In the Lord’s Presence

The battle against the hardest situation in our Christian life was still an on going part of our daily walk with God here in Bicutan House of Prayer. Problems and dilemmas were as common as good food on our table. We may sometimes lose the sense of God’s presence and help but we still have that strong conviction to trust God in every circumstance. In fact, we have been grateful each day because these were the times that we fall face down before His throne - bringing everything at His feet.

In return, the Lord gave us time to come into His presence each day at His sanctuary through CPP. This is the time where we could personally begin our day in prayer. It was always our desire to bring every member on his or her knees before the presence of the Lord because in the course of our Christian life, struggles and problems are ever-present prowler in our hearts and minds. The day-to-day events in our lives blow the door of our hearts open and allow series of stresses in that left us vulnerable.

Only a handful is strong enough. Some have given-up already without even trying to reach the point of experiencing what the Lord has in store for those who will continue to seek Him no matter what happen. I am one of those persons who have tried kneeling in prayers before His presence in His sanctuary at an early hour each day. It was such a great experience, as the Lord answered my prayers and gave me strength to face every challenge that this world could give. Such experience led me into the realization that a day apart from His presence will never be as peaceful and as victorious as when I have started the day with Him. I believe that in His presence comes real strength.

Now, as we continue to seek refuge in Him. He finally enabled us to establish a new schedule for our Group Prayer Meeting – from Wednesday to Sunday- to begin the Lord’s Day with prayers and intercessions. Last Sunday, February 24, 2008 we have started crying out our needs, our situations, and the problems we are in and even our plans before God. As we come together in prayer before the Lord, in His greatness, God responded to us by offering many tangible expressions of His love the answered prayers given to us in a way that was even beyond anything that we had ever experienced. In line with this, last February 16, 2008 another program was successfully launched that involve those wants to minister through prayer. Most of our brethren have already taken a slot to cover the Lord’s shepherds, flock and ministry in prayers and have decided to become a watchman of CSAFMI.

Moreover, the Youth ministry is now having a regular Music Orientation with Ptr. Faithie Salude. Surely, one of these days we will see them leading us all to reach God’s Holy presence through praise and worship. These are just the beginning of God’s faithfulness to us. As a matter of fact, after spending enough time in prayers, He had opened the door for our mothers to have that opportunity to experience the things that can only happen in His presence. We have started the Women’s ministry Bible Study last February 06, 2008. Though some of the women are still unable to attend the activity, we are still hoping that these 4 mothers who have decided to commit their time every Wednesday at around 3:00pm, will experience God’s goodness in their lives as He did to us. It was always our desire to bring them in the Lord’s service.

We will continue to depend on Him and enjoy the goodness of those things that He is revealing to us as we spend more time in His presence. Praise Him who made all these things to happen. Praise Him!

- Ptr. Rechel Azupardo