive expectations will become realities.

Without Hope, our future darkens and the shadow of death is seen crouching at the door. Hope gives us the will to go. We hope in what is “to be”. We hope in what “can be”. Why hope for what is? Why hope for what you already have?

Indeed, why hope for the present. The present is littered with broken dreams, foolish ambitions and missed opportunities. But despite all these, Hope is the herald of a brand new day. Hope proclaims, “yes, we can”; “yes, it is possible”! Hope gives you the breath of life to live another day. This is the “heartbeat of hope”.

In truth, I should pause for a moment and tell you this: That although Hope is filled with endless possibilities and personal triumphs, all who are driven by the heartbeat of hope well know, that Hope can also carry with it defeat, disappointment and heartache. We have all “hoped” and have experienced the agony of heartbreak and the tears of tragedy.

The heartbeat of hope gives us life today through our Heavenly Father, GOD. Today is already here. Tomorrow, …… tomorrow will bring with it the answer to all of our prayers and the fulfillment of dreams. Tomorrow will indeed be a better day!

PROJECT RELIEF… RE:LIFE

ONE HOPE, ONE LIFE, ONE FAMILY AT A TIME

The suffering of a people spares no one who has a heart and hope is the touch of healing.

The horrendous devastation that typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) has caused in the Metropolitan Manila area and the adjacent provinces have changed the condition of many lives. The waters had nowhere to go because the rivers, the lake, the floodways are clogged with mud and debris. All the contents of homes were reduced to smithereens by the fury of the currents. And while we try to do our best to gather from the murky residue whatever else may be salvaged, the damage is beyond retrieval.

Project RELIEF…RE:LIFE is a long term holistic approach addressing the families whose sorrows are more severe, than the loss of property, but also the loss of a loved one: a child, a mother, a father, a sibling…or, in some excruciating instances, the loss of children, parents, a whole family, all mercilessly drowned by the rampage of the currents and the waters that swelled in a matter of minutes to the rooftops. The horrifying scene was beyond words: outstretched hands above the fury of the floods, desperately flailing for help…a family on a raft that violently smashed the underbelly of a bridge instantly perished in full view of those who desperately attempted rescue…the sight of a father who frantically foraged the hillside hoping that the lifeless, muddied body of the young boy he already held in his arms was not his son…a woman found seated and dead in her living room when the waters subsided, her eyes still staring in shock. And there were more.

Read more of this at http://mamamary.com.ph/2009/hope_project-relief-relife/#more-403

FOR GOD IS THE ONLY HEALER

The secret to LIFE and all its blessings lies in our own hands, in our own hearts. Do we believe that we divine creatures of GOD that we deserve all that we need for to live a glorious life?

To this “SECRET” we hold the very key.

All we need is to BELIEVE ….”For by our faith we shall be healed”.

The most powerful healing is when we receive the Lord in Holy Communion during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. We manifest our faith when we pray “Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and I shall be healed.” We are all empowered with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and one of them is the gift of healing. For as long as we are willing to be used as instruments of GOD we will be able use our gifts to pray over our loved ones and ourselves.

We cannot be anything less than our true nature as the beloved children of God, because we are. It is only in the ignorance of the truth about our god-given gift of healing that we fail to claim its’ reality in our lives. Without the strength of our faith and love for God, we will always feel less than what we truly are. Inner turmoil will get the better of us when we are faced with burdens and adversity. Read more