Praying for Strength and Faithfulness

Witnessing the strong typhoon (Glenda) raging from the 8th floor was quite an intimidating experience. I saw loose metal roofs being violently blown away and torrents of rain just pouring sideways; then the loss of electricity and water that lasted for many hours.

While we were safe inside our home; I can't help but pray for those living without even a roof over their heads to shield them; families of those who lost loved ones; and homes totally devastated.

Let us pray for the Philippines -- a constant recipient of typhoons and earthquakes. May we Lord, as a people, draw strength from You and remain faithful despite the many blows and punches we take. Endow us with the power to rise up -- ever resilient, more heroic, and with higher hopes.  

"...storms that rage may blow the day, but let your hearts rest in our God. He will shield us all the way" (from the song: Strong and Faithful)

Passion and Strength

Passion is when your body is trying to cope with the demands of your heart, mind, and soul. To rest and fortify the physical -- so the mental, emotional, and spiritual can carry through the mission. Philippians 4:13: "I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."

Big in God's Eyes

I've always been fascinated how ants can carry 100x times their own weight (upside down, on glass according to the link). Ants are one of the strongest animals in the world--relative to its size.  This small creature has been endowed by God with something unique and special--a reflection of how He loves the little ones.

Have you ever felt small, insignificant, and even stepped on? In the Bible, God always uses the least of all to do His great works--the youngest brother tending the sheep (David), the least in a family of the least tribe (Gideon), the one sold as a slave (Joseph), a stutter (Moses), a small insignificant nation (Israel), and the list of the least goes on.

Never underestimate how God will use you. The Lord sees a lion in us even if we feel like a scared cat. God who is the source of true strength can give us the power to carry even 100 times the weight  of things we think we can't bear. Remember, Jesus bore the weight of mankind's sins that we may enter heaven. Sometimes our crosses feel like too heavy to bear, but the Holy Spirit enables us! How? We cast our burdens upon the Lord, we who are heavily laden.

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,^* and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11: 28-30

We have a supernatural God who gives us supernatural strength. Without Christ in our lives, we will be borrowing strength from the wrong sources---worse, from the devil---that will lead us to our ultimate fall.

Get your Bible, hold it tight...feel the power, see the truth, live with His strength! You are BIG in God's eyes.

Serve With a Smile

Mother Teresa was a symbol of the joy of God amidst difficult service. Often, when the service gets challenging and extremely difficult, our worries overwhelm us.  It either leads us to a depressed state, discouragement, or reluctance. Here are some of my reflections about serving with joy:

1. Sin robs us of our true joy

Sin entices us to pleasure, and we mistake it for joy. Since sin separates us from God--the ultimate joy giver, we are led to misery. Union with God is true joy.

2. See challenges as opportunities for growth

In life, we easily remember the times when we faced trials-- and the lessons that were derived from them.  In these times we are to stand our ground. 

Exodus 14:13  But Moses answered the people, “Do not fear! Stand your ground and see the victory the LORD will win for you today. 

Ephesians 6:13  Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.

God will give us His victory. Growth is about desiring God's victory in our lives.

3. Serve with a smile

1 Thessalonians 5:16  Rejoice always.

Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!

Joy is not dependent on our circumstances, but it is dependent on our relationship with God. If God is in our hearts, then even amidst crisis, this joy is complete. This joy in the Lord can even be our strength.

Nehemiah 8:10  ...Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD is your strength!”

Let us therefore serve and work in the Lord's vineyard with a smile. Christians are marked by their joy. 

Encouraging Others to Succeed

Last month, our kids had a Sportsfest in school which involved us, the parents. They belonged to different teams according to their level. We were cheering on the sides, giving them the encouragement they needed. We'd shout, "Go Sev!" or "You can do it Kaitlyn!" We cheered on to make them strive harder and to diffuse their doubts. Our kids won some medals and we were very proud of them.

Are you an "encourager?" Do you cheer for other people to help them succeed? The world we live in is very competitive and we find ourselves in this race to success. We strive to reach our goals, so we work hard and jump at opportunities. We tend to look at our status and ask ourselves, "How am I doing compared to my peers?" While we are busy trying to reach the top to get the gold, there are those who are left behind and struggling. The question is, "Do we even care?"

Christ does.

He came from heaven to earth, died on the cross, and rose from the grave so people may join Him in the ultimate finish line...heaven. To achieve a relationship with Jesus is the true gold medal in life. There can be no real success apart from the Lord.

How can we help others succeed in life and in their salvation?

1. Praise others for their strengths.

Each of us is endowed with a gift. This gift is something that we do better than most people. When we recognize this in a person, remind him of how good he is with this talent. This positive input can go a long way in boosting one's confidence.  This will be a source of affirmation and will help in pressing on when times get rough.

2. Support others in their weaknesses.

Instead of just criticizing, loving correction is a better option. When we criticize, we just simply say something negative. When we correct, we first discuss the strong points then identify the areas for improvement, in the most loving way. We encourage him or her to strive harder. We cheer them on.  When a correction is due, the usual problem is that we do not want to experience the discomfort in confronting the person. When a person hears feedback by means of gossip, this will pull him down and even cause anger. Supporting others in their weaknesses will let them realize that there are still people who love and care for them.

3. Lead them to Christ.

The best way to help people succeed is to lead them to Christ, Who wants us to live in abundance. Our hope should be in Christ and not in money, fame, or power. The devil lures mankind to the wrong kind of success. Satan offers fake gold which fades.  The evil one leads the proud to the finish line of suffering and torment. In Jesus, even if we will just live a simple lifestlye, our joy will be immense.

Along the way, some people cheered us on to be able to achieve our goals at the moment. Let us thank these people. Now, it is our turn to cheer for others, even if we ourselves are currently struggling. For it is in giving encouragement that we ourselves also gain it. When we become selfless, we transcend to a higher idea of fulfillment and success. I honor the educators who use their intelligence, skills, and even pass up financial opportunities in order to mold young minds. They find their joy in seeing their students succeed in life. Like our parents, they too are our avid cheerleaders on the sidelines while we run towards our goals of learning. Their example help us understand that for everybody to win, we have to put others first.

So we cheer each other on towards growing in our faith. Go, go, go for Christ! We can do it for the Lord!

Viral Faith

Faith is strengthened when it is given to others. -Redemptoris Missio

Today, I acquired this flu virus that's been spreading in the office these past few weeks. I thought I'd be strong enough to resist, but no, I still caught it.

It made me reflect on "Faith going viral". Are we spreading the faith? Are we contagious witnesses of the Good News?

Evangelization, though challenging, has a very simple faith formula: "Love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34)." If we can love others like Christ does, then faith shall spread. Consistent witnessing is tantamount to growth in evangelization.

Bishop Ambo, in his homily said "Bad news is contagious but Good news is even more contagious." The question we can ask ourselves is "Do we bring good news?" How often do we catch ourselves complaining, blaming, and frustrated? As if hope is gone.

People compromise their faith because of the loss of hope. The hope that one day, corruption will be a thing of the past or spouses will be more faithful to their vows or teens will save sex for marriage, will keep us striving for the ideal and not settle for less. When society becomes less hopeful, compromises happen. That's when laws that are anti-life start to get proposed. When society loses its faith in God, its concept of hope diminishes. But love can bring it back. If we love with the strength that comes from God, then anything is possible.

Faith, hope, and love are indeed connected to each other. St. Paul pointed out, "And the greatest of these is love (1 Cor. 13:13)."

Let us spread faith and hope by being infected with the contagious love of Christ.
 

Finding Strength In Surrender

Life as it is, is not always easy. It comes with pressures and high expectations. We need to be strong. But man's strength falls short to the demands of this world. So we try to find strength in convenient places, things or persons. We try to seek it through our friends. Others resort to addictive things like alcohol, drugs, or vices. Some like to go on a vacation to recharge. We surrender to these pleasures, hoping to reset ourselves and be re-energized.

But what is real strength? What should we do to gain it?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your strength and with all your mind." Luke 10:27

To love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength is an act of sweet surrender. Instead of surrendering to the love of temporary pleasures to "regain strength." We are to surrender to loving Him. To God shall we lift up our worries, hopes, and dreams. Surrendering to God is to yield, giving way for His love to capture us.

When we give to God our love, we are responding to His initiative. God loved us first and He is just waiting for us to accept His love. Our response is like opening the flood gates of abundance that is reserved for us every single day. When we are filled with His love, then we have much strength to give. We then shall overcome the world.

So go ahead, surrender to loving Him and see how real strength...God's strength, will change your life today.

Be Spiritually Healthy

I tried this unique healthy juice mix. It's called Green Giant. It's fresh-pressed celery, cucumber, and apple. It actually sweet, with a little veggy after-taste.

They say health is wealth. Many of us would be more concerned about the health of our loved ones than our own. But then, how can we take care of them if we are not well?

The same goes with our spiritual life. Many of us are very concerned with the "sheep" entrusted to us. May it be our kids, prayer group members, or parishioners. But how is our own spiritual health? How often are we nourished of God's Daily Bread? Are we progressing in our time of prayer? When was your last retreat?

Let us then take time, better yet, make time, for God to feed us so we can be strong in Spirit. In this way, we can truly respond to Jesus' challenge to Peter, "If you love me, feed my sheep."

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"Re-treat"

The word retreat is often referred to a weekend stay in a reflective venue, usually a retreat house or maybe a countryside. Retreat also implies to get back to ourselves, and draw strength from the Lord once again.

I'd also like to see it from the point of view from the word "treat." When someone treats us, we are pampered by not having to pay anything for special attention. People would usually say, "Don't worry, it's my treat."

Now, i'm in Batanes and I'm experiencing a "re-treat." The Lord is giving me a treat...again. When we come to him in generous prayer, he lavishes us with His grace and awesome presence. This is a treat that is inexplainable, beyond measure, and priceless.

Amidst the busy life of unending deliverables, let us not forget that the Lord wants to treat us again and again. We need only offer a generous time of prayer and wait upon His grace to rain upon our souls.
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Strength of the Word

"Evangelization is the carrying forth of the Good News to every sector of the human race so that by its strength it may enter into the hearts of men and renew the human race." (Pope Paul VI in Evangelii Nuntiandi)

The Word of God has its own strength.  This is the reason why despite cultural barriers or even with our inadequacies, the Word still penetrates into the heart of man.  What the Lord requires of us is to bearers of the Word both in speech and action.  The power of the Word is not dependent on how well we share it or how eloquent we are.  It lies on whether we share it at all. "As the Father sent me, so I send you (John 20:21)." When God' s Word is released, it is up to the Holy Spirit to touch and transform.  Let us remember that we are mere proclaimers but Jesus is the Savior.

When we encounter the Word in our time of prayer and Scripture, we put into our minds and hearts the power that is before us.  To take the Word for granted is like throwing away gold or refusing to grasp the hand of a person who will save us from drowning. God's Word is all powerful and strong for the Word is Christ Himself. "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us (John1:14)." Let us then rely on the Word.  Let our day be anchored on it see how it's own strength changes our lives and the lives of other people.

Growing Spiritually

A priest explained in his homily, "If you know it is sin, and you still deliberately commit it, then you have not gone beyond Grade 1 in your spirituality." The challenge was strong and even shocking, but true.  How can we grow in our spirituality if we lack the discipline and self control to resist temptation?

God is a forgiving god and He loves us immensely. He will always forgive our sins. But I think we should not abuse His kindness, for if we do, it will be to our detriment. We reflect on the Act of Contrition:

O my God,

I am heartily sorry for

having offended Thee,

and I detest all my sins,

because I dread the loss of heaven,

and the pains of hell;

but most of all because

they offend Thee, my God,

Who are all good and

deserving of all my love.

I firmly resolve,

with the help of Thy grace,

to confess my sins,

to do penance,

and to amend my life.

Amen.

I have a long way to go Oh Lord, give me strength to overcome. Help me to amend my life so I may glorify you  in my thoughts and deeds. Allow me to grow in knowing You and loving You. Amen.

In Condition to Face Life's Storms

After a long time, i played basketball again. I was pumped up, very excited to shoot those hoops again. In the first 10 minutes, I was 0 out of 5. I made several attempts, but my shots were either too strong or too weak. There are a number of reasons (excuses) why I did poorly. I was unfamiliar with court , it had been months since I last threw a shot, my legs were out of condition, and I was trying to catch my breath among other things.
This reminds me of something about facing our problems. Often, we pray intensively when we encounter life's problems. There can be two scenarios; a) one who faces a problem but has always prayed faithfully b) another is one who faces a problem but only prays at the time of the challenge.
Just as storms are a part of the natural course of the environment, so are the storms that naturally come in our lives. When our problems arrive, we have to be:
1. Familiar with God's voice
2. Conditioned with prayer
3. Filled with the breath of the Holy Spirit
This is experienced by those who have been already praying prior to the "storm." That is why when problems come they are calm and even at peace. I know of someone who found out that he had cancer symptoms and had to be operated on. He confessed that he was surprised that despite the shocking news, he was not afraid and he felt peace knowing that many of his friends will be praying for him. He exhibited a certain strength only manifested by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a similar case when Jesus was sleeping during the storm. "Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm (Matthew 8: 24-26)."
Let us start to condition ourselves in the Lord through consistent prayer. Let us not wait for problems to bring us down on our knees. So when it's 'game time' we can make the important shots and not make excuses of doing poorly in handling our problems. Surely God will help all those who call upon His Name even if we have only remembered him during the crisis. But by being faithful and ready, we can overcome problems with His strength and even be an instrument to help others in their storms.

Build On The Goodness God Has Gifted You

There is a self-imposed pressure people set on themselves in becoming like their predecessors, specially when the one before them was very gifted. Yes it is right to emulate the strengths of previous leaders, but to be burdened by becoming like them might not be God's purpose for you.  Build on the goodness God has gifted you. 

Things to remember when God calls you to lead:
1. God has called your predecessors for a specific purpose, for a specific time, matching their specific gift.  This means God wants to accomplish something else in your term. Something uniquely matched to your gifts as well.
2. Know your strengths, and build on them.  If you are an artist, build on your knack for design and expand from there.  If you are hardworking and persevering, then build on it and grow from that quality.  If you are a visionary, express what you see and let others gravitate to the bigger picture.
3. Let love be the reason for all that you do.  Any ordinary thing done out of love becomes extraordinary.  This, I believe should be felt to the ones you are leading.  And the rest of the details will just flow.

"I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another (Romans 15:14)." 

Rejected for the Sake of Christ

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures:  ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’? (Matthew 21: 42)


This is an interesting passage from the Bible. but I always wondered what cornerstone meant. Here's a definition from Wikipedia:

The cornerstone (or foundation stone) concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure (Wikipedia).

How often are we being teased of being a member of a prayer group?  I remember I was fondly called "Father Kirby" by some of my friends because I went to prayer meetings.  But I noticed later that those who made fun of me often confided with me in their most difficult and hurtful life situations.  At the end they asked me to pray for them.

We experience rejection at different degrees.  There's a subtle rejection through teasing or being referred as weird.  Another degree is when you stand up for your Christian values in a corrupt environment, then you are branded as "a person hard to get along with." Another is when one feels the call to be a missionary or to be a priest, but his own family and friends reject the idea.

What should be our philosophy in times of rejection?  Here are some reflections:


1. It is an honor to be rejected for the sake of Christ. 
But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:13).  In life we get rejected for many reasons.  We may get rejected because of our lack of ability or our physical appearance.  But if we are rejected because of Christ, then what an honor to have represented Him and to have been truly loyal to Him.


2. Draw strength of conviction from your rejection

Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ;e for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10).3.

The experience of rejection helps us to be emptied or stripped of our pride.  When pride is gone and humility is practiced, then the full strength of the Holy Spirit will be experienced.  For the Spirit dwells in a humble and contrite heart.


3. God's acceptance is more important than man's rejection
If we are on the side of truth and yet we are rejected, we can only have the peace in our hearts that we did our best to represent the teachings of our Lord.  His righteousness is beyond our life on earth. What is more important than man's rejection is our acceptance in the Lord.  Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me  (Luke 10:16).”


The challenge of evangelization is how not to repel people and lose the chance of bringing them to the Lord. We must therefore have the zeal for righteousness by being an example, a true witness of God's transforming love.  We have to be in the world but not of the world.  If by our witnessing we are rejected, then what a privilege to have taken one for the team.


Why is Christianity alive until today?  I believe a major factor is because of the sacrifices of those who were rejected and martyred for the sake of Christ.

They That Hope in the Lord will Renew their Strength

There are times of dryness, days of seeking, moments of emptiness, as if there’s a void inside of us.  What is our posture or attitude in these times?  Here are some things that can help and guide us.

a.       Seek for the Lord
We are brought to a point of emptiness so we can look for what can truly fill us. “I sought the Lord, He heard me and delivered me from my fears (Psalm 34:4).”


b.       Endure in Faithfulness
It is easy to be tempted to draw away from God in these times.  More than ever, we have to be faithful. Sin separates us from God. Do not be tempted to be lazy and put off your responsibilities. It is best to go to mass and confession to receive His graces so we can endure.


c.        Await for His message
The Lord speaks powerfully when you are in your “desert.” When we are fully surrendered to God, it is when He fills us with His wisdom and power.


d.       Ask for an In-filling of the Holy Spirit
By the power of the Holy Spirit, our spirit is renewed. Ask your spouse or a friend to pray-over you so your strength is renewed.


“They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings;
They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint (Isaiah 40:31).”


We are to hope in Him by seeking, enduring, awaiting, and asking for His power.  The Lord shall renew our strength and become even stronger than before.

Co-workers in the Lord's Vineyard

I just came from a conference of different lay missionary groups.  Together, these different communities form the CALM or Catholic Association of Lay Missionaries. The venue was in Taytay, Palawan. It was a weekend of bonding, learning, and loving the mission. All working for the Lord in His great vineyard.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Luke 10:2)."

 Each of the groups has different approaches on mission. It's clear that the Lord molded each as such that they will cover the different purposes of evangelization. Some are focused on the youth, some for the whole family, some for the environment, and others for the poor.  Here are some of my realizations:

Overcoming Our Weaknesses through Others' Strengths. 


The Lord has blessed each community with a strength that can complement the weakness of other communities.  Not one community has all the talents and skills to build the global mission.  I have noticed that many groups have a deep understanding of different crucial topics for mission. There's a group that is strong on Missiology, others are good with Youth Formation and team building, another on the issue of Social Justice, one on Creative Evangelizaton, another on International Missions and Mission exchanges, some on Catechetics, another is strong in the Social Media evangelization approach.  What these groups have learned is a product of decades of experience and study and they are willing to share it. What a great blessing.  Reflecting on our immediate work and family surroundings, what strength do you have that can be of service to other's weaknesses?  What are the key talents and abilities of the people we are working/serving with, that can help hasten an area of our work that is slow moving? In our family, how can we utilize each others God given gifts to help achieve our family goals?

A Humble Heart for an Open Mind

Another realization is that we cannot have open minds if we do not have humble hearts.  There is a tendency for our cups to already be filled before going to a teaching, conference, or training.  We have to undergo the process of kenosis (emptying of one's self) so that the Lord can fill us with His wisdom.  A humble heart is the key to deeper understanding.  A humble heart understands the idea of emptying our mental and spiritual cups.  A proud posture closes the mind and wanes the interest.  The presence of the different lay missionary organizations gain abundance of wisdom by learning from one another.  Without humility, one will not bother to mingle and initiate conversation.  In our lives, do we pass up opportunities to learn from people who can enrich us?  How attentive are we during talks?


Faith Fascinates Us


Lastly, with pure faith, the work of evangelization and mission will continue to fascinate us.  Some of us are doing mission work for years. Whether as full time missionary, clergy, or simply as a faithful Christian.  We see many of our friends lose heart to continue in the mission. They become inactive, disillusioned, or victims of friendly fire.  Lay mission work is not easy. For many of us, it is not our full time job.  I have met many lay missionaries in the conference who also have secular work, but go full on with the mission. Faith will dictate that it is the Lord who commissions us and not men. "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:19)." When mission ceases to excite us or fascinate us, it is usually because of being distant from the Lord.  The farther away we are from Him, due to lack of faith and lack of prayer, the more we lose touch of God's exciting plan for the mission he has prepared for us to do.  How excited are you to do mission?  How far can your faith in God take you?


Let us therefore be generous with the strength God has given us. Strive for humility, so our open minds can gain wisdom. And be faithful for the work ahead of us is more exciting than we can ever imagine. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- (1 Cor. 2:9).  We are all workers in the Lord's vineyard, helping one another to achieve one goal, "to sum up all things under Christ (Ephesians 1:10)."

Real Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).

Real strength comes from the power that the Holy Spirit gives to us. When we are in a state of sinfulness, when there is hatred, pride, addictions, and worldly attachments, we are drawn far from the Lord. Our distance from God makes it difficult for us to be humble in asking for His power. We resort to draw from our own strength or from our "stacked knowledge."  When relying on our own strength, we notice that at the end of a task, we are relieved that it's over and we are exhausted. When relying on God's strength, we realize that we have more to give, even if we seem to have given much.

How can we be strong in the Lord? I reflect on three things. First is to have a strong relationship with God.  We gain confidence in our friendship with the Almighty.  We are assured that He will not leave us and He will equip us.  This is developed through a constant prayer life.  No one can withstand you while you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

Second is that we have to seek to continually purify ourselves.  The Sacrament of Reconciliation through confession and other Sacraments is grace that is available to help us humble ourselves and unburden us of the weight of sin in our lives. You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1).

Third, is to practice a life dependent on Him.  In all we do, we ask for His aid through the Power of His Spirit, and in all we accomplish, we give the glory to Him alone. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:11).

May we strive to gain real strength. We need God's strength to overcome sin in our lives and to have the power to build His kingdom on earth.

Beware of the Enemy's Schemes (part 4 of 4)

These 3 schemes of the enemy, Self-centeredness, Separation of parents, and Sex Education in Schools are destroying the foundations of the family structure in the society. There are more threats out there, but I'm just highlighting these three in my reflection.  When people become self-centered they are not willing to sacrifice, but only seek to satisfy one's interest.  When parents separate, the child will seek security in some other avenues and it is usually a negative source of affirmation. With sex education in schools, children are subject to be exposed prematurely to information that their parents could have communicated in an environment of love and concern.

We combat these 3 schemes with 3 S's as well.  First is that we have to be steadfast in prayer. "With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)."  There is nothing like the power of prayer.  There are many things beyond our control, but with God on our side surely we will rise victorious.  Many people who fight for righteousness become so engrossed in what they are doing that there is a big tendency in becoming too tired to pray. St. Paul exhorts us to pray at every opportunity. In Joshua 1:8 God advices Joshua, "Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal." With prayer first and foremost, God will be ahead of us in our battles.  He will reveal to us the schemes of the enemy and He will give us wisdom to deal with them.

The second "S" to help us overcome the enemy's schemes is to be strong in the Lord. Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).  We will be strong if we SUIT UP! "Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day... (Ephesians 6:13)." We put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, our ready boots, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is God's word. When we listen to the radio, specially to commentators, most of them have anti-life views and they try to convince their listeners about their opinions.  If we do not know the truth in the Lord, we will be easily swayed to their reasoning. It is our duty as well to seek for the truth.  And in this search, we will be well equipped and our convictions will be stronger.  We also have to build ourselves up to be able to put on the FULL armor of God, for if we lack one, it will be the avenue for the devil to scheme us.

Lastly, stand on your ground, be firm in the Lord "...stand firm against the tactics of the devil (Eph. 6:11)."  We have to fight the good fight of faith.  We cannot just remain in reflection mode and let evil create havoc on our society, specially on our family.  We have to be vigilant in bringing Christ to families so that God will be at the center of all our lives. Let us not allow the evil one to scheme families into believing that there is no God and just base their lives in their financial success or in the misery of their poverty.  We need to engage in enriching the lives of couples, so that their children will be secured in love and guidance. We have to stand firm against media influences, specially celebrities, that portray that separation is the better option because neither is unwilling to change.  We have to fight anti-life schemers from getting into the schools and negatively influencing our kids that population is the cause of poverty and not our greed.

In our battle against evil by exposing the enemy's schemes and revealing God's truth, we must take heed in Jesus' advice, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16)." We also have to be strategic in our actions.  Many of us instead of bringing people to our side, turn off others. One advice I heard from a speaker on parenting was that, "We have to first explain the facts, then the moral guidelines, and cap it with valid reasons."

Let us then put on the full armor of God, to protect us from the schemes of the enemy and to fight the good fight of faith!

Too Blessed To Be Stressed!

We are amidst preparations for the CFC Europe Conference. It's 2 days to go. Everyone's busy, many feel the pressure, and some are stressed. I gave a recollection last night and it basically focused on the blessings we have while serving God in a Christian community. It has the acronyms of B.L.E.S.S.

Through community, God blesses us with...

B - Brothers and Sisters who love us
L - Leaders who guide us
E - Events that nourish us
S - Spirit that anoints us
S - Service that empowers us

Realizing all these blessings, all the hard work in our preparations is all worth it. One can declare that, "I'm too blessed to be stressed!" I believe this is a good reminder for us whenever we feel much pressure in school, at work, or in our service to God. Noting above of the things that bless us, we also reflect on its opposite. These are things that stress us...

A lack of love in our ways.
A lack of witnessing and a lack of obedience
A lack of focus
A lack of appreciation
A lack of dependence on God

Reflecting on the above, we can therefore check on ourselves. Are we loving in our ways? Are we good witnesses? Am I obedient? Am I easily distracted? Are we honoring God's anointing? Is our service empowering us? If the answer to these questions is a "yes," then we will feel more of the blessings rather than the stress or burden.

Whenever we are feeling weary of the things we do, let us not forget to come before the Lord. Let us wait upon Him. Allow His embrace to fill us, recharge us, and empower us.

"He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40: 29-31