Thoughts Toward You
I could still remember I prayed to the Lord asking Him His will to my life. “Am I following God’s will?” I thought.
But I am where I am and I have to be a faithful witness - both for myself and for the people within my reach.
I am where I am - it’s either I’m deciding for myself or God wants me to do something.
What I am sharing is my personal experience during my Civil Engineering board examination review at Davao city, Philippines.
Here's what I learned:
God’s promises solved my problems
Holding on to God’s promises is not an option but the first choice. His promises are not for fancy ornamentation but a firm foundation to start with. His words are true and faithful (Isa. 55:11).
Among other promises, these two are my favorites. Everytime I pray, I always think of these promises. They’re as if personal words from God to me.
The Bible story is my story
Bible stories were not written just to make up history. They’re written for my good. As I learned to claim God’s promises, I also learned to claim Bible stories as my own story.
Jacob’s prayer and determination to hold on to God’s assurance of mercy and deliverance in his time of distress sets a good reminder of how weak my devotion is. Solomon’s appeal to God for divine wisdom and of good judgment reveals how narrow my knowledge is and how selfish my desires are. Queen Esther's answered prayer is just one of the many manifestations on how God regards the prayers of the faithful.
“Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” 1 Cor. 10:11
Nothing in the Bible is written in vain. God in His infinite wisdom had gracious purpose towards me in keeping the history alive in the scripture. God has not promised to keep my life all easy. But He promises that He would always be there.
God is the author of all true knowledge
I started to understand that the knowledge I might gain now is of great service to God, someday. As we reviewed for the board exam every day, and each topic reaches its complexity, I saw that God and not man is the author of true education.
God is revealed in nature, and God is revealed in His word. God is revealed in our study of Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, etc. But in most of our educational system today, one thing is missing out – acknowledgment.
Prayers said and acted out
God knows what I need even before I ask Him. But He has made this my duty to come to Him and ask Him in confidence for what I need. That’s why he said “ask.”
But prayer in words is not the end of it. We must believe that we receive it. In my case, I prayed for knowledge and understanding, and it shouldn’t end in my lips. I must act it out. I must study well. After all, prayer doesn’t replace my physical duty.
“Therefore I say unto you, all things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24
'Godbless' not 'good luck'
For me, one of the topics that are hard to understand is probability. I can’t explain why I can’t get along with it. Maybe it’s because the problems vary in approach and sometimes are confusing.
Luck too, is confusing. Luck is a lot like probability. It is a success that seems to happen by chance alone.
Many people say to me, “good luck”. I don’t know if they mean the literal “luck” or maybe like me, they too got confused for what they truly meant.
Is our life’s success determined only by chance? Because mine is not; mine is determined (Jer. 29:11), not by the rolling of the dice, but by the hand of God.
It’s not about good luck - it’s God, so Godbless.
There is power in the prayers of the faithful
Me and my friend Jessie visited many churches and we were received with gladness. We told them our cause and they all rejoiced to God seeing us faithful. They prayed for us and we felt a leap in our hearts.
How comforting it is when fellow believers pray together in unity for the welfare of others. Paul in his letter to the church at Thessalonica, expresses his gratitude to God by mentioning them in his prayers (1 Thes. 1:2).
Such prayers of the faithful are powerful. Each Sabbath is a blessing, a comfort and rest after the week’s struggle for knowledge.
When we went into the examination hall, their prayers followed us.
Say "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me”
As soon as the exam was over, me and Jessie stayed in our prayers while we waited for the result.
We remembered Jacob, and we too must hold on and never let go.
"Let Me go, for the day breaketh;" the angel said but Jacob answered, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Gen. 32:26
Heaven and earth will soon pass than God’s word could fail (PP 198). And it was this that sustained Jacob through that conflict.
We should not let go.
Godbless and bless God
Long before, God already has His thoughts towards me. Those thoughts were for my peace and not for evil. It was never luck for He said it was an “expected” end (Jer. 29:11). It was God who blessed me. It is through Him alone that I received such.
Should I bring my offerings to God according to my ability? I should!
God blessed me. I too must bless God letting His praise be upon my life.
I could still remember I prayed to the Lord asking Him His will to my life. “Am I following God’s will?” I thought.
But I am where I am and I have to be a faithful witness - both for myself and for the people within my reach.
I am where I am - it’s either I’m deciding for myself or God wants me to do something.
What I am sharing is my personal experience during my Civil Engineering board examination review at Davao city, Philippines.
Here's what I learned:
- God’s promises solved my problems
- The Bible story is my story
- God is the author of all true knowledge
- Prayers said and acted out
- 'Godbless' not 'good luck'
- There is power in the prayers of the faithful
- Say "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me”
- Godbless and bless God
It’s not just all about numbers, I learned spiritual things too!
Holding on to God’s promises is not an option but the first choice. His promises are not for fancy ornamentation but a firm foundation to start with. His words are true and faithful (Isa. 55:11).
And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath… Deu. 28:13
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer. 29:11
Among other promises, these two are my favorites. Everytime I pray, I always think of these promises. They’re as if personal words from God to me.
The Bible story is my story
Bible stories were not written just to make up history. They’re written for my good. As I learned to claim God’s promises, I also learned to claim Bible stories as my own story.
Jacob’s prayer and determination to hold on to God’s assurance of mercy and deliverance in his time of distress sets a good reminder of how weak my devotion is. Solomon’s appeal to God for divine wisdom and of good judgment reveals how narrow my knowledge is and how selfish my desires are. Queen Esther's answered prayer is just one of the many manifestations on how God regards the prayers of the faithful.
“Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.” 1 Cor. 10:11
Nothing in the Bible is written in vain. God in His infinite wisdom had gracious purpose towards me in keeping the history alive in the scripture. God has not promised to keep my life all easy. But He promises that He would always be there.
God is the author of all true knowledge
I started to understand that the knowledge I might gain now is of great service to God, someday. As we reviewed for the board exam every day, and each topic reaches its complexity, I saw that God and not man is the author of true education.
God is revealed in nature, and God is revealed in His word. God is revealed in our study of Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, etc. But in most of our educational system today, one thing is missing out – acknowledgment.
The closer our connection with God, the more fully can we comprehend the value of true science; for the attributes of God, as seen in His created works, can be best appreciated by him who has a knowledge of the Creator of all things, the Author of all truth. CT 38
Prayers said and acted out
God knows what I need even before I ask Him. But He has made this my duty to come to Him and ask Him in confidence for what I need. That’s why he said “ask.”
But prayer in words is not the end of it. We must believe that we receive it. In my case, I prayed for knowledge and understanding, and it shouldn’t end in my lips. I must act it out. I must study well. After all, prayer doesn’t replace my physical duty.
“Therefore I say unto you, all things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24
True faith lays hold of and claims the promised blessing before it is realized and felt. We must send up our petitions in faith within the second veil and let our faith take hold of the promised blessing and claim it as ours… Here is faith, naked faith, to believe that we receive the blessing, even before we realize it. When the promised blessing is realized and enjoyed, faith is swallowed up. EW 73
'Godbless' not 'good luck'
For me, one of the topics that are hard to understand is probability. I can’t explain why I can’t get along with it. Maybe it’s because the problems vary in approach and sometimes are confusing.
Luck too, is confusing. Luck is a lot like probability. It is a success that seems to happen by chance alone.
Many people say to me, “good luck”. I don’t know if they mean the literal “luck” or maybe like me, they too got confused for what they truly meant.
Is our life’s success determined only by chance? Because mine is not; mine is determined (Jer. 29:11), not by the rolling of the dice, but by the hand of God.
It’s not about good luck - it’s God, so Godbless.
There is power in the prayers of the faithful
Me and my friend Jessie visited many churches and we were received with gladness. We told them our cause and they all rejoiced to God seeing us faithful. They prayed for us and we felt a leap in our hearts.
How comforting it is when fellow believers pray together in unity for the welfare of others. Paul in his letter to the church at Thessalonica, expresses his gratitude to God by mentioning them in his prayers (1 Thes. 1:2).
Such prayers of the faithful are powerful. Each Sabbath is a blessing, a comfort and rest after the week’s struggle for knowledge.
When we went into the examination hall, their prayers followed us.
Say "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me”
As soon as the exam was over, me and Jessie stayed in our prayers while we waited for the result.
We remembered Jacob, and we too must hold on and never let go.
"Let Me go, for the day breaketh;" the angel said but Jacob answered, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Gen. 32:26
Heaven and earth will soon pass than God’s word could fail (PP 198). And it was this that sustained Jacob through that conflict.
We should not let go.
Godbless and bless God
Long before, God already has His thoughts towards me. Those thoughts were for my peace and not for evil. It was never luck for He said it was an “expected” end (Jer. 29:11). It was God who blessed me. It is through Him alone that I received such.
Should I bring my offerings to God according to my ability? I should!
God blessed me. I too must bless God letting His praise be upon my life.
