Spiritual Enemies

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." - Ephesians 6:12

In a battle, it is imperative to identify your enemy. If you are not aware of the point of your attack, you are vulnerable.

Praying After the High Points

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. - Mark 6:46

What do you do after a spiritual victory? Where do you go after reaching a high point in your Christian life? Jesus went to pray. 

Fix Your Eyes on God

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" - Numbers 20:10

It is easy to see why Moses became frustrated with the Hebrew people. They were so hard-hearted and weak in their faith that Moses lost his patience and became angry with them. Yet every time Moses shifted his focus away from God, it cost him.

Peace and Faith

Raymund and Denielle's Note: This is a re-post from www.powertochange.com. We hope you find as much blessing and encouragement with it as we did.

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“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” – Proverbs 4:23

Walking in peace, with your heart calm even when your life is not, is one of the wonderful benefits of the Christian life. God reminds us to pay attention to what is going on within our hearts and to make some intentional choices.

Peace and Joy in God’s Presence

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11

When we worship God, everything is put into perspective. Of course, it is never easy – there is always a potential problem hovering everywhere.

However, if we let ourselves focus for too long on the frustrations, problems, fears, and worries, we soon would feel overwhelmed and anxious.

Focusing on Christ Drives Away Self-Pity

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

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Self-pity (a self-indulgent dwelling on your own sorrows or misfortunes) is harmful, but it is a choice. Le it go and move on. Don't trust your happiness in the companionship of other people but in Christ alone.

Faith Pleases God

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

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“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” – Hebrews 11:6

Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is largely determined by our faith. When we come to Him, we must believe that He exists and that He is exactly who He has revealed Himself to be in Scriptures.

Whatever God is, God does

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

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"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." – James 1:17

It is impossible for God to act inconsistently with His character. In other words, whatever God is, God does.

I CAN RELY ON GOD

For example, I may be a patient person, but I still have impatient moments. Not God, the great “I AM” is always the same, patient and loving. I can rely on Him 100% of the time to be consistent to His character.

Christ Makes All Things New

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

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Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” – Revelation 21:5

In Christ, we don’t get something new… we become new. We become a brand new creation, re-created in the character of Christ. Working out our salvation means re-training our mind and body to live a life pleasing to God.

Give God Time

Raymund and Denielle's Note: This is an essay taken from "God is in the small stuff - and it all matters" by Bruce & Stan. We reformatted the paragraphs to make a better online reading experience.

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"Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act." - Psalm 37:7, NLT

If there's one thing we need in the midst of our busy, loud, and nervous lives, it's the inner peace and quiet and assurance that only God can give.

It's the only way to see God's purposes for us, let alone keep our sanity.

The thing is, God doesn't yell out and say, "Hey, you're neglecting me. Sit still for a moment so you can hear me."

The Blessing of Shalom

Raymund and Denielle's Note: We would like to share this post at Roy Lessin's meetmeinthemeadow.com to all of you. May our Lord God fill our hearts and minds with peace that passeth all understanding. Blessings!

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"Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord and called it Jehovah-shalom." Judges 6:24

“Shalom” is much more than a casual social greeting— it is a prayer, a blessing, a deep desire, and a benediction. It is a word that is packed with the full blessing of God. In Hebrew the word has many significant meanings throughout the Scriptures. The following blessing is a compilation of those meanings.

Envision us standing by you with hands extended, speaking these words of blessing over your life…

You Cannot Have a Positive Life with a Negative Mind

Post written by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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The human mind is more powerful than we can imagine. Our thoughts influence our beliefs, feelings and actions more than we know.

They rule what we are; in fact, we are what we think.

When thoughts are positive, life becomes hopeful.

When thoughts are negative, life becomes depressing.

Ergo, you cannot have a positive life with a negative mind. The two just can’t go together.

How to Handle a Needy Person

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

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Living with a needy person is really quite a challenge. 

"The Leech" always wants your time and attention and always needs your perpetual assurance to be happy and contented. 

It is annoying, frustrating, and exhausting spending time with dependent people, and the best way to handle them is to stop being around them. 

Assuming that the difficult person is close to you and you can’t simply avoid, here are some practical tips to help you maintain your own emotional wellbeing when you have a needy loved one.

How to Handle Difficult People

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

Note: This is a series of posts on How to Handle Difficult People. These articles will guide you on how to interact with a difficult person without severing your relationship with them.

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Four Types of Difficult People

To handle a difficult person, the first thing to do is to identify the type of difficult person you are trying to deal with. There are many different kinds of difficult people, but most of them are a combination of the following personalities.

A Short Prayer of Restoration

Posted by Raymund Tamayo

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May God renew our souls, refresh our spirits, and remove every cloud of sin, anxiety, and despair, and restore to the fullest every joy, hope, and blessing that He has made available to us in the riches of Jesus Christ.

How to Stay Active

Post written by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

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Regular exercise can make us feel happier. It doesn’t only make our bodies fit, but it can also refresh our tired minds and souls.

Medical studies suggest that exercise can actually help relieve stress as it causes the natural release of feel-good endorphins in the brain to give us a more positive attitude.

Morning Praises: The Lord is My Refuge

Posted by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

"The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him!" - Psalm 64:10

Sometimes life gets too tough and we become afraid. But God promises to be our refuge if we walk with an upright heart and in His righteousness.

When we are in the presence of the Lord, He fills our heart with joy, replacing fear with quietness and peace.

Living in the Present

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

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“What is the best thing to do in the short life that God has given us? I think we should enjoy eating, drinking, and working hard. This is what God intends for us to do. Suppose you are very rich and able to enjoy everything you own. Then go ahead and enjoy working hard—this is God’s gift to you. God will keep you so happy that you won’t have time to worry about each day.” – Ecclesiastes 5:18-20, CEV

Isn’t it wonderful how God wants to keep us happy and away from sin?

Most of the pessimism that people experience in life is because of regrets and worries.

Trusting God with Your Future

Post written by Raymund and Denielle Tamayo

It is easy to worry about the future.

Especially if you have a family with kids.

Monthly bills, clothes to wear, milk, food, diapers, and, because it’s that time of the year, school enrollment fees.

And the more you prayed, the more the burden seemed to increase.

As parents, all we want for our children is to have a good future.

You know what? As God’s children, He wants us to have that too. More than we’ll ever know.

The Bible says, "For I know the plans I have for you... plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). God loves you so much, and you can trust his promise to guide you through these tough times.

Being On the Mountain

Post written by Raymund Tamayo

This morning, while having quiet time, I realized something.

I was sitting in front of my desk. Reading. Writing. Thinking.

I’m reading about Moses’ journey to the top of Mount Sinai, when God’s covenant with the people of Israel is being confirmed. The story is found in Exodus chapter 24.