Lord, Give me Patience Right Now.

I was talking to a person yesterday and I heard something from him that it is not really pleasing to my ears. He said that a certain person was saying something bad about me, that I don’t do this and I don’t care to talk to that another person and etcetera etcetera. I really wanted to defend myself, I wanted to go back to that person and tell him/her on him/her face that “What is your problem with me? I wanted to smack that person in the face and hit him/her on her stomach and do my karate chop on his/her neck, but while talking to him over the phone, a small still voice told me not to overreact and just let it go and not to defend myself. Because God sees and knows my heart and my motives.

My question to you my friend, when the Lord looks at your heart, what does He see? Does He see goodness or hatred? Positive or Negative? He sees our thoughts, our attitudes and our motives. Only you and God know what is going in your heart. And too many people go around today pretending and acting to be somebody else. They try to make themselves good by making other look bad, are you getting what I am saying? They pretend to be somebody that they are the good ones and that they are the victim and that the other person tried to hurt them, well they know in fact that they are the one who is trying to victimizing that other person. But let me tell you one thing, God know what is in their hearts. God looks in the inside. Remember this, you can fool a lot of people by telling bad things about them, but we cannot fool God. And if you are the person on the other side of the fence, just let God deal with them and pray that sana kunin na sila ni Lord (the Lord take them as soon as possible). Lol…

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,)

Walmart Gift Card

Last father’s day celebration at the company, I won a Walmart Father’s Day Gift card (Thank you Signature Healthcare/Serenity Healthcare, I appreciate the gift). And being new in the USA, I did some research about it. It is like a prepaid credit card that you need to use before it expires. And if you don’t use it at a certain date, you will surely lose it. Same is true with God’s Word in our lives. Let me clarify, His words and promises do not expire, but we have to take action and use the gift card He gave us which is His promises in our lives. Just like the Gift Card from Walmart, you need to use it, because God’s power will give you that purchasing power to get that blessing.

Today my friend, keep your heart and mind to God. Ask yourself are you using the gift card He gave you, are you trying to purchase something out of it? Or are you just letting it expire? Make His word a priority and don’t let it depart your day. As you use His gift card, He will make your way prosperous, victorious and blessed.

Mitsubishi Eclipse versus Ford Expedition

I was helping Jemel my PT friend who is moving to another state and during the times of moving and loading, I had the opportunity to drive his Ford Expedition and his Kuya’s sports car Mitsubishi Eclipse. And have you ever seen a good sports car? These cars are low and sleek. The eclipse has a V6 engine and it can probably hit 180 KPH. They are fast, responsive and nice to drive. But in spite of all these strengths, they also have weaknesses. First, the Eclipse can only hold approximately 2-4 persons. They are not really comfortable, especially when the top is down. There is not much comfort because the suspension is low to the ground and you cannot go to grocery because there is not much place to put the groceries. While the Ford Expedition, it has a big trunk area, it could fit probably 6-8 people. It sits up high off the ground; it has plenty of luggage area. And when I drove it, I felt like I was the king of the road. You can take your children and the whole barangay to school. But then again, there are also weaknesses of this Ford Expedition, gas consumption is higher than the V6 eclipse of course, it doesn’t have that pogi points, it is hard to find a parking spot, and the list goes on of course.

What am I saying here my friend? Each car is designed for a specific assignment, if you want some pogi points, efficient miles per gallon, easy parking, drive the Eclipse. If you are going to the grocery, take the kids to shopping, drive the Expedition. Each vehicle functions best when it is fulfilling its intended purpose. And the same is true for our lives. If we try to be something we are not, we are not going to be successful. Yes, we can go there, but we are either uncomfortable or inefficient. If we try to do others are doing, we will just get frustrated, discontented and will complain and complain and complain. But if we are to be all God has called us to be, you know your strengths and also know your weaknesses, you can function to that particular purpose in life. You will feel contentment, empowered, enable, approved, accepted and you will see the Victory that God has in store for you!

I Need a Pedicure!

God puts people in your life not just by accident; He puts them intentionally, whether it’s a challenging person or a person who is in need. God brings people into your life for a purpose. And we should be living with an awareness that “How am I going to add value to this person, how can I help them succeed? How can I help them?” But let’s face the fact; there are a lot of people who go around “What is it for me? Or what can they offer to me? No! We should have an attitude on how to help other people; we should be asking ourselves, “What can we do for them?

And staying here in the US for quite a while, I have learned how to cut my toe nails and remove my own ingrown nails (back home, pedicure is really cheap. Lol). And if you are like me who has such a crazy toe nail who has a very deep ingrown nails, you know it hurts!!! And let’s not be like an ingrown toe nail who is always such a nuisance to other people. Don’t make the mistake of going through other people’s life like an ingrown toe nail. Instead, be a dream releaser; use your talent, your influence and your experience to not just accomplish your own goal, but as well as to release other people’s dream. Learn to encourage other people and lift other people up.

I have learned this the hard way, but there is nothing more rewarding than to sleep at night knowing that you have helped somebody in need, somebody you were able to encourage. You not only fulfilled your purpose for that day, you become the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. When you help other people to be the best they can be, you will also see your own best as well.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present.”

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present.” 

The most important thing we have in life is time, it is more valuable than money. We can make more money, but we cannot make more time. When we wake in the morning, God gives us a gift, that’s why we call it the present. And having a gift comes with a responsibility.

The Bible tells us to make the most of every opportunity that we have. It simply means let us not let it go to waste. It only means, do not live unfocused, unhappy, negative or defeated. Make the most of every day, make the most of gift He gave you. That is what I observe to majority of my successful patients, even though they have problems, they look forward in going home and starting a rehabilitation program, instead of complaining on why they fractured their hip, on how their vision is getting worse or how they hurt their back. They look forward in going home; they look forward to exercising and participating in the rehabilitation program their therapist is applying. They make the most of it every day. He has actually put His very breath unto us, He put gifts and talents on the inside of us to use it. Great seed deposited on us, because we are all a person of destiny, of purpose, of an assignment to fulfill if we only believe in Him and His plans.

I would like to encourage you today my friend to evaluate what you do in your day? Do you keep on complaining or are you looking at the gifts God gave you? Let go of the negatives, let go of that problem, let go of that discouragement, let go of that disappointments, let go of the past and look forward for today is a present given to you by God Himself!!!

Exodus 14:10-31

Exodus 14:10-31

 ¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 

 ¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. ¹⁴ The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” 

 ¹⁵ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. ¹⁶ Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.” 

 ¹⁹ Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, ²⁰coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. 

 ²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, ²²and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 

 ²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. ²⁵ He jammed^[a] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” 

 ²⁶ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[b] it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. ²⁸ The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. 

 ²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

This was the topic of Pastor Nick last Sunday, and I just cant help but meditate on the whole scripture. And sometimes, we are like the Israelites. Are we determined to forget the past? I know a lot of people don’t fully understand God’s will and sometimes we ask God why are you doing this to me? Why is this happening? But one meaning of moving forward and trusting God is to disregard or to overlook what has happened and start trusting God for He knows what is the best for us. If we don’t let go of the past, we will never be able to embrace the future. It doesn’t matter what your situation before, it is time to forget the before or past and choose to look forward to what God has in store for you, then you will experience your Victory in Christ!!!

Work in Progress

When a person receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, some people totally change in an instant, but in my case, I did not instantly became a new person. Yes, my spirit was made new through the Holy Spirit, the old passes away, but wait a minute kapeng mainit, not everything in my life changed instantly. Actually, I was even more tempted, even more challenged, because I am still a work in progress. You may be like me, who accepted Jesus Christ as their savior and still sin, and still being tempted, and still get mad. I would like to encourage you my friend that like me, you are still a work in progress. And the key to moving forward in our spiritual journey doesn’t stop by just accepting Jesus Christ alone. We need to do our part in abiding in His words, spending time in prayer and in worship and connecting to the right people in a good church. I believe that is the key in achieving that Victory in Christ and totally being Born Again.

Today my friend, if you see a fellow Christian who accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior, don’t expect them to be perfect, don’t expect them to be exactly like you, because just like me, they may be a work in progress too…Like what I said, God is at work in our lives. We may not be where we want to be now; we may have made some mistakes or setbacks. But in God, we can be new; we can be re-Born Again…

What Are Your Thoughts?

A lot of people nowadays are not enjoying their life because of what they have in their mind. They constantly complain about their negative, destructive, harmful thoughts they have. They just don’t realize it, but the problem with complaining about something is that it becomes a reality. We have to remember that our life follows our thoughts and declarations. If you will think negative thoughts, then you are going to live a negative life. If you will think discouraging, hopeless, I can’t do it mediocre life, then you life will be indeed that path in no time. That is why it is very important we take action on what we declare in our lives on a daily basis.

I like what my wife is doing to our children; she keeps on praying over our kids daily, every night and declares positive words even though they are sleeping. I remember her declaring positive words even though our children doesn’t here the prayers, our God above can hear what she is declaring over our kids. And now, our children, Alyssa is excelling on her new school, same with Kishi, who is again joining the A1 child competition and Zeya who is very healthy. There is always power over our words.

And I want to challenge you today my friend to think about what you are thinking right now. Are you thinking positive thoughts, are you declaring positive words over your family, your children, your job, your life, your health. Do not let those negative thoughts from the devil to linger in your mind and instead of holding to that negative thought, speak a blessing in your life. The bigger you make God in your life by declaring His goodness, the smaller your problems become.

Stand Up and Walk.

It is easy to be a friend to somebody when he is on top of his career or in his game, when somebody is blessed and doesn’t have problems. And anybody can believe in somebody if they are successful, if they graduate or pass that exam or if they got that position in a company or after they get that so called big break. And it’s okay to congratulate them, but people need our support most when they are having situations that are not really good. As a Christian, we need to look past their problems and situation, failures and see the potential in them.

Working as a Physical Therapist, most of the time, my patients just need a little push of encouragement to keep them to walk. We should always put ourselves in the other person’s situation and see things from their view. If you can encourage them, don’t keep it to yourself. Help them to win, help other people to walk again. Don’t tell other people they deserve that situation. Or they got to learn it the hard way. No my friend! We are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. When we help other people reach their maximum functional potential, when we help other rise higher, we are doing God’s mission in this world. Today I choose to encourage my friends, family, co-workers and my patients. Same with you, start encouraging other people because when you lift others up, God will lift you up too…

His Words in Your Words.

I had the opportunity to talk to a group of people at work, actually, it was the whole company I was talking to yesterday, from the CNA, nurses, managers, maintenance guys, housekeeping and administrative people. And I noticed that there is power to lift up people or push people down as a leader. When you talk to a group of people, we can say something to make others feel better about themselves or you can say something to make them feel worse. And it is really amazing what a simple kind word you say to these people will change their perspective. The company asked me to talk and it didn’t cost them anything, yet my words (I think) have blessed their life (hopefully).

And that is the power of God given to us. He gave us an instruction to encourage one another. Choose to look what other people are doing right, not what they are doing wrong. In today’s life, there are too much of pushing people down, too much of blaming other people on what they did wrong. Let’s try to change and lift other people up and to brighten other people’s day and make them feel better. Giving a compliment is free. This is what I also do to my patients when they are at the therapy gym, I always make it a point to tell to them that “It is nice to see them here.” And “Keep going, you can do it.”. Remember this my friend, that our words are seeds. When we plant a life and a blessing into others that is what we will reap in return.

When you see a co-worker who is struggling or needs help, a friend who has some problems, how do you talk to him/her? How do you encourage them? Always remember that our words, our compliments can put them back into the right track. Our words carry hope, healing, encouragement and life. I believe God is using us to be His hand and feet in this world. So when we speak to others, we declare what God says about their lives. Let your words bring life, hope and blessing.

Focus

It is so easy to get focused on what is really wrong in our life, what we can’t achieve, what others have and how big our wrong target is. And if we are not really careful, we will lose sight of all the good things specially your target in life. Actually, we all take for granted our health, friends, job and opportunities. If we don’t get focus on the right target in life, we will derail from our own path. And if we don’t concentrate on our sight and focus for success, we will not appreciate the gift of today. If we don’t appreciate what we have right now, we will lose focus on our target.

It is all about focus. When I was in the firing range, my mentors (Alex, Jemel and Calvert) always reminds me on how to focus the target, how the sight should be aligned from your riffle to your target. And there is power in our focus. It will draw your target. And if we will constantly meditate on it, I am sure we can all hit our target with God’s grace. Your job may be unstable; your business maybe slow, the economy may be fluctuating; your relationship with your parents, inlaws or spouse may be in the rocks. If we keep focusing on the wrong target, it will make matters worse. What am I saying here? Try focusing your sight to a more blessed target. Choose to say, you are blessed, choose to focus on the good, choose to focus on the right, choose to focus on how you want to be, not what you have right now.

Today my friend, I encourage you to evaluate your focus in life. Choose to focus to God no matter what is happening in your life right now. Remember this, as you set your focus in the right direction, your target and path will follow. Keep an attitude of faith and expectancy towards God. Keep the faith and keep focused!