Author Archives: mikesendon

GIVE MORE THAN WHAT THEY BEG

Listen this post at Spotify

GIVE MORE THAN WHAT THEY BEG
Acts 3:1-10

Giving someone will not change the world but it will change someone’s world.

We can’t give to everyone but everyone can give to someone.

This is what we want to achieve the goodness within us ripples until it becomes a miracle.

Is it not a miracle to see everyday people living happy and content because there is abundance and no one is lacking not because everyone is rich as Warren Buffet; but because everyone discovers the joy and principle of sharing?

There is greater joy in giving that God is teaching this to us. The joy the giver have is more than the joy experienced by the recipient.
That the blessings of someone who gives are far greater than the one who receives.

IS IT A RECKLESS DECISION?

We learned that giving is not a reckless decision at all.
Because we understood that it is in giving that the more we received.

There is more joy in giving than in receiving alone.

OUR PRESENCE is our PRESENT

We can give without loving but we cannot truly love without giving.
We cannot consecrate our all by giving our treasures alone.

Because sometimes, God and other people don’t need your money but they need your time.

Sometimes, our time is better than any dime; our presence is the best present we can give to a person.
Our presence cannot be replaced by any material things.

For those OFW with family miles away, we usually equate our presence with our dear ones with material things. We translate our love for them with goods, gadgets, and comfortable life.

But sometimes they don’t need our money, they long for our presence, tangible love.

Good that in this digital era, we can fill the gap of our absence by the use of social sites through FB, Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber, IMO, and skype. Our presence with them becomes virtual.

But no matter how it is, the effort of making ourselves available to them cannot be discounted.

PETER HADE GAVE MORE

In the reading of Acts 3:1-10 12, Peter and John on the third hour of the afternoon for prayer, going up to the temple a man lame from birth begs them for money. Peter looked straight at him and did John, said to the man “Look at us! Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk.
A poor beggar received more than what he expected.
Because Peter and John, have given more than what the man asked.
They had given what they only have, their TIME and Jesus who is in them.

In this part of the talk, we will share how & why you have to give more than what others beg of you:

1. GIVE THEM RELATIONSHIPS NOT OWNERSHIP
If we want to improve our relationship with others, even if it’s our spouse, children, parents, or other people; we need to spend quality time with them.
Because you cannot replace our presence with material things. Sometimes, people don’t need our money.

They need our time and the time we devote to others sends a message that they are important to us.

The time devoted by Peter and John to a beggar on the street helps the man to understand that respect for oneself is more than a small coin he can receive.

The sense of touch and sight was felt by the beggar when he looked at the disciple’s eyes and that feeling flowed when Peter reached out his hand to the man.

This power of touch and sight is missing in a virtual and digital relationship.

I wonder about seeing couples in a cozy restaurant, dining together but they don’t look at each other their eyes were hooked on their own phone.
Leave that gadget behind for a while, start a good talk, look at each other’s eyes, and connect.

This is what the lame beggar felt when he looked at Peter and John. Connection.

Our time spent sending a clear message that you are near and available on time that they need us.

Another act of good deed is by the Good Samaritan. A businessman and a traveler where time is gold; he dared to spare his time to carry the man to his horse and brought him to care in a hotel and paid for it.

2. GIVE THEM OUR GOD NOT YOUR GOLD

We cannot truly consecrate by giving what we really have by giving our treasures alone because it is not enough.

Share to them our God when we give.

Let them know that we are just a channel of God’s goodness; that every blessing we share with them is not from us but the fruit of God’s goodness and generosity to us.

We let them realize that God is alive through us. We become Jesus to someone.

We become a living manifestation that God is real because they can sense, they can feel that He is working through us.

The reason why many desperate people don’t believe that God cares is that they don’t experience that sympathy, that empathy from people who were blessed.

The ultimate purpose of our blessing is that we become a blessing to someone who is in need.
Because all the things that we have, time treasures, and talents all come from Him alone.

Let them realize that what they receive does not come from us, but we are only sharing the blessing that we received from God.

Don’t ask them to repay you, but let them do exactly what you did to the next person with the same experience and situation.

Ask them to do other what you did to them, let that goodness ripple and daily we will see miracles. The goodness they received shall be the same goodness they will share.

Giving our God to them is empowering them to stand in their own faith and relationship with God.
By sharing with them our God, let them discover a wonderful relationship with our Master and let that relationship be intimate and personal with God.

3. GIVE THEM WHAT THEY REALLY NEED

Sometimes our intention to help is good. However, in the long term, we don’t really help but rather let them be lazy, lame, and selfish.

We teach them to be too much dependent on the moment that it paralyzes them and kills us as well.

The problem sometimes with us, we let them paralyze their thinking because every decision should be coming from us. We limit their ability to think for themselves.

Don’t give them the fish but teach them how to fish.

You can empower them by teaching and sharing with them what you know and how they could be able to maximize their time and resources.

Give to our children what they only need. Don’t just give our children the taste of our wealth but teach them what made us wealthy. Don’t just give them your riches, show them how you did it. Teach them your passion, your vision, your mission, exemplary character, and your outlooks in life so that they could have their own.

I think it’s not right that we only give food to beggars to eat, it is hard work but we need to transform them to be a better part of our society. They need to regain their identity and integrity so that they could somehow be contributors to the common good of the community.

We should give them a chance instead of giving them a label that reminds them of their inability to be part of the community.

4. GIVE THEM MOTIVATION AND NOT DISSUASION

Some of us offer our help but we use it as a reason to judge people on their inabilities, weakness, and limitations.

They don’t need our judgment. They need our motivation and inspire them to rise above their situation.

We should not use our giving to let others look stupid and miserable or to use them for our own propaganda of being self-righteous.

5. GIVE THEM LOVE NOT PITY

What people need from us is not our pity but our love.

We can only strengthen their belief in themselves if we show them our trust and belief that they can do it by themselves.

The more we pity them, the more we let them stay in their miserable conditions.

You give not because you expect to receive but because you love.

Like the Good Samaritan, what he had given is the best out of his love and kindness without expecting any form of return.

Some people make friends because they have a vested interest in you.

Do we want to partake in a Mission of God to mankind by giving our time, treasure, and talents?

Do we want to have that happy and fruitful relationship?

Do we want to experience deeper peace of mind with God?

It is not that we are giving our time to God and man but actually, we are seizing that time we spent in our favor to experience His immense and glorious presence.

GOD’S EYE ON THE GIVER

Our giving cannot be hidden from the eyes of God. He is observant.
Every second, every time, every giving that we are doing is known to the Lord.

That is why we give our time and talent with joy.
He knows how much we give and the more, He knows how we value every act of giving we are doing.

May you always become Jesus to somebody,

Mikesendon

GRATITUDE TO A PERSON MISUNDERSTOOD

1 Reply

GRATITUDE TO A PERSON MISUNDERSTOOD

Honoring the greatest fathers in the world.

Your wisdom in times misunderstood but a treasure that is valueble than gold.

Your love sometimes we don’t feel and your sacrifice sometimes unseen because you like to do it behind the scene.

You are tough but we hold on to you when everything is rough.

We mostly honor our mother but sometimes forgot the heroism of our father.

You do your best to get us there to a place where there are bread and butter, so you are forced to stay far away yet we we ask ” Why he is not here?”

Today we celebrate and honor the greatest fathers who give there best even appreciated the least.

You are strict with discipline because you want us to be the best that we can.

Unless you become a father yourselves you will not understand how to be in thier sleeves.

Our gratitude to a person sometimes we misunderstood.

-mikesendon

#sparksdaily

PREPARE FOR YOUR GREATEST BREAKTHROUGH

Leave a reply

PREPARE FOR YOUR GREATEST BREAKTHROUGH
John 21:1-11

INTRODUCTION

Most of us went through different setbacks.

Not every time is a good time and we experience our own bad times. Depressing moments that will almost bring us to the brink of our defeat and surrender.

And no one is exempted because this are just part and cycle of life season.
We will know that spring is coming only after winter.

Maybe, you are in your winter season right now but mind you; your greatest season is about to come.

Your shift is coming.

But today, let me unfold that our greatest victory will always overcome our greatest defeat.

That our greatest triumph shall be greater than our greatest failure.

That our grandiose comeback is lfar greater than our worst setbacks.

We have to PREPARE FOR YOUR GREATEST BREAKTHROUGH.

THE PETER & THE DISCIPLE

Revisiting the story and experience of Peter and the rest of his fellow disciples, they experience setbacks in their lives.

With all the hopes and aspiration that change was about to come in Israel, that a Messiah was about to deliver them from their situation; that hopes were ruin when Jesus was crucified.

Setbacks. Their faith was messed in a way due to the death of the One they expect to deliver them.
No more miracles, no more teachings, no more healings and their life was not normal and they were hiding and recuperating from the pain of a loss of a Master and a friend.

How many of us have the same experience?

-We experience setbacks due to financial obligations.
-Loss of jobs
-Marital dispute and relationship on the edge of separation
-Business is failing
-Health might we worsening

Name it and only you know, which type of setbacks you are into of which it slowly draining your energy, it slowly wavering your hope and doubt started to be bigger than your faith.

But here is the good news “ Ang nakalaang tagumpay ay mas mainam kesa sa mga karanasan nating nakakapanlupaypay”

Our depressing moment could be turned into a victorious event.

Here are some lessons we could learn from the setback experience of the Disciples:

1. Our Setbacks prepares us for our Greatest Comeback

In John 21:3 Peter and the disciples caught nothing. They toil all night but it was an empty and depressing night.

What if what we do best don’t work anymore? What if our experience failed us and put us into a center stage of shame?

In every setbacks, God has a purpose and reasons.

Setbacks teaches us a lesson to learn, because when we are experienced and know everything, we have that difficulty to accept the lessons.

Sometimes our being experienced is our big problem because we thought we know everything.

Have you noticed that when you know so many thing, you don’t lessen anymore? Because you develop a belief that you are far better than the other. And setbacks are just catalyst to humble us and see ourselves.

To see what is missing, to point what we need to do.

Setbacks prepare us to focus on the next level. It helps us to prepare a strategy.

David was being prepared by fighting lions and bears. Little he realized that these events of fighting lions were just preparations for the biggest kill of his life. Its Fighting Goliath.

It was not about lion but just a preparations.

It’s like Manny Pacquiao gears to fight the Golden Boy Dela Hoya or Mayweather.

Setbacks develops us to focus on the next level.

It should develop our skill set to prepare for the next step.

When you lose your first business, it’s not about the money you lost but the experience you gain. It increases your risk tolerance and evaluate what went wrong.

It’s expensive but losing an opportunity is more expensive.

It is not about what we lost but the experience we gain because every stumbling blocks are just a building blocks in the making.

It’s not about the problems, it’s about you.

It is making us READY.

To teach us to be patient, to teach us to wait. To teach us to trust. To teach us to focus. To teach us to work more and value the time we spent.

It teaches about synergy. Choosing the right people to work with.

Never worry if we are mopping the floor now, or we are cleaning other’s house or we are accomplishing other’s mission because all of these are just preparations.

FOR YOUR BREAKTHROUGH IS COMING.

Maybe your counting other’s money, your breakthrough is coming.
Maybe your taking care other’s children aside from yours, your shift will come.

Like Joseph, setbacks are just doors leading to the next doors. A pit could be a door to a prison, another setbacks but it will lead you to a more and bigger door of the palace.

YOUR NEXT DOOR IS ABOUT TO OPEN. THE BREAKTHROUGH IS COMING.

Because our greatest failures teaches us to use our FAITH.

2. Our Setbacks Should Not Hold Us Back

The presence of setbacks does not man that we cannot bounce back.

Because set backs are just preparations and it is not our destiny.
There is far greater plan, a bigger mission prepared for us to accomplish and no setbacks shall hold you down.

Mr. Sanders of KFC did not allow setbacks and rejection to accomplish what he has to do. Despite hundreds of rejections he received from restaurants refusing his recipe, he managed to win at the end because now, he has thousands of branches around the globe.

When there is problems, there is also solutions.

We cannot rely on our setbacks experience to predict we cannot win.
Like Peter and the disciples, it does not mean that because they toil all night without a catch, means no more fish at all.
We should never give up. Knock the door until the door is open.
We should pray until something happens.
Never give up too soon. Maybe it’s not yet time but it does not mean it is not coming.

3. Maximize Our Resources to the Right Place

Leverage what we have to get what we need.

When God ask us to use our boat, he will give us the fish that we need.

We need to use our talent, our gifts, our skills and to increase our knowledge to harness that gift that are inherent in us.

We have to make use and maximize what we already have to experience breakthrough.

When we ask God for something, God will not give us exactly what we need but rather He will give us the resources to have it.

Are you asking for table? He will not give us round table but He will give us tree so that from tree we could have the wood to make it into a table.

He wanted us to be creative. He is the Creator and He created all things. We have that inherent gifts given to us. The gift of creativity.

We have to maximize our greatest potentials because the gift and blessings are just somewhere in what we have.

What we need is already there but why we cannot see?

IT IS JUST IN THE HOUSE.

Because we have to use our faith and creativity. It is ready available we need only to tap on the right spot.

It is not enough that we have the creativity but the ability to use it when at the proper time and at the right opportunity.

You want to retire and go for good then maximize your resources and cast it on the right spot.

Working as an OFW is already a privilege, a blessing that we have to maximize this opportunity that we have. We don’t just work and spend, learn to leverage and how to increase what you have.

Learn to invest because what you put forward will grow. What you spent is what you throw and never expect to reap anything in return.

Be creative with your gifts and talents, enhance it and nurture it so that it could become open to every opportunity that comes. Because if not, when the door is open, you will not see it. When an investment opportunity to start for a new business, you don’t have the capital you need. Why, because you never maximize your resources and your potentials.

If we manage what we have, we can have more in returns. Because there is a principle that God want us to understand, that God will take away the resources from those who don’t know how to maximize it and it will be given to those who have more.

It is sound unfair but this is what we called unfair advantage. God invest on people who know how to make it grow. God give more to people who understood the principle.

4. Be Ready to Follow if You Want to Receive a Breakthrough

In Jn 21:6 “ So they cast and then they were not able to haul it because of the great number of fish.

Be ready for a net breaking blessings because when it comes, are you prepared to handle it?

To receive a breakthrough, we should know how to follow instructions. We should know how to obey.
Disregard that you know everything, learn how to listen and obey the Word of Directions.

This is what we need.
We may be having the right people, the right net, the best boat but without following God’s principle and His direction, we cannot do nothing.
Because obedience to the Word is a sign of humility.

You allow God to operate in your business, in your family in your community.

Another things is to see what others don’t see. Never look on what eyes could see but rather look at what our eyes could see.

We may not see that the fish is there but because we trust we cast our faith in Him, the breakthrough is coming.

Be ready to receive a breakthrough because it will break your nets. We must be willing to accept help when we need to and share that blessings to others even though we are the one who toil for all nights.

You cannot say to yourself, its mine. I build is up. It’s from my sweat and hardships. Yes but remember that even it’s your sweat, the blessings does not comes from you. Share it so that the net shall not break.

Peter and the disciples ask others boat to help them haul it near to the shore.

Be prepare as some people will hate you when you are blessed. Like Laban, he was not happy for Jacobs blessings. He was envious.
Sometimes your breakthrough will create your enemy but do not be afraid, if God allows you to have it and it’s your to manage.
You can bless the world with our breakthrough.

“His Words are true to doubt that He could give us a Breakthrough”.

May you God open the door for your breakthrough always.

Mikesendon

THE BLESSING IN ABIDING BY HIS WORDS

2 Replies

THE BLESSINGS IN ABIDING BY GOD’S WORDS
John 14:23-29

Do we really love God?

And most of us will surely say “I do”. Because Jesus said to His disciples in verse 21 of John 14 “He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me.”

And that is one of the greatest challenges in our lives and in our faith is the challenge of being faithful, obedient, and keeping God’s teaching every day.

Heto yung hamon sa atin sa buhay ay ang hamon ng pananatili at pagsunod.

And I believe that we always struggle in this, how to abide in His Words and show that we truly love God.

Let this reflection once again enlighten and encourage us that even when we struggle every day to remain obedient and faithful to His words, God has promised us an Advocate, a Helper that could help us to remain in Him.

And abiding in His Words will not be in vain because there will always be blessings associated with it.

Today’s topic is “THE BLESSING IN ABIDING GOD’S WORDS”

JESUS COMFORTS HIS DISCIPLES

Chapter 14 of John is a farewell discourse a night before His death. This scene was so emotionally intense as Jesus was talking about His death, about His leaving them.

That is why He started chapter 14 by saying “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places or mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”

Jesus that night was giving them the assurance that wherever He is going, they will go as well. But Thomas asked, “Lord we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?”

Jesus replied, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through me,”

Chapter 14 up to chapter 16 are full of wonderful revelations and teachings that the disciples could not fully grasp at that time.

Jesus understood that the disciples could not yet understand that time the message He wanted to convey to them. That is why He said to them that a Helper will bring to their remembrance all the words that He said.

Jesus on that night intends to deepen their understanding of who He really is, where He is going and what will the future be in verse 29 said: “ Now, I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.”

ABIDE IN HIS WORDS

If we will read the whole Gospel of John, we will notice that the phrase “ If you abide in my words, those who have my commandments” was repeatedly stressed.

Why, because Jesus is trying to make a point that for us to truly express our love to God and to others is for us to be rooted in His Words.

Here are some points that we need to ponder:

1. ABIDE BECAUSE WE LOVE

“We abide in His Words, not for the blessings but because we love.”

The blessings will follow because that is the consequence of loving Him.

In verse 13 “Whatever you ask in My Name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Love is the fuel that drives us to obey His commandments.

We do it willingly, we obey it freely, and we submit to it fully.

Because doing something that you don’t love is a struggle, but doing it with love, we do it with joy.

I believe that God doesn’t bless us to love Him but because we love Him and He loves us, then we are being blessed.

It is challenging to live daily showing our love for God because it will always be tested.

The more we desire to follow Him, the more resistance we will experience. It attracts a lot of forces to stop us from doing what we desire to do.

But the good thing is that Jesus asked God to send us the Helper to be with us forever (Jn 14: 16). The Holy Spirit, the Helper whom God has given us will bring to our remembrance all the teachings that we learned.

He will download to us the Words that will be the source of our strength, the source of courage and hope in the time that we need.

There is a greater promise that if we abide in His Words, we abide in His love he said in Jn 14: 23 “ If anyone loves Me, he will keep my words and My Father will love him and we will come to him and make our abode in him.”

If God abides in us, we will bear many fruits (Jn 15:5) for apart from God, we can do nothing.

Like a branch that clings to the vine, anyone who will not abide in Him shall be thrown out and dries up and shall be cast into the fire to be burned.

Abiding in His Words, keeping them, and obeying them gives us the joy, His joy so that our joy shall be full. (Jn 15:11)

2. ABIDE BECAUSE WE TRUST

The disciples may not understand during that discourse but what Jesus required them is their trust.

He said in Jn 14:1 “Believe in God, believe also in me.”

In verse 10 He asked them “Do you not believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The Words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His Works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”

We can truly say that we abide in His words when we trust and believe in His Words even, though we cannot understand them fully.

When He said forgive those who sin against you, give your forgiveness even if it does not yet fully sink in. Because later you will understand why. You will have that peace you missed when you live your life in unforgiveness.

Do it afraid, you follow even if you have that fear to step out from your circumstances.

Like what Jesus said, if you want to follow me, deny yourself and carry your cross. We may not yet understand the cost of following Him, but we do it because we trust in His Words that no one who followed Him shall be forsaken.

Abiding in His Words allows us to trust and because we trust, it gives us peace, peace beyond what the world could give.

Verse 27 said “Peace I leave with you; The peace I give to you, not as the world gives to do, I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

We shall abide in His Words because we have that confidence in Him that He shall supply all our needs.

We have the assurance that our prayers shall be answered as He said in Jn 15:7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.”

3. ABIDE BECAUSE WE EXPERIENCE HIS LOVE

The greatest motivation we can have to abide in His Words is because we experience that unselfish love of God.

Yes, we can say we abide because we love, but we cannot fully rely on ourselves to love due to our limitations and weaknesses.

We can easily forget but God’s love endures forever and that great love we experience from Him will continue to keep our desires burning to abide in His teachings and to His promises.

The transformation of St Peter, St Paul, and Mary of Magdala was fully developed not because they are the ones to love Jesus at the start.

It was the experience of Jesus’ love for them that made them a better people.

It was that uncondemning love that brought them to the best version of themselves.

They became a man and woman who abides in God’s Words because of that experience of God.

Like most of us, even when other people say bad things about us, our friends who don’t believe that we truly change; we continue to follow God’s teachings the best we can be because of our experience with God.

“What will make us amaze is His wonderful grace; He loved us even when we were still in our darkest place”

THE BLESSINGS OF ABIDING BY HIS TEACHING

Abiding in His words is not easy as we speak. The more we go for it, the more the pull we have.

Because the enemy will not just sit and allow us to do it without any sweat. We will be tested, we might be disappointed, but God knows our limitations and weaknesses that He already sent us the Holy Spirit to teach us and bring to our remembrance the Words and promises God had given us.

At the end of these challenges, if we overcome them, we can know that we are truly his disciples if we continue in His Words.

“If you continue in words, then you are truly disciples of Mine; you will know the truth and the truth shall make you free”-Jn 8:31-32

His Words are liberating that by keeping and obeying them, living on them, we can truly know who we are and the amazing gifts it brings to our lives.

We cannot be chained anymore by our fear and unbelief.

We cannot be deceived anymore by the many lies that the world is offering us.

There will be a great transformation in the lives of all of us if we will abide in His Words that bring truth, joy, and blessing beyond compare.

God is always true to His Words and promise.

May your happiness be full,

Mikesendon

DRAWN OUT FOR A REASON

Leave a reply

DRAWN OUT FOR A REASON
Exodus 2:1-10

Do we not wonder why sometimes in our life, we pass through a series of stages wherein, we felt uncomfortable because we are taken out of our comfort zone?

There were times we resisted change because we don’t want to adapt to the new situations, a new set of rules, and from where we are already comfortable.

Are we not amazed as well that in our lifetime, we experienced a series of stages in life that brings us to a better, bigger and brighter side of our life?

Life is a journey, it is a series of stages from one to another. It is a process, a transition from one event to another, from one experience to another.

Life stages are constant.

It’s a series of drawn-out. A process that God is shifting us every time whether we like it or not.

THE MOSES STORY

In our text today, we read that Moses was drawn out from the river when he was a baby. Little did he know that God is drawing him out to be transformed to do bigger things for a mission prepared for him by God.

The life of Moses was a series of stages into a life already predestined, already orchestrated, and well planned by God for him.

Little did Moses know that his life was phases of God drawing him out from the womb of her mother to the Hebrew house, from the house to the river, from the river to the Pharaohs’ palace, from the palace to the wilderness, from the wilderness back to his people to drew God’s people to become a mighty nation.

OUR LIFE IS A DRAWN-OUT EXPERIENCE

God in our life is drawing us out every day from our fear, from our hidings, from our comfort zones.

God is calling us out from our sins, from the raven we have known.

Even the life of Joseph was a series of drawn-out experiences.

He was drawn out from his house to be thrown inside the pit, he was drawn out of the pit to be a slave in Potiphar’s house, from the Potiphar’s house he was drawn out to be thrown inside the prison but one day, he was drawn out from the prison to be seated inside the palace. In life, sometimes when we are being taken out from our misery, from our sufferings, from our hardships; we expect that the next stage of our life is good, something that we could forget our pain and agony.

What if the result is opposite to what we expected?

Like Joseph, when he was drawn out from the pit, he expected that he will be freed but he was sold to be a slave.

He serves well in the Potiphar’s house but in return, he was wrongly accused and thrown inside the prison.

But God drawing us out to something better. He draws us out to be placed in a stage where He could prepare us for a bigger mission, to handle bigger responsibility.

Moses was drawn out to be trained, to be equipped, to work out his character to become a good leader, be familiar with and survive with the terrain of the desert.

Moses was drawn out into the wilderness to draw out his people from the bondage of the Egyptians.

1. DRAWN OUT FOR A BIGGER MISSION

Do you know that God is preparing us for something big?

If we will just reflect on our life, God incubates us to become big.

The people of Israel were only seventy when they went to Egypt, but God incubates them for hundreds of years to become a big and mighty nation of God.

Anything alive grows. It started from a small form, but the time will come, it will be bigger when you draw them out.

Just imagine how tiny creatures were when we were in our mother’s womb, when it was time to get out, we were drawn out larger than it was.

We all are undergone an incubation period.

All our experiences are a series of stages preparing us to become more experienced and successful.

We become more skillful and proficient not only by acquiring knowledge but by having the necessary experience.

Experience is a good teacher.

We have a mission and our mission is bigger than we thought. David was drawn from being a shepherd to doing a bigger mission. To be the next king.

God has drawn you from your place to be here in UAE because you have a mission for your family.

God has drawn you out from your ministry to be a leader because the mission set before you is bigger than what you thought.

Don’t think about your condition, your situation because God is about to shift you to your destiny.

NEVER BE AFRAID TO BE DRAWN OUT.

2. DRAWN OUT TO FLY HIGH

Just imagine a caterpillar inside a cocoon. When the time has come, it must come out and be drawn out because it cannot stay inside for long. It will find its way to break the small space so that it could come out and be free.

The butterfly cannot be able to have its wings fly unless it was drawn out from its cocoon.

Our life may be like inside the trap of a dark cocoon. We cannot see any rays of hope but while we are in a situation that is difficult to bear, just think that God will draw us out.

Never be tired of believing that someday, you will be flying high.

Always sing your belief “I believe I can fly..”

Our life is not always in the cocoon stage because that is just temporary.

There will always be time for everything to work in season.

Since everything is temporary, be prepared to be drawn out.

Losing a job is temporary.

Being sick is just temporary.

Our comfort zone is not our destiny because God’s promise is not in our shelter. Be prepared to be shifted.

3. DRAWN OUT TO HAVE A NAME

In our text, the child was born but without a name.

He was unknown and nobody knew him.

He had no influence, he had no name.

He was just a baby born to an ordinary Hebrew family.

The baby was named Moses which means draw out from the water.

Isn’t it that God has drawn us out to give us a name?

To restore our dignity and to reclaim the sonship we have in God. We are not known, we don’t have influence, but God is drawing us out to give us the importance and to redeem our worth.

For He rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves-Colossians 1:13

God has taken us out from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of light.

God has drawn us out to give us names that represent who we are and the mission that we should accomplish.

You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which is translated Peter). —John 1:42

Remember how God drew out Saul from his old belief to become a new disciple of God defending the faith. He was given a new name, from Saul to Paul.

Our life is drawn out for a reason, to be a better person whom God prepare for a bigger mission.

May your happiness be full,

Mikesendon

Catching Nothing May Just Be Another Learning

Leave a reply

CATCHING NOTHING MAY JUST BE ANOTHER LEARNING
John 21:1-19

HE SAID, “THROW YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BOAT AND YOU WILL FIND SOME”. WHEN THEY DID, THEY WERE UNABLE TO HAUL THE NET IN BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF FISH.- JOHN 21:6

It is not surprising that most of us easily backed out when we don’t figure out what is really happening.

And even if we have that understanding of what is going on, we are still puzzled and our limited minds cannot grasp the reality of the situation because at the back of our minds we have still a lot of questions.

Like the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Peter and the rest of the disciples have learned valuable lessons about Jesus’ resurrection.

That life does not end even when you see it falling. Even when you witness it that the door is closed.

When we are not given any more options, we need to listen to His Words that give direction because God knows the best solution.

Let us again dive deep into the story of the rest of the disciples and understand that “Caught Nothing does not mean the End of the Game”

PUZZLED AND TROUBLED

The disciples have not yet overcome and fully grasp what had happened with the Lord even when He already appeared to them the first time.

They spent almost three years being with the Lord and Jesus after His resurrection had nowhere to be found and no idea when He will appear again, what to do next, and what was the plan.

Their life for the past years revolves around Jesus’ ministry of healing the sick, casting out demons, hearing preaching, and witnessing miracles day by day.

But for now, the ministry is under watch, no more preaching, no more teachings, miracles cease, those who followed Jesus were hiding and some returned back to their normal life wondering what happened.

They may think that their faith in Jesus made a mess in their lives because they were identified with Jesus and now they were on the watch list.

Their movement became limited.

Still puzzled about what to do, they may be asking themselves “What shall we do now?”

Even in our lives, under painful events and tragic experiences; we have the same question “What shall we do now?

I have so many loans in the bank and I cannot make things better, what shall I do now.
I am the talk of the town and my friends left me, what shall I do now?
I am now fifty, and not yet ready to retire.

“WHAT SHALL WE DO NOW?”

With this in mind, we console ourselves and return back to our comfort zone.

To where we fit and are accepted. To where we are best. To a life of mediocrity.

This may be the same question of Peter and the other disciples.

Peter demonstrate this scenario like all of us, so he returned where he came from.

Fishing.

For some people, fishing is a hobby and to be one with nature. It’s good for deep thinkers.

But for Peter, he returned to what he loved and was familiar with, fishing!

Catching fish was his expertise. He knows the sea, and the timing and this made him successful.

“You don’t know what to do now? I’m going fishing.”

There was no doubt that even his fellow disciples when he asked them to go fishing, all followed him.

When our expectation fails us, isn’t that many of us settle for less?

Because we don’t want to be hurt and to fail anymore

WHAT VALUABLE LESSONS LEARNED FROM DISCIPLE’S EXPERIENCE

1. WE CAN NOT GO BACK WHEN GOD SHUTS THE DOOR

This is what we need to know, sometimes God closes more doors than he opens.

He shuts more access so that we could get to the right door that leads us where to go. To our destiny where He wanted us to be.

Like Peter and the disciples, we grab our old boats, we use the old nets, we hang with old friends, and we do the old things.

We return back where we fit, where we used to be.

But when we return back to where we fit, we cannot fit there anymore.

Caterpillar cannot go back to where he came.

Chicken cannot go back to its shells again.

Because when we left everything to serve God, there should be no turning back.

The skills we had acquired before should not be used to do what we usually did because God will be using that skills in a different form.

From fishing fish, they become fishers of men.

We should not be disappointed by many companies that close their door for us because there is one prepared for you with your acquired skills to be used to a better position.

“Kapag pinto ay kanyang sinarhan hindi dahil sa wala ka nang babalikan kundi para buksan ang pinto na mas mainam kesa sa iyong pinanggalingan”

2. ADMIT THAT NOTHING IS WORKING

The problem with most of us is that we rely on our ability to do, to accomplish something. We brag on our expertise.

Like Peter might say to them, “You don’t know what to do? Ok, come with me because I am good at this. I know this going to work”

But what you will do if the things you know really work don’t work?

God shuts doors in our face we can’t go back to where we came from.

Being a Christian, there is no turning back because the mold that we usually fit will not fit us anymore.

“I know this man, this is where I was good at.”

So they cast the net but take time, some more time, and more time.

But seems the fishes were sleeping or on holiday somewhere because none of them is touching the net.

Peter at this time might be feeling red already and in excuse might say “By this time there should be fish already”.

So they waited for some more time but there were no fish.

Peter at this time might be feeling red already and in excuse might say “By this time there should be fish already”.

How many of us expecting something and until now waiting for it to come?

“By this time, I should be with my family already in the Philippines but I’m not yet ready to retire”.

Then you pull the net up, “Surely by now I should have already a husband…”

Pulling it up once again, “Surely bow now I should have already children”

Surely by now, I should have already gone home for good.

But the Bible says they had CAUGHT NOTHING.

We need to admit that nothing is working.

Peter doesn’t know that on that night, God shut the door for him.

No matter how good and intelligent we are, how gorgeous and beautiful you are when He shuts the door, we can do anything.

God puts us in a position to realize that without Him we can’t do anything.

God will humble us.

We need to admit that nothing is working.

Our skills are of no use until we humble ourselves.

“Kung ginawa na natin ang lahat at hindi umuubra, huwag isipin na mahina ka. Minsan kailangang huminto at sa Diyos tumingala para humingi ng kanyang gabay at awa.”

3. CAST YOUR NET TO THE RIGHT SPOT

We must be aware of any abnormal failures.

We should always suspect unusual failures because it means that there is something spiritual going on.

Uncommon letdowns mean God is talking to you somewhere.

You can call for help from anybody but when He slams the door, no one can help you.

And when they admit that they can do anything, Jesus said to them “cast your net on the right side.”

Take note that it’s the same boat, the same net, it’s on the same lake, only a change of sides.

The blessing comes not because of the new net or a more sturdy boat or a new lake but the difference lies in the obedience to a Word of Direction.

It is not enough that you have your skills, that you have the right equipment that you have the right support unless you hit the right spot, we will not make it.

Because when God speaks in our life, He gives us Words of direction.

“Ang biyaya ay hindi sa pagandahan ng bangka o pagalingan ng pangingisda; ang pagpapala ay matatamasa kung inihahagis ang lambat na may pagtitiwala”

May we discern & learn from everything that is happening,

Mikesendon