Altar of Remembrance

"You shall remember diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and His statutes, which He has commanded you." Deutronomy 6:17

Do you ever wonder why God told the Israelites a bazillion times to REMEMBER what He has done for them, and for who He is to them after He took them out of Egypt? Many will probably agree with me if I say that it´s because God remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14) and that we easily forget. And then there was this passage in the Bible just before the Israelites crossed the Jordan river, that they would have to create a pile of stones in rememberance of what God has done for them.

Let me share a few things I learned from one of Bill Johnson´s books...

To keep His testimonies means to TELL, to continually REMEMBER and DECLARE them. To KEEP means to watch or preserve - keep your eyes focused on what God has done, the testimony and protect it from obscurity.

Testimony - the reality embedded in this word - TO DO AGAIN.

Without a revelation of how God works, we can´t reach out with faith and grab a hold of the heavenly potential that is in the atmosphere around us. For example in Mark 5, Jesus being touched and pressed in on all sides by a crowd of people. But only one person saw that she could actually receive something simply by touching Him. She had a revelation of what was available, and therefore had faith to reach out and grab a hold of it.

Why am I sharing all this? Because I want to recount the testimony God has done in me. I want to build an altar of remembrance. I want others to take this experience of healing God has done in me to be multiplied. This afternoon, we went downtown and I´ve decided to make a symbolic act of remembering God´s goodness in my life. Sure there were many other great things He has done but for this one, I had a strong conviction to get a piercing in remembrance of His goodness. So my friends and I told the lady who pierced my ear why I did so. We told her that it´s in remembrance of God healing me from my peanut allergy. She was so touched that she said, "what an exciting life!" And it sure is!!!

So for those who are reading this, it´s my heart´s desire that whatever situation you are in, simple sickness or one too great medicine couldn´t heal, there´s one that does supernatural works ... JESUS!

God of the Supernaturals

This year 2011 is surely a journey of seeing more of the extraordinary works of an incredible God.

Before the year was over, God has been teaching me to rest in His Presence, to take His Presence seriously, and to be always reminded that I carry His Presence. So I asked God how does it look like to carry His Presence wherever I go.

I also believe God has spoken to me about walking in greater authority and in faith - to believe the miraculous ways of  God in people´s lives. Last month, I started praying that over my family, friends and prayer supports. I was also encouraged to visit my friends in Finland, to just hang out with them, listen to their stories, and rejoice in the things God has been doing in and through them.

I was so blessed when I went to Jacobstad a few weeks ago. God asked me to pray for people to receive His overflowing joy. And I´m telling you, they happened at random times, with people I barely knew, which I think is so cool! God also surprised me during my time there. He make His Presence known in very tangible ways like, smelling His scent early in the morning, hearing angelic singing while playing the guitar, and touching people with His healing and joy.

Then I went to see a couple friends of mine in Nummela, where I met some of their friends and families. It was so great to be part of what God is doing in their lives. The whole I was there, I couldn´t help but sing praises to God in the mornings, and let His peace hover the place. Oh, how I loved those moments of praying, chatting, and partying with them.

I came home to the base and every morning, I hear the same words from God the moment I woke up... REST and SPEND TIME in His PRESENCE. It was always a challenge to do just that when I see a lot of things to be done. And I found out that in doing that, the more things are accomplished when I seek His face FIRST.

At the beginning of this week, I believe I heard God said, "this week is yet another week of supernatural encounters". I got so excited and thought, how does that look like. I drew the curtains to see the sunrise, and I had to blink twice to see if I was just imagining things. I saw an angel just before the sun rose above the trees. I just froze there, mouth wide open, processing it in my head before I told my roommates. Then last night, a couple of guys came to visit and pray with us for our staff who is pregnant. The doctors told her and her husband that their baby died. When I got the news, I did not want to read the text message out loud. I could only pray in my head. While preparing food in the kitchen, I asked my friend to play some music, and the words of the song goes, "I surrender all..." So I prayed that over our staff, but I felt that I should also do that. As soon as I did, a strong faith stirred up in me to contend for miracles. We are still praying for resurrection, and tomorrow, she will go to the doctors and we´re believing that the baby lives.

Anyhow, back to the story about these two guys I mentioned earlier, they came and prayed with us last night. Then the next thing that happened, we prayed for healing. We saw in our very own eyes how God healed feet, hands, backpains, and allergy!!!! It was exhilirating and overwhelming to see fingers growing in the same length, feet too, and knees getting healed!!! This, my friends, is the God we serve. The God of supernaturals!

I was reminded of what I asked God last year. I asked Him that I wanted to eat almonds without having allergic reactions, and guess what? Last month I accidentally ate some almonds and nothing happened to me. And this time, last night, they prayed that my allergy from peanuts would go away. After that, I asked someone to bring out the jar of peanut butter, I smelled it and yeah, my stomach did not react nor my throat swelled. I am healed! I am healed! For those who do not know, I was very allergic to peanuts but now, God healed me, yay! Praise God! I love you Jesus!!!