THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

 REPOSTING...

•THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

1.Apostle - Governs

2. Prophet - Guides

3. Evangelist - Gathers

4. Pastor - Guards

5. Teacher - Grounds

The Church NOW and Today needs the full function and operation of the full fivefold in accordance with the WORD.

May We identify and encourage those whom God has given the grace and anointing for such.

●THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

The Apostle - Leads

The Prophet - Speaks

The Teacher - Equips

The Evangelist - Proclaims

The Pastor - Cares

We need all for our time like never before. Divinely called, appointed, and anointed fivefold Ministers.

●THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

1. Apostle - Visionary Strategist

2. Prophet - Spiritual Advisor

3. Teacher - Logical Thinker/Implementer

4. Evangelist - Persuasive Communicator

5. Pastor - Human Resource Counselor

The Gifts and ministry of the Holy Spirit work in manifold ways and is not limited to one approach. The Bible talks about the seven spirits yet refer to one and the same Spirit manifesting His completeness in different ways.

Some are open to revelation but not learning or teaching. The humble are open to learning, education, and revelation.

●THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

Apostle - Long-Sight

Prophet - Foresight

Evangelist - Hindsight

Teacher - Insight

Pastor - Oversight

VISION means to SEE. All those in the fivefold ministry must have a vision or see something in the area of their ministries. Spiritual sight is the ability to see by revelation what needs to be done when and how. We all need the vision to do His work effectively.

●THE FIVE FOLD MINISTRY

Apostle - Mission

Prophet - Vision

Evangelist - Commission

Pastor - Compassion

Teacher - Passion

We need a sense of Mission and Commission. We need a sense of vision and passion with Compassion to do effectively the task before us.

:Check Ephesians 4:11

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#TEAMJESUS

Love rejoices in the truth

 Love rejoices in the truth

1 Corinthians 13:6 “Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;”

 

 Do you practice honesty and truthfulness?  There is a saying, “Honesty is the best policy” One of the characteristics of love that we read about in 1 Corinthians 13: 6 is this, “Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;” Loving others is more than caring about them.  It is also about wanting the best for them and not being satisfied unless that is the case. It goes beyond the typical and leads us to explore love as more than a feeling, but a desire for, and delight when, people we care about, experience justice. 

 We should make it a lifestyle to tell the truth. Speak the truth at all times. Your life will be simpler if you are always honest and have nothing to hide. In case you made a mistake admit the truth and stand for it. Do not blame others. Tell the truth instead of inventing excuses to get you off the hook. God desires for us at all times to speak the truth.

Probably one of the favorite pastimes of many people is to talk about other people's lives. It would be nice if we were talking about the success and the good life of other people. But if the content of your conversation is the problem or misfortunes of your office mates or friends or loves ones, something needs to change. We need to stop spreading gossip and unwholesome talk. Spreading gossip is not a loving act. It is a form of betrayal. And it does not improve our relationship with other people. Spread love, not gossip. If what we think or hear does not line up with God’s Word, we are the ones who must change our minds. Speak positively always and make it a habit.

Avoid making promises if you know you can't do it.  

Yes.

I promise.

I swear.

I'll make it happen.

Most definitely.

For sure.

There are a million ways we make promises with our words, but it doesn't always mean we'll follow through. Jesus tells His followers to simply let their "yes" be a yes, and their "no" be a no. Don't swear at all, because "anything beyond this comes from the evil one" (Matthew 5:37). It's better not to vow at all than to have only a haphazard intention of fulfilling your word. God takes His promises to us very seriously. From the beginning of Genesis, He promised a Savior to take care of us for all eternity. And even though it meant Jesus would come and have to die for us, God never broke His word. God's covenant with believers is unbreakable. He’s a promise maker and a promise keeper.

As God’s people, we can take comfort in knowing His words never fail. But we should be challenged by that statement as well. We are God’s representatives on earth, and to rep Him well, we have to be willing to say what we mean and do what we say.

It is better to let your limitations be known than the people expect something from you that will never happen. Trust is priceless.

We should speak the truth in love. Love rejoices when truth wins out, not evil. We must love the truth at all costs. We must love people, but not soft-peddle sin. Balancing truth and love is never easy. It often involves confrontation, and most of us don’t like that. But sometimes truly loving someone requires loving confrontation. Sometimes uncomfortable words have to be spoken, but they must be said in a loving way. Such situations must be handled with love and care, asking for the Lord’s guidance every step of the way. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

This is why it is so important for us to have a daily quiet time in the Word of God: Change requires learning the truth. As long as you build your life on a foundation of lies, misconceptions, deceptions, or half-truths, you will never change. But when you face the truth and respond to the truth, you will begin to see a change in your life.

When we love someone, we are not happy when they experience inequity or unfairness.  We can’t stand when bad things happen to them. We only have reason to be joyful when things are made right in their lives.  This goes beyond the typical love in terms of affection.  It frames love as not just who we care for, but what we care for them to have.  In this case, God calls us to want for the lives of the people we care about to be made right and whole.  

The one who loves with agape love will not rejoice in another person’s downfall but will rejoice when the other person does what is right. It refers to behavior that is true to Godly standards—upright behavior. We must hate the sin, not the sinner.

It's only the love of Jesus for us that can change our hearts, to turn us from the love of sin to the love of the truth. As we realize what he has done for us, our hearts are turned towards him. Father,  May we are loving, humble, respectful, and truthful, not hurtful or manipulative. Help us to honor others with honesty and to speak the truth in love. Please help us to have the courage to speak the truth but to do it in love in the way that Jesus would.  May His love for us and in us change us, for His glory. Amen.        

      

He hears us

 

He hears us

“Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.” – Psalms 54:2

Prayer is the way in which we communicate with God, especially in our spiritual life. When praying, we should open our hearts and speak our innermost thoughts to God, and sincerely call out to Him. If we don’t pray, we will lose a connection with God.

Many brothers and sisters think that God doesn’t answer. Does He no longer listen to me? Is He tired of listening to me? Have I have done anything wrong that makes Him deaf to my requests?

Despite this, we should not tire of praying over and over again because I know that the answer we may be waiting for maybe "yes," "no," or "just wait."         

Can you still wait?

If you are experiencing this and it seems that God is no longer listening to you, please do not worry. He does not change for you. He does not change his mind about you. Just waiting is part of our Christian identity. Not all of our prayers are answered immediately.

We may not see what God is doing right now, but I know He is at work. Whatever the answer may be, I know it is for our good and the good of the people we pray for.

Please remember that it was 400 years before God heard the requests of His children who were being oppressed in Egypt. It also took 40 years before they could enter Canaan.
It took such a long wait before their requests were answered. Why? Because God purposely sets the right time for everyone.

The way God answers our prayers may not make sense to us now, or ever. In a broken world, we’ll experience pain. Living in fellowship with God means trusting that He hears us, no matter how He answers our prayers. It means patiently waiting for the day when it all finally makes sense.

Waiting is not important if you know that when the answer you are waiting for comes, your joy will be complete.  If you know that God does not think of anything for you other than for your own good.
If you know our trust in God we will not fail.

Sometimes He does not immediately give us the things we want because He has a perfect time for it. We just have to be patient and open our eyes to how He may be working through our prayers. 

So if we have things we want to achieve let us bring them to Him and He is always listening to us.

Consistent and intentional daily prayer is one of the spiritual disciplines that many Christians struggle with the most. We need to be encouraged to persevere in praying because our prayers are never wasted! The Lord hears us. He is always listening!

We should always pray that the light of God will shine on us, and we must always rely on God. Let us always pray to Him and even though He has already answered our prayers, we will continue to pray to thank Him. We are expected to pray, and we are expected to be ready to pray at any moment. 

In our lives, we have no one to lean on but Jesus. We can only find all our needs in Jesus. Everything comes from Him so we have no ownership in this world.

Remember to always pray, Trust, and Wait on the Lord. Trust in the Lord because before we ask for what we want, He already knows our needs. But perhaps you feel the level of your faith is just not there yet.

I encourage you, never give up on the Lord.

Never give up your faith.

Never stop praying.

God hears our prayers. The very Creator of all things!

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7). "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Oh Lord, Your authority and power are supreme, but our faith in You is too little. Yet in your mercy you let us see the answer to our prayers. May You enlighten us and give us faith so that we could rely on and look to You in all, no matter good or bad. Thank You so much for the fact that You always hear us and that you are always near us! Give us faith to endure until we see your salvation. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

 

The Gift of Time

 

The Gift of Time

 "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

 When we lose our sense of urgency to live for God, we end up wasting our time! God has a plan for us, for our world, and for his church. How many times have you used the reason you do not have time?

You cannot attend the meeting, fellowship, or even an online bible study because you are too busy and do not have time. You did not return the call because you did not have time. You are not able to eat because you have a lot of work to do and you do not have time. . Do you really have no time or do you just have different priorities so you do not give time to things you did not do?

Remember this, you always have time. Each of us has the same amount of time. We all have twenty-four hours. No more no less. How many things are you doing now that is no longer urgent and not yet important?

My friend, you should not be wasting precious and limited time on tasks that are neither urgent nor important. You will only waste of time. Many are distracted by social media.
When your gadget sounds, there is a sense of urgency that you need to read what's on your newsfeed and you need to respond immediately to every message you receive.

But is it really necessary? Is it urgent and important? Have you counted each day as a precious gift from God?; have you spent each day in the presence of the Lord?; have you used each day to the glory of God; have you invested time in your loved ones?

Building relationships with your family and colleagues are seldom urgent. But if you neglect them and do not give them the time of day they deserve, it will surely be a big problem in the future. Yes, we have to work and be fruitful. But never be too busy to spend time with family and friends. Never be too busy to help others. Never be too busy to enjoy life. Time is short to use it wisely.

Never be too busy to help. Sometimes in the middle of your work, someone suddenly talks to you and asks for advice. Realize that it takes courage and a lot of trusts for people to open up and ask for advice. Take even a short time to help those in need. This is not a distraction, but rather, an opportunity to be a blessing.

Never be too busy to spend time with God. If you are too busy with your work and other things that you do not have time for God, I am sure, you are too busy with non-essentials. When we seek God first, He will guide us and help us determine our priorities. When we spend time with God, He will remind us of what we should prioritize and devote time to. Psalm 46:10 reminds us, "Be still and know that I am God."

Focus on tasks and activities that are urgent and important and not urgent but important. Successful individuals know how to effectively and wisely use their time. Honor God by being a good steward of the time that He has entrusted in your hands.

Believe it or not, time is one of the most precious commodities that we have. Time is much more valuable than money can ever be. How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Time is a gift, a precious gift from the Lord. Our days and opportunities to live for the Lord pass so rapidly that we cannot afford to waste time.

God's Word advises us to use our time wisely because He knows that there are many things in life that can distract us from what truly matters. Do not waste your time so that you don't look back with regret - you do not know what tomorrow holds! Using time wisely involves doing what matters most. May the Lord help us to realize that life is best measured not in length, but in-depth. When we number our days, we will strive to fill each one with value, living every moment for God’s purposes and glory.

Those with a heart of wisdom know that what is important is a life in which God has been served and His name has been praised.

 Father, thank you for the gift of life. Thank you for the days you have given me. Thank you for the chance to live with purpose each day, to serve you in every facet of my life. Please help us to know what time it is in our life and the role we want us to play at this stage of our journey. So may we learn to number our days aright and gain the wisdom of God. I want my life to be lived glorifying you. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

His purpose prevails

 

His purpose prevails

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." (ESV)

There are things that for others are no longer useful, but we still find them useful and still useful. Do you sometimes feel rotten and without a purpose? Your life has a good purpose and why you are in that situation now. Have you lost your purpose in life? God is the creator and everything He creates He has a purpose for. You and I each have our own God-designed purpose 

You have a unique purpose.
Do you live as uniquely you? You are different from everyone else. Maybe you have something in common. There is no other person who is exactly like you! You are an original! God created you with a unique set of traits, personality, talents, and abilities to fulfill a God-given purpose that only you can fulfill. So do not waste your time and energy on imitating others. Whether your purpose is the same, or it is changing, one thing will not change. You have a purpose. I have a purpose. God created us all unique, to do things only we can do. Accept and respect God's unique creation in you.

Your passion points you to your purpose 

The things that you are passionate about are usually signposts which God will use to point you to your purpose. Start by examining your passions; not just what excites you, but the roles in which you are purposefully willing to suffer and persevere.

Do our passions, gifts, and skills align around a common purpose, all for God’s glory? God has a good purpose for your life. If you have not already discovered it, it is not too late. He chooses us for His purposes and glory, not ours. Life is deeply rewarding when we put our gifts and our passion to work

Our purpose and passion can change throughout our life. Sometimes God calls us to give things up and make a change, and change does not have to be a bad thing. Walking with Christ and realizing our main purpose in life is to glorify Him is the first step to living out our passion in life.

Your purpose will pursue you. There are people who are restless in their lives. They are not happy, they are not motivated and they seem to be forced to do what they are doing.
God will often bring you through experiences you do not really want to prepare yourself physically, emotionally, psychologically, and socially for the purpose and role reserved for you.

God showed Joseph and David ahead of time what role and purpose they would play in life.
Both of them were destined to lead God's people. But it did not happen overnight. They went through a very long process before it was accomplished. But their purpose pursued them. And eventually, God's purpose for their lives was fulfilled.

Consider that your purpose is not just about you; it’s about what God wants to do through you.

Remember, whatever you do, become the best you can be, before God and man. Stay on purpose to increase your probability to finish well. God created you not just for the general purpose of glorifying and enjoying Him, but for a specific way to tell His story.

Always feel free to pray to Him and ask Him to come into your life and bring new hope, purpose, meaning, and direction. Heavenly Father, help me rest in your unique purpose for my life, family,
and work. Thank you, God, for making your purpose known to us. We ask for your help and guidance in putting your plans into action. May we ever be mindful of your glory in Jesus’ name, amen.

Be Thankful

 

Be Thankful

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts". Seems simple enough, why is it so difficult? "Always be thankful"... another "simple" command and yet so hard. Finding peace and being thankful...challenging, but a great place to start. One of the best things that can happen to us is to be thankful for what we have done for others. It is difficult to combine being a complainer and being grateful. It has been said that a thankful heart is the parent of all virtues. It is also true that a lack of gratitude is a root sin.

A grateful heart is quick to see what is good and chooses to be thankful for it.

 How do we make gratitude a part of our lifestyle?

Focus on the goodness of God.

Start your day with prayer and reading of God's Word. Encountering God through His Word will remind you of how good, faithful, and amazing He is. We can quickly forget the good things God has done in our lives. When you focus on your needs, you become anxious but when you focus on the goodness of God, we cannot help but be grateful. Our human desire for thanks is an echo from the heart of God. He, too, wants to be thanked. He expects us to show our gratitude for all His wonderful goodness to us

Be quick and prompt in saying, "Thank You" to others. People appreciate the words “Thank you”. We obtain joy and give respect with great admiration toward the one who utters those words. We appreciate those who think to say those words and show their interest in what has been done for them.

Anger and Complaints must be controlled, but gratitude must overflow. Make it a habit to say "thank you" to everyone who has helped you and done you an act of kindness. When we use “thank you,” we demonstrate gratitude and appreciation for what another does.

Be thankful if you wake up every morning. Be thankful that we breathe and live. Be thankful that no one gets sick. Be thankful that we have a spiritual family that we can count on. Be thankful that our salvation is in Christ alone. If you want to be more grateful, always say thank you without getting tired. Many things to be thankful for, no matter how small or big in our eyes, our gratitude should still be overflowing.

Our call is to live from a grateful heart. Giving of our time, talent, or treasure motivated purely, or even primarily, from a sense of duty or obligation maybe rooted in a failure to recognize the grandeur, the magnitude, of God’s lavish gift is given

 When we are grateful, we don’t lose sight of the pain and suffering in human life. We don’t deny, or attempt to conceal, the sorrows and frustrations of daily living, and the enormous suffering in the wider world. We do not turn our backs on the hurts and injustices that must be faced as we live in a broken and sinful world. But being grateful does allow us to see the challenges of life from the perspective of God’s gift constantly being offered, even and especially amidst pain and suffering, grief and anxiety.

Gratitude is an attitude that comes from a heart that sees and understands what has been and is being done for us. “Thank you” is an expression to God and others of how we have benefitted by their grace, kindness, support, and benevolence. Perhaps all of us could be more thankful, even for the little things.

Gratitude—going beyond simply saying, “Thanks!”—is a habit that is often developed through hardship, even suffering and difficulty.  Sincere thanksgiving embraces what you are thankful for and to whom you are grateful.

If we allow God's peace to take full control of our hearts, gratitude will be its overflow. Count the things you should be thankful for and be thankful for now.

We have so much to be thankful for: may God make us thankful people! Plainly it is God’s will for us to be joyful, prayerful, and thankful. WALK-IN PEACE, LOVE AND HUMILITY AND BE THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS.

Father thank you for the gift of life, thank you that you have always been there for us, provided for us, encouraged us, and above all for your word that heals, instructs, pours wisdom, strengthens us, and more.  Thank you for equipping us with special qualities to share with others. Even when experiencing the downfalls of life, we have peace in our hearts knowing that you are always here. May we continue to live by your word alone in all that we do in your mighty, precious name we pray. Amen

SEEK HIM FIRST

Goodbye old, Hello New

 

Goodbye old, Hello New
Key verse: Ephesians 4:22-24

 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

There is no greater freedom in all the earth than having all our sins forgiven and being at peace with God. As forgiven, cleansed and renewed, it is important to leave the past and the former you to move forward.

HOW TO LEAVE OUR PAST BEHIND?

1. PUT OFF YOUR OLD SELF (Eph. 4:22)

 Put off the old person which accords with the former way of life and which is corrupted in accord with the desires of deceit. The old self we are told to put off is the person we were prior to coming to Christ. That set of clothes is moth-eaten, threadbare, and dirty. They are comfortable and familiar. But they need to go. God has provided us with a new wardrobe. Just strip off the old and put on what he has provided for us. It may be uncomfortable at first. But you will grow to love it. We are called to crucify the passions of the flesh. We are called to crucify the priorities and futile mindset of this present fleshy and rebellious world. We are called to embrace the death of Christ. We are called to take up the cross of Christ each day. We are called to kill our old way of living, our old loves, and our old priorities; we are called to kill sin stone dead. This is what it means to put off our old self.

Now, decide to undress and get rid of the old lifestyle.

Live in truth not inhabit and not in sin!

2. PUT ON THE NEW SELF (Eph. 4:23-24)

We put on the new self which means that we pursue righteousness and holiness, the very qualities which characterize God. This means that, as we receive the gospel truth, we are astonished and captivated by the glory of Jesus to such a degree that we seek to be like him. We put on those qualities which he displayed. We do the things that he did and does. We shun the things that he would not do. We put on the likeness of God.

We need to get into God's Word and let God's thoughts replace our thoughts. Christ demands our worship, love, and obedience. 

Every day, let us renew the mind through His Word. Let us soak in His Word and His Presence!

Now, if you really want to be able to move forward, decide to leave your past behind by putting off your old self and putting on the new self.

Because when our mind is filled with the love of Christ and with all the fullness of God, then the spirit of our mind is renewed and freed from the deceit of the world. And out of that renewed mind come new attitudes and emotions and practices, and they clothe us with righteousness and holiness. And this new person that we become is indeed the creation of God himself, and to Him belongs all the glory forever and ever. Amen.

He Looks at the heart

He Looks at the Heart

“The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”

—1 Samuel 16:7

 

The Lord looks at the heart, not the outward appearance. We tend to look at the outward appearance. We are easily impressed by the wrong things. But what’s inside is more important than what’s outside.

We Christians need to shift our thinking and “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). God is concerned about unseen things like patience, sensitivity, faith, goodness, perseverance, and self-control. We are precious in God’s eyes when we demonstrate endurance and long-suffering when we keep looking to the unseen things. Take a look in your heart to check whether its “time” is correct. The heart is the real you, the inner you. It's your thoughts and mind, your feelings and emotion, your will and drive. It's the full you, the real you. When God looks at your heart, what does he see?  God is looking for those whose hearts are fully committed to him. Is your heart fully committed to him?

 Remember, Your heart is vital to your worship of God. Your heart is what really matters. Do you want to be useful to God? Then work on your heart. Work on your character. Focus on your spiritual growth as a believer. We need to learn to see things the way God sees us. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Lord, so many of our thoughts are caught up in the here and now that we forget that if we can see it, it’s temporary. Enable us to fix my gaze on what’s important, the eternal. The peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

Broken Is Better

 

Broken Is Better

2 Corinthians 4: 7 says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

Have you ever wondered, that God often breaks us too before we become His instrument? Broken is actually better. God had to break Joseph's pride and sense of entitlement as the favorite son before he became Pharoah's second in command.
God also briefly blinded and broke Paul from being self-righteous and self-sufficient before he became an effective worker of God. . In God's economy broken is better, because, in our brokenness, God manifests his power to make whole again.

A person who is overconfident, when he does something good, he will think it is because of his efficiency and ability.
But when a broken person accomplishes something, he is quick to realize that it's not because of him but because of the power of God at work in him.

2 Corinthians 4: 7 says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

What parts of our lives should be broken?

 Pride.

Pride is a great barrier to true service to God and to others. It would be very difficult to serve others if you are proud. There are many things you will not do when you are proud.
You will not listen to others, because in your mind, only you are right. You will not apologize when you hurt the feelings of others, because what the proud person has in mind, he does not have the problem but others.
Proverbs 3:34 says, "He has no use for conceited people, but shows favor to those who are humble."

 Feeling of self-sufficiency.

It is also good to break the mind and feel that we do not need the help of God or anyone else.

When you think that you are self-sufficient, you are not giving space to God's grace to flow into your work and life. Being overly dependent on people is not healthy.
Isn't it the goal of parents to make their children independent, so that when they grow up they can stand on their own two feet? But to God it is different. He wants us to exercise daily dependence on Him. To break free from that mindset and feeling of self-sufficiency, trust, and depend on the Lord.

Fears and insecurities.
Another thing that should break us is our insecurities and fears in life. Fear will shrink your world and it will be a great obstacle for you to discover the abilities God has given you. You don't want to learn to drive because you are afraid of a collision. You do not want to take a plane because you are afraid it will crash. You also do not want to board a ship and it may sink.
If you will let your fears overcome you, you will lose many opportunities.
Instead of looking at what you cannot do, trust in God's unlimited power and ability. With full confidence in God, the Apostle Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13 NKJV).

Remember, broken is better

When God breaks you from pride, self-sufficiency, fears, and insecurities, it is difficult and painful. But it is a necessary process for us to grow and mature in life.

When we are truly broken, we can experience the breakthrough. The breakthrough means that we are completely forgiven and cleansed from our sins. It means that we have a renewed vigor of hope and purpose to drive our day. A breakthrough represents a life free from regret, guilt, or shame of past mistakes. The Lord uses everything that was meant to destroy us, divide relationships, and demean our inner spirit—for our good. We have a future driven by thankfulness to God for cleaning us up.

 It’s through brokenness as vessels of God’s glory that He makes us useful to Himself.

 
“LORD, thank You for the privilege of representing You to those around us this day. Make Your treasure shine out through these jars of clay so others might find Your love today. Right now, I humble myself under your hand seeking grace and mercy to go from my breakdown to my breakthrough in Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

Sow Love

 

Sow Love

"We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

God's love is an example we are to follow. He's given us a model and all we need to do is read and experience the instructions. We love Him because He first loved us. Let us cultivate love and must begin with ourselves.

 Let's sow love, one loving deed at a time. You can start planting love now so that eventually it will result in a more loving environment

Many hurtful words are heard and sometimes we let go because of a lack of listening to understand. Listen to understand. If you practice listening first, to understand where others are coming from, many will be less judgmental. Listen with understanding. Listen not to find fault with others. Listen with love. 

Act with kindness without expecting anything in return. Love always goes the extra mile. You will kindly give your best for the people you love. If you love your work and you are thankful for the work God has given you, work and act with kindness to the people around you. God’s love for us should energize us to love other people. When we focus on all God has done for us, it makes loving other people easier.

God’s love empowers us to love others.. It gives us the strength and motivation to truly love others. So when you have those moments when you struggle loving someone who is less than lovable, realize that you’ve got the power to do it because God loved you first. When you didn’t deserve it and were an enemy of God, God loved you. God loved us when we were unlovely; we love the unlovely as well. That knowledge gives you what you need to love others.

Receive God's love and pass it on. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us." You cannot give what you do not have. If you want to grow into becoming a more loving person, first accept God's love for you. God's "love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

The good news of the gospel, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God’s love doesn’t wait for our love. God’s love is the first mover. Cultivate love every day.  Listen with understanding, act with kindness, and pass on to others the love that you receive from God.

Remember that it’s God’s love for you that matters. His love is unconditional and isn’t based on what you do to earn it, but is based on His grace. Despite all the trials you are in and all the challenges you might be up against, He made the choice to first love you.

 He loves those who don't want to be loved. There is nothing more powerful than the love of God. If you and I will follow that example and follow Him, we will touch many people for His glory.

 I pray that God's love would overflow through you onto others so all would come to know the most important love ever, the love of our Heavenly Father. Dear Father, I thank you for loving me even before you created me. Help us to remember you're great love. We want your love to be reflected in our daily life. Thanks for loving mightily. Thanks for loving sacrificially.  Most of all, thanks for loving first! I , therefore, pray that you grow me in the experience of your love. I also pray that your love may intensely inspire me to love others.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

 

Press On

 

Press On

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

Despite the many trials, rejections, and problems we have experienced, we must not despair and continue to rise up to try again. If you are at the point of surrender, recall stories of people who did not give up and are now enjoying the fruit of their hard work and perseverance. Therefore, during times of uncertainty and trials, we should turn our lives over to God and allow Him to do what is best.

Why should we not give up immediately when there is a trial coming into our lives?

1.    Life is never easy but God is our strength

By now, you should already know that life is not really easy. Success is not served to you.
It must be worked hard and labored. We need to work hard. Even if you are rich, you need to be wise and hardworking to maintain and grow the resources and livelihood inherited from them. Otherwise, all these can disappear and be taken away from them if they don't work hard. God does not promise us an easy life. He promised those who put their trust in Him a full and abundant life but not an easy life. It says’ Isaiah 26:4, "Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord is everlasting strength."

2.    Problems are Temporary

     We must not give up immediately because every problem and trial has an end. God is eternal. Your problems are not. The problem is, we are too focused on the problem so we are more discouraged and hopeless. Focus on your eternal hope in God and not on the temporary troubles you are facing. Say to your problem, "You'll end too, you won't be forever." When you look at the problem for only a short time, you have the motivation to keep going even when you are having a hard time. So it is good to always keep in mind the target or end-result you want to achieve.
When I went up to Brgy. Luboong in Ifugao for a 4hours walk, I want to give up a few times and just go back to the bottom of the mountain. But I kept on focusing on the mission outreach and the beauty that awaits those who reach it. Although it was very difficult, I continued and with the help of God and my companions, I reached the top of the mountain where our group's mission outreach was.  Sometimes we think it is very difficult and there seems to be no end but everything really has an end even problems or trials.

3) A prize awaits those who press on.

    There is a reward for hard work. And the reward is not just material. You feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that will never be experienced by those who give-up mid-way. It feels really comfortable and light when you pass all the tests. And you can think it’s all worth it and it's good to keep going and not give up. The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:14, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me". Success is sweeter when you work hard and strive for it. A very short defeats should not dampen your spirit. Keep on. Press on and in the end, you will enjoy the prize for your hard work and perseverance.

We let go of the past, the pain, the heartbreak, and the disappointments. We let go of the weight that pulls us down – down into depression and down into despair – and instead, we choose to live our lives in faith. I'm sure we will face challenges in our life, and our job, but we do not immediately walk out and give up. Life may not be easy but God is our strength. Your problems are only temporary. And a great prize awaits you if you simply press on.

I just want to encourage you today, to stay focused, don’t look back, keep moving, and stay on course!

Choose today to pursue godly goals and keep pressing toward them until you’ve seen them come to pass in at the finish line. As you and I persevere by keeping our eyes on Jesus our prize we will cross the finish line your life. Don’t stop. Keep taking steps every day to your goals. We press into Him on the hard days because now we do not run our races alone; Jesus has made us His own.   Press on for the prize until you meet the Lord Jesus triumphantly. As we make our relationship with Jesus our daily priority, His Holy Spirit will empower us to endure the Christian race so we can finish with joy. May we rejoice in this truth and run our races for God’s glory!

 Dear Father,  lift our aim to the goal of eternity, help us to let go of the past so we may run this race with renewed energy and faith. Lord may we always run the race set before us, never being distracted. Lord, move and motivate us to seek to be transformed more and more every day after the image of Jesus Christ. In his name, Jesus, Amen.

 

Depend on God

Depend on God

Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

In many cases, the child's relationship with the parent is like our relationship with God. When we were kids we didn't have much to do so we just relied on our parents. They trained us to be independent so that we can stand on our own, get a good education, work, and have our own family. But with the Lord, while He wants us to live our lives to the fullest, He teaches us to always depend on Him. Even in your work and business, the key to a meaningful and successful life is complete trust in God. Depend on God.

It is easy to forget to depend on the Lord when we think that we can do things on our own. We are reminded in Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

How do we practice our dependence on the Lord?
1) Ask God for strength. If you are tired of your work and the pace of your life, ask Him for strength to move on. Isaiah 40:29 says, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." Even in the struggles of life, let us set our hope on the Lord for He alone is the one who can strengthen us. The Lord our God IS our strength in our weakness! It is Him that increases our strength. NEVER DOUBT THIS!

2) Ask God for wisdom. Do you need wisdom? King Solomon asked God for wisdom and the Lord did not withhold this from him. Solomon was recognized as the wisest leader in the world. Remember, wisdom comes from God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  So if we want to understand - we need to know God as the Holy One.  It is when we see Him and look to Him as the One who gives us true understanding as to what is holy and what is not that we gain understanding

3) Ask God for daily guidance and protection. There are many things we do not control. We may not be able to predict what will happen tomorrow, but God knows everything even before they take place. God never let's go as we face all kinds of dangers and struggles.  Nothing can destroy the people whom God has called. If you’re confused by circumstances, ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to the facts you need to know to follow Him. The almighty God personally promises to be our shield of protection. So in Him let us trust for the direction of our lives and daily protection.

Many people trust in what they know and what they have. But more than that and the more we have to learn is to put our trust in God. Depend on God.

God’s almightiness is everywhere and is not influenced by any people, events, or things, or other objective factors. As long as we truly rely on God, He will be our ever-present help. Just as the Bible said, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower” (Psalm 18:2). 

God created you. He loves you. He knows you better than you know yourself. The fact that he is all-knowing gives him the ability to see what lies ahead and because of this, he knows what we need in order to fully be the person He created us to be. Because of this he also knows what needs to take place and which direction we need to go in order to receive the blessings he wants to give us.

Father,
         You are great and holy and You promise that You know Your plans for us. You are my rock, and I run to you today, believing that you will lift up my heavy arms, that you will fuel me for the tasks you've given me, and that your joy will completely consume the weakness of my life and make me strong again
Help us to wear the armor of light with grace, confidence, and humility, covered by Your radiant glory.  Let me still myself and ask for Your guidance in every aspect of my life.
         Let me listen to Your counsel and follow Your paths. You are worthy. You are faithful. We trust You and we love You. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.