Thursday, February 19, 2009

Pray unceasingly..

Prayerfully Arranged Marriage
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, February 18 2009

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James
5:16).
James Rutz, author of MegaShift, tells a wonderful story of God's supernatural hand in answering prayer.

"I have a good friend named Barclay Tait who sells vacation real estate in Niceville, Florida. Back in 1977, he was a 36-year-old Florida basketball coach. That summer, he decided to hitch-hike to a Christian conference in Front Royal, Virginia. Arriving four days early, he went to a nearby forest and pitched his tent by a stream. On the last day, a tall, thin hiker with a notebook under his arm suddenly appeared, startling him as he read his Bible. Barclay explained that he came out there to fast and meditate.

Dave, the hiker, replied, "Well, I'm an intercessor. What would you
like me to pray for?"

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Barclay said, "Uh, frankly, I'd like prayer for a wife." The man wrote the request in his notebook and walked on.

By 1988, Barclay, now married to Sherry, has been divinely guided to move to Asheville, North Carolina. A chance encounter in the Holiday Inn parking lot led to an invitation to join a gathering of a Christian group outside of town.

Arriving just before the 7:00 P.M. meeting, the host walks in from the kitchen and stops dead in his tracks. "I know you!" he exclaims, pointing his finger. "You're Barclay Tait!" Barclay draws a blank.

"Just a minute. I have something I want to show you," the host announces. He scampers upstairs, leaving the puzzled Taits standing in the middle of the suddenly hushed room. In a moment the host reappeared with a well-worn ledger book. "See here? This is where I wrote your prayer request in column one when I met you in Front Royal in 1977: 'Barclay Tait: God's choice for a wife.'" Barclay looked down at the journal entry. It was the most detailed, methodical prayer journal he'd ever seen.

"I prayed for you for seven years," proclaims Dave. "Then in the middle of the night on December 30, 1984, God woke me up out of a sound sleep and said, 'Write in your journal, "Prayer answered." So I did.

See? Here in column two, "Prayer answered.'"

Barclay and Sherry look at each other with their mouths open. They sat down,
and their eyes fill with tears. Quietly, Barclay tells Dave, "That was the
day we were married."

Source: Today God Is First daily devotional


Source: NavPress
Some verses on prayers

God’s ears are attentive to the cries of His children
Ps. 34:15
15 The eyes of Jehovah are toward the righteous,
And his ears are open unto their cry.

Even before we call, He has prepared a specific answer
Is. 65:24
24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.

He not only hears me, but He responds to me
Jer. 33:3
3 Call to me and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Friday, February 13, 2009

so awed..

wow..

God is so good. no matter wat. He is awesome as always.

He is in control, and has the best for us, no matter wat is happening, no matter wat we see or feel.

***
been feeling low for quite a while, somehow felt far from Him, couldn't sense Him like before, not because He's gone away, He is always near, it's my heart that's gone in hiding.. retreated back to its old shell, and doesn't quite know how to come out again.. fear & confusion crept in & i retreated to nowhere..

i ought to be wailing:"where am i.." coz God is always faithful and omnipresent, but i juz dunno how to meet Him..

extract from my journal written on 7 Feb ..click to view
after these thoughts were penned, i took out my guitar to twang, and it turned into spontaneous worship, and God blessed me with a new song!!
..click to listen


***
testimony from last nite's school of supernatural living at coos, church of our Saviour - 13 Feb

had a wonderful time worshipping, and enjoying God's presence, had imageries of Him cradling me as His baby, hand-holding me as His child, walking through pastures, looking at pretty flowers, dancing round & round holding hands, stopping by the water to see the fish, playing together in the water, Him pushing me on the swing, flying the kite together.. and me just lying on His lap and Him stroking my hair!

pastor derek was especially humorous last nite, and i especially loved all the verses and messages shared.

as the session was abt to end, the kind sister sitting beside me said she found it nice to beside me because.. can't remember what she said exactly (probably still dazed from the imageries & not wanting to come back to earth haha), but she said it was nice to sit with me..

later i found that it was me who was really blessed to be sitting beside her!
it started with me praying for her coz pastor asked us to pray for those who raised their hands, i barely finished praying when she also spontaneously prayed for me.. to receive the gift of knowledge, she also told me that God hears my prayers for salvation for many many people!! my heart was silently screaming in praise & awe.. maybe some did came out as audible sounds.. i'm not sure, but i'm sure my face must have been quite a funny sight, see.. i can't control my expressions very well..

for indeed i have been praying for salvation for people i know, and i was also praying the same last nite, i felt peace as i prayed.. and knew that God has it covered..

i was so bowled over when this dear sister, whom i just met, told me what has been on my heart! that He hears my prayer (even though i already know God hears us from the bible, it's juz different when someone else comes and tell u audibly..!!)
i couldn't stop smiling all the way home, remember still having that blissful smile on my face when i fell asleep..

yippee God!! thank You thank You thank You thank You thank You can't thank You enuf!!

sulian was just telling me last tues that when i don't hear God well enuf, He'll send someone along to tell me audibly..

and 3 days later.. He sends this sister to tell me He hears my prayers!! aaaahhhh..[silent screams in my heart again]

texted sulian in excitement & she says:"Praise the Lord! God is always faithful, n honors u, n loves whom u love!"

wow..

***
God made it easy for me to do things that i had been wanting to do but haven't been able to do for my family last nite & this morn! Father, i choose to put my heart in You for safekeeping forever and ever and ever.. i can't get by if it's anywhere else. i can go anywhere physically, but my heart has to be in Yours.. help me..

***
just read this article "Peace, Be Still! Do Not Let the Enemy Move You From the Rock of Your Peace" by Kathi Pelton
with the same message about God's steadfastness, and walking assuredly in His victory no matter what happens

read the full article here >>
www.elijahlist.com

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that you gave Me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me..." John 17:20-23

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
." John 16:33 AKJV

Sunday, February 1, 2009

dwelling

been receiving prophetic paintings of a "house"

the first one was received during teachers advance last dec, drawn by a little girl; the 2nd was drawn by a little boy who partnered me during sunday school when we asked God for pictures for each other in pairs; and the 3rd was drawn by a sister i'd recently met at a prophetic painting session abt 2 weeks ago

i had been looking for a house before, but had stopped looking altogether as the prices weren't good then.. hmmmm and it doesn't really matter where i stay right now, because God provides me with all i need

"One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock."
Psalm 27:4-5



"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
John 14:2-3

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beatuiful treasures."
Proverbs 24:3-4

i was re-reading John 15 and this verse on the same page caught my eye..
John 14:23
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."

then i came upon this interesting interpretation of John 15..
"Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you."
"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love."


the first i received
***

went to the beach recently with my niece and got her to soak as i sang worship songs
she lay still as she soaked and later described what she saw excitedly.. eagles.. sun.. house.. clouds.. trees.. people.. angels.. Jesus!!
when she got up, she sang "Glory" with actions.. she remembers the actions! :)
she drew them on paper when we got home..



she started with the house and then the girl in the house..
i asked:"who's that in the house..?"
she said:"xiaogu" :)
i fell alseep beside her as i watched her paint :P and when i woke.. rather, she happily woke me up when she was done and showed me her beautiful painting..

God is so good :)

***

my mom was sick during the chinese new year, one night i woke up to find her coughing and vomiting and she was so weak she couldn't talk or stand properly.. tin was also awakened by her coughing and stood by.. i asked my mom if she wanted to see the doctor, and she shook her head.. then i asked her if i could pray for her and she didn't say anything.. i took it as a yes..

the next morning when i woke, she was already up and about, being her normal self again.. i asked her how she felt and she said she was ok!

i shared this with tin and tin said.. "praise God!!"

Hallelujah!!