Sample 148 - Sample 63, Revisited.

You've probably noticed I posted this scene again, but this is a different picture; I played with the levels and saturation more on this one. 

"And, again I say... In God we trust, because in Christ, we trust. 

'Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.' (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 NKJV)"

- Sample 63, The Beauty In Faith

Christ established faith in us. As Christ is always with us, He develops this faith, and thank God, He is faithful to perfect this faith - He is faithful to finish the work He began in us. God is not a God of unfinished business.

There is no more room for fear. There is no more room for fear of lack or complete absence of progression. The Word says that even the righteous man may stumble seven times but he will keep coming back up. Christ is the reason why we keep coming back up. Christ is the reason we keep on going. It isn't about positive thinking more than it is about Christ-consciousness.

He is with us in the light and in the dark. He knows everything we are going through, He knows our struggles, He knows what inspires us and what drags us down... And though we may have our own ideas regarding the best possibility in every circumstance, we would do well to know that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life - Yes, He Himself is all these things, and before we try to figure out His ways, before we try to think WWJD, we would do well to just remain in J's presence. 

Christ said to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness - Well, I believe Christ HIMSELF is the absolute perfect embodiment of the nature of God's Kingdom ('...peace and joy in the Holy Spirit', per Romans 14:17), and Christ Himself is not just THE Righteousness, but OUR Righteousness. 

I guess what I'm trying to say now is before we try to figure out why that rainbow is there, let's appreciate the fact that it's there. The reasons and the revelations follow. 

It's no longer a matter of us finding Christ's presence. He's the One who's with us. He's the One who never leaves nor forsakes us. He is in us, and we are in Him. Jesus paid it all. Jesus did it all. 

I remember being in a similar state of exhilaration when I saw that rainbow for the first time. Only this time, it just seems so much clearer to me that Christ's love is as uncompromising as it is unconditional, in the sense that it just keeps coming and it never stops. 

Halleluyah! What a Savior!

Sample 146 - Still Flourishing

"The mountains and hills seemed to go on and on into the distance, and though that could have been picture perfect in itself, it seems as if The Lord was saying, 'You ain't seen nuthin' yet, son!' as a cloud in the distance burst with rain over the rolling landscape." 

- Sample 145, 'From A High Point'

I couldn't remember whether the rains subsided, or it seemed as if we were led to another side of the mountain on the way down, just to see even more things, to take more pictures. 

It's because just like that, the grey clouds were gone, and we were brought back to a viewpoint which was more overcast. I wasn't bothered by this at all; in fact, I was fascinated by what I saw next: trees that as far as I knew were known as Bristlecone pines. 

Hi, I'm Troy McTree. You might remember me from previous blog posts such as Sample 73 - Still Standing. 

Okay, I just did a quick Google search and no, these aren't Bristlecone pines... but they do look like they've been alive for quite some time. Older than my father? Probably. Older than me? Definitely. 

It gets me thinking about my current endeavors to blog and to write and to post and to share. I remember posting once, that there's so much life going on to write about it all. Now this may be true, but I suppose I would rather live that way instead of the other way around - more to write about than to live for. Seeing how these pines were still standing, how this one in particular was still blooming, I guess a lesson for me to take from this is that there's always time for writing, and time for living. 

That sounds just like something King Solomon would say. In this day and age, He would write it as part of Ecclesiastes 3, 'A time to blog, and a time to... what, live? Experience?' 

Now that I think about it, it would have been plenty awkward if I insisted on writing all about this while I was up there, with my family waiting, with the clock running... 

Live first, and tell the tale when you've got nothing better to do. 

There is never a dull moment. 

Sample 84 - Hope In Sight!

The future looks brighter. By God's grace, I happen to be blessed with someone to walk down the road with me. Indeed, there is greater light ahead when you see it with a partner.

I love you Paola! To God be all the glory and praise!

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Checkpoint 6

'Come Together', continued

Romans 1:23 says that God's glory is seen in all things. Yes, I continue to believe this and I am not ashamed to share that even in times when we see barrenness, even in times when the sun sets in our lives... God's absolute brilliance and glory is seen, and true wisdom is found when we seek Him with childlike faith...

In other words, He is always there to welcome us with open arms, when we run to Him knowing that Jesus Christ died and rose again so we could dwell in His presence. I pray that we would always delight in His presence. I pray that we would always remember that there is no better place to be than in His presence. All other rock is sinking sand, indeed.

God bless and keep you.

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 80 - Come Together

There is beauty in the light and in the shadows. They all come together to make a picture.

If you focus too much on the differences in things - if you think only about what you don't have compared to what you have now - you would be applying too much contrast and the whole picture would be ruined.

Trust in the Lord. You may be in the shadows, but I guarantee by His word that He makes all things happen for the good of those who love Him.

God bless and keep us all.



_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 79 - I'm Open

Be open for anything. You may not know who needs your help at any given time but it helps to just be ready for anything. On our own strength this supplement to our mindset would eventually become tiresome; but if we drew strength from Christ, our infinite Source, we would not only excel, but we would have discernment as to what to prioritize.

I believe this, especially now. The word says everything is seen by God, and He sees what priorities are breaking our backs. I believe He gently directs us back to the right direction, just so we're at rest and open all the time, blessed to be a blessing.

God bless you.





_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 78 - Calm. Complicated.

Standstill. Stalemate. Things may seem as if they were moving but when the mist lifts, that's when everything comes to life. Not that there isn't any life in black and white. There is life. There is energy - there's enough of it to be mistaken for tension, and without discernment and discipline one can easily yield to the call of emotions to act prematurely - too much, too soon; 

Or was it too little, too late? 

This may all sound like the ramblings of a man who keeps it all in, but I must say, yes, I am calm. Genuinely calm. What I'm in is complicated, but when you look at the situation in a larger scale, it's not different from what any other guy can go through.

No temptation is known to me that isn't known by any other man. My God is faithful to provide a means of escape. I stand on this word, even in this time when the enemy thinks that he has a right to insist that I do things his way. My God is faithful. My Christ, all powerful. 

I will be still. I will know He is God. 

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 73 - Still Standing

My sincerest apologies for not posting recently... I've been busy. And God has been working on me. :)

Here's something taken on the way down from the top of Mount Evans, Colorado on our 2008 trip to the United States. I love these mountain landscapes, and I pray that the my brothers and sisters there would continue to see the glory of God through His creations that they are so privileged and blessed to behold on a more regular basis. I pray that as they see the magnificent Rockies, there would be no doubt in their minds as to how great God is, and how deep His love for us, as demonstrated through Jesus Christ.

This particular shot, verse and all, was a 'page' for a photobook I intended to print some years ago. My lack of experience back then led to the abandonment of the project... but hey, who says I couldn't share what came out of it? :)

Maybe it's time to revive the project. I lift my intentions to the Lord, and I thank Him because He will make my paths straight. To God be all the glory. 


_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 72 - Light's Last Moments

Before the day slips away
I want to stop and say
I love You, 
I love You;

Before the world rushes in again
I want to stop and say there's none above You
There's none above You
 
I'll just be still and know You are God
 
Be still and know You are God

- 'Before The Day', by Newsong


_______________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 71 - Moonset | Starfall (Bauang '12)

Here's a zoomed in crop of the sky, contrast adjusted and run through a noise-reduction program.

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?"

- Psalm 8:3-4

When I think of the sheer complexity of the smallest sections of the atom and the absolute enormity of the sky and the stars, I am humbled. I ask myself, how can our own minds grasp the truths of creation, and how could our own thoughts ever hope to measure up to the infinitely superior intricacy involved in the cell structure of the tiniest of insects, or in the birth and death of a star?

Truly and indeed, God's foolishness (for lack of a better word, I suppose) is far incomparable to the wisest of wisdoms we claim to formulate on our own. We will never be able to comprehend His ways from beginning to end in this life, yet He is so gracious to show in all things that He is reaching out to us to believe in Him... He reaches out to us for us to know that the best thing for us is to just run back to Him!

He is so gracious to guarantee that we can come back to Him, even in all His absolute glory and holiness, in His infinite power and wisdom. It is not by what we do that we are worthy to stay a second in His presence; no, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but would have everlasting life, an eternity with the Father!

It was Jesus Christ who took the judgment for the sins we committed, that those who believe would literally have a clean slate, clear of all guilt and condemnation, made whiter than snow.

I mean, I know I've said this all so many times in the past, but I just couldn't stop giving Him all the glory and praying for His will to be done as I shoot and post photo after photo of His creations... It is my prayer that we all would connect to Jesus Christ.

No matter what we've been through, no matter what we've dealing with now, and no matter what we have in store for us in the future, one truth remains - that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one could come to the Father except through Him.

Choose Jesus Christ today. It doesn't always make sense, but to run to Him will always be the best decision we will make.

God bless you.

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 70 - A Sign, A Wonder (Arizona '10)

 

And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
- Genesis 9:12-17
As I read these passages one morning just a few days ago, I was reminded of one particular 'rainbow' everyone saw when we were in the Grand Canyon. We were on one of the final stops on our tour of the park, when everyone suddenly lifted their cameras, from taking the breathtaking landscape to shooting the peculiar bright colors glowing on the clouds in the sky. I simply had to follow suit.

While I pulled up these pictures I took almost 4 years ago, I wanted to know the exact term for this 'rainbow in the clouds'; after a few seconds of Googling I found out that what we saw was a small section of what's known as a circumhorizonal arc.

I spoke to my girlfriend about what I read in Genesis, and what I shot and we agreed that we are also to be, in some way or form, a sign - a reminder to all of God's faithfulness and love towards us - that when people see us in our own daily lives, they are reminded in one way or the other of how God is faithful and true to His word.

Now that I type this, I remember the days when we just started our relationship. I was literally 'on fire' in telling everyone my story before, during, and after we agreed to be more than just friends. That I was living a life of idolatry, until the Lord brought me through the most trying of valley experiences. By God's grace and in His perfect timing, I came out so much more boldly, declaring that, indeed, those who call out the name of the Lord will be saved! 

I'd love to go in detail regarding this... next time. But this is what I want to say for now. As followers of Christ, I believe we would do well to heed His word in Revelation 12:11, which says that we overcome the enemy by the blood of Jesus Christ, and by the word of our testimony.

The rainbow exists to remind us of God's faithfulness to his word. Let our lives remind all of the same thing.

Lord, by the blood of Jesus Christ and by the power of Your Spirit, use us. Work in and through us, that none should perish, but for all to come to repentance. Take all the glory, Lord! In Jesus Christ's Name I pray, amen!

View in Monochrome:

_________________________

jb.redeemed

email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 69 - Self-Portrait

Mansion House Lake, October 2010

A House Divided Cannot Stand

Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad."

- Matthew 12:22-30

 

I haven't felt so attached to a picture for the longest time.

Conflict exists in all levels; from the deepest personal thoughts to the highest forms of human government. If not addressed, all conflict leads to desolation, as Christ mentioned.

Introspection may prove counterproductive in the sense that we would see so much conflict in ourselves... But for those of us who believe, we have the option to choose to take what filth we see beneath the surface as a stern reminder of our humanity, and the futility of our flesh. That what we do of our own strength and power is done in vain, and it is God's strength that is made perfect in our weakness.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we would do well to continually call out on the name of the Lord, for His strength to be made perfect in our own personal lives, through all the highs and lows, through times of silence and of great anguish. We are able, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to behold the Lord's strength to be made perfect in our own lives - and, eventually, as we continue to declare God's will to be done here on earth as it is in heaven, we will see the Lord's goodness manifest in our own houses, our communities, our cities, our countries, our world!

Truly, everything will be put in its rightful place, everything will be in order, when we give EVERYTHING to Jesus Christ.

Father, let Your Kingdom come, and let Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

To You be all the glory, and praise, and worship, forever and ever. In Jesus Christ's Name, amen.

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 68 - Higher Heights Through Jesus (Pike's Peak '11)

Psalm 2

Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision.

Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.”

“I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, And you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

---

Indeed, when we are in Jesus Christ, we are just so blessed. Because of His death and resurrection for our sake, for all to know the Father, what else can we do but to just give Him all the glory?

Despite all our worries, all our concerns for this day and for the rest of the year, let us always remember that God's lovingkindess endures forever.

That we should not be anxious for and about anything, but that we should lift any and all of our concerns to Him in prayer, supplication and thanksgiving - for His peace which goes beyond all human reasoning will protect our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Let us always remember that God loves us, and He loves us with an everlasting love - Though our lives fall short of His grace, by the blood of Jesus and by the power of His spirit we are stepping up, from glory to glory!

Honestly, I have reasons to be worried right now, but I know beyond doubt that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus.

The enemy may try to take us down, but let us always look beyond the darkness, knowing that God's light shines brighter... And He saw the light, and that it is good.

To God be all the glory and praise forever and ever! Indeed, blessed are those who place their trust in Jesus Christ.

Sample 67 - Very Much Alive (Otay Lake '12)

 

Psalm 1

The Way of the Righteous and the End of the Ungodly

1     Blessed is the man
       Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
        Nor stands in the path of sinners,
        Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2     But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
        And in His law he meditates day and night.
3     He shall be like a tree
        Planted by the rivers of water,
        That brings forth its fruit in its season,
        Whose leaf also shall not wither;
       And whatever he does shall prosper.

4     The ungodly are not so,
       But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5     Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
      Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6     For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
       But the way of the ungodly shall perish.


_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 66 - Flare (To Pike's Peak, '11)

Psalm 28

To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: Do not be silent to me, Lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplications When I cry to You, When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

Do not take me away with the wicked And with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts.

Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve.

Because they do not regard the works of the Lord , Nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them And not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord , Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.

The Lord is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever.

When In The Red...

It is no secret that recently, times have definitely been trying; we have seen disaster strike - typhoon Pablo left more than a thousand dead. We have seen tragedy disturbing if not shattering what peace was dwelling in Newtown, CT as Adam Lanza killed 26 people, mostly children, before shooting himself. Crisis is coming, closer and closer to home. Personally, I have issues - inner struggles, and responsibilities.

Of course, this isn't the first time I've been in this season of frustration, when everything around me intimidates me. By the grace of God I have learned to take this time to recognize how fragile we are, and how we are desperately in need of God and His unfailing grace and love. I believe that as this point draws closer and closer to home, we are to call upon the name of The Lord with more and more urgency!

As I pondered upon this, and as I saw how my heart and strength fail me, I was led to a passage, a psalm, Psalm 77. In it, David mentions: "in my affliction, I remembered..." No, "This is my anguish; but I will remember the years if the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of The Lord, surely I will remember Your wonders of old."

I took this as a cue for me to take my mind back to recent times, when I literally saw the Lord's goodness work in my life, particularly through ministry. Alas, for some reason these memories I sought came back to me partially, or lacking in 'impact'! "What in the world do I need?!," I thought.

Then, right then and there, I was led to recall another familiar passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - "In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus"!

And again, I remembered to "enter His gates with thanksgiving, dwell in His courts with praise"!

So I took my mind off of myself (as I should have much earlier) and began to thank God. Lord, thank You. For this and that. I began typing it down on my phone, and if I could just see myself again at that very moment I could definitely see how God slowly but surely lifted His countenance upon me!

(This is what I typed)

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Abraham His servant, You children of Jacob, His chosen ones! (Psalms 105:4-6 NKJV)

Thank God for life. Thank God for my relationships. Thank God for my family. Thank God for Paola. Thank God for her family. Thank God for the rain and the sun. Thank God for my father's life and legacy. Thank God for my brothers and their thoughtfulness. Thank God for my nephews and nieces. Thank God for my camera, for my laptop. Thank God for this iPhone. Thank God for all these material blessings, but thank God also for putting me in check and graciously bringing me eyes back on Him! Thank God for life in Christ, and for changing me! Thank God for all the vices I no longer have any obligation to! Thank God for health and recovery and restoration! Thank God, thank God for salvation and love and grace! Thank You, Lord, for there are just so many things to thank You for, and as we do so, indeed, we remember Your goodness!

Wow.. That's what we need to have with every day. How can we hope to conquer if we only focus on our situations? How can we direct our focus from the problem to the Solution?

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV)

Thank God for all the situations I'm in. Thank God for allowing me to go through these situations, and thank God for loving me through it all... Thank You, Lord, for picking me up when I fall, hearing me when I call! Thank You, Lord, for encouraging me and for edifying me by Your Spirit, each and every time! Walang mintis, Lord, Ang galing po Ninyo! Halleluyah!

Thank You, Lord, for my mom and her thoughtfulness as well. Thank You for Manang Irene and her help and loyalty to our household. Thank You for Charlotte and Harlene, and Melvin and Israel; thank You, Lord, for this family. Thank You for this house and the blessings we have inside! Thank You for running water and electricity! Thank You for space to move and to work out! Thank You, Lord, for our dogs. Thank You for Pearl, Jade, Eyebrow, Shaggy, Snowball, and Duchess! Praise You, Lord!

Thanking God is a great way to start recognizing the goodness of The Lord in the past and in the present. Truly, by His grace we live, and by His grace we are definitely blessed. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace.

-----

This is what I want to share, in a nutshell. Actually, I'm going to just repeat that verse:

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalms 100:4 NKJV)

God bless and keep you.

Sample 64 - In Pace Requiescat

This was taken just outside the Echo Lake Lodge on the way down from the Summit of Mount Evans. This particular picture (verse and all) was part of a project I had way way back to publish a book. I thought to myself, maybe it's better if I actually started sharing the pictures instead of getting ahead of myself (and ultimately keeping the pictures to myself).

I just came to the realization that the Lord's glory and grace is known in our trials... not only by courage and not with the strength and wisdom we demonstrate, but also in the peace that He gives us. This peace is no ordinary peace, indeed it is a peace that goes beyond all understanding, as it is described in Philippians 4:6-7. 

The grace, the peace that God is so thoughtful and faithful to abound is us - it is far greater than the pressure and distress that a situation, a trial can bring! Though our bodies are trained to 'fight and flight', the peace of the Lord gives us the option to think things through and respond in the best way possible!

I believe this, because I know my heart was pounding and my body was gearing up for conflict when I was recently confronted, but God, in His faithfulness and by the power of His Spirit, led me to say what needed to be said, to do what needed to be done (pray, pray, pray!) for His Name to be glorified. Praise God for these times, and praise God because I know I am blessed, even when I am persecuted and ridiculed for His Name's sake! 

God bless you!

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 63 - The Beauty In Faith

'Just Another Rainbow' - Sure, we can call this another phenomena that naturally happens when rain and the light of the sun are in one place at one time. However, the Bible says that rainbows are also a sign of God's promise that He will never allow the earth to be completely covered in water, ever again.

 It's time to speak up.

Just because God doesn't do what you want Him to do, doesn't mean He doesn't exist.

My father died even if we prayed, and prayed hard for His healing.

My life isn't exactly what the common person would call fun and cool.

I don't have everything I want. I don't get everything I ask for.

But I have peace. I have peace due to the fact that 2,000 years ago, a Man named Jesus Christ, steadfast before the most trying of temptations, compassionate, merciful before the hardest of hearts, Life dwelling among death and decay, sinless before God and man - this Man chose to be subject to betrayal, arrest, ridicule, torture;

He was perfect & sinless before God & man, yet He suffered as a criminal in the eyes of both God &man - the most painful & shattering scourging, topped off with a humiliating, slow death hanging naked, nailed to a cross - all the while forsaken by God the Father, separated from all Hope, and love, and all that is good... All for us. All so we would not suffer the same fate.

All so we would be saved, because we couldn't save ourselves.

In God we trust, because in Christ, we trust.

We may be emotional. We may come out as fanatical. But above all that the world perceives, one thing is definite: we choose to place our trust, our fate, our future to Jesus Christ. We keep believing because He causes everything to happen for the good of those who love Him. We keep believing because through all that has happened, all that is happening, and all that will happen, we know that God never fails, and that He is good, all the time He is good.

In Christ, there is peace, there is hope.

And, again I say... In God we trust, because in Christ, we trust.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14 NKJV)

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Sample 62 - Flow (A Testimony)

110512

I cannot allow this day to end without sharing how the Lord has been so faithful to me, indeed, even in times when I was absolutely faithless.

A few days ago, I was writing down as usual on my handy-dandy notebook. I wrote two questions. The first question was, "What's your 'win' in your photography?" to which I answered, 'Many people awestruck and inspired by the glory of God seen in pictures/video.'

Recently an acquaintance, a friend I had in Facebook left a comment on what I thought was one of my 'desperation shots' (I.E. The shots I post for the heck of it; caused oftentimes by lack of inspiration or just plain laziness); He said something to the effect that he was inspired (and he really used the word 'inspire') by my photographs. Here I was, not really minding, more concerned about sharing - 'Hope In Sight' had 50 plus 'samples' in - and it was only at this time - on this particular shot - that I received this feedback.

The second question I wrote down was, "What's your 'win' in leading worship?" to which I answered, 'To set and atmosphere of hearts open for the Holy Spirit to minister to.'

A few hours ago, the worship team planned on doing the usual grind when it came to leading the people with song - '2 fast, 2 slow'; 2 Fast Songs and 2 Slow Songs, something I noticed most churches observe nowadays. We sang 'Everyday' and 'By Your Side' (both by Hillsong). I remember being just the slightest bit nervous about leading because I had some minor issues in memorizing the precise lyrics for each song. But that didn't matter as we sang the first slow song - "Jesus, Hope Of The Nations".

What a beautiful song, with such great lyrics! At that moment we were all so into the song - pastors, worship team, congregation - I believe we were all put in place as worshippers before the Lord, singing to the top of our lungs, arms and hands raised in absolute praise... At that point there was no need to continue with the second slow song because I believe the Holy Spirit was there, touching every heart... I got further confirmation from Pastor Poppo, who said that he felt the presence of the Lord, and that it lingered even until the final prayer and dismissal of the people.

I forgot to mention that the same friend who left the timely compliment regarding my photos was there in that same service. You can bet that I was pretty serious when I told him that we should shoot one time.

I mean, it would be easy to look at these two events as just ordinary things, 'another day's work'... But I believe they happened as a direct result of my prayer with Pao at another separate occasion, where I simply asked the Lord that I also wanted what she regularly prays for - For us to see how the Lord works in our lives.

And has He worked!

Last Saturday night one of our core members in the 5pm service - Sister Norma - said she wanted to talk to me. I was quite nervous to hear what she wanted to tell me, only to find out that she wanted to borrow my camera. This was discussed with a fellow photography enthusiast - Brother Nolan - who said he was into it back in the film days, and didn't have the time to shoot anymore. We came into an informal agreement that I would borrow his film camera, and I would lend my DSLR to Norma.

Recently I've been writing on my blog, Hope In Sight, regarding how I needed to bring my writing and my publishing up to speed, considering that the photographs I intend to share are no longer just reasons to brag, rather reflections of my own being, testimonies in their own right. I took the intentions of Sister Norma as signals for me to stop shooting and to focus on what I've already shot.

I was reminded of a shot I took in Otay Lake in Chula Vista, which showcased the white trunks and branches of trees jutting out in the middle of the lake. They were lifeless - no longer trees but mere perches for the local avian wildlife. I discussed this with Sister Norma, continuing by saying that if the blessings I already have are not being moved (or used), they would stagnate and not just be useless on their own but hazardous to everything else in my life. 

A picture of a stream I shot over at the Mt. Evans area over at Colorado came into my mind - A reminder that there is beauty in moving water. There is beauty to behold when blessings move. I remember how Brother Marion told me how it was impressed on him to tell me that I was as a 'wild river' - I'm thinking this is what he means. 

Chromatic Aberration is pretty apparent on the 18-55mm.

Needless to say, I knew exactly why I brought my camera to church that day - to lend it to Sister Norma. I am meeting her again tomorrow with a fellow young enthusiast, Bunjo, to teach them some basics they need to know when it comes to using that wonder of metal and plastic and glass. I remember telling Bunjo about it, saying these exact same words - 'see, a good way for you to know how much you actually know about a certain craft is for you to teach it - and I absolutely sucked in teaching you!'; It's time to step up!

Right now, I'm really into that one part of the chorus in that one song by Hillsong, "Children of the Light":

"The world is Yours, and I know

 everything will find its place

 under Your name!"

I'm writing this right now in an attempt to practice wisdom - as wholehearted as I imagine myself to be it is my intention to encourage whoever reads this to keep their eyes on the Lord, because He really knows how to keep you going in a way so tailor-fit for the edification of your heart and for those around you, for His glory. It is my prayer that we keep pressing on, keeping our eyes on the prize - but not before we testify about these things, about how the Lord puts everything together, how He indeed makes all things work for the good of those who love Him.

Dear Lord, take all the glory and all the praise in my life forever and ever... I love you so very much, Lord Jesus Christ..

_________________________
jb.redeemed
email me at jibee@rocketmail.com. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you His Shalom. - Numbers 6:24-26

Get On The Bus

These shots were taken from the window seats of the buses I've been riding to and from Manila. You don't have to have all your equipment, you don't have to be anywhere special to be led to take pleasant pictures.

Every second is an opportunity to marvel at the glory of God as seen through His creation. Every moment is an opportunity to give God the praise for His grace and longsuffering as seen in what we do with His creation.

Every second is a gift. Every second we have is an opportunity to share the Gospel.

...and I believe through blogging we have greater opportunities to make every second count. Through this medium we are able to reach a significantly greater number of people in lesser time.

I thank God for His grace which endured through the times I abused the Internet by surfing for pornography and other nasty things. By His grace, and by Jesus Christ's faithfulness to His word, I am just overflowing with a desire to love as I have been loved, to be gracious as He has been gracious.

A wise pastor said more than once that the best way to demonstrate love to another is to lead that person to our own reason and source of love - Jesus Christ. That's the reason why I still pursue blogging, writing, photography...

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Have a good day.