On Forgiving and Moving Forward

Many people, myself sometimes included, seem to think that the way to correct mistakes and/or heal from broken relationships is to simply move forward and forget. While that may work sometimes, it's probably better to look back on the situation, evaluate the circumstances with honesty, determine the cause, humbly acknowledge faults that are your own, with equal (if not greater) humility identify the faults that were not yours, if possible and/or desired seek peace with the other person/s, and earnestly avoid the thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes that led to the rather sad and painful experience. If nothing changes in the formula, nothing will change in the results.

While I believe there are valid applications to the old "FORGIVE AND FORGET," I have also grown to believe more in "FORGIVE AND LEARN." While this could easily be interpreted as "I forgive you but I don't want to see you anymore," it is not what I mean. It is true that learning sometimes means having to cut people off from our lives, but I would take the phrase more to mean that we grow with our experiences, learning more about ourselves and about other people --our way of learning, their way of learning, how we adjust, how they adjust, how we react, how they react, how we are affected, how they are affected, our values, their values, how we can change, how we can help them change, what we want/need, what they want/need, etc. etc. and how all these can come together and help us become better than who we were -- more honest, more fair, less self-centered, more prudent, more balanced, wiser, kinder, stronger, humbler, more gracious, more faithful, more capable, with eyes that are more open to truth.

Where "I love you, you love me, let's just forget and move forward" may not work, "I love you, you love me; let's both learn and grow" just might. Come to think of it, that is the right kind of forward.

On top of all these I remember with gladness and assurance, "When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor." (Desire of Ages, 607)

Daily in His Presence: A Daily Bible Journal through the Sanctuary

In the past couple of years, I have been intermittently trying to come up with a Bible Journal and Planner to share with others as a print project. That, however, has not come closer to reality than several lousy layouts and sketches, owing much to the fact that my devotional exercises have also taken a low blow in the last year.

This year, however, after being inspired by women who have remained strong in their relationship with the Lord, the desire for a Bible journal was revived in my heart. No, you don’t need a fancy journal and accessories for it. Although the crafter in me would very much like to have a pretty DIY Bible journal soon, that is entirely beside the point.

The true point in Bible journalling is to nurture my relationship with Jesus and bring me to His presence day after day after day for the rest of my life.

Cover Page of my very rough DIY Bible Journal

So here is my Daily in His Presence Bible Journal – 16 sheets of plain white copy paper stapled together (a notebook will do, too, but I like my journals plain rather than ruled/lined).

Each day/devotional session has nine sections, each representing an article in the Sanctuary, which itself is the ultimate guide map to being restored into the very presence of God – the illustrated plan of salvation if you will. While the Sanctuary has multiple depths and values, it is my prayer that this simple daily journey through the Sanctuary with the Bible will allow me to experience a portion of God’s salvation every day.

If you don’t yet have a devotional system that works for you, this is one suggestion you can pray about. Let me share the nine sections I follow for my devotional time.

The Sanctuary has three main divisions and eight main articles, each one representing a much much deeper aspect of God's character and the salvation process. In the Daily in His Presence Bible Journal, it goes like this:

I.                    THE OUTER COURT -             this part of the devotional is a preliminary, a prepartion of the heart.

a.       Gate – PRAISE. The Bible tells us to “enter into His courts with thanksgiving and praise.” It is therefore fitting to enter into the devotional exercise filled with gratitude. In the last year, I learned how so many people begin their prayers and devotional time in weakness, in an enumeration of the things they’ve done wrong or ways they’ve come short. We must begin in the strength of our God and Savior. Begin your devotional with prayer (and maybe even a song) of praise, acknowledging His wisdom, grace, mercy,  power, love, majesty, and beauty. List down the specific things you are thankful for and voice them out in your prayer.

b.      Altar – PACIFY. This is a place of sacrifice, where an unblemished lamb is slain and offered as a substitute for the sinner. That lamb is Jesus. He is your substitute and surety. At this point, lay down your burdens and cares, sorrows, guilt, and doubts at the feet of your Savior. Surrender everything to Him. Confess your sins and everything that troubles your heart. Find peace with God.

c.       Laver – PURIFY. Nothing that is impure can purify itself. The power must come from a power that is above and beyond ourselves. At the laver, the priests wash and are cleansed. After we cast our burdens upon Jesus, we must trust that we receive His forgiveness and cleansing. Claim His mercy. Now we are ready for the next division.

II.                  THE HOLY PLACE      - This is what I would say would be the central part of the devotional exercise. Our greater Sanctuary journey is currently set in this part, moving towards the Most Holy Place. This is where we go into God’s Word.

Here's an illustration of the Sanctuary building described in the Bible

a.       Table of Shewbread – PONDER. The Table is a symbol of Jesus as the Bread of Life which we partake by studying His Word. Pray for wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you open your Bible and select a passage for reading. If you have a pre-selected devotional plan, that works just as well. Write down the key points of the passage, questions you may have, and reflections you make as you read. Go beyond the surface by asking questions, cross-referencing, and really just digesting the Word.

b.      PERSONALIZE. This section is somewhat in between the Table of Shewbread and the next Sanctuary article, which is the Golden Lampstand. In this section, identify the ways that the passage you just read applies to you. In what aspects or situations in your life do you see the passage have bearing on? Make the passage your own.

c.       Golden Lampstand – PROJECT. The lamp is a symbol for the Holy Spirit (oil) being assimilated into your life so that it shines out (flame) in your life. In this section, list down the practical steps you can and intend to take in order to project or shine out the things you have just learned.

d.      The Altar of Incense – PRAY. No devotional is complete without a time of pleading with God. Just as incense rises into the very presence of God into the Most Holy Place, our prayers ascend to God wrapped in the fragrance of Jesus’ atonement. Pray for the things you have learned. Pray God’s Word. If you read an instruction, pray for God’s strength to obey it. If there was a promise, claim it. If you read praise for God, repeat the praise in your own words. If you had a question, ask God for answers. If you read a prayer, make it your own. This is also a good time to bring to God your other desires and needs, and those of other people, including mission fields and churches.

e.       Veil – HIS PROMISE. You are now coming to the end of your study and going into the last division of your daily Sanctuary journey. The veil separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It represents Jesus in His human-divine nature standing between us and an offended God and interceding for us. His sacrifice and condescension is our guarantee. At this point, claim one specific promise you found in your reading as a portion of His answer to the prayers you have just prayed.

III.                The Most Holy Place – The final division of the Sanctuary is where the Shekinah (God’s visible presence) resides.

a.       Ark of the covenant – PRAISE IN HIS PRESENCE. The Bible says, in God’s presence there is fulness of joy and pleasures forevermore. In this section, give God praise and adoration and simply revel in the beauty of fellowship with Him. Spend a quiet and thoughtful minute or two just to savor His sweet presence with you.

And that is it. You have completed a Sanctuary journey for the day. It may seem like a lot right now. But it’s actually pretty simple. Simply open your heart to God and step forward where He leads. And know that you can, of course, have a go as many times as you desire/need to during the day. The Sanctuary is always open.

My Bible journal entry for Psalm 27. Beautiful Psalm.

Disappointment and Devotion

So today, things didn't exactly go my way. So of course, I was disappointed--by events, and people, my suddenly unbearably heavy bag, the overabundance of neon label stickers and the utter unavailability of plain white ones just when I needed them, and myself, mostly myself. I wasn't even halfway through the day yet, but I already felt like I deserved to take the time and "splurge" on my favorite food. And I did. Not just one, but three of my favorites. :D

As I ate, trying to enjoy every bite, I thought, "I deserve this: this bite, this feeling in my mouth, this break. This is what I'll do when I'm disappointed. I deserve this."

But then something inside me asked, "What does God do when He's disappointed, especially when He's disappointed with you? What does He deserve?"

And then the phrase, "...who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame..." (Heb. 12:2)

You know, I was that joy that was set before Him. People didn't treat Him very well when He was here. But He still calls me His joy. He still calls YOU His joy.

What does He deserve?

Certainly not this selfish, ungrateful, proud, complaining heart. No, certainly not. But you know what, He'll take it anyway. If I learn to give it up, He'll take it and lovingly, mercifully, He can make something beautiful out of it. He can do the same with yours, too.

Colossians 3:2
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Then suddenly, I was fine. Right there, over the unfinished curry, I was fine. There was a Joy set before me as well. I was fine. Thank God. :-)

Word of the Week: Collaborate

For the past seven weeks or so, I have been choosing one word that would best describe my week or what I most want achieved that week. I would write that word down in my journal/planner, at the bottom of my weekly calendar.

I thought this week would be a tough one since there's so much to do I couldn't really focus on one project or goal. But then, my eyes fell on the opposite page of my journal where I'd just finished jotting down the things I'm most grateful for this week. Almost every item on it are people with whom I have been working with on one project or another.

This may seem like something very common to some, but not to me. I have always been inclined towards working alone rather than with a partner or team. It's pretty tough for me to brainstorm with others without either clamming up or monopolizing ideas. I also find it hard to ask for help or share a workspace with others. 

Thankfully, God has been patiently showing me this weakness and helping me overcome it by giving me opportunities to share more with others.

This week has been filled with those. And the opportunities came in so beautiful a manner that I didn't have time to feel awkward about it. 

There are the moms who are sharing their resources/plans/ideas for future Child Education projects. There's the youth who helped me clean out the office. There are the church brethren who give gardening advice and gifts for the kids' sunflower project that I started. There are the youth leaders preparing for our major activity this weekend. There's the Publishing Team and all the production plans for the upcoming camp meeting. And I'd even count in all the Facebook conversations I had this week that included some sort of plans, sharing, and agreements.

So the word for this week is COLLABORATE. It's to realize that truly no man is an island, that there's beauty in synergy, and that God works in the hearts of His people to bring them together in His service, like stones framed together for the upbuilding of His kingdom.

Best of all, "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building." 1Corinthians 3:9

God is working with me on me, building me up to become who He wants me to be. And sometimes He uses other people as instruments for that work. 

Today's Teacher: A Tiny Pink Flower

Written March 13, 2018

Yesterday morning, there were two of these. By afternoon, they were both gone. This morning, this one greeted me with a brighter pink and healthier petals than yesterday's blooms.

The lesson, I believe, is hope and faith in a God who sees what's in tomorrow and in all the tomorrows after it.

Yesterday was a beautiful time to wait---for answers, for inspiration, for the right time, for miracles. I worried, true. But I also learned to wait, and to work while I waited. Because He is faithful who has promised.

And today came answers: in the restoration of something I had almost given up on, in promises, in privileges, in work finished, in new ideas, in gifts, in loving support, in the joy of working with those who are passionate about their work, in hellos, in healing, and not at all the least in the bright pink of a teeny tiny flower that probably only has today, but is bright anyway.

#learningfromcreation #lessonsfromtheCreator

Today's Teacher: Horror Vacui

Horror Vacui. I first learned the term in an Art class in college. It means  "fear of empty spaces," "fear of the empty," or "fear of white spaces."

Today, I came across it again while working on a layout project for our upcoming camp meeting. Thankfully, another sister has already chosen the images and created the general look of the design. My job, she said, was to arrange the elements. I am no artist/graphic designer. I'm just somebody who tries to do the best she can. So over and over again, I found myself changing images, resizing, changing colors and fonts, adding and deleting elements, and stressing all throughout. At the end of all that, I sat in front of the computer, face to face with 40-50% of white space.

This is it.
The boss battle.

I tried putting back some of the images I had already deleted. I tried one background after another. Almost exhausted, I asked myself, Why do I need to fill up this space? What is wrong with this emptiness, this silence?

When God created the earth, He made it with lots of air, lots of breathing room, lots of space, lots of peace and quiet.

That was when my favorite passages from the Bible and Inspiration came to me:

"When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God." -EGW, The Desire of Ages

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10

"There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart and lives a life wholly consecrated to God." -EGW, Maranatha

Be silent. Be still. Do not be afraid of the quiet, of the inactivity, of rest, of what seems to be emptiness. It is room for the Holy Spirit to work in your heart.

Meanwhile, here is the promotional banner for the camp meeting. You are, of course, invited. And do keep us in your prayers. Maranatha!

What I Learned Most at the Recently Concluded Camp Meeting

These past two camp meetings, I have
been assigned to work with the children in a separate class. I spent the mornings and the afternoons teaching them scripture songs, memory verses, Bible stories, and the basics of our fundamental beliefs. This meant that I missed four of the five daily plenary sessions, since I am able to attend only the morning worship and the evening session each day.

But this has not hindered me from receiving some very important reminders from the Lord. One of them I learned through a mistake I made while teaching.

I was doing a lesson on the Judgment and the Book of Life, how we need to get our names written in that book so that we be judged worthy of eternal life. I was trying to make it easier for children to understand the requirements. I told them, “If you are good children, doing good things, helpful to mother and father, kind to other children, obedient to the commandments, your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Right? Right?

The children all agreed. “Who wants to go to heaven?” Every hand went up. “Then be good kids, alright?”

A resounding yes!

I was happy with the attentiveness and the response, contented happy. I was doing my job as well as I could. I smiled from the inside. But then I glanced at my presentation notes, and in a split second I knew I made a grave mistake.

Of the way to be registered in the Book of Life, my notes said, “Receive Jesus into the life.”

Had I mentioned that? Had I told them that they had to have Jesus in their lives so they could be obedient, kind, good kids? Had I told them they couldn’t do it on their own? Had I told them Jesus died to make it possible? Had I told them how to receive Jesus?

Just then, one child or another began to be distracted from the class and in the next split second I was losing their attention.

So I let the thoughts slip by. I had them sing songs, memorize their verses, and color in their activity sheets. I drilled them on the sanctuary furniture, and on which things are holy and which are common. They really enjoyed that. Then we prayed and I let them go to their parents.

But today, more than a week later, it still bothers me.

So this is how it happened. This is one of the reasons why when I look around me and inside me, I see “adults” who have difficulty grasping that we are not saved by our own works, that it is the blood of the righteous Son of God alone that can cleanse us from sin, that only through Him can we have righteousness, that good works apart from an intimate, saving relationship with Him (if that is at all even possible), can avail nothing.

It is what we have been taught even as children.

God help me. God help every Sabbath School teacher all over the world. God help every parent and teacher. God help the children.

What Moves the Earth?

Early this morning, as I made my routine visit to our vegetable garden, a little prayer kept running in my mind: 

"Please, Lord, help the seeds to sprout. I have no life to give them but You are the Source of all life."

I knelt low and checked the radish and pechay seedbed, and lo and behold, some seeds have already begun to sprout. One here and a couple there. Amazed and grateful, I drew even closer and saw the teeny tiny crack in the teeny tiny seed, where a white-yellowish stem had come through and struck root in the soil. And then the thought:

“But I buried that seed!” Not very deep, of course, but deep enough to cover it entirely. Now the seed has emerged to the surface, having pushed away the soil above it.

I look around at all the vegetables and flowers and the big trees. They all started this way and have continued this way - moving the earth by simply reaching higher and wider and deeper.

So what moves the earth, really?

In the garden today I realized: growth.

The development of all our powers is the first duty we owe to God and to our fellow men. No one who is not growing daily in capability and usefulness is fulfilling the purpose of life. In making a profession of faith in Christ we pledge ourselves to become all that it is possible for us to be as workers for the Master, and we should cultivate every faculty to the highest degree of perfection, that we may do the greatest amount of good of which we are capable. Christ’s Object Lessons, 329.2

Lessons the Weeds Taught Me

“Laluma paglimpisa (Make the blade go deeper),” my mother said as she came up behind me weeding in our vegetable garden. Almost immediately I recognized the life lesson in her words.

My mother is one of my two gardening mentors, the other one being my father. Between the two of them, I feel like a little child playing in the dirt: Most of the time, I get dirty, I don’t know what I’m actually doing, but I have fun anyway. Besides, gardening is a wonderful time to be alone, work my underused muscles, meditate, and learn something new.

Whenever I come to the garden, I always think, “This is my heart.” As I struggle to break the ground with a hoe, sweat streaming down my face, I tell myself how I must persevere and be patient because God is at least this patient with the fallow ground of my heart.

So when Mama said I should make the blade go deeper, I knew that the lesson for today was to allow the Word of God to take a deeper, closer search into my heart, and take sin out of my life by the roots.

The work of sanctification is not just about the dos and don’ts. It’s not just about correcting the behaviour that shows. When I’m only cutting away the weeds at the surface, it won’t be long before they come up again because the roots are still there and very much alive. The blade must go deeper. The wellsprings of the heart must be cleansed of selfishness.

Truth must reach down to the deepest recesses of the soul, 

and cleanse away everything unlike the spirit of Christ…. 

                                                -EGW, Our High Calling

The thought also led me to remember a tip that a good friend told me a couple of years ago: “When you’ve pulled out the weeds by the roots, make sure to cast them away from your garden. Don’t leave them there because they have a way of taking up root again.” This was also very true in my spiritual life. How many times have I “decided” to quit a bad habit only to come back to it later because I kept the uprooted sin close? Countless.

It’s like the time I decided to never read fiction again, but kept the books in the shelves anyway. There would be times when I’d look at the books and think, “there was that part in this one that I particularly liked.” And I’d take that book out and scan through it, find the part I was looking for, and spend the rest of the afternoon reading through to the end of the book.

Cast the uprooted weed away.

So I strike deeper into the ground, pull out the weeds with my other hand and throw them on top of a growing pile to be taken away later.

These are what I was reminded of today among the peanuts, eggplants, talong, sili, and what-nots. These are the kind of lessons I learn in the classroom that my father had enclosed with a net fence – itself another object lesson, another story. But that’s for another gardening day. Today I was only beginning to prepare the soil for planting.

I got dirty, I had fun, and I learned what I ought to be doing.God be glorified.

Whose Daughter Art Thou?

All day today, questions brewed and boiled in my head. Mostly Whys and Hows, but also Whos. I prayed to the Lord for answers, and through tonight's devotional I realized that I already knew the answer from a lecture I heard at PYC a couple of weeks ago.

My devotional tonight was about the Old Testament prophecies that pointed to the then-coming Messiah, and how they were all fulfilled in Jesus. Now this wasn't really directly related to my questions. But it reminded me to get to know my Saviour even deeper.

That was it. To know my God.

Just like that I was reminded of Genesis 24, the search for a wife for Isaac.

Among Rebekah's other qualifications, this was what struck me the most:

Genesis 24:23-25
...and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?
And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

Rebekah knew whose daughter she was. She knew her place in her father's house. She was confident not only of her identity in her father, but also of the kind of provisions her father is able to offer.

Whose daughter art thou? Whose daughter am I?

I have a Father in heaven who loves me. I am precious to Him. He desires my good. He is able and willing to provide for my every need, including the building up of my character. He gave Jesus for me; He gave Jesus to me.

I can only be confident of who I am when I come to truly know my Creator and Father.

And in this-- in this I find my quest and my rest.

Treasuring Up Truth

What's your most recent memory verse? Or perhaps more to the point, when was your most recent memory verse?

Most of us grew up with "God is love" and "Jesus wept" and "In the beginning God created...". And then what? What happened after Cradle Roll, Kindergarten, Primary, and Junior Sabbath School?

Well, the sad truth is that most of us stopped memorizing new verses, and therein lies our weakness.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalm 119:11

When the devil came to Jesus in the wilderness, he could not make Him yield no matter how he lied, prodded, or attacked. You see, Jesus was armed... with Scripture. They were not just passages memorized for the sake of memorizing, of course. They were principles committed to memory and lived out in the life. They were truths hidden in the heart and flowing out in words, deeds, affections, thoughts, desires, choices, and ambitions.

The point is that Jesus took the time to acquaint Himself with His Father's words well enough that He knew them by heart and could recite them from memory - the way a warrior spends time practicing with his sword so that when the enemy comes, he could defeat him with it. Mastery takes time.

And it's time we ought to be spending committing God's word to memory.

None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict. 

The Great Controversy, 593.2

Most people just shrug and say "I'm too old to memorize anything." If you're one of them, there's a promise in Inspiration for you!

Let the more important passages of Scripture connected with the lesson be committed to memory, not as a task, but as a privilege. Though at first the memory be defective, it will gain strength by exercise, so that after a time you will delight thus to treasure up the words of truth. And the habit will prove a most valuable aid to spiritual growth. 

Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 137, 138.

Here are some ways I personally find effective in memorizing Scripture.

1. Understand what the passage is saying point by point.

2. Make the passage personal by finding applications in your own life.

3. Read the passage over and over again. Out loud, too.

4. Break it down into smaller sections.

5. Write it down.

6. Cover certain parts/words as you memorize. There's also the option to write down only the first letter of each word as memory prompts.

7. Sing it. There are lots of Scripture songs out there, especially on common passages like the Beatitudes, the Ten Commandments, etc. I love Scripture songs, and I'd be happy to share my collection with you. Message me.

8. If you have a smartphone or pc, download a scripture memorization app and spend more time on it rather than on Facebook. It will be time more meaningfully spent, I guarantee it. The app I currently use is called Scripture Typer, and is available for both ios and android.

9. Share the passage with a friend. Teach it. Discuss it.

10. One that must go with whatever method you use: PRAY. Nothing is impossible with Omnipotence.

So there. Happy memorizing!

P.S.
What methods do you use? Share them with us in the comments.

Our Leafy Kindergarten Ebenezer

So this quarter at church, I am back to teaching Kindergarten Sabbath School. To be honest, I was hesitant at first. I mean, it's been four years! But now I thank God for the privilege.

We started a little late this quarter, but we're definitely making up for it through our study of the Beatitudes. This particular subject is perfect since the adults are also studying EGW's Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing.

So what we're doing is going through the Beatitudes one by one, focusing on "Be-Attitudes" as opposed to "Me-Attitudes". Our learning device is a beehive with bees labeled according to the beatitudes. I am going to share the materials that we use for class on this blog in future posts. For now, allow me to share with you what really made me happy today.

The bigger girls (who had already moved on to a different class) excitedly met up with me after lunch to help decorate the tree branch from which our beehive hung.

We cut leaves from japanese tissue paper to stick on the branch made from felt paper. These are not ordinary leaves, mind you. On each leaf, the kids wrote or drew the things they were thankful for, like family, food, rain, sunshine, and the privilege of prayer. Even the smaller kids pitched in. While we worked, we talked about our blessings and how the trees around us should always remind us of our faithful Provider and Friend. As many leaves there are on trees are the blessings we receive from God, probably even more! We must remember to develop an attitude of gratitude.

I was truly touched when one of the students drew a girl and wrote "Thank you for our teacher who teaches us about Jesus."

That prompted another leaf from me.

This tree will be our ebenezer for the quarter. Needless to say, I had a happy Sabbath. =)

January 28, 2017

Lovely as a Tree: Adventist Youth Program Idea #6

The AY leaders at our church designed our AY programs for this entire year to be spread across five major themes:
1. Nature Study (obejct lessons, etc)
2. Health (Health Principles, Anatomy, Natural Healing, etc)
3. History of Redemption (Bible stories/characters, Adventist History, etc)
4. Christian Home (Love, Courtship, Marriage, Family Life, Christian Association, et)
5. Christian Living (Dress, Recreation, Music, Values, Christian Lifestyle, etc)

This allows us to more easily narrow down brainstorming ideas for a particular Sabbath while better ensuring that no important topics are left out. Leaders then have the privilege of coming up with specific programs and content to go with the theme. I, for one, have a tendency to have small group discussions and activities.

The Sabbath before last, we did "Lovely as a Tree," a nature study on- tada!- trees. I'm sharing here how we did it, along with some content, in the hope that it would be of help to you and your church.

PROGRAM IDEA: LOVELY AS A TREE

OBJECTIVE: To encourage the youth to study more closely the objects in nature and its revelations of God's character and will.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

1. Discussion questions written or printed on sheets of paper

OUR VERSION OF THE PROGRAM (You can always vary this according to your needs and preferences)

First, there was the usual opening ceremony. We sang songs, and offered prayer. It would be very nice to sing songs that are related to trees or that mention trees in the lyrics. One song I would recommend is the scripture song from Psalm 1:1-3 (I think I have an mp3 of this somewhere. message me!).

Then we had one of our young girls read a poem, Trees! by Stephen Henry Thayer, on the lessons we can learn from trees. I found this in a booklet included in the SonLight Education Ministry curriculum.

Our young people then stood up to offer a song about the God of creation and nature, then proceeded to one by one give object lessons we can learn from trees.

Examples:
1. Trees receive "waste matter" (like decaying leaves, etc) and still give back good things (like fruits and oxygen, etc)
2. Trees planted too close together become stunted or barren. Our associations with other people require "proper distance" and sometimes even separations for us to be fruitful.
3. People throw stones at fruitful trees. If you do well, expect criticism.
4. It's hard to bend a grown tree. But trees that are bent when young remain bent for the rest of its life. Curb bad habits early. Also, educate children toward good while they are still young.
5. A tree's sweetest fruits are those that receive the most sun. When we constantly have the light of Jesus shining on us, we develop sweet characters.
(This list can go on and on)

Small Group Discussion: Trees in the Bible

Divide the congregation into four (or as many as you see fit). Each group receives a card or sheet of paper on which is written a specific tree mentioned in the Bible and a set of questions pertaining to that tree that they have to discuss among themselves. We usually have four or five groups. This time, we had four.

1. Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil - Genesis 2:8-17, Genesis 3:1-7
    a. Where is this tree located?
    b. Describe this tree and its fruit.
    c. What was God's instruction regarding this tree? How did Adam and Eve come to partake of its fruit? What was the result?
    d. How does worldly knowledge/education lead us away from obeying God?
    e. What lessons can we learn from this tree?

2. Nebuchadnezzar's Tree - Daniel 4:10-33
    a. Describe the tree that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.
    b. What happened to the tree?
    c. What did the dream of the tree mean?
    d. What did Nebuchadnezzar do that triggered the fulfillment of the dream?
    e. What lesson can we lessons can we learn from this tree?
 
3. The Barren Fig Tree - Luke 13:6-9
    a. Describe the fig tree told in this parable.
    b. What two things can possibly happen to this fig tree?
    c. As the dresser of the vineyards of our souls, what has Jesus done for us that we may bear fruit?
    d. What fruits are we as Christians expected to bear?
    e. What lessons can we learn from this tree?

4. Tree of Life - Genesis 2:9, Revelation 2:7, Revelation 22:2, 14
    a. Where is  this tree located?
    b. Describe its physical attributes.
    c. What makes this tree special?
    d. Who alone will have right to partake of this tree?
    3. What lessons can we learn from this tree?

Allow 10-15 minutes of discussion, then ask the group to choose a representative to share their discussion with the rest of the congregation. Set a specific and reasonable time limit for this.

Another variation to this group discussion is to set up "trees" in different areas of the hall. Label them according to the Biblical trees you will discuss, and have one teammate stationed at each one. Divide the congregation into as many groups as there are "trees." Each group will have ten (or so) minutes at each tree to discuss the questions, with your teammate as moderator. At the end, all the groups will have gone to all the trees and there would be no need to "report" the group discussions to the larger congregation. You may also decorate the trees accordingly in advance.

Close with a short message about how we can be lovely like trees based on Psalm 1 or some other related message as you see fit.

Check out our other AY Program ideas here, and feel free to share your AY Program experiences or your own program ideas in the comments below.

Meanwhile, here's a photo of some of our young people rendering a song during an AY Program.

Have a blessed AY Program!

How to Solve Problems

Two years ago I was introduced to a "transcribed" class by Elder WD Frazee entitled "How to Solve Problems." It was a really worthwhile read, and was a blessing not only to myself but to those with whom I've had the privilege to share it. The class talked about the ABCD and E, and even F of problem-solving, and provides a more God-centered approach to handling challenges.

Well, today, the devotional that I share with my friend, Anthony, reminded me of those beautiful counsels again. We read Psalm 3 today, and it talked about David's trouble as he was fleeing from his son, Absalom.

In our lives, it's often true that we feel prepared for problems before the problems begin, and that we feel alright about the problems after problems are solved, but that we lose ourselves somewhere when we are right in the middle of the problem. Psalm 3 gives us a view of David fleeing for his life, a very present problem indeed.

So we solve problems like David did in that mountain.

A - Accept the assignment. Acknowledge it. 

LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many [are] they that rise up against me.  

Many [there be] which say of my soul, [There is] no help for him in God. Selah.  Psalm 3:1, 2

B - Believe two things: (1) without God you can do nothing, but (2) with God you can do everything.

But thou, O LORD, [art] a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.  Psalm 3:3

C - Claim the wisdom that God has promised. Claim wisdom through the four channels of guidance: His Word, Providence, Impressions of the Holy Spirit, Counsel of brethren.

I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. Psalm 3:4 

D - Do it. Do according to the wisdom that you have just claimed, but remember that D is not the A nor the B nor the C. It is the D.

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.  Psalm 3:5

That was probably the best thing for him to do - to rest, to find peace within himself from the Lord, to trust in God's sustaining power.

E - Express faith and Thanksgiving.

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set [themselves] against me round about.  

Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies [upon] the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.  

Salvation [belongeth] unto the LORD: thy blessing [is] upon thy people. Selah.  

In the very end, I realized that through the storms without and within, God gives me peace and rest. He hears me and sustains me. Through stresses and doubts and guilt and fears and whatever, there is always help in the Lord. He is "my shield and my glory and the lifter up of mine head." I've seen Him do it for me over and over again, and He does it for me still. It would be well for each of us to put up ebenezers of God's faithful providence so we can always know that He is our peace amidst every storm, and in every present trouble, He is our very present help.

For more about WDFrazee's "How to Solve Problems," click here or leave a comment.

Rebellion or Rejoicing?

My friend Anthony and I recently began a shared devotional on the book of Psalms. Early in the morning, one would call the other up, read one chapter, share related scriptures and passages from Inspiration, and personal reflections.

The first one we did (on Psalm 1) was very helpful that I was able to share the thoughts in church also for our AY Program. Today, we did Psalm 2, which on the whole talks about the futility of rebelling against God and the blessedness of continually trusting in Him.

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, [saying],  

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.  

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.  

Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.  

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.  

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, 

Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee.  

Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine inheritance, 

and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.  

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.  

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.  

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.  

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish [from] the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed [are] all they that put their trust in him.  

Psalm 2:1-12

When we look at how things are carrying on in the world around us, we may sometimes wonder how come evil seems to prosper, especially among the most influential and powerful in the world. Yet, there is nothing for us to fear because God has not closed His eyes. He sees and He is still in control of everything.

According to the hymn that Sis. Arlene and I sang for our morning worship today, 

"This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet."

Though, for a season, it may seem like the world is ruled by man and his evil heart, yet just as the vision of Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel tells us, Christ is our rightful king and all these other kingdoms will be dashed to pieces.

The Lord takes charge of His work in the world and of His work in our individual hearts. Let us not fear, but trust, for in trusting we find strength to obey. In trusting the Lord's faithfulness, we can live in harmony with His perfect will. And in that perfect will, there is designed for us rejoicing. In choosing our own way, no matter how right or logical or practical that way may appear, we will always meet with disappointment and frustration. It is a vain thing to rebel against God. But the end of obedience to Him is rejoicing. There is joy in serving the Lord. Always.

This is my Father's world; why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring.

God reigns; let the earth be glad!

Called and Chosen - the Song

A few days before the camp meeting last April 2016, amid the flurry of preparations, God gave me the words that would become the lyrics to our theme song. The camp meeting's theme was FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS, with a special focus on the call to labor for the Lord in these last days. This song talks about God's faithfulness and wisdom shown since the Plan of Redemption was set in motion, and how today we have not just a special appointment but also a special provision. Indeed, all His biddings are enablings.

A sister in the church is also especially endowed with the gift of music, and she made the music for this song in one night. Since the camp meeting, I have made a couple of changes to the lyrics to make the grammar a little better and the message clearer. The lyrics below are the final version. I have included an MP4 recording of the song while we were learning it in its first version for the first time. The kids at church very quickly learned the music and lyrics and had a grand time singing it. Hoping to post a polished version soon. Meanwhile, may you be blessed by the message of this song.

CALLED AND CHOSEN

Your eyes pierce the future;

From the start You see the end.

The scrolls are unrav’lling,

In history I trace Your hand.

Your arm raised up workers

Just according to Your plan.

For a time such as this,

You call me and here I am.

You have called, I will answer.

I’ve been chosen; I will go

Wherever You lead me

So that others, too, might know

That my Jesus – He is coming

To take His children home.

I’ve been called, I’ve been chosen,

By Your Spirit I will go.

Everywhere You’ve brought me

I have seen Your faithfulness.

I trust provision has been made for me

For such as time as this.

Your arm raised up workers

Just according to Your plan.

For a time such as this,

You call me and here I am.

You have called, I will answer.

I’ve been chosen; I will go

Wherever You lead me

So that others, too, might know

That my Jesus – He is coming

To take His children home.

I’ve been called, I’ve been chosen,

By Your Spirit I will go.

You have called, I will answer.

I’ve been chosen; I will go,

Walk the path of the faithful,

Die to self, and live for You.

For my Jesus – He is coming

To take me home to You.

I’ve been called, I’ve been chosen,

By Your Spirit I will go.

I’ve been called, I’ve been chosen,

By Your Spirit I will go.

God be praised.

Israel and I

Free me as You have freed them
From sin and self and shame.
Lead me as You have led them
Through the Red Sea once again.
Feed me as You have fed them
With manna day after day.
Show me as You have shown them
The bitter shall sweet be made.
Till I reach some sweet morning
The gates of Canaan land,
Teach me as You have taught them -
Till like You I at last become.

2/18/2015

March to the Water

Does it seem like obeying God is like following a cloud - something uncertain, something you cannot understand, something that might make the situation worse? Does it seem like "against the cloud" is the better, wiser, more practical, maybe even only way to go? Read on; you're not the first one.

It must have been a horror. Right when they thought they were on their way to a freer, better life, they find their enemies after them, an army prepared for battle. There must have been frantic cries, mothers gathering their children, fathers trying to secure a weapon out of the common household items they carried, and a general cry to their leader, "What now?"

"Run, quickly!" Someone must have cried. But where? There was only the Red Sea in front of them, and nowhere else. 

Behind them death by the sword, before them death by drowning. Oh how they must have regretted seeking for freedom, how they must have thought that anything was better than this, anything - even a lifetime of bondage for themselves and all their children after them.

Why had they left in the first place? And why had they come through here in the second? They followed a cloud. A cloud, of all things!

But suddenly, the cloud moves between them and their enemies. And their leader stretched out his hand toward... the sea?! Okay? drowning, then? 

Yet he looked confident, peaceful. Perhaps it's alright. He has received instruction: "Go forward!" 

Alright. To the water!

How terrible it must have felt! And what a wonder it must have been! When as they moved toward the water that under normal circumstances would have swallowed them by the millions, the water parted before them, making a path of dry land for their feet.

And when they all - millions of them - have passed through the parted sea, and their enemies came after them, the water closed right back in. The trouble before has swallowed whole the trouble behind.

A miracle.

When I face the trials of tomorrow, may I be reminded of this:

A miracle's one of two requirements is the impossible. The other one is a God with whom all things are possible. Never be afraid of the impossibility, for it is only God's backdrop for a wonderful miracle. Simply trust, and obey. 

He bids them seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and His promise is that all things needful to them for this life shall be added. Worry is blind, and cannot discern the future; but Jesus sees the end from the beginning. In every difficulty He has His way prepared to bring relief. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. Those who accept the one principle of making the service and honor of God supreme will find perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their feet.  {DA 330.1}  

God in His providence brought the Hebrews into the mountain fastnesses before the sea, that He might manifest His power in their deliverance and signally humble the pride of their oppressors. He might have saved them in any other way, but He chose this method in order to test their faith and strengthen their trust in Him. The people were weary and terrified, yet if they had held back when Moses bade them advance, God would never have opened the path for them. It was "by faith" that "they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land." Hebrews 11:29. In marching down to the very water, they showed that they believed the word of God as spoken by Moses. They did all that was in their power to do, and then the Mighty One of Israel divided the sea to make a path for their feet.  {PP 290.1}   

The great lesson here taught is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers, and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending ruin before and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward." We should obey this command, even though our eyes cannot penetrate the darkness, and we feel the cold waves about our feet. The obstacles that hinder our progress will never disappear before a halting, doubting spirit. Those who defer obedience till every shadow of uncertainty disappears and there remains no risk of failure or defeat, will never obey at all. Unbelief whispers, "Let us wait till the obstructions are removed, and we can see our way clearly;" but faith courageously urges an advance, hoping all things, believing all things.  {PP 290.2}    

The cloud that was a wall of darkness to the Egyptians was to the Hebrews a great flood of light, illuminating the whole camp, and shedding brightness upon the path before them. So the dealings of Providence bring to the unbelieving, darkness and despair, while to the trusting soul they are full of light and peace. The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path.  {PP 290.3}  

Step forward in faith on to the path of obedience. Follow that cloud. March to the water.

This post is inspired by the experience of my friend, Lorie, who refused to take an important exam because it was on a Sabbath, at the risk of not being able to take her young career forward, despite her potentials. Yet, God honored her step of faith (sometimes manifested by a stubborn refusal to budge, whatever the cost). With much prayer, she was later granted a privilege of taking a special exam alone. But the results proved that she was not, after all, alone. By God's grace, she passed that career exam. And the beautiful thing? She had passed a much more important "test" just a little earlier. God must be beaming, "Well done!"

Hold Fast

(We were asked to write poems for our upcoming Camp Meeting with the theme, "Hold Fast Till I Come")

Inspiration: Sister White's vision of the narrow way

"We have hold from above!" "God holds the cord! God holds the cord!"

The path that you are travelling
to the end soon will come.
See all the signs fulfilling,
But the battle has just begun.

You will be tried and tested;
But in Me, there is no fear.
To the narrow way I have opened,
Walk in; hold fast. I AM HERE.

Hold fast My hand outstretched to save;
Hold fast the white robe that I gave;
Hold fast the faith that works by love;
Hold fast the truth, Oh, sell it not.
Till I come - Yes, I will come -
Child, I am holding you,
Won't you hold fast too?
Hold fast till I come.

Set your love on things above;
There's nothing here you can keep.
Watch and pray; trust, obey;
Go forth in tears, and in joy reap.

Now take your cross and follow Me
Into the secret place of the Most High.
When the night seems at its darkest,
Look up, redemption draweth nigh.