God is Supreme.
He is able to do whatever He wills.
Every king’s power is measured by the size and might of his army. This cannot be said of God. All human kings have limitations. What may be impossible for man is possible for God.
“And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:26
When God says something will happen, you can bet that it will happen. When God promises us eternal life if we believe Jesus, then expect that you will have eternal life.
“I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” – Job 42:2
God’s only limitation is His nature. Since His nature is goodness he cannot sin or do something contradicting goodness. His inability to sin also gives Him the sole authority to forgive those who have sin.
"But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, 'He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her'" - John 8:7
Only God can forgive our sins.
Medieval kings were busy conquering other kingdoms to expand their territory and power. But only God can conquer sin and death. Even satan, the evil one, cannot overcome God’s power. God sends us the Holy Spirit so that may be also receive this power and defeat satan. We should praise God and be thankful for giving us this power.
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” – Jeremiah 32:17
We are nothing compared to the power of our Supreme God. To explain further how we compare to God do this simple exercise. Make a paper airplane. After making the plane, let’s imagine that we have a 100 meter dash competition - you against the paper plane! You place the plane on the starting line and give the signal – “ready, get set, go!”. Who do you think will win? Of course it would be you! The paper plane won’t move, fly, run or do anything unless you make it move. You made the plane and it cannot do anything unless you make it do something.
That may be a crazy example but that is how we compare to God. We are like paper planes. We are nothing compared to God. God created us but He loves us so much He does not treat us like paper planes. But take time to pause and reflect on this. God made you but are you doing what your maker wants you to do?
You have a supreme God. Seek His will above everything else. Rely on God's power when satan is tempting you. Call upon Jesus to provide you with the protection and the peace. God is powerful and is always able to keep His promise.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
GOD IS EVERYWHERE
“There is no one like the LORD our God. He lives in the heights above, but he bends down to see the heavens and the earth.” - Psalm 113:5-6
All kings rule over a specific geographical area. They do not have dominion over other areas beyond his own kingdom. Any king who goes beyond his area to penetrate or invade another kingdom is inviting war. This is the accepted rule among kingdoms.
This rule does not apply to God. God is not limited by a specific area, God is everywhere.
In fact, God fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. I repeat – ALL OF God is present everywhere ALL at ONCE! Not only a part of Him, but the whole of God is present in every place. This applies to all three members of the Trinity.
God is everywhere.
“If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there.” - Psalm 139:8
God sees us every time, all the time.
“No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?” - Jeremiah 23:24
It is because of this attribute of God that He perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known. This may be the past, present, and future. Only God can be omnipresent because he is God. Because of His omnipresence, man can note these two things – (1) man cannot hide sin and (2) man can call on God anywhere, anytime.
In the area of sin
When man is committing sin, God is there with him. If a child is doing something a parent told him not to do, God is there. There is no place where man can hide. God is there whether you are sinning or doing good things.
God knows all things.
They say that integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Well, God is always looking. In the same way that He knows every strand of your hair, He knows every thought and act of man. This means you should always guard your motivation in doing “good” things. God looks not only at your act but also at your heart. Don’t do things so that you may receive glory and honor. Always make sure that all things you do should be for serving Him and bringing glory to Him.
In the area of prayer
God’s omnipresence allows us to call on Him anytime, anywhere. Do not limit your communication with God to your once-a-week Sunday mass. God wants to build a personal relationship with you. Any relationship needs an investment in time for it to grow.
“LORD, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule.” – Psalm 123:1
There is one place where can God cannot force Himself despite being omnipresent.
Your heart.
He needs you to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour before He can occupy your heart. He is God Almighty but he need our “yes” so that He may live in us. In the book of Mark 10:51, He asks first the blind man before doing the miracle.
And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” - Mark 10:51
Accept Jesus as your Saviour because the spirit of God has to live in your heart.
“But you do not live as your human nature tells you to; instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to---if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” - Romans 8:9
There is no place to go where God is not present. Man can call on him anytime, anywhere.
All kings rule over a specific geographical area. They do not have dominion over other areas beyond his own kingdom. Any king who goes beyond his area to penetrate or invade another kingdom is inviting war. This is the accepted rule among kingdoms.
This rule does not apply to God. God is not limited by a specific area, God is everywhere.
In fact, God fills the universe in all its parts and is present everywhere at once. I repeat – ALL OF God is present everywhere ALL at ONCE! Not only a part of Him, but the whole of God is present in every place. This applies to all three members of the Trinity.
God is everywhere.
“If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there.” - Psalm 139:8
God sees us every time, all the time.
“No one can hide where I cannot see them. Do you not know that I am everywhere in heaven and on earth?” - Jeremiah 23:24
It is because of this attribute of God that He perfectly and eternally knows all things which can be known. This may be the past, present, and future. Only God can be omnipresent because he is God. Because of His omnipresence, man can note these two things – (1) man cannot hide sin and (2) man can call on God anywhere, anytime.
In the area of sin
When man is committing sin, God is there with him. If a child is doing something a parent told him not to do, God is there. There is no place where man can hide. God is there whether you are sinning or doing good things.
God knows all things.
They say that integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking. Well, God is always looking. In the same way that He knows every strand of your hair, He knows every thought and act of man. This means you should always guard your motivation in doing “good” things. God looks not only at your act but also at your heart. Don’t do things so that you may receive glory and honor. Always make sure that all things you do should be for serving Him and bringing glory to Him.
In the area of prayer
God’s omnipresence allows us to call on Him anytime, anywhere. Do not limit your communication with God to your once-a-week Sunday mass. God wants to build a personal relationship with you. Any relationship needs an investment in time for it to grow.
“LORD, I look up to you, up to heaven, where you rule.” – Psalm 123:1
There is one place where can God cannot force Himself despite being omnipresent.
Your heart.
He needs you to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour before He can occupy your heart. He is God Almighty but he need our “yes” so that He may live in us. In the book of Mark 10:51, He asks first the blind man before doing the miracle.
And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” - Mark 10:51
Accept Jesus as your Saviour because the spirit of God has to live in your heart.
“But you do not live as your human nature tells you to; instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to---if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” - Romans 8:9
There is no place to go where God is not present. Man can call on him anytime, anywhere.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
GOD DOES NOT CHANGE
The only thing constant is change.
Any object or entity changes in time. The change may be an upgrade or downgrade from its' current state. Money loses its value every year due to inflation. An antique furniture increases its worth as it ages. All things undergo a process of change because they are not perfect. This does not apply to God because God is perfect. He cannot anymore improve or decrease in value because He is perfect.
The book of Psalm says, “But you are always the same, and your life never ends.” (Psalm 102:27)
As we know, this attribute of God does not apply to man. We read stories in the bible about how good leaders changed during their reign. King Saul started out as a good king but became a bad one. He cursed his own people, rebelled against the word of God and he lied to Samuel. He became envious of David and even persecuted him. King David was the local superhero when he defeated Goliath. But, later in his reign as king he committed murder and adultery. King Solomon prayed to God for wisdom so that he may lead God’s people effectively. Later on, he turned to wealth and power and his decisions became questionable. Everyone noticed that his decision-making was not anymore “wise”. He married other women who were worshipping other gods. He eventually worship these gods also and even made temples for them.
We saw this change also with our modern day leaders like Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos, Libya’s Muammar Ghadafi and others. No change is possible in God. Any change will either be for better or worse. Since God is absolute perfection there is no reason for Him to change.
Malachi 3:6 I am the LORD, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost
God is perfect. All good things come from Him because He is perfect.
Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. (James 1:17)
What God said in the bible still holds true up to now because He does not change. In the book of Exodus, we recall the scene where Moses was talking to God. He was having a difficult time leading God’s people travel the desert. They kept on complaining about food, the long travel, the heat and others. Like my kids, their constant question to Moses was, “Are we there yet?”
Moses asked God what he should do with this group that kept on whining.
Moses said to the LORD, “It is true that you have told me to lead these people to that land, but you did not tell me whom you would send with me. You have said that you know me well and are pleased with me. Now if you are, tell me your plans, so that I may serve you and continue to please you. Remember also that you have chosen this nation to be your own.” (Exodus 33:12-14)
And this is what God promised Moses - The LORD said, "I will go with you, and I will give you victory."
God also makes this promise to you now. When things are not going your way don’t blame God. God promises not only to send the solution to your problem but to join you as you travel the “difficult” course. When God says that he will be with us during bad times He means it. All good things come from Him and this assures you that God will help you overcome your trial thru the blessings He will give you. Perfection means perfection. God will not change because there is no change that will improve Him. The promises He gave His people in the bible still applies to us today and forever. So the next time you are faced with trial, just remember what the Perfect God said Moses, "I will go with you, and I will give you victory."
Any object or entity changes in time. The change may be an upgrade or downgrade from its' current state. Money loses its value every year due to inflation. An antique furniture increases its worth as it ages. All things undergo a process of change because they are not perfect. This does not apply to God because God is perfect. He cannot anymore improve or decrease in value because He is perfect.
The book of Psalm says, “But you are always the same, and your life never ends.” (Psalm 102:27)
As we know, this attribute of God does not apply to man. We read stories in the bible about how good leaders changed during their reign. King Saul started out as a good king but became a bad one. He cursed his own people, rebelled against the word of God and he lied to Samuel. He became envious of David and even persecuted him. King David was the local superhero when he defeated Goliath. But, later in his reign as king he committed murder and adultery. King Solomon prayed to God for wisdom so that he may lead God’s people effectively. Later on, he turned to wealth and power and his decisions became questionable. Everyone noticed that his decision-making was not anymore “wise”. He married other women who were worshipping other gods. He eventually worship these gods also and even made temples for them.
We saw this change also with our modern day leaders like Philippines’ Ferdinand Marcos, Libya’s Muammar Ghadafi and others. No change is possible in God. Any change will either be for better or worse. Since God is absolute perfection there is no reason for Him to change.
Malachi 3:6 I am the LORD, and I do not change. And so you, the descendants of Jacob, are not yet completely lost
God is perfect. All good things come from Him because He is perfect.
Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning. (James 1:17)
What God said in the bible still holds true up to now because He does not change. In the book of Exodus, we recall the scene where Moses was talking to God. He was having a difficult time leading God’s people travel the desert. They kept on complaining about food, the long travel, the heat and others. Like my kids, their constant question to Moses was, “Are we there yet?”
Moses asked God what he should do with this group that kept on whining.
Moses said to the LORD, “It is true that you have told me to lead these people to that land, but you did not tell me whom you would send with me. You have said that you know me well and are pleased with me. Now if you are, tell me your plans, so that I may serve you and continue to please you. Remember also that you have chosen this nation to be your own.” (Exodus 33:12-14)
And this is what God promised Moses - The LORD said, "I will go with you, and I will give you victory."
God also makes this promise to you now. When things are not going your way don’t blame God. God promises not only to send the solution to your problem but to join you as you travel the “difficult” course. When God says that he will be with us during bad times He means it. All good things come from Him and this assures you that God will help you overcome your trial thru the blessings He will give you. Perfection means perfection. God will not change because there is no change that will improve Him. The promises He gave His people in the bible still applies to us today and forever. So the next time you are faced with trial, just remember what the Perfect God said Moses, "I will go with you, and I will give you victory."
Sunday, October 23, 2011
YOU HAVE A BIG GOD
Every king is expected to live in a huge palace.
A big fortress with a hundred rooms and a thousand staff working 24/7 for the king. I have never been to a real palace. My closest encounter with a palace is thru pictures or watching documentaries about royal families.
I consider the White House of the USA as a modern day palace because one of the more powerful man in the world lives in it. The White House is a 6 story building with more than 5,000 square meters of floor area. It has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators, a tennis court, a single lane bowling alley, a movie theater, a jogging track, swimming pool and a putting green. Now that is big. Huge! Massive!
Let me declare to you something more incredible. The King I serve is bigger than any other king. In fact, the great size of the White House will look insignificant compared to my King's kingdom. No man-made construction can hold Him.
2 Chronicles 2:5 I intend to build a great temple, because our God is greater than any other god. 6 Yet no one can really build a temple for God, because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him.
Even heaven which is considered by most to be his place of residence is not big enough for Him.
1 Kings 8:27 But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?
God is infinite.
It is difficult to fully understand His greatness or infinity. You cannot measure how big God is. This fact teaches us a very important principle in our relationship with Him. You cannot put God in a box and limit what He can do in your life. When you deal with man, it is sometimes better to lower our expectations so that you feel better when he meets or exceeds what you asked from him. That principle does not apply to God! If you have a God who is infinite, there is not reason to limit Him. Have the attitude of Elisha when asking something from God.
2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."
Elisha could have ask for something smaller, like - "Hey Elijah, just give me the same portion or even just a portion of your spirit. That will be enough". But Elisha knew that He could ask for more. He knew because his upcoming task was for God not for himself.
Tell your BIG God what your BIG dreams are and get ready to be surprise. Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is!
A big fortress with a hundred rooms and a thousand staff working 24/7 for the king. I have never been to a real palace. My closest encounter with a palace is thru pictures or watching documentaries about royal families.
I consider the White House of the USA as a modern day palace because one of the more powerful man in the world lives in it. The White House is a 6 story building with more than 5,000 square meters of floor area. It has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators, a tennis court, a single lane bowling alley, a movie theater, a jogging track, swimming pool and a putting green. Now that is big. Huge! Massive!
Let me declare to you something more incredible. The King I serve is bigger than any other king. In fact, the great size of the White House will look insignificant compared to my King's kingdom. No man-made construction can hold Him.
2 Chronicles 2:5 I intend to build a great temple, because our God is greater than any other god. 6 Yet no one can really build a temple for God, because even all the vastness of heaven cannot contain him.
Even heaven which is considered by most to be his place of residence is not big enough for Him.
1 Kings 8:27 But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?
God is infinite.
It is difficult to fully understand His greatness or infinity. You cannot measure how big God is. This fact teaches us a very important principle in our relationship with Him. You cannot put God in a box and limit what He can do in your life. When you deal with man, it is sometimes better to lower our expectations so that you feel better when he meets or exceeds what you asked from him. That principle does not apply to God! If you have a God who is infinite, there is not reason to limit Him. Have the attitude of Elisha when asking something from God.
2 Kings 2:9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."
Elisha could have ask for something smaller, like - "Hey Elijah, just give me the same portion or even just a portion of your spirit. That will be enough". But Elisha knew that He could ask for more. He knew because his upcoming task was for God not for himself.
Tell your BIG God what your BIG dreams are and get ready to be surprise. Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
GOD IS TIMELESS
One of the special attributes of God is being eternal. God does not have a beginning and an end. The book of Psalms says - “Before you created the hills or brought the world into being you were eternally God, and will be God forever." (Psalms 90:2)
God is the Alpha and the Omega.
Abraham confirmed this attribute of God - "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33)
God declared this to Isaiah, "I am the high and holy God, who lives forever" (Isaiah 57:15).
God has always existed and will never expire or end. God is the only being who is immortal. As it is written, 'He alone is immortal, he lives in the light that no one can approach' (1 Timothy 6:16). God will be with us forever. This means that as Christians we should fully trust him for He has seen what has happened and what will happen. We should praise and honor him for He is the one true immortal God.
1 Timothy 1:17 says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Only God is immortal.
We may exercise and eat the right food but it will not make us live forever. We may undergo cosmetic surgery so we can look younger but we still grow old and die. Man cannot gain immortality by his own strength or capability. God is the only being who can grant immortality. The immortality of man's soul is given by God alone. Man needs to believe and follow Jesus to receive this gift. As Jesus said, "that whoever believes in Him will NOT perish but will have eternal life" (John 3:16).
God wants us to join Him in His kingdom for eternity. He loves us and wants us to spend a lifetime with Him in heaven. Let us learn to trust God, believe in His ways and follow Him in all areas of our life.
Matthew 28:20 .... And I will be with you always to the end of the age.
God is the Alpha and the Omega.
Abraham confirmed this attribute of God - "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33)
God declared this to Isaiah, "I am the high and holy God, who lives forever" (Isaiah 57:15).
God has always existed and will never expire or end. God is the only being who is immortal. As it is written, 'He alone is immortal, he lives in the light that no one can approach' (1 Timothy 6:16). God will be with us forever. This means that as Christians we should fully trust him for He has seen what has happened and what will happen. We should praise and honor him for He is the one true immortal God.
1 Timothy 1:17 says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Only God is immortal.
We may exercise and eat the right food but it will not make us live forever. We may undergo cosmetic surgery so we can look younger but we still grow old and die. Man cannot gain immortality by his own strength or capability. God is the only being who can grant immortality. The immortality of man's soul is given by God alone. Man needs to believe and follow Jesus to receive this gift. As Jesus said, "that whoever believes in Him will NOT perish but will have eternal life" (John 3:16).
God wants us to join Him in His kingdom for eternity. He loves us and wants us to spend a lifetime with Him in heaven. Let us learn to trust God, believe in His ways and follow Him in all areas of our life.
Matthew 28:20 .... And I will be with you always to the end of the age.
Friday, September 30, 2011
JESUS IS MY PACK LEADER
They say that the beagle is one of the harder dog breeds to train.
However, despite this reputation, the beagle is consistently in the top 5 popular dog breed taken home as pets. Maybe their good looks and friendly personality more than make up for “bad rep” they get for being “un-trainable”. Beagles are great pets. Our family owns a 2 year-old male beagle who we call Russell.
One of the challenges is to get Russell to walk without pulling the leash. He prefers to lead than follow. If you understand the traits of this breed you will know why they pull. For a beagle, the nose always rules! Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for hunting small prey like rabbits and squirrels. They locate target animals by tracking their scent. The beagle loves to smell and they just cannot help going after any scent their nose catches. They easily get distracted by the scent they catch. Because of this distraction, following their master usually takes a backseat.
When God created man, He wanted man to follow him. He gave Adam a specific list of DO’s and DON’Ts. God wanted Adam to follow the list because God knows what’s best for him. God wanted man to follow because He loves man. However, because of the distraction of the serpent, man disobeyed and you know what happened next.
To this day, man continues to disobey God. God loves man un-conditionally. God wants man to follow because knows what is best for man. Unfortunately, like the beagle, man wants to lead instead of follow. Maybe man cannot help it. He easily gets distracted by what the world offers. He gets distracted with worldly things like acquiring a bigger house, a cool sports car and others. So, the instructions of his Master also takes a backseat.
Who are you following? Are you leading or following God?
I’m ready to be a dog anytime as long as Jesus is my pack leader. Never hesitate when it comes to following Jesus.
Luke 9:57 As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
Follow Jesus now. It would be best decision you will ever make.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
YOUR PRAYER IS NOT MEANT TO BENEFIT YOU ….
Well, “not ONLY you” at least.
When did you last pray? What did you pray for?
Maybe you prayed for your dream house or your project’s upcoming deadline. Perhaps you requested God to cure your on-going sickness. Or that you win the lotto so you can pay-off your growing credit card debt. But after a couple of week, months or maybe even years nothing happened. Is God selective when it comes to granting our prayers?
My friend Albert was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. They became so poor I don’t think they can even afford a spoon. His father died due to cancer when he was only 8 years old. The only inheritance which Albert got was the high hospital bills which accumulated while his dad was confined. The situation forced Albert to work at an early age to pay the hospital bills and provide for his family. He took on a variety of work in the following months which included selling of condiments in the wet market, a service crew in a burger food outlet, working overseas and salesperson in a mall. He even accepted a job offer as a lifeguard even if he did not know how to swim! One day, someone fell on the deep side of the pool. He tried to save the victim by asking him to hold on to the end of a long pole so he can pull him out of the pool. Maybe you know how that story ended. Management had to let him go right after they saw his lifeguard saving techniques.
Albert got tired of how his career was going which was going nowhere. He wanted to put up his own business. He found the right business franchise and all he needed was the funding and the right location. He was determined to push thru with his business plans and he prayed to God about this. He prayed that his own business may enable him to buy his own car and house. There is nothing wrong in having the desire to have your own car and house. But maybe God had other plans. Because, after several months, his dream remained a dream.
After a couple more weeks, he decided to change his prayer.
He prayed that God may grant him the right business so that he can support his family, especially his mother who was becoming sickly. Guess what? He found a good location for his business a week after saying his “new” prayer.
Maybe God did not want to bless him only. God wanted Albert to be channel of blessings for his mother and siblings. God granted his prayer only when Albert changed his motivation. God granted his prayer when his prayer was due to his love for his family.
This reminds me of the story of King Solomon. The newly crowned king immediately got his prayer request when he told God that he wanted wisdom not for himself. He asked for wisdom so he can the best king for God’s people.
1 Kings 3:5 That night the LORD appeared to him in a dream and asked him, "What would you like me to give you?"
9 So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this…(and God granted what he prayed for)
What did you pray for today?
Remember, you exist because of God’s grace. Live for God, follow Jesus.
When did you last pray? What did you pray for?
Maybe you prayed for your dream house or your project’s upcoming deadline. Perhaps you requested God to cure your on-going sickness. Or that you win the lotto so you can pay-off your growing credit card debt. But after a couple of week, months or maybe even years nothing happened. Is God selective when it comes to granting our prayers?
My friend Albert was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. They became so poor I don’t think they can even afford a spoon. His father died due to cancer when he was only 8 years old. The only inheritance which Albert got was the high hospital bills which accumulated while his dad was confined. The situation forced Albert to work at an early age to pay the hospital bills and provide for his family. He took on a variety of work in the following months which included selling of condiments in the wet market, a service crew in a burger food outlet, working overseas and salesperson in a mall. He even accepted a job offer as a lifeguard even if he did not know how to swim! One day, someone fell on the deep side of the pool. He tried to save the victim by asking him to hold on to the end of a long pole so he can pull him out of the pool. Maybe you know how that story ended. Management had to let him go right after they saw his lifeguard saving techniques.
Albert got tired of how his career was going which was going nowhere. He wanted to put up his own business. He found the right business franchise and all he needed was the funding and the right location. He was determined to push thru with his business plans and he prayed to God about this. He prayed that his own business may enable him to buy his own car and house. There is nothing wrong in having the desire to have your own car and house. But maybe God had other plans. Because, after several months, his dream remained a dream.
After a couple more weeks, he decided to change his prayer.
He prayed that God may grant him the right business so that he can support his family, especially his mother who was becoming sickly. Guess what? He found a good location for his business a week after saying his “new” prayer.
Maybe God did not want to bless him only. God wanted Albert to be channel of blessings for his mother and siblings. God granted his prayer only when Albert changed his motivation. God granted his prayer when his prayer was due to his love for his family.
This reminds me of the story of King Solomon. The newly crowned king immediately got his prayer request when he told God that he wanted wisdom not for himself. He asked for wisdom so he can the best king for God’s people.
1 Kings 3:5 That night the LORD appeared to him in a dream and asked him, "What would you like me to give you?"
9 So give me the wisdom I need to rule your people with justice and to know the difference between good and evil. Otherwise, how would I ever be able to rule this great people of yours?" 10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this…(and God granted what he prayed for)
What did you pray for today?
- Don’t ask for financial blessings only. Ask for financial blessings so that you may help out people are in need of cash.
- Don’t ask for health only. Ask for good health so you may remain strong and healthy as you serve God.
- Don’t pray for a good job only. Pray for a job that will allow you spend more time with your family and serve your Church also.
Remember, you exist because of God’s grace. Live for God, follow Jesus.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
YOUR THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS
I heard that phrase a couple of times already.
I read it in some self-help books. When I attended a seminar recently, the speaker uttered the same phrase several times – “Your thoughts become things”. It is one of those principles that is universally accepted regardless of religion, nationality, race, etc.
Do you believe it? I do.
This leads me to the point of this article. If you believe that you become what you think, then why spend a significant amount of your time on negative, useless thoughts.
How do you start you day? What’s the first thing you “feed’ your mind when you wake up?
I know someone who is so “news-hungry” that upon waking up, he immediately looks for the newspaper or turns on the TV to catch the morning news. Another friend listens to his favorite CD or MP3 track. Others start the day by tuning on the AM radio frequency to catch a commentary on the latest political news. Some read their horoscope while others say a short prayer and read the bible. Are you the type who simply stares at the wall, calmly waiting for a vision of how your day should go?
How you start your day affects most of your decisions throughout the day.
We know that news tend to focus on the negative aspect of any subject. Maybe negative news sells more. Maybe, consciously or unconsciously, we demand for negative news more than hearing good news. We regularly hear about the economy not improving or going worse. We hear about U.S. recession and their credit rating being lowered. You hear about some countries defaulting on their debts. What happens after you hear about these?
You may not admit it but these types of news affect you. You become tentative with your financial decisions. During the day, you decide to defer or even cancel a well thought investment you were supposed to place that day.
Conversely, what if you saw on TV how a cab driver returned a huge amount of money left in his car? That would be inspiring! That would motivate you to practice honesty in all aspects of your life. That story would lighten up your day and make you focus on what’s good for others than yourself.
My point is simple. The first thing you feed your mind is quite important. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. In the same way, what we feed our mind at the start of the day is also vital. It affects you mental and spiritual disposition throughout the day.
Every time you wake up in the morning, thank God for another day and feed your mind with the “right” stuff. This routine will help you make better decisions throughout the day. As you lay down to sleep in the evening, find time to thank Him again for the blessings you received.
Philippians 4:8.- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Have a blessed day! Make a decision to follow God.
I read it in some self-help books. When I attended a seminar recently, the speaker uttered the same phrase several times – “Your thoughts become things”. It is one of those principles that is universally accepted regardless of religion, nationality, race, etc.
Do you believe it? I do.
This leads me to the point of this article. If you believe that you become what you think, then why spend a significant amount of your time on negative, useless thoughts.
How do you start you day? What’s the first thing you “feed’ your mind when you wake up?
I know someone who is so “news-hungry” that upon waking up, he immediately looks for the newspaper or turns on the TV to catch the morning news. Another friend listens to his favorite CD or MP3 track. Others start the day by tuning on the AM radio frequency to catch a commentary on the latest political news. Some read their horoscope while others say a short prayer and read the bible. Are you the type who simply stares at the wall, calmly waiting for a vision of how your day should go?
How you start your day affects most of your decisions throughout the day.
We know that news tend to focus on the negative aspect of any subject. Maybe negative news sells more. Maybe, consciously or unconsciously, we demand for negative news more than hearing good news. We regularly hear about the economy not improving or going worse. We hear about U.S. recession and their credit rating being lowered. You hear about some countries defaulting on their debts. What happens after you hear about these?
You may not admit it but these types of news affect you. You become tentative with your financial decisions. During the day, you decide to defer or even cancel a well thought investment you were supposed to place that day.
Conversely, what if you saw on TV how a cab driver returned a huge amount of money left in his car? That would be inspiring! That would motivate you to practice honesty in all aspects of your life. That story would lighten up your day and make you focus on what’s good for others than yourself.
My point is simple. The first thing you feed your mind is quite important. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. In the same way, what we feed our mind at the start of the day is also vital. It affects you mental and spiritual disposition throughout the day.
Every time you wake up in the morning, thank God for another day and feed your mind with the “right” stuff. This routine will help you make better decisions throughout the day. As you lay down to sleep in the evening, find time to thank Him again for the blessings you received.
Philippians 4:8.- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Have a blessed day! Make a decision to follow God.
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