Divergent Christian

ROMANS 12:2 | difference-maker | limit does not exist |mind works in million ways | part of the solution | set apart for JESUS ✞

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[prayerpartner]

[divergentchristian]

The Danger of “All Glory To Me”

John 5:44 "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" 

 The Danger of "All Glory To Me" 

    When we start accepting praise from men, we begin to decrease the Name of the Lord in our lives. When we try our best to be noticed by others (attention-seeking), we remove their attention from focusing on the God who has always been with us. When we start to focus on how we can please other people or how we can gain their praises, we begin the end of seeking God's standard in our lives.”ALL GLORY TO ME" IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END. 

    The question is, why do people always want other's praise to the point of neglecting the job of pleasing the Most High God? 

PRIDE. FAME. GLORY. (to me) 

 Big NO to those things. Instead of accepting the glory from others, do your best in EVERYTHING with love, pure heart, and a motive of giving back ALL the GLORY to GOD. Well, in fact, we can do nothing if He is not with us so it is really Him who deserves the credit in every achievement we had, we have, and we will have. MAKE EFFORT TO OBTAIN THE PRAISE THAT COMES FROM THE ONLY GOD - the provider of knowledge, gifts, and abilities. Let the Lord be pleased and He will acknowledge every "best" that you got.

GLORY TO GOD ALONE, FOREVER. 

 My devotion last 01/20/16 

God bless!

[thefuturepastor]

‘Yung Feeling na Unequipped Ka para sa Bible Study

Anonymous said: Hi kuya Jade, i wanna ask if , is it okay to refuse the offer of your leader na magturo ka sa gawain like Bible study when you know in yourself na parang di ka naman malalim para sa bagay na yun?

I would not recommend you use your self-perceived level of spiritual depth as the ultimate deciding factor for you to say “yes” or “no” to any opportunity to serve the Lord.

Minsan kasi, maski tayo ay nami-miscalculate natin ang kakayanan natin.

May mga nagsabi na sa’kin dati na hindi pa sila marunong mag-opening prayer, pero in-assign ko pa rin. Ayun, ok naman.

May mga nagsabi na rin sa’kin dati na hindi sila marunong magbigay ng simpleng exhortation sa Bible study, pero in-assign ko pa rin. Ayun, ok naman.

May mga nagsabi na rin sa’kin dati na hindi sila marunong mag-worship lead. Pinakinggan ko boses. Ayun, may point siya kaya ‘di ko siya in-assign. Haha!

I would suggest you thoroughly have yourself evaluated. When I say evaluate, I don’t just mean you reflecting on your abilities all by yourself. Factor in helpful comments from your leaders and your peers.

Helpful Comments from Your Leaders

Tanungin mo si leader: Bakit po ako? Ano pong nakita n’yo sa’kin na hindi ko nakita sa’kin? Sino ako para mag-lead ng Bible study? Mababaw pa po yata ako?

I’m sure your leader can give helpful answers to those types of questions. Siguro naman may nakita siyang something sa’yo kaya nasabi niyang “May something!” kaya in-assign ka niya.

Maghanda ka baka tanungin ka niya:

Listen to your leader. If you feel inadequate, he/she may be challenging you to flex some faith muscles believe in what you think is impossible. You could view this as your leader’s expression of belief in how God has been shaping you to become a leader yourself. Perhaps your leader is teaching you to depend more on the grace of God to try something you’ve never attempted before, for God’s glory. Perhaps he wants you to finally realize your potential. Sabi nga ng isang full of wisdom at mukhang born-again na scrolling LED sign:

Helpful Comments from Your Peers

Tanungin mo mga fellow workers mo sa church na puwedeng makapag-bigay ng honest feedback sa’yo: Paano ba ‘ko mag-exhort? Awkward ba ‘ko magsalita sa harap? OK ba ‘yung opening prayer ko o sobrang daming “Yes Lord hallelujah Father God in Jesus’ name” every sentence? Ano’ng mga dapat kong i-improve sa sarili ko kapag nag-she-share ako ng Gospel?

I’m sure these people can give helpful comments you can weigh for consideration.

Your Decision

At the end of the day, it’s up to you whether or not to accept the task your leader believes you are up to. Just remember that the room for improvement is ever-spacious as long as we’re on this Earth. If you think you’re mababaw, make lalim pa more your study of the Scriptures. Challenge yourself to dig deeper into God’s Word. Mag-aral. Maging wide and deep reader. Be a true learner and student of the Word. Be reflective and meditative. Umattend ng mga training sa church. Ugaliing magtanong sa pastor kapag may ikinakalito tungkol sa Bible o kay God.

More importantly, always be on the lookout for opportunities to apply its principles day by day.

And please:

Don’t underestimate yourself. It’s good to be aware of your limitations; but the question is, what will you do with them? You may either live according to your limitations or above them.

[thefuturepastor]

Kapag Hinudas Ka Ng Disciple Mo

Anonymous said: kuya pastor jade :( i need some advice po.. i am a lifegoup leader po and one of my disciple betrayed me.. as in, ilang buwan na pala niya akong niloko.. my nagawa po syang maraming bagay na lingid sa aking kaalaman at nong nabisto ay nagalit pa at umalis sa church.. im in pain right now.. parang dinurog ang puso ko. at parang hindi ko na gustong mag disciple pa. help po

Napakasakit talaga kapag pinagtaksilan ka ng isang taong sobrang pinahalagahan mo. Lalo na kung disciple mo pa ang siyang naging traydor sa'yo.

Hindi kasi biro ang pagbubuhos ng oras, lakas, at (aminin na natin) personal na pananalapi para mag-disciple. Sigurado akong malala ang hapdi na nararamdaman mo ngayon sa puso mo dahil malala din ang pagmamahal na tinanim mo sa buhay ng disciple mo.

Ewan ko ba. May mga disciple na hindi talaga marunong mag-appreciate. Hindi naman sa naghahanap ang disciplers ng palakpak o araw-araw na thank-you text. Pero sana man lang ‘wag gantihan ng mga disciples ng kasamaan ang kabutihan na ipinakita sa kanila ng leader nila. Ok fine sige sabihin na nating may mga leader na hindi karapat-dapat pasalamatan. Pero 'yung tratraydurin??? Tapos lalayasan pa ang church na may galit sa puso???

Siguro naman kahit katiting ay may nagawang mabuti ang discipler na puwedeng dahilan para pigilan ng disciple ang ambisyon niyang sundan ang yapak ni Hudas. Sa mga disciple na nagbabasa nito: hindi perpekto ang discipler ninyo. Pero tandaan ninyong hindi rin kayo perpekto. Kung nabwibwiset ka sa dicipler/pastor mo, sigurado akong mas maraming beses na siyang nabwiset sa immaturities mo pero 'di ka kasi nakikinig kaya umaabot kayo sa puntong hindi na nagiging healthy ang relationship n'yo. Aba'y sermon mode yata ako ngayon.

Hayy. Ganiyan talaga. Some things end ugly. And betrayal is one of the most hideous ways they do. Betrayal happens when a person puts his/her personal interests above relationships that SHOULD be important to him/her. I want to emphasize SHOULD because while there are relationships that are worth flushing in the toilet, there are certainly those that SHOULD be tended in the lush garden of love and forgiveness. Anu-anong mga relasyon 'yan? 'Yan 'yung klase ng mga relasyon na masasabi mong: 1. Hindi ko mararating ang narating ko ngayon kung hindi dahil sa relasyon namin ng taong 'yan. 2. Maraming magaganadang nagbago sa pagkatao ko dahil sa relasyon namin. 3. Malalim/mahaba na ang pinagsamahan namin para itapon ko pa ngayon. 4. Si Lord at pagmamahal/paglilingkod kay Lord ang nagbuklod sa amin kaya hindi ko ito susukuan. Shallow relationships naturally become forgettable over the passing of time. Pero kahit gaano pa ka-disposable ang ilang relasyon, walang trayduran please!

Sa mga disciple na nagbabasa nito, please pahalagahan ninyo ang discipler ninyo. Tao 'yan, hindi angel. Nagkakamali pa rin 'yan. Puwede mo i-rebuke kung nasa lugar ka. Sige lang mag-open ka ng mga hinaing mo in a respectful way. Eh paano kung ayaw niya makinig? May Diyos na handang pumulbos sa puso niyang hollow blocks. As for you, don’t rebel and betray. ‘Wag mong idadamay ang buong church in case gusto mo nang umalis.

Kung wala namang nagtatanong, bakit mo ipagkakalat sa iba ang mga negative na nakikita mo sa discipler mo? Hayaan mong sila na ang makakita noon sa discipler mo. 'Di mo kailangang i-broadcast dahil kung totoong nag-e-exist 'yang kapintasan na 'yan, makikita’t makikita 'yan ng ibang tao through their personal interactions with your discipler. Let them discover it for themselves dahil kapag sa'yo pa nanggaling at hindi nila nakita, maco-confirm ng madlang tao na naninira ka lang o bitter ka lang o sadyang maling mali ka lang talaga. Kapag naman nakita nila 'yung kapintasang nakikita mo rin na hindi mo sinabi sa kanila, eh di wow! Maco-confirm mong tama ka at hindi ka lang emosyon. Personally kasi, may mga tao sa church na nakikitaan ko ng mga bagay na kapintas-pintas based on my standards. Pero kapag nakakausap ko na ang ibang tao tungkol doon sa taong nakikitaan ko ng kapintasan, nagugulat ako kasi marami silang positive na nasasabi tungkol sa tao na 'yun. Sa ganiyang klase ng sitwasyon, sinusubukan kong makita ang mga positibo na 'yun kahit ang hirap hanapin minsan hehe! As much as possible, I suppress my observations of kapintasan toward other people. When I hear one good report about them, I magnify that one good report and diminish the importance of the kapintasans. Madalas kasi, pet peeves lang ang ugat ng kapintasan. Paki Goggle na lang “pet peeve” haba na nitong blog post masyado ‘pag dinefine ko pa hehe. So. Mabalik tayo sa'yo, Anonymous. You are right now in a position similar to Christ in Gethsemane. Cheek kissed by Judas, heart crushed by betrayal. Like Christ, fight on. This is a cross you have to bear now. But this will not kill you. Christ rose. You can rise, too. From the depths, from the dark and suffocating grave of temporary suffering. Rise. Friends come. Friends go. Some with sweet goodbyes, others with swashbuckling temerity to betray. The latter is human fallenness in the tradition of Lucifer, the first traitor. Ipagkatiwala mo kay Lord ang nagtaksil sa'yo. Don’t avenge. Vengeance is God’s prerogative. Ask God to help you forgive in His time (because it can be difficult, yes). Now look at the harvest field. Ang dami pang ibang puwedeng i-disciple 'no? Tara, focus tayo sa kanila :) Baka 'di na bumalik si Hudas.

[divergentchristian]

OVERCOMER

John 16:33

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” - Jesus Christ

Troubles.Sobrang daming pangamba, pampastress, insecurities, causes of pride. We often couldn’t find the real happiness in this world. Sometimes, life seems unfair. We ask God why this or that is happening to us. Often times, we do not even know how to manage our emotion. We become stressed and even depressed. Feeling natin pasan na natin ang daigdig kahit hindi naman talaga. Yung negative emotion natin ang nagcacause para lumayo tayo sa Lord. But what did God say?

“TAKE HEART! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD”

Nalagpasan na Niya lahat yan at kaya din nating lagpasan to kapag kasama natin Siya! Christ have overcome the world for us. Be an overcomer!

[thefuturepastor]

Nag-backslide si Disciple, Kasalanan Ko Pa?

Anonymous said: kuya jade, i am a life group leader and the youth coordinator ng KKB chapter namin.. and the thing na gusto ko pong iclarify.. one of my disciples po na fall and na backslide.. of course masakit na masakit sa akin, my question is that.. would i blame myself thinking that hindi ako naging effective na leader or i’ll feel ok thinking na i did my part and i’ll wash my hands na po over his soul? i need some enlightenment. thank you po

On one hand, a discipler holds a certain degree of responsibility over what happens to the people God entrusts him/her. The extent of that responsibility is affected by many factors, such as the discipler’s diligence in teaching them the ways of God and the discipler’s faithfulness in carrying out specific things God wants him/her to accomplish throughout the duration of the discipleship process. We will all give an account to God for the manner we led brothers and sisters younger in the faith. On the other hand, we believe that individuals are ultimately responsible for whatever happens to their lives. At the end of the day, whatever becomes of us is our own making. Even doing something because of other people’s influence is a decision we make for ourselves to be subject to such influence.

So to summarize:

Hehe jk :)

When disciples fall into sin or backslide (turn away from the faith to the point of no return), it is normal for disciplers to feel the pain of the fall because the foundation of discipleship is relationship–first with God, next among the persons involved in discipleship. I remember the cry of Moses in Exodus 32:32:

“But now, please forgive their sin–but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.“

‘Di baleng siya na ang mawala ang salvation basta mapatawad lang ni Lord ang mga pasaway na Israelita.

In Romans 9:1-3, Paul expressed similar depth of concern over the fallenness of the Jews–people of his heritage and therefore dear to him: “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” It is good to become like Moses and Paul who genuinely felt the weight of the responsibility God gave them. Developing that kind of attitude indicates that you have a high sense of responsibility toward God’s call for you to disciple. Just keep in mind that you need not go down with your disciple.

‘Wag ganyan, ok? ;-)

If he/she remains stubborn after many admonitions, you must discern when it might be a good time for you to focus on other things or other people God wants you to look after. One discipleship lesson I’ve learned over the years is focusing on the responsive. That way, you could reach more for God and express trust that the seeds you’ve planted to those who are not cooperative at the moment will be taken care of by the Holy Spirit in His perfect way and time.

I have expressed this sentiment before:

“Because our time on earth is short, we must be wise to determine where we would pour our time with the view of yielding maximum fruit. To concentrate on unresponsive disciples is unwise and tiring. You will die earlier than you would have scheduled.

“Of course, this doesn’t mean that we won’t encourage the lethargic. This simply means that if all effort has been exhausted to boost participation but to no avail, then the time has come for us to move on and focus our energy to those who are more responsive.”

Ask God if there’s anything you can do to improve the way you lead others. Surely, improvement is a lifelong activity for imperfect leaders such as us. You may continue to pray for your disciple. Keep in mind that what happened to him is, ultimately, his choice. 

**********

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? You may send them here. I can’t guarantee replies, though, as my life can be a wild mix of numerous responsibilities. Thanks for reading :)

[thefuturepastor]

Hindi Na ‘Ko Masaya sa Church at School

Anonymous said: Pastor :’( what if your no longer happy atour church in the ministry kng nasn ako and pati sa scul? Pno po pag dna masaya & i wanna go somwhere else somewhere new help po gsto ko na po magstp s stdies feeling ko po d to ang course na para skin TIA

Judging from your spelling skills, I say don’t stp your studies. Hehe :D ‘Yung spelling mo kasi pakiramdam ko nagde-decode ako ng telegrama galing Mars. Joke lang :D

Bakit naman hindi ka masaya sa buhay? Pati tuloy ako nalulungkot. Ang emotional naman ng letter sender natin for this episode, mga kaibigan.

Someone in the Bible experienced the same sort of loneliness you’re going through. Toward the end of his life, King Solomon was confronted by an overwhelming feeling of meaninglessness. Suddenly he saw life as a purposeless theater for performances doomed to be forgettable no matter how much money they made or how many awards they won. The next thing we know, the magnificent Ecclesiastes was born.

In Ecclesiastes, we realize what we already know but fail to digest most of the time. Nasa bibig na natin pero ayaw nating lunukin. Kung hindi ayaw, kinakalimutan: Na may hangganan ang buhay. Na walang permanente sa mundong ibabaw. Na hubad tayong dumating sa mundo at hubad din tayong lalabas mula dito. Sobrang nakakalungkot, ano? Siguro nalulungkot ka dahil kagaya ni Solomon, hindi mo nakikita ang purpose mo sa church mo ngayon. And maybe you feel like your schooling is pointless. Or your whole life is directionless. Like 1D without Zayn. Incomplete. Sad. Harry, Louis, Liam, and Niall just can’t do. Directioners need Zayn Malik.

And you need a sense of purpose to be happy with your life. We all need a spark of reason for why we do what we do to drive us further. Out of concern for his readers, Solomon the teacher concluded Ecclesiastes with the secret to happiness:

“Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment… Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’… The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:1, 13

The purpose of life is to be God-centered. True joy means to have God; to walk in the path of holiness He wants you to walk in; to follow His call; to realize that when all is said and done, we will be accountable to His judgment. Sa dulo ng buhay nating lahat, sa Diyos tayo haharap upang kaniyang suriin kung nagawa ba natin ang mga bagay na pinapagawa niya o hindi. Kaya dapat, mabuhay tayo sa pagtupad sa misyon ng Diyos para sa kaligayahan niya.

Ayon kay Solomon, magiging totoong masaya lang tayo sa buhay kapag dumating tayo sa puntong 100% confident tayo na ang ginagawa natin sa buhay ay kalooban ng Diyos.

Hindi ka na masaya sa mga nangyayari sa buhay mo? Stop for a while. Rest. Breathe. Step back a little and look at the bigger picture. Maybe you’re not doing things according to God’s way.

Hindi kalungkutan ang problema mo. Ang problema mo ay kawalan ng sense of purpose kay Lord.

You’re not happy with your church and with your schooling because you don’t see how they fit in the bigger picture of God’s purpose for your life.

I suggest that you pray. Ask the Lord, “What is your plan for me? What is your purpose for me? Please lead me toward fulfilling that purpose.” 

Just a bit of reminder: When we ask the Lord what His plan is for us, we’re not asking Him about what will make us happy or what will make us more talented. Instead, we’re primarily asking Him to show us our specific part in serving His kingdom.

May dalawang bagay na malinaw tungkol sa purpose natin kay Lord:

1. It is His purpose for you to have a love relationship with him (John 3:16; Romans 5:8; John 6:40).

2. It is His purpose for you who has a love relationship with Him to SERVE His Kingdom through evangelism and discipleship (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

Hindi ka na masaya sa church?

Nage-evangelize ka ba? Nagdi-disciple ka ba? Try to look at the possibility that maybe you’re not satisfied with your church because you have not developed positive involvement in the life of the church. And the life of the church revolves around evangelism and discipleship, for God’s glory.

Posible rin naman na hindi ka masaya sa church mo because your church has a weak emphasis on evangelism and discipleship. Kapag ganiyan ang isang church, tatamlay talaga ang spiritual life ng mga tao. If that’s the case, point it out, as graciously as you can,  to a leader or pastor who can correct the church orientation. Or do your part in enlivening the dullness of it all. 

Sa tingin ko ‘yan lang naman talaga ang dahilan kung bakit masasabi ng isang tao na hindi na siya masaya sa church niya. Matamlay na siya kasi hindi siya nagagamit ni Lord o nagpapagamit kay Lord sa paraang gusto ni Lord–evangelism and discipleship. Lahat kasi nang pagkakagamitan ni Lord sa buhay natin, kahit ano pa ‘yan (worship leading, life group leading, ushering, world missions, creative arts, etc.), ay dapat humantong sa evangelism at discipleship.

Kaya naman nasasabi kong mataas ang posibilidad na hindi ka na masaya sa church mo dahil hindi ka aktibong nakikibahagi sa gawain ng evangelism at discipleship in positive partnership with your church. Iron this problem out and you will surely have a more vibrant perception of your church.

Hindi 'yan ang course na para sa’yo?

Pray hard and ask the Lord to give you peace about what field of study He wants you to pursue. Ask for your parents’ guidance. Check if your school records would allow you to shift or transfer. 

Give it a go should these conditions harmonize to your favor.

Want to be truly happy?

If you have noticed by now, we will only be ultimately satisfied with life if making God happy becomes our number one priority. The Christian life is fraught with many difficulties. It’s not always about eating fellowships, jumpy songs, and the ushers’ faces beaming with the sweetest of smiles (Luke 9:23-25; Romans 8:16-17).

Church people and constructs can be difficult. School can be tough. Life is messy. But don’t give up. God has a long-term, far-ranging purpose for you. It is His desire for you to evangelize–to represent Him to your world through God-honoring actions, speech, decisions, and intentions. It is his design for you to submit to a discipler and be a discipler to someone you can guide in the journey of maturity and excellent, fruitful Christian living. 

Live in that mindset. Don’t stp.

[divergentchristian]

HINDI KA BA MASAYA? BASAHIN MO 'TO

[prayerpartner]

[divergentchristian]

This 💛💙💜💚❤️

[prayerpartner]

[prayerpartner]

“In oceans deep, my faith will stand.” - Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

[thefuturepastor]

Gusto ng Parents o Gusto Ko?

Anonymous said: hi kuya jade! CYN po ako from JIL USA and I’ve only recently discovered yung blog mo. Gusto ko sana humingi ng advice. Malapit na po kasi ako maggraduate ng highschool at very soon I’m going to be applying for college. Ang gusto ko talagang major ay Marketing. Pero gusto ng parents ko mag medicine ako. Nung sinabi ko sa kanila na gusto ko magstudy ng business, naupset talaga sila. Ayoko na madisappoint sila, pero alam ko talaga na marketing ang passion ko. Advice po on what to do?

Tanungin mo ang parents mo kung nasaan ang:

Perhaps one thing you could do is ask your guidance counselor to administer a career aptitude test for you. That test will more or less reveal what career path best suits your skills and interests at the moment. If business school is really for you, the exam results will show it. Break the news to your parents and try to convince them to let you study marketing.

In trying to convince them, promise that you will take your studies seriously. Try to explain how far your heart is removed from the field of study they want you to engage in and that forcing you to kill what you’re really passionate about may only cause you to be resentful about the 8 years (it takes 8 or more to be a doctor here in the Philippines, I just don’t know there) you’ll spend studying a course you feel forced into. Another point of realization that you could try to bring to light to your parents is that this is most likely a choice between you becoming an excellent business person versus becoming a mediocre doctor. Because if you’re truly more cut out for entrepreneurship, then entering medicine school could present overwhelming challenges for your capacity to learn. To be fair to your parents, I am sure that they only want the best for you. Parents who want their children to be doctors are admirable. The fact that they want you be in the business of curing diseases means that they believe in your potential  to become successful and a force for good at the same time. Having said that, paano naman kung sa kabila ng paliwanag mo ay sumagot sila nang:

If your parents become unrelentingly dead set on sending you to med school, then maybe you could give it a try. Kung hindi para sa’yo ang med school, your academic performance will speak for itself. If you wouldn’t do well, it will send your parents the message that you’re not really cut out for that kind of endeavor. That’s the long and winding journey, though. But you’ll finally get there picking up the pieces, for sure.

Ako naman after college, I tried out Law school but after three semesters I quit because it became clear to me that neither litigation nor legislation were ever going to be the passion of my life. I talked with my parents about it and I knew I broke their heart. Kaso ganoon talaga eh. We had to meet halfway. So heto ko ngayon pastor na, haha! 

May ilang mga case din naman na mas sinunod nila ang parents nila kaysa sa gusto nila and it turned out to be a wise decision.

As you face this heart-wrenching situation, remember to maintain a heart that honors your parents. Walang school for parenting kaya unawain mo sila kung sa palagay mo ay nagiging hindi risonable ang gusto nilang mangyari sa buhay mo. They’re still your parents. Be thankful that they’re willing to spend their life and whatever they earn in order to guarantee that you would have a bright future.

May you make the most God-honoring decision. I also pray that your parents’ hearts would harmonize with yours and with God’s.

[divergentchristian]

Forget Not Everything

My 2014 didn't really start great. It actually started deplorably. (WAAAH deplorably talaga? Haha) Meanwhile, my year ended blissfully because of Him. This is my new year verse: "Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward for Jesus." Philippians 3:12-15 The bible says that we must FORGET what is behind - but not everything. Yes, we should forget the negative things in the past so it will not bog us down anymore. This includes forgiveness to those who hurt us and the tragic experiences we had. Aside from this, I learned from one of my godparents that we also need to forget the attainments that will make us 'complacent' in the future. I've mentioned that we must forget what is behind but 'not everything'. Two things that we need to not to forget are 'the lessons we learned in the past' and 'the extravagantly amazing grace of the Lord' that kept us going through thick and thin. This year 2015, let us press on toward the goal - the goal to win the prize for which God has called us! Focus on Jesus! Walk on waters wherever and whenever He calls us to do so and let us keep our eyes above the incoming waves! My prayer, which I also heard from one of the Youth Summit sessions, is that as we start our year right, we could also end it right. We cannot do this unless we are WITH GOD. I'm looking forward to His greater and mightier works in 2015. Glory to God forever! •By the way, this blog which I've read could give you more encouragements and lessons on how to #MoveOn

[divergentchristian]

1 Peter 4:8 "Above all, love each other deeply, because LOVE COVERS OVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS." And it is stated in 1 John 4:8 that "Whoever does not love does not know God, because GOD IS LOVE." So if we will connect these two wonderful bible verses, we could therefore conclude that GOD COVERS OVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS. Yes. He does. The Lord Jesus Christ came down for you and me. Niyakap Niya tayo sa kabila ng ating karumihan. Sa pagyakap Niya sa atin, unti-unting dumidikit at nalilipat sa Kanya yung dumi na galing sa atin. Pero wala Siyang pakialam doon. Inako Niya lahat ng duming 'yon para malinis tayo! That is what He did on the cross. Jesus is so perfect but He chose to look filthy, shameful, and sinful so we could have an eternal life - eternal life that can only be experienced by GRACE and through FAITH in Jesus Christ ALONE. (Ephesians 2:8) The Lord Jesus Christ became the cover over our multitude of sins. And I guess this fact is enough for us to live for Him. Thank you God for your unfailing love toward us!

[divergentchristian]

Blessed with your blog! 🙌 God Bless you always! :)

God bless you even more! 😊

[divergentchristian]

SOMTIMES YOU WIN - SOMETIMES YOU LEARN by John C. Maxwell I highly recommend this wonderful book to you! Maxwell discussed here a guide or roadmap in Winning by examining the eleven elements which he also called as "The DNA of Learners" 1. Humility - The Spirit of Learning 2. Reality - The Foundation of Learning 3. Responsibility - The First Step of Learning 4. Improvement - The Focus of Learning 5. Hope - The Motivation of Learning 6. Teachability - The Pathway of Learning 7. Adversity - The Catalyst of Learning 8. Problems - The Opportunities for Learning 9. Bad Experiences - The Perspective for Learning 10. Change - The Price of Learning 11. Maturity - The Value of Learning These would help us succeed in the face of problems, failures, and losses. It's must-read book. Grab one and get to learn more of the DNA of Learning! It's amazing. Full of learnings. God speed!

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