Can You Hear God’s Heartbeat?

“When was the last time that you heard God’s heartbeat in your life?”

This was the question that struck on my mind when I attended a Spiritual Retreat and Recollection at the Marikina City Hall for the culminating activity of the 5th Marikina Christian Festival. We really thought that we shall intercede on behalf of our city or we shall pray for the new believers but it turned out that God had an another plan for us. While I was sitting at the bleachers, God met me. I was able to hear God’s heartbeat for me.

Pastor Ferdie Cruz, a senior pastor from Jesus Church, shared about our Identity in Jesus Christ. He used the Parable of the Lost Son and the story of David and Goliath as the parallel illustration. Let me share with you what God imparted on my heart.

You are God’s Champion in His Heart.

“You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:45-47

King David was just a young boy when he fought with Goliath. God is pleased with him for though he is young and incapable in the eyes of others, his heart is filled with faith and he is assured that God will hand them the entire Philistine Army for the battle is the Lord’s. David’s faith made him a champion at God’s Heart.

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Psalms 16:2

King David was called "A Man after God’s Own Heart" because he will do whatever God wants him to do and that he recognized the only good in him is the God in him. Because he recognized that apart from God, he is nothing, God considered him a champion in His heart.

Whenever we recognize that apart from God, we are nothing and that it is only by His grace and sustenance that we are able to do good things and continue the good fight of this life, we acknowledge that we are God’s champions for God is the source of our life and strength.

You are God’s Diamond in His Heart.

A diamond is considered the hardest stone in the whole earth. No two diamonds are identical. Each one of them possesses unique characteristics that cannot be seen in another one. There are 4 C’s in order to determine a diamond’s value: cut; clearness; clarity; and carat. The more intricate the diamond’s cut is, the higher is its price. The more defined and clear each facet is, the more precious the stone is. The diamond’s price also ranges depending upon the carat that it possesses. We are God’s diamond in His heart because we are His treasured possession. Because we are His precious gems, God refines us for us to be the brightest and majestic diamond that we could ever be. God disciplines all those whom He loves because God does not want them to go astray that will lead to their own destruction.

You are God’s Child in His Heart

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Luke 15: 17-22

Have you ever wondered why the father of the prodigal son ran after he saw his son from a far? He ran in order to protect his son. It was because during the Old Testament times, the rebellious and stubborn children were stone to death. If any elders of the town who knew what he did to his father will saw him, they have the authority to stone him to death.

“If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town. They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.” Deuteronomy 21:18-21

Don’t you think God ran for us? He ran for us in order to save us from eternal damnation. The consequence of our sins is death but God loves us so much that He gave His own life for us to be saved. Jesus died in the Cross of the Calvary not for you to have a value; he died at the cross because you are highly valued. Imagine, the Maker of the stars and universe, the Voice who calmed the raging seas, and the Hand who shaped the very foundation of this world thought about you and He wants to be with you. You are the apple of His eyes. You are of more worth than the sparrows who do not work yet God does not let them to be hungry. You are fearfully and wonderfully made because God knit you with His hands at your mother’s womb. He will never ever forget you because you are His darling and dear.

“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16 (NLT)

Let me need this blog post with an excerpt from the song above which is entitled When God Ran by Phillips, Craig and Dean

I saw Him run to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice I felt His love for me again

He ran to me, He took me in His arms
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice He said, “Son”, He called me Son
He said, “Son do you know I still love you?”
He ran to me and then I ran to Him
When God ran

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

Jesus of Nazareth: Heaven’s Champion

             Today in our country, our fellowmen celebrate the feast of the Black Nazarene. Try to open the television and you will see a lot of breaking news about the said feast. You will see multitude of people who are trying their best to jump at the “karo” (the wheeler where the image of the Black Nazarene is mounted) just to wipe their towels at the said idol.  If you are going to watch the interviews that were conducted by the media men; you will hear the devotees’ reason why they were participating in the said event. Some said that the prayers of healing through the said Black Nazarene were granted. Others said that they were praying for good health and better life. In the interviews, it was evident that the people who participated in the procession have already put their faith in the said Black Nazarene.

               

                We human beings are needy beings. Too often, we look for a comforter in times of trials, a provider in times of need, a faithful friend that we could depend upon, a lover that will remind us how special we are and how beautiful and amazing we are as persons. All these things are found in one Person: Jesus Christ.

                It is a saddening fact that most of our fellowmen do not really know who Jesus Christ of Nazareth is.  The truth is no image nor can sculpture save us from our sins. No amount of anointing from any idol either through polishing their bodies by a face towel or using an oil that comes from their body can heal your infirmity. Only Jesus Christ can save you from your misery. Only Jesus Christ can heal your wounded heart and make it whole. Only Jesus Christ can be your channel to our Abba Father. A wood or a marble cannot intercede in your behalf. A non-living thing cannot speak to God. Nothing of this world can mediate you to God. Only Jesus Christ can mediate you to the Father. 1 Timothy 2:5 states it loud and clear:

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”

1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV)

Peter’s declaration at Acts 4 confirms that Jesus Christ is the Only Messiah, the Cornerstone of our Faith.

With that, Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, let loose: “Rulers and leaders of the people, if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, I’ll be completely frank with you—we have nothing to hide. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. Jesus is ‘the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone.’ Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.”

Acts 4: 8-12 (MSG)

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray that as you read this simple blog post, may your eyes be open up and may your hearts accept the fact that Jesus Christ is the One and Only Savior. Apart from Jesus Christ, nobody, nobody, nobody saves. God the Father sent His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for our sins for us to be saved from eternal damnation and have an everlasting life. No image or sculpture of any creation here in the land, air or waters can save us and give the deepest desires of our hearts. Marbles, woods of great value, precious stones and incredible works of hands are nothing in the sight of God. God wants you. God wants to be your God, your Provider, your Lover, your Father, your Brother, your Best friend, your Savior and your ALL in ALL. The choice now lies in your hands. Will accept the real Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and spend eternity with Him? Or will you still put up your faith on these dead wood and marble sculptures that cannot save you from your misery and cannot wash away your sin?

Let me end this blog post with a passage from Isaiah 44: 6-22

“This is what the Lord says—

Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:

I am the first and I am the last;

apart from me there is no God.

Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.

Let him declare and lay out before me

what has happened since I established my ancient people,

and what is yet to come—

yes, let him foretell what will come.

Do not tremble, do not be afraid.

Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?

You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?

No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

All who make idols are nothing,

and the things they treasure are worthless.

Those who would speak up for them are blind;

they are ignorant, to their own shame.

Who shapes a god and casts an idol,

which can profit him nothing?

He and his kind will be put to shame;

craftsmen are nothing but men.

Let them all come together and take their stand;

they will be brought down to terror and infamy.

The blacksmith takes a tool

and works with it in the coals;

he shapes an idol with hammers,

he forges it with the might of his arm.

He gets hungry and loses his strength;

he drinks no water and grows faint.

The carpenter measures with a line

and makes an outline with a marker;

he roughs it out with chisels

and marks it with compasses.

He shapes it in the form of man,

of man in all his glory,

that it may dwell in a shrine.

He cut down cedars,

or perhaps took a cypress or oak.

He let it grow among the trees of the forest,

or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.

It is man’s fuel for burning;

some of it he takes and warms himself,

he kindles a fire and bakes bread.

But he also fashions a god and worships it;

he makes an idol and bows down to it.

Half of the wood he burns in the fire;

over it he prepares his meal,

he roasts his meat and eats his fill.

He also warms himself and says,

“Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.”

From the rest he makes a god, his idol;

he bows down to it and worships.

He prays to it and says,

“Save me; you are my god.”

They know nothing, they understand nothing;

their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see,

and their minds closed so they cannot understand.

No one stops to think,

no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,

“Half of it I used for fuel;

I even baked bread over its coals,

I roasted meat and I ate.

Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?

Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”

He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;

he cannot save himself, or say,

“Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

“Remember these things, O Jacob,

for you are my servant, O Israel.

I have made you, you are my servant;

O Israel, I will not forget you.

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,

your sins like the morning mist.

Return to me,

for I have redeemed you.”

Lessons from the Connecticut Shooting

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

 Last Saturday night, I saw a lot of pictures showing sympathy and condolences for the victims of the shooting incident at CT. I got a bit curious about it that is why I decided to Googled “Connecticut”. I was deeply shocked and overwhelmed with what I have read: 20 little kids raging from the age 6-7 and six adults were killed at an onslaught shooting rampage at the Sandy Hook Elementary school, Newtown, Connecticut. It was said that the gunman, Adam Lanza, killed his mother at their home before he went at the school and randomly killed 26 people. Upon his arrival at the school, he shot the entrance door that was locked as a part of the newly installed security system of the school. At the Hallway, he shot the school principal and school psychologist who were trying to confront him. He then went at the kindergarten and Grade One classrooms and killed 20 students and two teachers. 

As I was reading the articles, my heart was shattered into pieces. I am very fond of kids and they have a special place at my heart. 20 innocent lives were taken away through multiple gun shots – something that we should mourn for. But apparently, I have realized that in everything God is control. Perhaps, God is teaching us some lessons and reminding us that His sovereignty envelops the earth. We may not understand why things like this happen. No matter what situation we are facing right now, whether we are mourning, suffering, agonizing, feasting or celebrating, the eyes of the Lord are upon us. Proverbs 15:3 clearly states that the eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Because of this incident, we have learned three things that we should keep in our hearts.

1. Acknowledge God’s Sovereignty in each circumstance in our lives. 

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18

God never sleeps or slumbers. He knows everything that is happening in our lives. God is the Only Source of life and He has the power to give and take away. Whether it is good or bad, our hearts should choose to give thanks. Easier said than done, right? But we have to remember that as Christians, we can do all things through Christ Jesus. Whether it is about accepting the fact that we have lost someone whom we dearly love or forgiving the one who caused a lot of heartaches in our lives, we can overcome it because Jesus Christ will strengthen us. We are called to become victors in Christ. Yes, we can mourn for a while but we have to remember that life has to go on and we need to finish this race of life that the Lord God has prepared for us. Remember, “to live is for Christ and to die is gain” ~ Philippians 1:21

2. Acknowledge that only God can heal the pain that you are experiencing right now and no one can escape from God’s justice.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~ Psalm 147:3

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD. ~ Romans 12:19

Only God can heal the scars made by sad and painful memories. Nobody can save you from your own misery. Unless you acknowledge that Only God is the source of freedom and salvation, you cannot move on and start a brand new slate. We should never think about taking vengeance. Let God pay them back. Yes, it is very difficult but God wants us to love our enemies just like how we love ourselves. Remember, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We used to be enemies of God but since Jesus Christ died for us, we receive the forgiveness of our sins and the spirit of sonship. This is the reason why we can cry “Abba”. Forgive yourself, your transgressors, and receive the healing that Jesus Christ is offering.

3. Acknowledge that we have hope in Christ and trials of this life are blessings in this disguise.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” ~ Romans 8:18

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” ~ Romans 5:2-5

As children of the light, we have hope in Jesus Christ. Our sufferings and trials enable us to exercise our faith and take a glimpse at God’s untarnished and unconditional love of each of us. Through His grace we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Someday, after all the trials and testing that we have encountered, we are going to see each of those things in a different perspective. Our eyes will be unveiled that the glory of the Lord that is to be revealed to us is worthier than the sufferings that we have experienced as of the moment.

To the families of the victims of the Connecticut Shooting Rampage, we pray that God may heal you from the pain that you have as of the moment. We are here for you. We are praying for you.


May Yahweh’s comfort and blessing be upon you.. Amein.

Note: Pictures in this article were taken from Google. Credits belong to its rightful owners.