<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413853506071844892</id><updated>2012-02-16T12:23:09.994-08:00</updated><title type='text'>// Not MY LIFE \\</title><subtitle type='html'>our lives are not our own. we have been created with a purpose yet, we naturally desire to pursue the very things that are outside of our true purpose. that's why it's not my LIFE, it's HIS.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Efrain Mercado</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16972474215276525423</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='25' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ywtv4_Ozo_E/SmjA_tvIGHI/AAAAAAAAAAs/80fawQwtdyQ/S220/EM_FB_CPP.jpg'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>3</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413853506071844892.post-3522444696589345167</id><published>2009-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-09-22T12:59:17.526-07:00</updated><title type='text'>//Under His Wing Ps 36:7</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; "&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"&gt;So today I had to run out and get some things for our Homecoming Convention. As I was driving around, I pulled up to a stop light. To my left was one of those ambulance- looking vans that transports elderly people around. As I watched these 2 guys bring this elderly man out I noticed that they had him strapped to this chair. It wasn't a wheel chair, but it had 2 small wheels on the back and they leaned the chair back and moved the elderly man around. You may have seen this type of chair because some ambulances have them. The terrible part about this is that they were carting this man around as if they were delivering supplies on a hand truck. I was so disgusted. The worst part was this-as they came to the curb, they did not gently roll the chair over the curb. They almost jumped the curb. It was awful and I was so upset. I was staring at them wishing they would look my way, but they didn't. When I looked up, the light was green and it was green for some time. As I proceeded to cross the intersection, I did so slowly because I was looking at how these 2 guys were manhandling this elderly gentleman. Then, suddenly, this car comes flying through the light. This man just ran the red light! As I hit my breaks and slammed on my horn, the man put his hands up in fear because he just realized he ran the red light. I guess he was too scared to hit the breaks because he never slowed down.  That's when I realized I was under HIS wing. I dont know why those guys handled that elderly man as they did, but if I never noticed them I would have simply driven off when my light turned green. If I drove off when my light turned green, I dont think I would be typing this note right now.  I dont know why God works how He works, but Scripture says, "His ways are greater than our ways". Some people will call it luck, some people will call it coincidence. I call it being Under His Wing.  Thank you for this Love that I do not deserve.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4413853506071844892-3522444696589345167?l=efrainmercado.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/feeds/3522444696589345167/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/09/under-his-wing-ps-367.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/3522444696589345167'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/3522444696589345167'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/09/under-his-wing-ps-367.html' title='//Under His Wing Ps 36:7'/><author><name>Efrain Mercado</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16972474215276525423</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='25' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ywtv4_Ozo_E/SmjA_tvIGHI/AAAAAAAAAAs/80fawQwtdyQ/S220/EM_FB_CPP.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413853506071844892.post-5168308265796446526</id><published>2009-08-01T19:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-08-01T20:01:00.042-07:00</updated><title type='text'>// reaching out to touch HIM</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre-wrap; "&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span"  style="font-family:verdana;"&gt;&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"&gt;Last night at the EXPERIENCE, Pastor Edwin said something during his message that really hit me. He spoke about the lady with the issue of blood. We often hear people mention that so many people were touching Jesus, but something different happened when this lady “touched” HIM. I never realized this, but she never actually touched HIM. The Word says in Luke 8:44 that she "touched the border of His garment". She never touched HIS body. When Jesus asked the disciples who touched him, they responded by saying that they didn’t know because of the many people that were pressing up against HIM. As she touched HIS clothes she didn't realize that what she was reaching for was HIS power. Pastor Edwin said that she reached for HIS anointing. Near the end of chapter two in the book of John, it talks about how many people believed in Jesus because of the many miracles HE did. Verse 24 tells us that HE did not commit HIMSELF to them because he knew all men. What that means is that HE knew their hearts. They were all about JESUS because of what HE was doing. Their hearts were not in it. When the lady with the issue of blood went looking for HIM, it was all about her heart. She had to press through the crowd, she had to crawl on her knees, and she probably got pushed around, but she went looking for a change while everyone else who was already touching HIM was just looking for a thrill. As long as you reach for God with all your heart, leaving everything behind, you don't have to touch HIM, HIS anointing will touch you.  Thank you Pastor Edwin, C3 Youth Choir, and Soul Purpose ym.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4413853506071844892-5168308265796446526?l=efrainmercado.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/feeds/5168308265796446526/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/08/reaching-out-to-touch-him.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/5168308265796446526'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/5168308265796446526'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/08/reaching-out-to-touch-him.html' title='// reaching out to touch HIM'/><author><name>Efrain Mercado</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16972474215276525423</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='25' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ywtv4_Ozo_E/SmjA_tvIGHI/AAAAAAAAAAs/80fawQwtdyQ/S220/EM_FB_CPP.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4413853506071844892.post-8773306470813650060</id><published>2009-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-27T20:13:56.205-07:00</updated><title type='text'>// Laughter &amp; Peace Phil 4:7</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="Apple-style-span"   style="  line-height: 14px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"&gt;I have rarely driven to any of the 13 softball games I have played in this year. I usually drive up with my brother. Actually, I think this was only the second time I drove. My nieces Vanessa and Tara (Tara thinks she's my niece too. I guess I can roll with that lol) asked if they could come with me to the game. God is so strategic. The game was very close, but not as exciting as it should have been. This was the quarter finals playoff game and the last time we played this team they ended the game early because we scored so many runs. Last night was different. The score was 1-0 with us in the lead for most of the game, 1-1 around the 4th inning, then 3-1 in the 6th with them in the lead. That's how it ended. I can remember us getting 1 hit in the first inning which was a triple; thank the Lord because we wouldn't have scored if it wasn't for that triple. One of the things that bugged me is that the team we played was in no way better than us. They just played slightly better than us last night. They didn't really do anything spectacular at all. As for me, I picked a terrible game to play my worst. Needless to say, I was upset, but that is an understatement. For some reason as we all walked back to our cars chatting away about the game I was burning up inside. I felt myself getting so angry. I rarely get angry. I get upset but not angry. Anyway, as I drove home with Tara and Vanessa (my 2 nieces lol) they knew I wasn't happy. I didn't say much of anything and if I did it was short. Again, I could feel the anger inside. It was almost odd for me because I haven't felt this way in a very very long time. Tara began to mess with me a little-sticking her tongue out and poking me. Well, I didn't want to lash out at her so I playfully told her to stop and then tried to flick her tongue when she stuck it out. Tara started to tell a story about when she was little and played baseball. The point of it was that she was terrible and one day while playing in the outfield a speed ball, that's what she called it, bounced and hit her in the throat and she quit. It was the funniest story and Vanessa was in the back seat laughing so hard that she almost stopped breathing. The story, along with Tara's drama, and Vanessa's laughter helped remove the anger and bring back the Peace. So what I am trying to say is, God's ways are so good and he knows exactly what we need even before we need them. He sets us up for success every time. He obviously knew that we would lose and He knew what I needed. I wish He told me we were going to lose, but that's all good (lol). He still provided Peace through Tara and Vanessa. Thanks girls.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4413853506071844892-8773306470813650060?l=efrainmercado.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/feeds/8773306470813650060/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/07/laughter-peace-phil-47.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/8773306470813650060'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/4413853506071844892/posts/default/8773306470813650060'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://efrainmercado.blogspot.com/2009/07/laughter-peace-phil-47.html' title='// Laughter &amp; Peace Phil 4:7'/><author><name>Efrain Mercado</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/16972474215276525423</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='25' height='32' src='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ywtv4_Ozo_E/SmjA_tvIGHI/AAAAAAAAAAs/80fawQwtdyQ/S220/EM_FB_CPP.jpg'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry></feed>
