Embracing The Cross

Sorry very late post. This post was never posted months ago, because I'm waiting some picture to be posted in FB that I can grabbed and posted here.. up to this moment still no crossroad pictures.

Praise God! I'm blogging again, thank God for the time.

Late Post

I just got back from Men's Crossroad Weekend 2016 (MCW) and I'm so excited to share my experienced. It was actually my third MCW and it never failed to excite me.

Why Crossroad?

MCW, in a common word, "Retreat". However, it is more than just a retreat, it is a crossroad. Crossroad of everything, wherein you make a decision whether you'll take the path of Yes or No, Stay or Change, Right or Wrong, Life or Dearh. MCW equipped us to make the right decision whenever we face crossroad in life.

Same place, held at CCT, Tagaytay last August 12-14 (Friday to Sunday). Still, a three day event which usually happen every month of August, where it gathers all the willing Men (regardless of status and religious orientation in life) to have rest, reflect and experience God's love.

The Experience

Ever since I attended this event three years ago, I told myself and asked permission to my wife (Praise God! she allowed me) that whenever Men's crossroad will happened, I will go. I will summarize my experience in four points:

1.) It's rejuvenating for body and soul - Physically you can have rest (stress free for three days), you just have to do is focus and reflect. Refreshes your soul, filling your cup again. Realization of emptiness that only God can fill.

2.) It gives you sense of direction - It is always the right path, the narrow road. You may be traveling in wrong way but you can always turn it right, it may be long travel with some rough roads but you know it is right. The light at the end of the tunnel and the hope of the hopeless.

2.) You are not alone - Bible studies, sharing, testimonies and messages helps you realize that there are others just like you, experiencing or have overcome (same or worse) battles in life. They become blessing to you by hearing them and at the same time you are blessing to them by simply listening to them.

2.) Victory in Christ - I can tell more, but i think it is for you to experience it.

It's not that I don't experience God in my daily life, it is the personal experience to be witness on how God transform lives. Being part of an event that blessed together and be a blessing to one another. It just gives me "Wow!" feeling and I can still feel it. It was truly an amazing to experience how God work in our lives.


Being part of PnW

Unlike my two previous crossroads (which I was just an ordinary delegate), this time I was part of the Praise and Worship (PnW) team. Praise God!

Months ago, I was already  approached by Revin (one of the pastoral staff) asked me if its OK for me to be part of MCW PnW team as acoustic guitarist. What more can I say? It's a privilege so I said, definitely, Yes!

Seeing these approximately 150 all men lifting their hands and singing with their might, worshiping and giving glory to the One and True living God. I don't know exactly how to describe the feeling, maybe a glimpse of heaven with angels singing. :)

The Theme

Powerful messages and testimonies have been shared inspired from our theme "Embracing The Cross" taken from Galatians 2:20.

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Below are some of the points

 - You are loved by God first (The reason you are capable of loving)
 - You died with Christ (You are no longer in control of your life but God is)
 - Christ lives in you (Early desires no longer seen in you, instead your action glorifies God)
 - A Christ centered life (Regardless of anything, you know God that He has a wonderful plan for you)
- Radical Discipleship, living an extra ordinary life (you go against the flow)
- Living by faith by trusting the promises of God
- Living by faith by fighting our battles not by ourselves but by the Lord
- Living by faith which to live with eternity in focus

"TO GOD BE THE GLORY"

"Read your Bible and pray everyday and you'll GROW, GROW, GROW"

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~
Thank You and God bless.

The real context of being a friend

We all have friends, right? or least one? 

Each of us have different qualifications before we consider a person our friend.  

I remember a small conversation with my friend - Jonathan (a former colleague - we've been in the same company for five years) about friendship. I was surprised when he told me that we he never considered me as his friend but simply a colleague who happens to be in the same team and office sharing life's ups and downs. There's no problem with me and I respect his view of our relationship.

Like Jonathan, if not all but most of us; We categorize or label our friends depending on what kind of relationship we have with them. Best friends, school friends, office friends, church friends, etc. that's how we categorized our friends.

But have you thought about, how our friends categorize us? do they treat us the way they do to them? do we belong to the same category as they to us? In short, what kind of friend are we them?

Whenever I talk or I'm in a conversation about friendship, Proverbs 17:17 always comes to my mind where it says "A friend loves at all times..." It may sound simple but the meaning is profound and I think this is the only verse in the Bible that define what is a friend -- literally? 

In that case, the Bible does not label friends or friendship. It does not set boundaries, it does not categorized. The definition is general and applicable to all.  

A friend loves at all times. It is the same person we are with, lovingly and objectively criticizing us but godly supporting us in all aspect of our lives. 

Hmm.. asked yourself, do I have these qualities? If Yes, then good, but up to what extent you can consider to be a friend to your friends? 

I tried asking two of my friends.
My guy friend responded that there's a limitation when in it comes to money  (however, I wasn't able clarify from him if there's a limitation on the amount or he cannot be a friend when it comes to money). While my girl friend told me that as long as she'll never make a lie to someone.

Being a friend, it our responsibility to love our friends at all times as Jesus did to us. 

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another." John 15:13-17

To God Be The Glory.

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless. 

Have you already set your prirorities?

One of the  consequences of the  original sin is for the man to work hard to provide for his family.

To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. Genesis 3:17

Since the time of Genesis up to this moment you're reading, that consequence is very much applicable or should I say visible and experience.

In today's society which the cost of living is very much high, even if the man works harder, sometimes his income would not suffice to cover his family's basic needs. Moreover, to compensate the demand of the society, the woman had to work also.

Providing the basic needs is just the start and it's not yet a problem, even to strive for more.  However, if we become so busy and have forgotten who do we work for? That's becomes a very big problem.

Most people who have everything had forgotten their priority.

Most people who strive to have everything have different priority.

Most people who have nothing knows their priority.

Kind David already understood in Psalm, his son King Solomon had to realized in Proverbs.

Trusting to our wealth gains nothing. We can't even bring them we die.
Everything we've worked for was destined to be owned by someone.
At then end, when face our creator, can we tell Him, at least we have died trying to follow Him.

As I have read Psalm 49, I was reminded again that I can't serve two masters as it was said in Matthew 6:24.

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Since I already know who the Master is, He's definitely my priority (doing my best, so help me God).

You may not have the wealth in this world, but the true wealth is in heaven where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal (Matthew 6:19).

Read Your Bible and Prays everyday and you'll grow, grow, grow.

To God Be The Glory 

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless. 

Psalm 23:1 "The Master"

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 

The verse basically summarizes everything about the chapter. It tells about what kind of shepherd the Lord was, is and will be.

I was meditating on this verse, when God revealed to me the title "The Master".

Three days ago, I had an opportunity to share to my colleague how good God is to my life.

My colleague invested her hard earned money to a financial scheme, where she thought it will grow; Unfortunately what happened is the other way around. 

She became very anxious on how she can earn that money again. Thoughts came to her mind that maybe if she resign, she will have a better offer from the new company, or maybe an opportunity to put up her own business, etc., All these are for her family. 

I can relate to her because I used to think that way also, just like her, I also provide for my family.   Being the provider, you carry a big responsibility. As for me being the father of two beautiful kids and a husband of a pretty wife :) , I want to give my family a comfortable life as possible. 

However, to do that, it requires additional finances.

When I told to her my story about what I've experienced last January, she was able to understand and see the picture clear who "The Master" is to my life and then she thanked me after. Praise God!

Aside from being employed, I sell outdoor apparels, that's my other source of income.

Last November 2015, I've already anticipated the Christmas season, I intentionally had so many stocks my products because I want to capture all possible customers. So I doubled my effort on my marketing. I tried different strategies such as I gave more than the usual discounts, paid some advertisements, promotional schemes, etc. I was taking advantage of the season. In the end, I was able to sell some products but the quantity were not relatively significant and somehow I got frustrated.

One morning of January, I was staring at the stock apparels asking myself "How can I sell these products, when people are still to recover from Christmas season?" 

Frustrated and discouraged I prayed. I thank the Lord for all the opportunities and provisions and asked Him for help, on how will I sell these items?

I just prayed and leave everything to Him. Praise God! In the span of one week, I was able to sell more than 80% of my products, and effort less marketing strategy. It was like January is the new December. Thank You Lord!

With my story, I was temporarily lost but when I came back, I was accepted and feels like nothing happened.

It is the tone of "...I shall not want", where I felt the firm assurance, a confirmation of love and trust, full of faith and dependence to God. Eeeeeeeeverything about me is connected to Him, I just have to be in His shadow. Then I'm complete what more can I ask.

I've learned that...

...if you know your Master, He definitely know you more.
...if you know your Master, regardless of the things you did, definitely you will come back.
...if you know your Master, what else can you ask for? Psalm 18

I told the LORD, "You are my master, I have nothing good apart from you." Psalm 16:2

Read Your Bible and Prays everyday and you'll grow, grow, grow.

To God Be The Glory 

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.