Passion for God

I just came from the Youth for Christ Conference in Cagayan de Oro. What's so amazing about the youth is their passion for worship. There I was worshipping with 6,000 other yfcs in awe of God's greatness.

What are the things that we do with passion? Often our passion is connected with God's unique gift to us. Ever wonder why we are fascinated about certain things while others are less enthusiastic about them? We are 'wired' differently from one another, intended for a purpose. We are created in such a way that we will need each other to achieve a great mission. We need to acknowledge the strengths of others as well as our own. We need not even try to mimic the style of others since God designed us to be special.

Spend a significant amount of time, money, and energy on your God given passions. This is how excellent people are made. They focus on their zone of strength and continue to beat their own record.

Make sure your passion contributes to God's mission. If you have to devote to something, make it worth your time by helping God's kingdom spread on earth. Many throw away precious hours to something very temporary, self-indulging or less meaningful. Identify your passion as being part of a great dream.

See Your passion as a form of worship to God. Worship is something that we offer to God because He is worthy, He is holy. Singing to God with songs of praise is one way of worshipping Him. Our passion, whether it is dancing, cooking, or business, when offered to God can be a form of worship.

Above all, let our passion for God drive our lives. This holy week, may we remember our Lord Jesus, ever passionate to save us from our sins. May we respond to Him with the fire of love in our hearts.

Forbidden Fruit Syndrome

tI went to mass the other day, and heard the priest talk about 'The forbidden fruit syndrome.' Looking at wikipedia on forbidden fruit, it defines it as any object of desire whose appeal is a direct result of knowledge that cannot or should not be obtained or something that someone may want but is forbidden to have.
The priest explains that there are two effects of the forbidden fruit syndrome. One, it produces a heightened level of curiosity, knowing its forbidden. I remember that some announcements posted in the club corner of our school wrote 'PLEASE DO NOT READ.' It would actually get more attention and be read more.
Another effect is that when more and more people do what is forbidden, it becomes the norm. Like pre-marital sex in many western countries.
The goal of the enemy is make us bite the fruit. The devil builds up our curiosity through his lies and lure of comfort. After we've given in to temptation, he wants us to justify our actions by blaming others or simply saying 'its in my nature.' After we make our justifications, the devil then wants us to enroll other people in the act until we get the illusion that it's the logical thing or worse that it now becomes the right thing to do.
This is the story of how a personal sin can evolve into a structural sin. We see this happening through corruption, tax evasion, legalized prostitution, legalized abortion, divorce, legalized drug use, and more.
Now in the Philippines, many people think that we are poor because of the population. In fact, the true wealth of a nation is its people. The root of our poverty is one man's personal greed becoming a structured greed. One man taking a bribe and convinces the rest that it's "Standard Operating Procedure." So they blame the population to cover up for greed. Eve takes the bite and convinces Adam that it's okay.
May we stand firm in the Lord and ask God's grace to resist temptation. By the Holy Spirit we shall overcome the lures of the forbidden fruit. It is a matter of valuing our identity as children of God and honoring the gift of free will by choosing to do what is right.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld

Moral Authority

Because he spoke this way many came to believe in Him (John 8:30).

When I joined community, it was the first time I heard the words 'Moral Authority.' When one has moral authority, people listen and follow. It is not brought about by position but by the person's integrity and personal holiness. Moral authority is a natural consequence of living a life obedient to the Lord. As we obey God, people also obey our leading since they feel that it is Spirit led.

Jesus led with Moral Authority. The gospel conveyed the boldness in His words. His words are not easy to digest, but because of His moral authority, people believed.

Are there people in your life who do not seem to listen to you? How is your integrity in view of this person?

The R's of Mentoring

Recently my 3 year old son prayed the grace before meals without being told to do so. Normally I would always remind Him and reluctantly he would oblige. But this time, while Sev was taking a snack as I was watching TV, on his own he made the sign of the cross and prayed. Soon he'll be teaching his little sister how to pray. I was happy that we as young parents were able to share the value of prayer.

How do we share to others what we value? First is through Role modeling. Teaching others by example is one of the most effective way of influencing. Second is by Repetition. By consistently practicing, it soon becomes second nature. Third is Replication. Encourage the one your teaching to teach others or to replicate the learning. Fourth is through showing Relevance. Real life application of what you are trying to teach will give better retention. Just recall all the formula you had to memorize in school without realizing what to do with it after you passed your course. We forget them. Expressing relevance will greatly motivate others of the values we want to impart. It allows them to see the significance of what you are teaching in the context of a bigger picture.

Those were the R's of mentoring. The Lord is the best teacher and mentor of all. He was a role model of servant leadership. In many occasions he repeated his good works and was consistent through and through. He empowered others by letting them replicate His miraculous deeds through the Holy Spirit. And lastly all He taught was relevant to our salvation.

Closing the Gap

How would you describe your life at present? What is your description of an ideal life? Try to compare it against what you believe is the description of God's ideal life for you.
The realization of the gap between our concept of an ideal life and God's ideal life for us is a basis of the important decisions we have to make. What does God want us to do? What areas of sin do we have to change so we can be closer to God's plan for our lives? 3 F's that can help us close the gap between our ideal life and God's ideal life for us.

Live a Faith-based life. For we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Make decisions based on your prayers. No matter how solid our plans might seem to be, without faith we will always lack the strength. A life lived with faith in God draws out strength unimaginable. It dissipates our worries knowing God is in control.

Go back to your Foundation of values. Our values should dictate the course of our actions. These values are to be Christ-centered. Along the way in our life's journey, we are exposed to attractive opportunities like a better paying job, a new business, relocating to a new home, loaning for something you want to buy. While these things are good, we might want to ask ourselves, "Are these aligned to our foundation of values?" Some forget to value their family because of a new opportunity. Others fail to value their spiritual life because of their busy financial life. If you are not sure of what your values are, you might want to write down a hierarchy of Christ-centered values. Find out your top priority values.

We need to strive to have Freedom from Bondages. There are certain areas of sinfulness that we can't seem let go. No matter how far we've moved forward in our lives these things have a great potential of pulling us back and enslaving us. God wants us to live a life of authentic freedom. It might seem hard to give up at first. But with humility and a posture of surrender, God will liberate us and put us on track with His plan.
God's plan for our lives will always be a mystery to us. I alone know the plans I have for you (Jeremiah 29:11). But the Lord reveals His plans at the right time, when we are ready. Being Free from bondage, sticking with our Foundation of values, and living a Faith-based life will bring us nearer to His holy will.

I believe that God gives the best for those who give their best for Him. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him(Romans 8:28)