February 25, 2005

The Law of the Yukon

By Robert Service

Send not your foolish and feeble; send me your strong and your sane-
Strong for the red rage of battle; sane, for I harry them sore;
Send me men girt for the combat, men who are grit to the core;
Swift as the panther in triumph, fierce as the bear in defeat,
Sired of a bulldog parent, steeled in the furnace of heat.

'And I wait for the men who will win me- and I will not be won in
a day.
And I will not be won by weaklings, subtle, suave and mild,
But by men with the hearts of vikings, and the simple faith of a child;
Desperate, strong and resistless, unthrottled by fear or defeat,
Them will I gild with my treasure, them will I glut with my meat.'

Christians are always in constant fierce, bloody battles. We're gladiators, only the strongest survive- those who have set their eyes on Jesus, who call Him Jehovah Nissi. To them is given the privilege to see one soul come to Christ... To glut on the meat of defeated enemies like David did on Samson's head.
The youth of our generation need strong men who will go. Who will say Lord send me? Here I am? Can you hear the calling? Can you hear the cry of your generation?

There's so much strength in our generation. .. I want to share a little quote I found in a book I'm reading by Elisabeth Elliot called
Shadow of the Almighty, which is the life and testament of her husband Jim Elliot. His life has touched mine so much, that I can comprehend now that only a devoted life, is a world-changing life. These lines were taken from his journal:

"For youth there is special wretchedness, for then the powers within conflict most bluntly with the powers without. Restraint is most galling, release most desired. To compensate for these, youth has special powers. ' I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you; and ye have overcome the Wicked One.' Unusual strength is a premium for youth; acuteness and retentive powers are more real in youth; victory sweetest in youth. Lord, let me live to the hilt, exerting all its force, loosing all its fire. In Solomonic wisdom, I would rejoice in youth, yet remember my Creator."


In hot pursuit,


Sarahi

February 24, 2005

Prayer insight

By Dr. Steve Swihart

Daily devotions are vital, but sometimes you will need more. When you sense that the Lord is calling you to spend a larger block of time with Him, consider these two options:

(1) Devote a quarter or a half or a whole day to the Lord (praying, reading, listening to Christian teachings/music, meditating, taking notes on the Lord’s messages to your heart, and so on). This plan is best achieved when your family is gone from the home, or when you can get away from your home to a quiet place without interruptions.

(2) Devote an extra hour or so to fellowshipping with the Lord. This suggestion can normally be achieved by dedicating the final hour of your day, before going to bed, to the Lord. If this idea won’t work for you, stay up an extra hour after everyone is asleep, or get up an hour before everyone else. You can do this one time or several times back to back.

When regular devotions aren’t enough for you, spend a larger block of time with the Lord for renewal and revelation. Ask Him to help you find a place and a time when you can sit-and-soak with Him.

February 22, 2005



This painting I just posted was based on a popular novel (The Genious of Christianity) by the French writer Chateaubriand. The novel depicts two young Native American lovers from different tribes who fall in love and run away together through the wilderness.
The relevance of the painting is that it was not merely to be meditated upon, but to portray the human emotions surrounding our complex nature, which was one of the main topics during the Enlightement/ Neoclassicism of the Mid-19 Century, particularly in Art.

The Burial of Atala, Anne-Louis Girodet-Trioson, 1808 Posted by Hello

February 20, 2005

Longing for You

Mi copa llenarás

By Marco Barrientos from his Album
Yo soy tu Paz
(From Ps. 42)

Con mi alma te he deseado en la noche,
Y en tanto que me dure el espíritu,
Dentro me mi, madrugare a buscarte
Tu Nombre y Tu memoria, son el deseo de mi alma

Como el siervo brama por las aguas
Así el alma mía bramara
Mi alma tiene sed del Dios viviente
¿Cuando vendré, y me presentare ante Ti?

Plenitud de gozo das
Y delicias a tu diestra
Solo en Tu presencia hay paz
Y mi copa llenaras… De Tu Amor.

February 19, 2005

Struggling to Keep a focused Mind, and above all a focused Heart

Undivided Heart
By Eugene Greco

A single heart pure in its devotion
Set apart for you
A willing heart whose door is always open
A heart that You can use

Give me an undivided heart
undivided heart
for the honor of Your name
an undivided heart

Undivided heart, undivided heart
my heart forever will remain
and undivided heart

A tender heart- filled with Your compassion
a heart that You can move
a loving heart-burning with a passion
Totally consumed... (Give me...)


How hard it is for human beings to keep a focused mind and heart... A heart that will not be moved, that will not be fooled by the waves of the emotional man within.
Being a Christian means to have a heart like the Lord's. A heart that loves what He loves...
I'm so afraid that I will be so consumed with accomplishing all those things the Lord has called me to do, that I will do everything within my own power to reach that one thing which I much desire. I do not want to be selfish. That's my biggest fear, that I would become so insensitive, so divided within my hear by things, by the "work of the Lord" that I'd forget about everyone else.
Looking at other people's needs, ministering, loving them, and serving them is the best way to keep our hearts humble and undivided. Knowing the Lord and speeding time at His feet is the best antidote... Loving HIM means loving everything that He loves.

I want a Ruth spirit to overcome my life. To truly say with all my heart, "Your people will be my people and Your God will be my God, wherever you go I will follow." I want a heart that will follow hard after my Lord, not only after His call, or after "serving Him." (Not that those things aren't important, by no means.) Always remember that He is, in the first place, the One to allow you to do all of these things- service, and having great future- for Him as an act of worship, not just responsibility or compromise.

Lord, give me an undivided heart. Remove all my selfish desires and dreams; that in trying to serve You, I'd forget Whom I serve. Give me an undivided heart!
"Lord give me firmness without hardness, steadfastness without dogmatism, love without weakness." - Jim Elliot

February 17, 2005

Losing you...

I don’t want your appreciation
But your love.
I don’t want your crumbles
But your whole.

Don’t you know that, that,
Which is loved the most,
Is the one thing for which
You sacrifice the most?

It’s taken me to lose it all
To really know that I had nothing at all.
I’ve learned to lose it all
So that I may gain it all.

I feel I've lost you.
Please tell me not it is too late.

(Jan. 12th, 2005)

From a collections of poems I've written over the years.

Everybody in our small group Posted by Hello

The guys from my small group Posted by Hello

February 16, 2005

Dim

When I don't like the reflection I see in the mirror, then I remember that the Lord is not done with me yet, that there's more work to be done... His soft whisper resounds in my ears, and then I thank the Lord that He takes us from "glory to glory."
That "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully know." (I Cor. 13:12) What a great promise to those who wait on the Lord. Keep your loving eyes set on God. Though we don't see dimly, then we shall have HIM face to face...
As for now, we can see how God puts every piece of the puzzle in place, that He who started the good work in us, will perfect it, in the mean time, I wait...

You are I AM
By Darell Evans

If You are the mountain
I am the climber
If You are the ocean
I am the diver
For You are I AM

If You are the potter
I am the clay
If You are the sunlight
I am the day
For You are I AM

You are the vine
I am the branch
I am the dancer
You are the dance

You are I AM
And there is no other
You are my passion
My vision my color
You are I AM
My everything
You are I AM
You are I AM

If You are the song
Lord I will sing
If You are the player
I am the strings
For You are I AM

If I am the novel
You are the writer
If I am the gold
Lord You are the fire
For You are I AM

You are the wind
I am the eagle
I am the canvas
You are the painter

You are I AM
and there is no other
You are my passion
My Vision my color
You are I AM
My Everything
You are I AM
You are I AM

May everything else around become dim in the bright light of the Presence of Jesus.

In hot pursuit,
ASD...etc

February 13, 2005

To my Valentine

Though I lack a Valentine, and have never had one, every year I like to write a letter to my future spouse. I pray for him, and ask the Lord to bless him and fill him up with His holy presence.
To all of us who long to find true love, and who are patient enough to wait for their priced beloved, here's a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

How Do I Love Thee?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Paradise.

I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,-- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life!-- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.


I pray that I will learn to love my future warrior-poet this way, so that I may be a Proverbs 31 wife for him to truly deserve him and to serve him for the rest of my life...

Faithfully waiting for my warrior-poet,
ASD

February 12, 2005

Sweet Embrace

After midterms I am ill. I suppose it was because of the pressure from work and school. I dare not to say that my spiritual state is ill as well, for I have glorified God for this "thorn in the flesh" so that I may spend this time in bed, in His arms.
"The Lord is my Shepherd..." Though nauseous and weak, I have felt the presence of God stronger in my life today. Surrounded by worship music, and His pierced hands... His soft voice whispering into my ear those words I've longed to hear from His lips, "I love you, my Songbird." Though weak in the flesh, the Lords has glorified Himself in my spirit, and my soul has found that peace "which surpasses all understandings." He's looked into my naked soul, and has cleansed the wicked feelings that don't conform to His ways.
The path to the Cross is a path of renunciation. Step by step, the Creator of heaven and earth strips my soul and my flesh from those things hindering the flow of His spirit. During this time, I have come to love Him as I never thought I could love anyone else. Jesus, the One and Only. My Beloved, my Shepherd, my Prince, my Wonderful Consoler...

May I request from you, that you have me in your prayers, if once or twice a week that will suffice. Pray for my trip to Southern Spain (Andalusia) and Morocco. Pray that the Lords will give us (The Grecos, and team) boldness, wisdom, and peace as we minister to the pastors and worship leaders in Spain and Morocco. Specially in Morocco, as it is a Muslim country, though we won't be able to meet with the underground Church in Morocco, we will be ministering to the leaders of these underground churches.

Here's a little song I wrote a couple of months ago which relates to the embrace of my Heavenly Prince...


Sweet Embrace

Take me in your arms of love
and show me your ways.
Teach me your truths as you
hold me close.

All in your sweet embrace,
there I find my strength;
where I come to know you,
as you hold me close.

(Oct. 17th, 2004)



No quiero ni pensar, en una vida de falsedad
porque contigo todo va muy bien.
No quiero ni pensar, que seria de mi
si mi oracion no fuera para ti.

Yo quiero que mi oracion sea como la fragancia
de un gardin, no cualquie gardin,
si no un gardin de rosas...

From RoJo. Learn more about RoJo
Here

In hot pursuit,
ASD...etc

February 09, 2005

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." -Jim Elliot

Have I an objet, Lord, below
Which would divide my heart with Thee?
Which would divert its even flow
In answer to Thy constancy?
O teach me quickly to return,
And cause my heart afresh to burn.

Have I hope, however dear,
Which would defer Thy coming, Lord-
Which would detain my spirit here
Where naught can lasting joy afford?
From it, my Savior, set me free
To look and long and wait for Thee.

Be Thou the object bright and fair
To fill and satisfy the heart,
My hope to meet Thee in the air,
And nevermore from the part;
That I may undistracted be
To follow, serve, and wait for Thee
-G.W. Frazer

February 06, 2005

All for the Honor of Your Name

Lately, there has been some things in my heart which I'm afraid are blocking the road that leads me closer to my Heavenly Father. There are seasons in life where one must pause and analyze the condition of our hearts to deeply see that which, is hindering our walk with God and that is keeping us away from the promises of God for our lives.

Knowing before hand, that once I start to analyze those things in my life that are so temporal, so very worthless; I might come to realize that I have nothing at all that is worth living for on this earth. I have nothing to hold on to. But I praise the Lord for that! That He in His mighty power and overflowing wisdom has dismantled my life of the things of the earth, so that I may utter the same words Abraham did as he dwelt among the Hittites, "I am an alien and stranger among you." (Gen. 23:4) Abraham, having lost his wife- mother of Isaac ( the seed of Abraham), and as such the representation of God's promises to Abraham- felt empty as he stood up before God, and Sarah's inert body acknowledging that he, just as his wife Sarah, was passing by...

This makes me think about my spiritual condition. Am I aware that I am just passing by? As I mentioned it earlier, I have nothing to hold on to. God has taken some Sarah's away from my life so that I may say that I am an alien, a stranger. Lord, I am just passing by. This process of losing the Sarah's in my life has been hard, painful, and sacrificial. But there's more to lose... Much more to give away. I will gladly consent to my Lord's request. Everything has been His from the very beginning, I own nothing (not even my own life) and "it is well with my soul."

I want to finish with a song written by Eugene Greco, a prominent song writer,and worship leader whom I hope I get to know better as I leave with him and his wife to Spain and Morocco this June. I hope that I die fully to myself during that trip. May this be the cry of my heart during this year, "Lord, whatever it takes!"

The Honor of Your Name
By Eugene Greco

Lord, You are free to do anything
Remove anything within me
That stands in Your way or causes You pain
Or hinders Your flow within me
Whatever the cost, whatever the loss
That You would be Lord of all

All for the honor of Your Name
Only the honor of Your Name
Let all You give or take away
Be for the honor Your name

O for the faith to fully embrace
The call You have placed within me Believing for more, I open the door
To Your Spirit's power within me
Whatever I need to finally see
My purpose and destiny...



The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. -Isaiah 50:4

February 04, 2005

Inspiration from the Psalms

It seems that we human beings are extremely moved be this feeling we like to call inspiration. Inspiration seems to be the main reason we do everything.
A friend of mine has been writing about inspiration, and what it means to him... Everyone has an inspiration source, He has found his. And each of us strive to find that specific thing which inspire us. Living without it would be as having a carrot cake without its frosting... Like a bird without a song, like mother without her children, like a lover without her loved One.
Inspiration is not the center of the universe- or at least not mine- but it sweetly flavors it when life seems monotonous.
Here's a little article I found that relates to that conspicuous word, inspiration.

INSPIRATION FROM THE PSALMS
BY DARLENE ZSCHECH

No. 61: PSALM 35:1-10 (NIV Version)A Psalm of David
1. Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.
2. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid.
3. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, I am Your salvation.
4. May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame, may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.
5. May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
6. May their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7. Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me,
8. may ruin overtake them by surprise – may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
9. Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord and delight in His salvation.
10. My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like You O Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them."

This is the first of three sections when it comes to Psalm 35. The first section being a complaint, the second a prayer, and the third, a promise of praise… and as is the true character of David, each section ends with a grateful song. You could never pray to God with such boldness unless you had a clear conscience, and David here definitely felt he was in the clear before God and was filled with a righteous anger that said 'ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!'
Just before I started writing this study, we were at CONNECT GROUP, with people we dearly love, and talking about how we handle opposition, how we handle offence, and what we practically do to overcome these challenges in life. Well we all said things that made sense, and that scripturally were correct and practical… hanging onto the Word of God, developing your life of Faith, understanding spiritual opposition and dealing with it etc, but none of us said.. 'Ask God to disgrace those who persecute us, may they fall into a pit and die!!!' It really got me thinking about the way we are often so passive about the onslaught of the enemy, rather than getting passionate about using the authority we have been given to fight in the spiritual realm.

February 03, 2005

Prayer Insights

by Dr. Steve Swihart

In John 15 Jesus spoke about five kinds of people who are grafted into Him: (1) those who produce NO fruit, (2) those who produce SOME fruit, (3) those who grow and produce MORE fruit, (4) those who grow a great deal and produce MUCH fruit, and (5) those who make wise investments in God’s Kingdom so that THEIR FRUIT WILL REMAIN even after they have died.

The person who produces no fruit will eventually be cut off and burned in the fire (this is a picture of hell’s judgment)! The individual who coasts along producing a small amount of fruit will be pruned (cleansed and disciplined) by the Father so he will become more productive. The believer who responds to the Lord’s pruning will become more fruitful until he or she is full of fruit. And the person who consistently honors the Lord with the desires of his heart, the thoughts of his mind, the words of his mouth, and the decisions of his will shall produce a harvest that will continue to be reaped for years after his going to be with the Lord!

This week, as you intercede for your family and others, ask the Lord to guide them into a holy life-style that will culminate in fruit, more fruit, much fruit, and fruit that will remain!
ASD

February 01, 2005


My Home town in Mexico Posted by Hello