Music Video from David

Shattering Shame with Patricia Hulsey

Recently, I've read an outstanding short book entitled "Shattering the Shackles of Shame" written by Patricia Lee Hulsey. The book has already reached and helped heal millions of people around the world through the Harvesters International Network. I highly recommend it to those who need to heal rather than hide, to get free in the forgiveness and power of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

At the book's opening pages, the Patricia Hulsey wrote a moving, insightful introduction:

"One of the most powerful and devastating forces in the world is the emotion of shame. Shame is not something I learned about through research. I didn't read a book or go to a seminar on the subject. I agonized with its intensity when as a child I was told I was no good, stupid, and would never amount to anything. When I became a born-again Christian, I understood from that time on that Jesus died for my sins, but it was years later when I understood that He also died for my shame. Since I no longer carried my sins, then I no longer needed to carry the shame of my sins or the shame imposed upon me by others. Multitudes around the globe are carrying heavy burdens of shame. Some are ashamed because of their own sinful conduct. Some carry shame because it has been imposed upon them by others who have condemned them. Still others have inherited a cycle of shameful behavior or feelings from their parents.
Shame is an emotion that will keep you forever shackled to the past. It will prevent you from rising up to fulfill your God-given destiny. The purpose of this book is to shatter the shackles of shame that have bound you, your loved ones, or those to whom you minister. The shame of divorce, abortion, sexual abuse, abandonment--the shame of every sinful act you may have committed or that was committed against you--you will no longer need to carry it! This book draws upon the knowledge of several Christian psychologists regarding the subject of shame, and while much can be learned from their wisdom on the subject, it is only the Word of God that can effect change in your life.

As John McKenzie notes:
"Analytical psychology...can lay bare where the roots of man's estrangement lie; but it cannot offer forgiveness...Psychiatrists have realized that there are no techniques whereby they can dissipate real guilt feelings and their associated shame." [1]

...But don’t despair! The truth of God’s Word can and will set you free, not only from sin--but from the shackles of its associated shame. God did it for me and countless others. He will do it for you also. God’s strategy for shattering the shackles of shame in your life is not psychology, self-improvement, or group therapy. It is divine revelation. His strategy is based on His Word. If you follow His plan, you, too, will break your shackles regardless of the reason for your shame, the type of shame you bear, or the length of time that you have been held captive by its force. If you pause and listen closely, you may already hear the sound of your shackles beginning to break in the spirit world."

"Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame...And will not remember the reproach...anymore." (Isaiah 54:4)

To download the whole eBook, go here.

Singing Angel

I have a little 5-year-old daughter, Angel, who's close to me and has blessed me with her singing this week. After going to church Sunday School, we went home and there she sang "Holy is the Lord, God Almighty" with much joy and dancing. She "copied" it from her teachers and adult mentors in the Sunday School and brought it before us at home! The power of influence, the power of example of godly adults to the heart of an innocent child.

But my Angel is not always like that for she has other models like me her Dad, her Mom, her "ate," her "kuya," her teachers in school, all those around her where messages she receives can be mixed! ... It gets me to reflect on me as her Dad (and also her Mom) as we set a pattern for her who is watching us. Many times, little children like Angel as well as other young people will look at us and say, "If that's the way they act, that gives me an excuse to act the same way."

I imagine, if I do something bad (say, lie, steal, or commit immorality), I actually not only hurt my self but I am also hurting my little Angel and my other two children, other people, and the next generations! Exodus 20 applies, "punishing the children for the sins of the parents up to the fourth generation!"

"Lord Jesus, I ask for your forgiveness for times when I hurt my little Angel and my other two children with my example. My thinking gets skewed and I can't see the whole picture at times. Help me always to see my situation based on Your perspective. Thank you Lord for your strength and grace!" Amen.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings" (Jeremiah 17:9-10 NKJV).

God, "Salaminan," Sexual Purity

Since I begun traveling overseas years ago, while away from home, the enemy never fails to tempt me on sexual purity. The other month, an overseas worker in a country far away from mine, mentioned about a place called "salaminan." He said that it's a glass house where you can choose a girl (Korean, Thai, Russian etc.) through a glass and pay for sex. In a world we live in, how so easy for men to engage in immorality when no one is looking except God! During that same trip, a pretty woman even left a message and her cell phone number online and invited me for a date upon my arrival at the international airport. Again, I was invited and tempted to be immoral! Surely, this area of sexual purity can be one of the toughest tests of my relationship with Christ to deal with when I'm far away from home.

God created the sexual experience to be beautiful and good only between a husband and wife. Outside of marriage, a sexual union is fraught with difficulties, negative consequences, and divine punishment. I'm glad I never gave in. I pray that God will strengthen me always to choose Him over temporal, selfish, sinful pleasure. I also think of my wife Imelda whom I love as well as the damage it will do both in the natural and supernatural realm to my children - Christine, Paul, and Angel - and the next generations to come.

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7).

Prayer: "My Father in Heaven, I want to honor You and remain pure. To tell you the truth, though, sometimes I'm just too tired to be strong in this area and sex sure feels good. But I choose to do better than that. I choose to turn to You for help and strength. I know that what You will give me is far beyond the rush illicit sex will give me. Lord, Your gifts are deep, lasting, and strong enough to build a life's foundation on. Amen."

How Can I Forgive When It Hurts So Much?

Indeed, forgiveness offers the special gift of inner healing even when feelings of hurt have been painful and deep. Secular psychology and psychiatry have no all-embracing, satisfying solution to deep-seated resentments. Only God has the answer through His healing forgiveness.

In Matthew 5, our Lord Jesus reminds us that under the old law of Moses, if someone hurts you, you were entitled to hurt that person (verse 38). It’s the Old Testament principle of “eye for an eye,” “tooth for a tooth,” geared towards survival and punishment. Such indeed represents our all natural tendency to seek revenge.

But in this same passage in Matthew 5:38-48, Jesus steps beyond the old law. Now, Jesus is saying: “If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other too” … “if your shirt is taken from you, give your coat too” … “if one demands you to carry his gear for a mile, carry it two” … “give to those who ask.” What an opposite to the old law!

After telling us all these, Jesus now calls us to do what seems to many a great human impossibility -- “love your enemies!” Jesus prescribes that the best way to heal from deep hurts is to love the one who is doing the hurting. He calls him or her an “enemy.” For Jesus, “loving your enemy” is an act of inner healing that sets one free.

I know, because I’ve gone through it myself! I knew God wanted me to forgive and surrender my right to hurt back someone. But, in my thoughts, I kept crying to God, “Lord, what if they’ll get away without being punished, what if they’ll just stomp over me?” I struggled with my thoughts of revenge to bring the ax crash down on the head of my enemy.

Then, the Lord reached out to my heart and spoke, “Angelo, I understand what and how you feel. The chain of revenge never ends if you take matters into your own hands. This is why your anger must be cut off with My grace and help. You can forgive your enemy because I have forgiven you. You need to forgive to protect yourself from your own revenge. Don’t worry, Angelo, I do the punishing. All I ask you to do is the forgiving.”

I did forgive, truly. And it’s because God has asked me to. The results? God gave me His best gifts of freedom, healing, and peace in my heart and soul. Injustice, revenge, and anger were stopped because I’d first taken the step of forgiveness. Even in times when confrontation was necessary to call a halt to continuous abuse and pain, I could feel the fruit of my deep-level, inner healing in Christ’s forgiveness as I was able to extend it to the ones who have hurt me so deeply.

Why I Am Standing

As long as I am in this life, and God is with me, I'll remain standing. Yes, I'll remain a stander, pleading to God each day to continue to protect me, my wife, and our three children.... Anyone in Christian mission will tell you that as visibility and impact increase, so do the attacks from the enemy and his evil forces. Over the years up to the present, God has been using me to reach thousands from different nations through my seminary teaching and cybermission global ministries. Yes, Satan hates that! For me, the enemy's attacks are not in the form of lust of the eye or flesh. He attacks me through material means, personal and family. The attacks that hurt me the most are the attacks against my precious wife and children... Certain lessons I learn out of this journey: 1. God is healing me while standing, so I'm not wasting time. 2. I confess and repent of my past mistakes/sins. 3. I depend on God to make changes, not man. 4. I speak in love and grace. 5. I pray. 6. I realize God is working behind the scenes. 7. I give the situation and my circumstances to God. He's in control. 8. God plus me is a majority. 9. I must pray for my enemy, my offenders. 10. God rewards my faithfulness.

Pray For My New Book

I'm coming up with a new book entitled, "God's Inner Healing." Almost all the chapters are now finished. It will be released both in paperback and digital download as a companion text to my Inner Healing and Biblical EQ lecture tours/workshops. Pray and watch out for it!

What You Need to Know About God

Go HERE to discover what you need to know about GOD.