Wednesday, January 31, 2018

HOW TO MEND A BROKENHEART – A SUMMARY

“Not only must one learn to do without someone he had come to feel he could not live without, but he must endure dagger-thrust to the heart, such as: You deserved to be rejected. You are not worthy to be loved. You will never be loved. Who would want you?”

“Believe that in the days of sorrow He is sowing light for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.”

“When we are depressed or lonely, sleep is an escape. Maybe our dreams will be sweeter than real life! But we must also realize that sleep is God’s gift not only to mend our tired bodies, but our ragged spirits as well.”

“Imagine Elijah sleeping under that juniper tree. Now look up. Can you imagine God watching over His servant, with love in His eyes and compassion in His heart? So, too, as you crawl into your bed with agony, go to sleep under God’s loving eye. That person may have rejected you. But you will never lack of God’s affectionate care. Like a mother caressing her slumbering child, let God caress your aching heart.”

“If your heart ache overwhelms you, sometimes you just want to die. But God gives us the first principle: Share the burden with others. You need a Jonathan – friend, like David. This also echoes the principle that even an Elijah needed an Elisha. So the application is: do you have friends to whom you can share your sorrows with?”
                                                                                                          
Like Moses, we must be honest about how we feel. We might feel that God has afflicted us (remember Heman’s accusation?) with a broken romance. We shudder gazing at the years ahead: full of pain and futility. But there is one thing that will keep up going: the unfailing love of God that satisfies us every morning.

“We wish to have the wife who will satisfy us. Solomon was a bit more explicit: “May her breast satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love” (Proverbs 5:19.) There is nothing wrong with desiring joy in marriage. If we believe Solomon to also have written Ecclesiastes, he added, “Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love” (9:9.) But our soul – deep satisfaction is not from that person – in fact, not from career, riches, or anything else – but from God. I’d strongly recommend you memorize Psalm 90:14-15 and cry it out everytime you yearn to die. God, not anything else, must be the strength of our hearts (Psalm 73:26). Then spend time with the Great Satisfier every morning. Let Him so satisfy your heart that the husband/wife will be a bonus.”

“If you unload your emotions, angry, bitter words on someone, you may feel better. You had let off steam. You “got if off your chest.” But such relief lasts only briefly. You’d realize you have created a bigger problem. Somebody else has been hurt, not just you. You might as well dump garbage on his head. So if you want to lash out in anger and bitterness DON’T DO IT! But if you already did, you have to seek forgiveness.”

“You maybe in your love life famine. Honestly, I don’t know what will happen to you. I pray that God will bless you.”

“If you feel that God has allowed your (romantic) dream to die, lay it inside a box and bury it before Him. Let Him, in His own time, come to the tomb and resurrect our dream.”

“Don’t shrink from disappointment. They are God’s choicest gifts to you. Through them, You’ll know Jesus more intimately. You may regard Him only as a historical figure or religious leader. Or you have entrusted yourself to Him as your Lord and Savior. Now, you’ll come to know Him as a Friend, Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of peace. When people fail you and things don’t make sense, He shows Himself faithful and true. You discover Him to be the Shepherd of Your soul, gentle as a lamb, but strong as a lion. To your fragile heart, He commits Himself as your Rock, your very strength.”

“We usually think we know what is best for God or how to glorify Him better. We act as if we were His PR Managers. But He knows how to glorify Himself much better than we do. Sometimes He doesn’t seem the least bit interested to glorify Himself. Sometimes He may even seem to contradict His love. His are strange method indeed. But in His economy, times of silent and disappointment are but stepping-stones to a higher blessing, a greater glory. You may be carrying a Cross now, but later there will be a crown. Never forget the higher blessing and the greater glory.”

“Also according to His design, we are social and sexual beings. Hence even though Adam could have been totally content with God, God also provided him with Eve. Even though God was thoroughly pleased with His creation, He still concluded, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18 – the favorite text of singles, although in my view, sometimes abused.) Ideally, then, we would have the delightful experience of sharing our love thanks with others in community, and especially with a spouse.”

“It takes sheer, raw faith to let go of the immediate satisfaction of the false savior. Faith, however, leads to decision. Abraham had faith in God and he proved it by his obedience in leaving His country. Similarly, if we truly believe that God satisfies us and has our best interest, we exercise this faith not only by stopping – yes: cease and desist, quit cold turkey, or in the biblical term, repent – our compulsive behavior and begin seeking out the True Lover of our souls.”

“Turn your loneliness into solitude. Today, in the here and now, your world has been shattered into a million pieces. To pick them up is like picking up jagged glass: it cuts you as you go along. You are lonely to the point of rage. But turn that loneliness, into an advantage. Turn your free time and yes, even your pain, into opportunities where you can seek God. Learned to embrace the pain as a gift.”

“Be assured, dear friend, God will heal your emotional wounds. When one is sick, do not self-medicate; consult your doctor. So, too, as far as your pain is concerned, do not “self-medicate.” Throw away the placebo of fleeting pleasures. Reject the sugar-coated poison of sinful escapism. If your heartache is severe, check into God’s ICU and consult the Great Physician.”

“If we refuse to sin, and eventually love Him for who He is even if He doesn’t give us our heart’s desire, then I think we have learned one of the most important points of being God’s child.”

“Use your pain to draw you to God, not to drive you away from Him.”

“The darker the night, the more glorious the morning.”

“The time will come when it will be just between you and God. All your friends, your support systems, your ways of escaping the pain will seem useless. God tolerates no rivals. In due time, He will knock away the other things we are learning on to sustain us in our pain. He does so not to destroy, but to teach us to draw strength solely from Him.”

“It is a pattern in Scripture that God takes something away. Only to replace it with something much more precious.”

“God will mend a broken heart if you give Him all the pieces.”

“When you give your heart’s desire to God and He takes it away, not giving anything in return (at least, not in the meantime), it is a burn offering, totally consumed. You are empty. But remember in your emptiness, God seeks to fill you with Himself. You are empty, but He is everything. That is what He wants you to learn; that in Him is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), Grace and truth (John 1:14), even grace upon grace (John 1:16). You are learning something priceless, though empty, you have everything.”

“While you may be hurting, train yourself to look from God’s perspective. He does not inflict heartache whimsically. There is a purpose for every blow. Some would say it is to prevent you from marrying the wrong person. More may add is to refine your character and prepare you for the person He wants you to marry. Whatever reasons they are, trust that God has very good reasons for allowing your failed romance. Let this loosen your grip on your pain. Or bitterness. Or anger.”

“Maybe God has not given you the husband/wife because He knows you are not ready yet. If God gives that person to you right now, you’d only hurt yourself and that person. You may not yet be ready because you have to learn humility. When you are loveless and dateless, which “umble” are you – “grumble” or “humble?”

“The godly man/woman must know what kind of person he/she must marry and is willing to wait for God to bring that person to him/her. If you found such person, that is a great blessing!”

“If you are worrying about your growing old without a life partner, trust God. If and when He finally brings a spouse into your life, the timing is part of the package. Let Him dictate not only the identity of the blessing but also the schedule. I am sure you heard the line, “God gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him.” If you believe in the goodness of God, give Him the choice not only for who, but also when.”

“Go for a God-concerned, character-based courtship.”

“Many times we try to invent our own kind of love. We even draw on our idealization of love. But now you have Christ as a role model on how to love people. He is the personification of love. Not just love, but loyal love. How many of us thank Him that despite our foolishness, He still loves us? We do things that we are not proud of, yet we are secure in His love. In John 13:1, we learn that Jesus loves us to the very end. Remember: The secret of loving is to be a loving person; and being a loving person comes from being loved by Christ.”

“To love well, we must be loved well. And nobody loves you better than Christ. If your experience of God’s love is lacking, then you will have difficulty loving another person. Therefore, the task in the meantime is to nurture that love relationship with Christ.”

“There is no shortcut to character building. It takes time. This might explain why Lucy and I got married in our 40’s. Frankly, my character was also formed while going through the heart break. After tasting pain, I certainly don’t want to inflict it on others, let alone my wife. It also births a spirit of empathy and long suffering. Thus again, be grateful for your heart break. God is shaping you into the right person for the woman He has in mind for you.”

“Sadly, many people get married so young, their character didn’t even have a chance to form. Even more tragic, many people get married without knowing the Christ who wishes to imprint His gracious and holy character in their hearts.”

“My spiritual growth was flourishing. Through that small group and training class, I was connecting with people in meaningful ways. We shared our questions and opinions, our joys and sorrows, our victories and defeats. I had a grand time using my spiritual gift of teaching. Most of all, the pain that darkened my MBA studies had become more and more a distant memory. One day, I knew I was emotionally healed when I was able to say that girl’s name without any bitterness.”

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


AT LAST!

Towards the end of 2001, I  met a woman named Lucy who was from another Church. She saw how her Church sorely needed more Bible teachers. So she prayed that God will send them some. She then met a friend of mine who turned out to be living in the same condo building where her Church was holding its services. Lucy invited him to teach the Bible in her Church and he accepted. That friend later contacted me and asked me to help him. I was jobless at the time and, rather than moping over my lot, I wanted to use my tons of free time in serving God. So I agreed to help him.

Little did I know that in helping this man, I myself was to receive the greatest blessing in my life second only to Jesus Christ.

The first time I set my eyes on Lucy, I was attracted to her beauty and intellect. Later, she got assigned to my Bible Study group. I was becoming more and more interested in her. Lucy would later tell me that her heart was drawn to me through the way I conducted those Bible Studies.

Before she set my eyes on me, Lucy had her share of suitors. Yet she didn’t choose to marry for the sake of getting married. She was particularly choosy as to the character of her man. That she was getting along in years didn’t force her to lower her standards or to compromise. She kept waiting on the Lord. Now her waiting was about to end. So was mine.

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


CHRIST OFFICIAL ACT AS OUR HUSBAND

What would sustain us in this fallen world? What would see us through the heartaches, frustrations, suffering, even unmet dreams and unanswered prayers? It is the vision of the marriage feast in heaven. Remember, God is the Lover. We are the fickle maiden. At long last, the wedding will take place.

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the Saints. Then He said to me, “Write. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:6-9)

Christ is the Bridegroom. We are His Bride. He will come for us. There will be the Grand Reception. What will be His first official act as our Husband? I’d like to think it is this:

…And He shall wipe away tear from their eyes (21:4)

Nobody can deny that this is a pain-wracked world we live in. There is physical pain. There is emotional pain. Yet if we strain our tear-soaked eyes beyond the horizon of this present world, we can almost see the table being set, the angels rehearsing their crescendos, and – most importantly – our Husband getting ready. Rather than letting our broken romance corrode us with cynicism or despair, this vision will consume us with wonder and excitement.

We cannot change the past, but we can change our response to the past. We must entrust our wounded yesterdays in the hands of our Great Redeemer. Let our attitude no longer be of regret or self-castigation. Rather, let it be one of a mellowed though bittersweet trust on the God who loves to show Himself gracious and compassionate.

Dear friend, eyes front! Let Him payback the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). As I write this, God is preparing something – maybe even someone – wonderful for you. As you wait, be passionate for Him again. Our past is redeemed, our present is secure, and our future is glorious!

…and so we will be with the Lord forever
(1 Thessalonians 4:17)
From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


TEACH ME TO LOVE YOU, LOVE ME..

When we lose our passion for Christ, perhaps it is because we have forgotten how it is to be loved by Him. That memory is from long ago. Now we are caught up with so much activity, be it in the workplace, in our family, or even in the Church. It is one thing to talk about the love of Christ but it is another to experience it.

That’s where the challenge of Bible Studies comes in. It is not just to talk about Christ’s love in a theological sense, but as an experienced reality. No wonder the Psalmist did not say, “Oh come and know that the Lord is good,” but rather, “Oh come and taste that the Lord is good,” (Psalm 34:8).

If you are feeling spiritually cold right now, many times we are told to read our Bibles more, to pray more, to serve more. But perhaps you have come to the point that they won’t seem to work. You still feel dry and feeble and empty. But there is hope. From the lonely seashore of our coldness, He still stands and asks us, “Do you love Me?” If we say “Yes,” even though ours is but a desperately imperfect affection, Jesus accepts it. Then, we rise up and follow Him afresh. The journey begins anew.

Many times we try to “pump ourselves up” with a love for God. But the proper way is to rest in Him and let the sweet ocean of His love wash over us. The prayer is that God brings us again to savor, nay, exult in His love. “Lord, can You embrace me again? Lord, when I read Your Word, it is dry as dust. Can You surprise me with Your love when I read my Bible again? And Lord, when I pray to You, can You teach me again to adore You, rather than throw You another shopping list of request or complaints? Lord, will You teach me to love you by loving me?

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


WHAT IS TRUE LOVE?

Knowledgeable Bible Students know that, in the Greek Text, Jesus used the word “agapas” in His first question, a form of the familiar Greek word: “agape.” ‘Simon son of John, do you “agapas” me?’ “Agape” is the highest love. Peter answered, ‘Lord, You know that I “phileo” You.’ “Phileo” is a friendly, filial love, the love towards friends and relatives. To paraphrase, Jesus was saying, ‘Do you love Me with the “highest, self-sacrificing love?’ and Peter replies, ‘Well, Jesus, You know that “I like You as a friend.”

Jesus repeated the same question, using “agape.” Again, Peter replied in the positive, using “phileo.” Then in the third round, something interesting happened. Jesus asked Peter, ‘Do you love Me with “phileo” love?”

Notice what happened. Jesus brought Himself down to the level of “phileo”, because that is all that Peter can muster for the moment. Peter was hurt. I like to read between the lines of Peter’s reply. I think that he was saying something like this, ‘Lord, I don’t feel that I love You enough. You are seeking the “agape” love, but I don’t have “agape.” “Phileo” is all that I can give You. Whatever love I have, please accept it.’

And that was good enough for the Master.

Three years before, when Jesus first set eyes on Peter, He said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19.) Now, after all the blunders, carnality, and yes, even denial, He still invited Peter to follow Him. This time, not to fish for men, but to tend His sheep.

So, too, Jesus brings Himself down at the level of our love, tainted through it may be with sin and selfishness, Jesus then sets out to purify and heighten that love. In romance terms, this is so that we may love Jesus more than we did yesterday and love Him more tomorrow.

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com

ios.florinac@gmail.com

SEE YOU AT THE TOP

Deep maybe your wounds, but God’s grace is deeper. Take your fondest hopes and lay them at His altar. Let them be your love gifts to our tender Jehovah. There is no safer place in all the universe to deposit them. Your highest well-being is enshrined in His heart; there is no atom of malice in His wonderful wisdom.

I have a good friend who once told me something like this, “If the girl is absorbed with the things of God, then to pursue her through horizontal relationships is but an intrusion. Perhaps the direction you should go is upwards, separate from her, closer to God. Who knows, you might see her at the top.”

Think of your search for love as a mountain. Christ is at the peak. Your future spouse is somewhere else on the mountain. You do not know who your future spouse is, where she will be coming from, or how you two will meet. You both are, at this point, strangers to one another. You don’t see her for now, but you see Christ. As each of you pursue intimacy with Christ, both of you come closer to the peak. Then, in due time, you and your beloved will meet at that peak, because your focus is on Christ. By that time, you would have been so satisfied and secure in Christ that you do not need to cling to one another to meet your needs. You will each be in a fantastic position to be a lover than to demand to be loved. You will be so filled with His goodness that you will gladly minister to the other. Hence, you could imagine telling your future bride, “I will see you at the top.”

Many times, we exacerbate our pain by trying to heal ourselves. But the secret is that the healing does not come from you. It comes from God. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18.) When we are hurting, God enters the picture. He does not remain aloof. Even though we don’t see Him, He shepherds us on the pathway to healing.

If you are hurting, take comfort in the truth that our God is greater than our mistakes. He can make the crooked straight. He can reach back in time and redeem our past. More wonderfully, He goes before us to prepare a blessed future… if we walk in His ways. This includes walking with Him in our love lives.

The task now is to nurture an intimate, vibrant relationship with God through Jesus Christ. At the end of the day, it will not be you who will mend your broken heart. It will be God. When we get to “the top,” we meet our Great High Priest, who knows and sympathized with our pains and weaknesses. If we think we have lost confidence in ourselves, if we think the loneliness is too much to bear, if we think we can’t go on with life, the secret is to go to Jesus. Follow the Man of Sorrows. He’s been there. He understands. He cares. Mora than you can possibly imagine.

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com



GOD THE LOVER

I became a Christian when I was in High School, about ten years before I enrolled for those MBA studies. I became active in the school’s Christian fellowship. I devoured Christian Books written by people like MacArthur and Tozer. Soon, I was leading Bible Studies on my own. In my spare time, I would roam around the campus, looking for fellow students – usually a hapless freshman – to share the Gospel with. When that person accepted Christ, I would type follow-up lessons for him (this was before word processors.) I even kept a prayer list of around 60 names and items. Perhaps, it was legalism. Perhaps, it was obsessive – compulsive behavior. But each day I really prayed through those 60 names and items.

When I graduated from High School, my Christianity unraveled. The Church worker who was mentoring me left for the US to pursue his studies. That meant nobody to be accountable to me anymore. I became sloppy in Church attendance. Later, I quit going to Church altogether. By the time I was in college, I scrapped the 60 – item prayer list and discarded my Bible –reading.  I was backslidden Christian when I was courting this girl.

Much later, as I was reading my Bible, an inkling crept into my mind: To the degree that I desired that girl to love me and spend time with me, that is only a glimpse of how much God desires the same of me. The twist in this chapter, then, is the frustrated Suitor is not me, but God.

To some, God is a stern Cosmic Judge in the sky. To others, He is a doting Grandfather winking at out foibles and frailty. But it is best to derive our view of God from His self-revelation in the Scriptures. The Bible uses human relationships to describe God’s relationship with man. One powerful analogy is that God is a lover in pursuit of our hearts.

True Christianity is a romance. God is the Lover. We are the fickle maiden. He seeks to woo and to win. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, His purpose was not merely to send them to the Promised Land. He said, “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself.” God wants to draw us to Himself. Not to a creed, not to a Church – although these are important – but to Himself.

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


DON’T DRINK THE SEAWATER!

I had the story of a plane that crashed into the ocean. A US marine and the other survivors joined hands to form a large ring and treaded water. This was so an overhead rescue plane can spot them.

Days went by. The sun was blazing hot upon them. The people were getting weary and thirsty. The marine was trained never to drink the seawater, no matter how thirsty. Tough and disciplined, the soldier never did.

The other passengers were not as resolute. They gave into the craving and gulped some of the seawater. They gradually died of dehydration. When the rescue plane finally arrived, only the marine and a mere handful of survivors were left.

What a picture of filling up your pain with empty substitutes. A raging thirst is formed with us a psychic “hole” that is the aftermath of the failed romance. The “ocean” around us is world which offers relief that will not only leave us thirstier, but will eventually kill our souls.

The trick, then, is not to drink the seawater of sin. But unlike the marine who had to wait for rescue before drinking fresh water, we have the Living Water available to us right here and now. And once we have tasted the Spring, we should have no desire to gulp from the ocean.

What hope do we have then? Abandon all sinful avenues of escape and walk through the pain with God. Put yourself in His hands, even if the need or desire may forever be unmet. It calls for a clear break from sin and towards a passionate dependence on God. We submit all the heartache, loneliness, regrets, bitterness of soul – indeed all our intense hungers – into His hands. Be honest with yourself and God. Spell out your needs, desires and goals. What is it you really want?

Then give all your sorrows to God. If you are angry with Him, then vent out all your rage at Him too. He can handle it. In due time, train your eyes no longer on yourself, but on Him. Yes, we face the pain head – on, but He walks through the dark tunnel with us. You may cry, “I will be overwhelmed by my hurts!” But He promises that the waters will not sweep us away nor will the fire consume us (Isaiah 43:2).

If we refuse to sin and eventually, love Him for who He is even if He doesn’t give us our heart’s desire, then I think we have learned one of the most important points of being God’s child.

Leave your false saviors. Drink deeply again from the Spring:

Come, all you who are thirsty,
Come to the waters…
…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.
(Isaiah 55:1, 1 John 4:13)

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com
ios.florinac@gmail.com


THE CAVE OF HEARTBREAK

Yes, you are on a journey. But where are you going? Many people try to flee from their pain. But running away won’t help, because you’re carrying the pain no matter where you go.

Elijah went inside a cave in Horeb, which in Hebrew mean “desolation.” Quite a fitting place for someone whose spirits have sunk rock bottom. But it is also the place of divine appointment. Horeb was the place where God met Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3.) Here, God will again reach out to a spent, hurting man.

There he went into a cave and spend the night. And the word of the Lord came to him, “what are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”
(v.9-10)

God told Elijah to get out of the cave and stand on the mountain (v 11). A great wind came and tore the mountains apart. This was followed by an earthquake. Finally a fire. In each instance, the Bible tells us that the Lord was in none of them. But where was Elijah during the wind, earthquake and fire? Still in the cave! Only after God gave a gentle whisper did he step out of the cave.

When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave..
(v.139)

Why did God bother to send wind, earthquake and fire? Many will say it is to remind Elijah of His great power. Thus he should have nothing to fear from Jezebel. That can be so. But I also noticed that despite God telling Elijah to leave the cave, he was so depressed that he remained inside. When did the prophet finally get up? After a gentle whisper.

What did Elijah hear in the gentle whisper? What did God say? What we’d give to find out! But it did the task. Elijah emerged from his cave.

When we are so absorbed in our pain, we want to hole up in our caves of self-pitying isolation. In a related concept, David was extremely depressed when he penned Psalm 142. Its title says, “When he was in the cave.” Are you still in the cave of despair and heartbreak? We need to listen less to the voice of our pain and more to the voice of God. God’s power can impress or terrify, but will not soothe our hurts. God’s compassion does.

God lovingly draws us out of our caves. We have a tender, tender God! He knows that we are but dust (Psalm 103:14.) He welcomes us to lay bare our wounded heart. We have a heavenly Father, not a celestial drill sergeant. I do not think God asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” In a barking, disappointed or condemnatory way. I think it was laden with compassion. How do we know? The gentle whisper.

God repeated the same question to Elijah. Interestingly, he gave the same response, virtually word for word (v. 13-14.) Could this be a symptom of mental fatigue? When we are brokenhearted the same woe-is-me line runs again and again in our minds..
“Nobody loves me. Nobody will ever love me!”
“I will never get married!”
“I will be alone and lonely for the rest of my life!”

Thus, we withdraw from people and nestle ourselves in the darkness. But God comes and seeks to break this destructive cycle, if we let Him. The way is to behold anew His greatness: the wind, earthquake and fire. Then feel His gentleness: the soft whisper. If God has great power but no gentleness, He would be a brutal Taskmaster. If He is gentle but no great power, He would be sentimental yet impotent. But we have a God who is both: Mighty in power, yet “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29.) Today, rest yourself in the hands of our awesome, yet tender Jehovah.

Our study won’t be complete without how God gave him another task: To train Elisha as his successor. By this time, Elijah had no objections. He didn’t insist on going solo. God’s gentleness had so healed his hurt that that he accepted someone to take under his wings. We have seen God meeting Elijah’s physical and emotional needs. Now, He is filling his social needs. Truly, our God will supply all our needs, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19.)

By the way, in 2 Kings 2, we again see Elijah’s tendency to go on his own. In his last journey, Elijah wanted Elisha to stay behind. Three times he instructed his protégé to remain. But in each time, Elisha refused, insisting, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you” (vv.2,4,6.)

Elijan, the Lone Ranger prophet who wanted to die, was no longer alone. As God did for Elijah, so will He give you companions to ease your loneliness; perhaps even a faithful spouse if it is His will.

May you find God in your personal Horeb and let Him lead you back to people.

“IN YOUR CAVE OF PAIN, LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD.”

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
cabreraflorina.blogspot.com

ios.florinac@gmail.com

A BITTER OUTBURST

If you read the story of Ruth: Naomi started out brokenhearted and ended up blessed. This is the story of an actual, flesh-and-blood hurting person. if we see how God dealt graciously with her pain, we’d see how God dealt graciously with yours and mine.

Naomi experienced tragedy after tragedy. Israel experienced famine. Naomi’s husband decided to bring the family to Moab, a pagan country. Think about the relocation for a while. Naomi was settled in her hometown, Betlehem. Very likely, she was comfortable in her Jewish religion, customs and traditions. She had her circle of friends. Then one day her husband said, “Let’s relocate to Moab.” How disconcerting it must have been for Naomi to uproot herself from her home, culture and friends.

During their stay, Naomi’s husband died. Their two sons married Moabite woman, yet had no children. Then the two sons themselves died. Try to imagine her standing beside three tombstones. The men in her life… gone.

By then, she really has a problem. No husband, no sons, no grandchildren! In those times, if you were a widow without anyone to provide for you, you’d be facing poverty, hunger and loneliness. Some widows who were still physically appealing would turn to prostitution just to survive.

Racked with pain, she decided to go back to her hometown, she heard that God was providing food back in there. Naomi’s two daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, wanted to join her, but she dissuaded them. Orpah returned to her people in Moab, but Ruth pressed forth with Naomi to Betlehem. When they arrived, the women there apparently still recognized Naomi after being away for many years. Now listen what Naomi told the women:
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” (1:20-21)

Naomi’s name means “Sweet.” Mara means “Bitter.” So when she changed her name, she was declaring that her life used to be sweet, but now is bitter. She was very vocal and honest with her hurts. She did not whitewash her tragedies with pious platitudes. She accused God, not just once, but at least five times.

…the Lord’s hand has gone out against me (v13)
…the Almighty has made my life very bitter (v20)
…but the Lord has brought me back empty (v21)
…the Lord has afflicted me (v21)
…the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me (v21)

Naomi is the picture of a person with a broken heart. Our misfortune in our love lives would pale even to the point of being petty, by comparison. But our hearthaches are still real to us, aren’t they?

Naomi wailed, “I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Do you remember how it was to fall in love? You were so full of love, full of dreams, full of hopes. Visions of bliss danced before your eyes.

You went away full of dreams and expectations. But the courtship – or the relationship, if it got that far – did not work out. The romance, just wasn’t happening. You’re stripped of your hopes and dreams. So now you come back empty. Like Naomi, you’re thinking, “God has dealt very severely against me.” So you lash out bitterly. You ventilated your grief to anyone who’d hear.

If only God did this… did that, I’ll be very happy!” “You know, Lord, I have been faithful to You. I’m serving You. But it is this all there is? Will I be single forever? Lord, what’s with You?” We are in effect saying, “It’s God fault.” You thought He wants you to be happy. He could have given you the woman of your dreams… but He didn’t. And so you say, “The Lord has made my life very bitter.” Deep down, you may be resentful against God.

The Bitter Becomes Sweeter
While you would find it encouraging to read Ruth’s story for yourself, let me give you the gist: Ruth found herself collecting grain from Boaz field. Naomi heard of this and recalled that Boaz was a close relative. She then coached Ruth how to bring Boaz to marry her (Ruth.) It worked:
“So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her; and the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son. The women said to Naomi: Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman – redeemer. May he became famous throughout Israel! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.” Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him. The women living there said, “Naomi has a son (4:13-17.)

What a radical turn-around of Naomi’s fortunes! When we first meet Naomi, she was brought so low that she accused God of being rough on her. But now, Naomi was exalted. The women recognized the hand of God, leading them to praise Him. Naomi lost her two sons. But the women avowed that Ruth was better than seven sons. Even Ruth’s son was considered as Naomi’s own!

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

God Bless Us..
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YOU DON’T HAVE TO KEEP IT BOTTLED INSIDE

If your pain is eating you up inside, I have another tool that will helped you a lot. It’s called a journal.

My favorite definition of a journal is that, essentially, it is a record of your dealings with God and life. Some use it as a diary. Some write down their prayers on it. Some pour out their feelings into it. My experience is that there is something therapeutic when you express your pain on paper (or in my case, on the computer screen). The venom seems to be siphoned off your system. It relieves the pressure. The journal serves as an outlet.

A journal is not just to record your grief before God. God can also teach you through your journals. As you review your journals, you can remember how God dealt graciously with you. If you read your journals written 10 years ago, you may wonder, “Was I really that shallow? This was me 10 years ago? Lord, thank You for helping me mature. I learned a lot.”

How do you cope with the temptation to lash out? Do it in private. Do it before God. Do it through a journal. You’ll find that it’s a two-way street. We pour out our hurts to God. God let His comfort stream in. Before you know it, you don’t need to lash out at the people who care for you.

There is a passage that had become special to me. In one of my lowest moments, I wrote in my journals, “Has the Lord indeed forgotten me? Has He abandoned me?” That led me to re-read the Psalms. When I came upon this verse, I had God’s answer. I left His arms embracing me. Even now, as I recall that moment, I get teary-eyed. The verse is Psalm 9:18.

“But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.”

From the Book: How to Mend a Broken Heart
Written By: Nelson T. Dy

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Monday, January 1, 2018

DEAREST LORD

Thank You for the whole year 2017 for standing behind my family. There’s a lot of crying moments, financial crisis, business strugglings and health issues that hugely disturbed my family, but here we are, smiling and laughing once again; proving that Your love and care sustained us all.

We expect 2018 will be a great year for my family. We will cry again but Your grace is enough. We may stumble on the mud but Your hands will carry us onto the finish line. We will run but not be weary. Our future is greater than our past.

Love,

My Family

11.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

MY ROAD TO BREAKTHROUGH

“God is the God of breakthrough! Whatever that is, He is the answer! He is in the business of restoring your life and making it brand new.”

“God’s hand is not too short to save! God will give you victory like a breakthrough of water! Pray and fast! (2 Samuel 5:20)”

“Do you desire for spiritual or a relationship breakthrough? Do you need health or financial breakthrough? Do you want a campus or community or family breakthrough? No one in the Bible got a breakthrough unless they started to seek for it through prayer and fasting!”

“Don’t box God! He can turn things around in your life and families! Unlock the key to breakthrough! Don’t miss it!”

www.miraclehour.org

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10.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

HOW TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFE

1.SIN NO MORE. “Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14)

2.ALWAYS THANK GOD FOR YOUR HEALING AND FOR YOUR HEALTH. Giving Him thanks is a way that will lead us in confessing our victory. Confess your healing and good health regardless of your feelings, symptoms, and pain because confession of our health sealed our healing.

3.HAVE A HEALTHY DIET. Choose healthy foods.

4.DON’T BREAK THE NATURAL LAW. When you always break the natural law, your health will do the same, so always eat healthy foods and have an enough time of sleep everyday.

5.LIVE A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD. Always pray and read Bible. God must be our priority. “My Son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to My Words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)

6.ATTEND GOD’S SERVICE REGULARLY. The more that we are filled by the presence of God, the more that we’ll be healthy.

7.SHARE CHRIST ALWAYS. Wherever we go and whatever we do, we must always share Jesus Christ and His Words.

8.HAVE A FASTED LIFE. Fasting is a spiritual and physical discipline. “We don’t live to eat. We eat to live.”


God Bless Us..
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9.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

HINDI IBIG SABIHIN NA KAPAG HINDI MO PA NAKIKITA ANG SAGOT NG DIOS SA IYO AY NAGSISINUNGALING SIYA. ALWAYS REMEMBER, GOD IS NOT A MAN THAT HE SHOULD LIE (Numbers 23:19). HIS WORD IS SETTLED IN HEAVEN FOREVER! BELIEVE HIS PROMISES. CLAIM ITS FULFILLMENT AND ENJOY IT!


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ios.florinac@gmail.com

8.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

When God puts you into a situation to reveal your bad character, thank Him even if it hurts. Be grateful. Say, “Lord, thank You. You have dealt my heart. My being living like Jesus will be so true because You have dealt my heart. Lord, make it happen again because my eyes and my heart are deceitful. Repeat it, while I am alive and as long as my character is still bad. Do it again.”

YOU WILL ONLY SEE YOUR TRUE CHARACTER WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO YOU.


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ios.florinac@gmail.com

7.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

We don’t have any right to judge a person. You don’t know what he/she is going through right now. Release a prayer instead. Be a blessing.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.”
-1 John 5:14-15


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6.APOSTLE RENATO D.CARILLO SR

People do not backslide overnight.
But they move from carelessness to compromise,
To complacency then to carnality.


God Bless Us..
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ios.florinac@gmail.com