Category Archives: Reflection

ENCOUNTER THE LORD OF HOPE

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ENCOUNTER THE LORD OF HOPE

Luke 24:13-35

It was after three days when the two disciples were traveling back to Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. On their way, they were debating and discussing what had happened in Jerusalem for the last few days about Jesus who was mighty indeed and words but crucified and then buried.

They were so downcast and depressed because their hope was lost. A hope that someone would deliver them from the Roman oppression.

Their faith was with Jesus Christ, their would-be a Messiah, who was mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and the people.

EMMAUS EXPERIENCE

 Here was a story that all of us can relate to as we too experience what the two disciples experienced.

We may have undergone or going through an “Emmaus experience”.

Like the two servants, they had put all their hopes in Jesus believing that with Him, all their dreams for freedom shall be fulfilled at last by the Messiah they long waiting for.

We may have once put all our hopes in other people. With great optimism that this person will be our defender, our champion, our hero. but in the end, they left us wounded, abandoned, abused, and broken.

We may have put our energy to work out our relationships but it never works…

We might exert all our dedication and hard work aiming for that promotion and position, but our boss never appreciated what we’ve done.

We may have reached our rock bottom and hit us badly, let us downcast, frustrated, hopeless, and undermine.

Emmaus the road of Retreat

 Emmaus is the road to our defeat and surrender.

It is where we pity and tell ourselves that we are losers.

It is when we want to return to our old life.

Emmaus is when we walk back to where we came from. It is the road to isolation; we separate ourselves from the rest.

This is the road where we slowly waver in our faith.

Emmaus is a journey

 All of us are not exempted from this part of the journey.

All of us have walked on the same road.

Like the experience of Cleopas and the others, we have journeyed the same path.

Because on the same road, it is where God finds us. It is where He meets us.

We may not look for God while we are on the road to Emmaus, but it is God who finds us on this road to retreat.

Why? Because God is following us in our Emmaus journey not to condemn us but to encourage us.

Not to blame us but rather to uplift us. Not to let us fall astray but to guide us.

We may find it difficult to see the light on the road to Emmaus, but God will surely open our eyes to see rays of light and shade of hope.

Emmaus is a walk to remember

Emmaus’s experience is not only about retreat but an encounter with God.

It is when at this moment we have the opportunity to experience Him who seeks us.

It’s an occasion to remember because at the moment that we were down, neglected, and abandoned, there was a God who never forsakes us.

There is always a God who permanently walks with us.

We are not alone.  We are not forgotten.

Emmaus is not our destination

We should remember that Emmaus is not our permanent destination.

God doesn’t intend us to be stranded in our Emmaus.

You might be enjoying your stay in your Emmaus right now but God will find a way to win you back.

Our destiny does not depend on people nor governed by events and circumstances. Our Destiny is with God

That is why Jesus commands the two disciples to go back to Jerusalem.

We are encouraged to go back to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is where God had called us.  It is where Jesus saves us.

Our Jerusalem is where Jesus is. It is where we belong with the people whom God called.

Recognizing God in our Emmaus journey

 By His Presence

Verse 32 says” not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us in the road while He was explaining the Scriptures”

We recognize God by His presence. It is a presence that comforts us.

In His company, we find that we are important, and He regards our value worthy as we perceived ourselves.

It is a presence that never condemns and rejects but rather welcomes and encourages.

By His Words

 In verse 27,” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the scriptures.

We recognize God through His Words by revealing Himself to us.

He has the words that encourage us and gives us hope.

Jesus is the Word that gives us life.

By the breaking of the Bread

In verses 30-31, God opened their eyes after the breaking of the bread, and they recognized the presence of Jesus.

Whenever we are in our Emmaus, encounter God in the Holy Eucharist where we will experience His holy presence, speaks to us through the reading of the scriptures, and receive His real presence.

You might be walking back to your Emmaus but it is in the same Emmaus where God will meet you.

Listen to His Words speaking to you right now, feel the burning heat of His presence and meet Him in the Eucharist and allow God to open your eyes and hearts.

May you find God in your Emmaus,

Mikesendon

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Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

-Matthew 4:4

THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED

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THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED

The stone has been rolled, now we know that we are not fooled.

Because the fullness of our faith is when Christ is resurrected from the dead.

When Christ rises again, we know that our faith is not in vain.
He is alive and in Him, we are alive as well.

It gives us hope that no one can constrain us from our situation.

The stone has been rolled for us to give us the assurance that there is life after death.

Giving us the courage to triumph over every adversary.

The stone has been rolled for us to be free. Free from our sin and freedom from anyone who makes us slaves.

No more chain can bound us, no more stone can hold us because indeed we are free.

Have a blessed Easter Sunday

Mikesendon

NEVER WEEP ON AN EMPTY TOMB

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NEVER WEPT ON AN EMPTY TOMB
John 20: 11-18:

Is it not that most of us wept in the past because of losing someone so dear to us?

Is it that some of us after separation have experience loneliness; brokenness and felt so vulnerable that we wept until we find it normal after a while.

Are we weeping because of a tragic incident in the past that till now, we can get over?

The topic is so provocative; do not weep on an empty tomb.

THE MISSING BODY

Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark and saw that the stone was already been rolled.

So she ran out to Simon Peter and the other disciples and said to them that the stone had been rolled and taken away the Lord out of the tomb.

So Peter and the other disciples went forth and they were going to the tomb but what they found was a tomb with empty wrapping linen lying.

The disciples returned back to their homes except for Mary who remain standing outside the tomb weeping.

WEEPING AND CRYING

Verse 11 says that Mary was still outside the tomb weeping, and as she wept, she stooped and looked at the tomb.

Mary was so emotionally affected by what happened as only a few days back, she witnessed how her Lord was brutally punished and sentenced to death.

Mary of Magdala cried when the Lord died and when they buried Him. But the weight of her agony was increased when she realized that the Lord’s body was missing.

Like Mary, maybe we asked ourselves when all of this torment will end?

When will all this emotional distress likely stop?

Why is it that after all of the beatings, the lashes and the nailing of Him on the cross, have they not finished yet? Now they took Him away from the tomb.

Some of us can relate to Mary’s experience.

There are many times that we cry and weep over things we cannot understand.

We ask ourselves why and we just weep on the things we cannot control.

LOOKING AT AN EMPTY TOMB

Mary cannot get it over.

She wept and stooped looking where the tomb was.

In our life, we cry over spilt milk and we are sorry about it.

We regret a job that was lost or disappointed in a failed interview because we thought that was already our dream job. We talk about it and we cannot go over it.

You feel sorry for a husband or a wife whom you have been for decades but suddenly disappear because you found someone new. You wept and stooped looking at an empty wall, staring at your photographs, reminiscing your memory and asking what have been wrong.

You feel sad that you let your chances pass by without taking any action. You look at an unending horizon asking what you will do next.

But never wept and look at that empty tomb because the very thing that we are looking at is not our end.

An empty tomb is not a scene of emptiness but a fulfilment of God’s promises.

God promises us not an empty tomb but a life of fullness and rewarding promises.

When Moses and the Israelites were at the brink of their end, God said to Moses “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land.”

We cannot wait to just stare and wait for the enemy to attack us.

We cannot just wait for the circumstances to consume and have control over us rather we have to move forward.

Lift up our eyes on God rather than look down on the tomb.

Raise up our eyes on Jesus that was risen rather than stooping on the tomb where he was laid.

We have to take up our staff like Moses and command the sea of depression, loneliness, and hopelessness to be divided so that we could be able to walk past through dry land of peace, hope and victory.

THE STONE HAS BEEN ROLLED

The stone has been rolled, now we know that we are not fooled.

Because the fullness of our faith is when Christ is resurrected from the dead.

When Christ rises again, we know that our faith is not in vain.
He is alive and in Him, we are alive as well.

It gives us hope that no one can constrain us from our situation.

The stone has been rolled for us to give us the assurance that there is life after death.

Giving us the courage to triumph over every adversary.

The stone has been rolled for us to be free. Free from our sin and freedom from anyone who makes us slaves.

No more chain can bound us, no more stone can hold us because indeed we are free.

DON’T WEEP ON AN EMPTY TOMB

Verse 15 says “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom you are seeking?”

We cry and wept at times that we cannot understand what is happening?

At the time, they did not yet realize and understand what the Scriptures say about Him that He must rise again from the dead.

Many times we also cry and feel depressed because we fail to understand the promises that God have for us.

Don’t be so focused on the empty tomb that we neglect to see the risen Lord.

Don’t be so entertained by the feeling of emptiness but rather focus on the fullness of God’s promises.

God’s words are what we can rely on. It is true and it will come to pass.

Isaiah 12:10-11 says “For just as the rains and snow come down from heaven, and do not return without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing the seed to the sower and the bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from my mouth, it will not return to me empty without accomplishing my desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

SEEK FOR JESUS WHO WAS RISEN

Verse 15 Jesus says ‘Whom you are seeking?”

Whom do you seek right now?

Are you looking for someone that will not come back anymore or something that could never be restored?

Are we looking for evidence or a sign?

If we are looking for evidence, the fact will force us to believe.

After all the evidence and facts are presented, there will be no more room to doubt but believe.

But Jesus who was not in the tomb is a sign for many for us to believe but we have the choice.

Seek for Jesus…seek for His promise because He is alive.

WHEN GOD CALLED YOUR NAME

Verse 16 says Jesus said to her “ Mary!” she turned and said to Him in Hebrew “Rabboni!” which means, Teacher)

When God called us, He will always call us by our name.

When God called us by our name, imagine what will happen.

When Jesus called the name of Lazarus, Lazarus came back to life. His blood might already be coagulated, his heart already stopped pumping, his body was totally frozen but calling his name, his heart stop beating and his frozen body started to move again.

No matter what you are into. You might be in deep trouble right now.

You might be totally broken but when God called your name, you can’t imagine what would happen.

May your happiness be full as He has risen.

Mikesendon

COVERT YOUR GUILT

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CONVERT YOUR GUILT
Luke 7:37-50

Convert Your Guilt

One of the many struggles that most of us experience is carrying the weight of our guilt.

Because no one is exempted, each one of us in one way or another had committed mistakes, bad choices, wrong decisions, and loss of self-control.

But the guilt in a positive way indicates that there is a voice inside of us screaming that we have not lived the best life we should live.

It’s a powerful voice reminding us that we missed meeting the standards that we ought to live and if we are aware of it, we open ourselves to a better version of ourselves.

We can only lift the weight of our guilt when we begin to own it.

We can only pass through the struggles of our guilt when we admit it.

We cannot impose our own prison and punishment for our mistakes.

We need help and let this article enlighten us as we learn from the experience of the woman in the story.

THE CRYING WOMAN

There was a woman in the city who was a sinner, a gate crasher in a Pharisee’s house who learned that Jesus was reclining at the table, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume.

And standing behind Him at His feet, weeping she began to wet His feet with her tears and keep wiping them with the hair of her head, kissing His feet and anointing them with perfume.

The Pharisee who invited Jesus felt annoyed and maybe uncomfortable and said something to himself raising the question if really this Jesus a prophet who allowed Himself to be touched by a sinner.

The woman’s action was beyond what the Pharisees can understand but for the sinner, it was her way of expressing her gratitude to the man who saved her life.

A BETTER VERSION OF OUR SELF

That is the reason, we cannot judge a person, a narrative story, or a situation unless we know the truth.

Guilt had moved this woman to do good gestures to Jesus others seem to think that she was crazy.

She transformed her guilt into a gesture of gratitude.

The woman might say to herself “I may have done what they say I did, but I am not what they say I am.”

Because there are times that we do something that does not reflect who we are.

Yes, I am ashamed because I should not be supposed to do what I ought not to do.

I am ashamed that I deviate from what is expected of me to act responsibly, act morally, and be accountable.

I admit I have missed the mark, but I must try again to do it better the next time around.

Our guilt should not pin us down to what others say, but a turning point to prove that there is a better version of me that I must unleash.

WHAT OTHERS MIGHT SAY ABOUT YOU

One of the consequences of our actions is what other people might say about us.

It is hard to defend ourselves when there is truth in what they say about ourselves.

“Mahirap ipagtanggol ang ating sarili kung may katotohanan sa kanilang sinasabi’

Sometimes it’s not what other tells about you but what yourself is telling yourself.

“Bakit ko nagawa ito? Hindi ko ginusto na mangyari ito!”

It’s harder when the screaming on the inside is louder than the murmuring from the outside.

It’s more difficult to defend ourselves when our inner conviction is stronger than what others are telling about us.

TOXIC FROM GUILT

This is more stressful, and it takes away the peace that we should have.

Guilt gives us more burden and we want to ease this burden.

What we usually do to alleviate this experience of guilt is change the plot of the story so that it becomes more acceptable.

We revise the narrative of our story by focusing on how they were made to commit that sins.

We try to focus the story not on ourselves but on others making us less guilty about what we did.

We ask and solicit sympathy from friends and kin to us who will tell you “No problem, it’s not your fault”

But unresolved guilt is toxic to our soul because we let it sink into us.

We live in a lie and untruthfulness and God will not favor any act out of truth.

A sin covered by another sin. We become a prisoner of sin and it holds us back to be free.

We cannot be delivered because we cannot admit the truth.

We can remove the toxic guilt when we admit we did it.

Living in a lie is not anesthesia to numb the pain of burden caused by guilt.

Because among all, it is you who knows the truth.

YOU CAN NOT HEAL IT WHEN YOU WON’T OWN IT

We cannot live ourselves in denial.

We can only alleviate the weight of guilt when we start to own it.

The only person who can fix it is yours.

God cannot help us unless we surrender and admit to ourselves that we are responsible and accountable.

We need to humble ourselves to be able to say “I am sorry!”

We need to be humble to ask forgiveness that we committed the sin.

We can only own it when we humble ourselves admitting that we became weak.

GUILT SHOULD CHANGE OUR CHARACTER

Guilt should change our behavior into a positive character is a powerful thing.

Otherwise, it will be the opposite. It will make us angry and depressed like Cain.

It is good to be guilty and be humble and pull down your pride and say I am sorry.

It is good to be guilty and look for those people whom you’ve sinned and look them in the eyes with sincerity asking for an apology.

The woman converted her guilt into a change of new character, into a new person others don’t expect.

She humbles herself and owns the weight of her guilt by living a renewed person away from where she used to be.

The prodigal son had experienced the same guilt and converted it so that he could become a new son again to a loving Father.

You can surrender and said to your partner or friend that you are tired of this situation fighting over and over again.

GUILT SHOULD BRING REPENTANCE

We cannot have a revival without repentance.

We don’t need a church of guilty people who never repentant of their sins.

We don’t need a church of people attending mass every Sunday, singing, and dancing, listening to the Word of God convicted but never repented.

Guilt shall bring us to repentance.

When the people of Nineveh heard the voice of God through the prophet Jonah, they felt the guilt and repented of their sins.

As long as the people will stick to their own version of their story and will say to themselves it is not me whom the priest or the preacher is referring to, no matter whose prophet will come there will be no healing and revival to happen.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
-2 Chronicles 7:14

GUILT SHALL OPEN A WAY FOR FORGIVENESS

The woman is crying at the feet of Jesus because of her mixed feeling of guilt and gratitude.

Remember this woman who was caught in the act of adultery and was about to die in the hands of the crowds who were ready to stone her to death?

But Jesus forgives her for that moment.

Again, in this encounter at the Pharisee’s house, Jesus reassured her that her sins were forgiven.

Only if we stop making excuses and justifying what we have done, God can fix everything and remove the weights of guilt in us.

God can forgive our sins. Jesus had shed the blood for the forgiveness of our sin.

I can remove the stains of any guilt and sins if you humble yourselves.

CONVERT YOUR GUILT TO GRATITUDE

Instead of living in guilt, convert your guilt to gratitude.

Live our life away from guilt and live in gratitude.

Yes, I am not worthy to be free, but I am grateful Jesus died to set me free.

I am destined to hell because of my past but thanks to the grace of God.

I do not deserve anything of these because of what I have done but by grace, He continues to bless me.

I am grateful I live in the grace of God.

Every door that He opens is a grace of God.

To God be the glory.

Everything I have is a grace and this is a grateful attitude of the woman in front of Jesus washing His feet.

Guilt that can change is a good thing, but how about those that we cannot fix it anymore?

How about those things that cannot be undone anymore?

How about the child that I killed from my womb?

How about the sins that cannot be repaired anymore which I am part of?

God’s grace is sufficient for our needs.

We don’t need to live in guilt, we need to walk in the state of grace and let that new life we found in Jesus be seen in us.

Let the same grace we received be shared with others.

Remember the parable of two debtors, the more who owe and forgive have loved the lenders more.

Our guilt shall push us more to love our God more as He deserves more.

May your grace be full,

Mikesendon

THE POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS

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THE POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS
Mt 12:33-37

33. EITHER MAKE THE TREE GOOD AND ITS FRUIT GOOD, OR MAKE THE TREE BAD AND ITS FRUIT BAD, FOR THE TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS FRUIT.

34. YOU BROOD OF VIPERS, HOW CAN YOU, BEING EVIL, SPEAK WHAT IS GOOD? FOR THE MOUTH SPEAKS OUT OF WHICH FILLS THE HEART.

34. THE GOOD MAN BRINGS OUT OF HIS GOOD TREASURES WHAT IS GOOD AND THE EVIL MAN BRINGS OUT HIS EVIL TREASURES WHAT IS EVIL.

36. BUT I TELL YOU THAT EVERY CARELESS WORD THAT PEOPLE SPEAK THEY SHALL GIVE AN ACCOUNTING FOR IT IN THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.

37. “FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED.”

OVERVIEW

Last talk I shared about the POWER OF A POSITIVE MINDS which tells us that we were given a unique gift given by God to us; to help us become fruitful, productive, creative, innovative and successful in our life.

It’s a gift that if we will utilize it, unleashes the power to be what God destined and desires us to be.

Having positive thoughts helps us to have a positive attitude towards life.

But there is one more ingredient if we want to release more of its power if we have these POSITIVE WORDS.

Take time to read this another life-changing message that could transform our lives if we understand THE POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS.

TRANSFORM OUR WORLDS

Our world could be transformed by our words.

Our life could be shaped by every word that we speak as it says in Proverbs 18:21 that life and death are at the tip of your tongue.

Many of us desire to change our lives.

We may be aspiring to possess extraordinary power.

Who among us wanted to be healed?

Do we want to have an answered prayer?

Do we want to have a happy relationship, a happy marriage?

Do we want life at its fullness?

But sad to say that many received the opposites.

Why? Because of every word we say.

WORDS REVEAL OUR CHARACTER

The Bible says that our words manifest what is in our hearts.

It reveals our character, it speaks our thoughts.

The Word of God speaks the heart of God.

There’s a saying that a fish is being caught by its mouth.

THE POWER OF SPOKEN WORDS

Spoken words have REAL POWER and these are not just air passing through the throat and our larynx.

In all God’s creations, only man can communicate with spoken words.

The power to use words is again a unique gift endowed to us by our Creator.

Going back in time, we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word God so that what is seen was not made out of visible things. (Hebrew 11:3)

Life and death are at the tip of our tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and even Moses said to the Israelites, choose life.

The power of our words can actually destroy one’s spirit, and stir hatred and violence. It could trigger war. It could start chaos.

But the words as well on the contrary could spring hope, it could give life and could bring lasting peace.

The fact that we suffer and restrained our success is by every negative word that impacts our lives every day.

What are those words that we speak to ourselves and the words that we speak to others?

WORDS EVOLVE IN TIME

The quality of our words shapes our world.

Sometimes there are more useless words that we say than the words that bless us.

Today, there are a lot of new words that come out and evolve.

In my time a mouse is a real mouse and I can hear them running on the ceiling, but today it’s something I use every day and I can’t live without it.

Before an apple is a red fruit but today, it’s a piece gadget whose name is more popular than a real apple fruit.

There are many new words that we don’t understand. Sometimes I look stupid to others when I don’t understand what they are talking about like “petmalu”, “werpa”, “jologs”,”kikay”, “lol”, and “Lodi”.

What Power The Spoken Word Has:

THE POWER TO REBUKE

Mk 1:22 When a man with an evil spirit came, Jesus said, “Be quiet and come out of the man” and the evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of the man.

Do we want that kind of authority?

Like Jesus, He rebukes temptation by the power of His words.

We have the same authority given to us but instead of using it, we use it against ourselves.

Instead of rebuking, we use words to pamper our sufferings, our sickness our problems by saying “there’s no more solution to my problem”,” I have a terrible mess”, “I am a hopeless guy”

Remember David when he was about to fight Goliath, regardless of what others said about him, he was not discouraged. He said to himself and to his bashers “the God who helped me from a lion is the same God that will deliver me from this uncircumcised giant”

David said to Goliath, you come with me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of Host. The Lord will give you into my hands…

Speak to your Goliath. Never allow Goliath in your life to intimidate you.

Sometimes, instead of rebuking, we find someone to blame.

Instead of finding words to rebuke our problems, we look for words to comfort our problems.

Don’t let the problem talk to you. Talk to your problem and say “Begone”. Say “It is written, that nothing is impossible with God”. “My God is bigger than my problem”.

Do not accept your miserable conditions, rebuke them.

THE POWER TO BUILD

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what helps build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

In this passage, Paul is emphasizing the positive over the negative.

The Greek word translated “unwholesome” means “rotten” or “foul.” And it was originally referred to as rotten fruit and vegetables.

Being like Christ means we don’t use foul, dirty language.

For some reason, many people today think it is macho or liberating to use vulgar humor, dirty jokes, and foul language, but this kind of talk has no place in the life of a Christian.

Paul continues: “. . . but only what helps build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” This is reminiscent of his words to the Colossians: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6; see also Colossians 3:16).

We should speak words that build. Words that boast other morals.

Words that will inspire.

Our word is powerful that it can destroy rather than build.

We have to choose our words…that inspire others.

Remember Jesus with the Adulterous woman, with the Tax collector Zacchaeus and with Peter?

Jesus’ words bring transformation and not condemnation.

THE POWER TO HEAL

Our words not only heal physically but can be instrumental to heal emotionally and spiritually.

Proverbs 12:18 the tongue of the wise, on the other hand, can bring healing.

God’s Word cuts like a knife but this is to heal, but rash and harmful words never do this…they bring irreparable harm to the one that they are spoken to.

Proverbs 13:3 is so true “Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”

We must realize that “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger”

Our words have the power to heal.

POWER TO BRING LIFE

Proverbs 18 21: Death and life are in the power of your tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Whatever positive words we speak to ourselves bring life.

Proverbs 13:2 from the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good, but the desire of the treacherous is violence.

Remember when God commanded Prophet Ezekiel to speak words of prophecy to the dry bones, they were restored to life.

Our life no matter how dry it is could bring and restore life because there is power in spoken words.

You can speak healing to your sickness.

You can speak deliverance to your situations.

You can speak freedom to your bondage.

You can speak of prosperity in your scarcity and poverty.

Let the weak say I am STRONG. Let the poor say I am RICH.

When Bro Mike asked how are we? We answer with joy that we are blessed, happy and prosperous. I am healed, am rich, wise, with honor, with a peaceful heart, with abundance, I am free, with a good heart, and victorious.

Don’t worry about what other people say to you or what they say about you.

The power lies in what you talk to yourself.

When people curse you, but you talk goodness in yourself, their curse has nothing to do with you.

But even if everybody says well about you, but you speak badly about yourselves, their praise has also no effect on you.

What is important is what you talk to yourself…

Speak life if you want life to become alive in you.

I remember a story of friends who hike on a mountain and they were curious about the echo. So they started to shout in the mountain.

One man says I am good and the echo says” good…good…good..good

Then another man says you are ugly, the sound echoed and says “only you, only you, only you, you..you..ooo.

HOW TO HAVE THIS POWER

Change our vocabulary.

Speak quality words and not rotten words.

We have to change our old dictionary with a good vocabulary.

Instead of saying:

“I don’t have money” just say “I am financially challenged”

“I lost my job or I am terminated,” say “I am reassigned to a more challenging job”

“I have so many problems”, say “I have so many blessings in disguise”

“I am a failure”, say “I had lessons learned”

“I am broke” say “I am temporarily broke”

“I am loveless” say” I am in love”

If we want to change our life, change our talk.

Mikesendon

KNOWING WHO WE ARE IN GOD

Knowing who we areKNOWING WHO WE ARE IN GOD

John 1:19-28

Many of us feel troubled, anxious, hopeless, and live far from God because we don’t know who really we are.

If we really want to experience the magnificent and amazing grace of God, then we need to know ourselves and understand how God sees us.

We are made for God and for God alone.

We are His masterpiece and His wonderful creations.

The basic understanding of ourselves is based on understanding deeply on God.

John’s understanding of himself 

When John the Baptist was asked “Are you the Christ?” he said no.

He said that he was the voice of the one crying in the wilderness; make straight the way of the Lord.

Even though John has a lot of followers and believed in him, he understood the truth of who really he was and what his role was.

Knowing God as He is

What we know about God develops us into a person of God.

It makes us humble.  V27 says “The thongs of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie”

Our encounter with God should always remind us of who we are.

When Moses encounters God at the burning bush, he removed his sandals as he was stepping on the holy ground.

Wherever the presence of God, it becomes holy because of God’s holiness.

Knowing God makes us Humble

One time a man climb up a coconut tree and wanted to end his life.

His concerned neighbors immediately called their community leader to talk to this desperate man that maybe he will change his mind. The community leader with diplomacy encourages the man to come down and offer his help but to no avail.

The community leader called in for their town mayor to take over hoping that his influence would change the mind of this hopeless man ready to end his life but still without success.

They became desperate that their last recourse was to call for their Parish priest to give him final blessings before this man jumped off the tree.

The priest came near the tree and without any words, he gave his blessings by the sign of the cross.

With fear and trembling, the man immediately climbed down the coconut tree.

All the people clapped their hands in surprise.

The curious town mayor approached him and asked “ Why you don’t climb down the tree when we asked you to do so while when the priest came without any words you came down immediately?” the man just said “ When the priest came, I was afraid when he gave a sign that says if you don’t come down, we will cut the tree”

Zacheus’s encounter with Jesus was a humbling experience for him despite his sins, Jesus approached him and asks him to come down from the sycamore tree to dine in his house.

Our knowledge of God should always remind us that we have to be humble in front of Him.

We should climb down from our sycamore trees.

We should leave the pedestals that make us proud, that give us the feeling that we are above the others.

We have to come down if we wanted God to dwell in us.

For God’s throne is in heaven but He also dwells in the heart of those who have lowly and pure hearts.

Knowing God Makes us a better person 

Our encounter with God will make us better people.

Jesus did not condemn Zacheus but He showed his passionate love and mercy for this man.

Jesus’ love for sinners was so visible in the encounter of Mary Magdalene when all the people wanted to stone her to death.

God doesn’t condemn us as He sees the better side of us.

His mercy prevails over our weary and stray hearts.

He always gives us a lot of chances to prove to ourselves that we are worthy of His love and compassion.

No matter what other people think about you, remind yourselves that God thinks better for you.

His love changes us to restore our dignity that was tarnished by our sins.

He doesn’t give up molding us to be the person he wants us to be as long as we allow Him to do His works in us.

Knowing God drives out our fear 

Knowing that God is with us, who can be against us?

It boosts our confidence that we have someone to rely upon. No matter if the world turned us down, God’s help is always at hand.

When fear is far greater than our belief, we begin to lose sight of what is really big.

Remember the story of David?

All the soldiers were afraid of fighting the giant Goliath.

What they can see was the bigness of this giant warrior. The courageous and brave soldiers were daily intimidated by his invitation for a fight every morning.

But David, small as he was compared to Goliath did not lose his courage.

The secret.

He remembers the times that God was with him when he fought the wild animals while tending his sheep.

He sees the bigness of his God rather than the bigness of Goliath.

In our daily lives, we may be intimidated daily by the so many difficulties that come our way and test our faith.

Focusing our eyes on small problems daily magnifies them into bigger sizes until we don’t see clearly the blessings behind them.

It becomes a Goliath that threatens us.

Knowing that God is always with us will give us the wisdom to use small things in our favor.

Fear blinded us to see that we are equipped to fight our daily struggles.

Knowing God makes us more generous 

God’s generosity should make us more generous as well.

We have to understand that what we received is more than enough to bless others as well.

When Zacheus experience the generosity of Jesus, Zacheus suggested that he will return back whatever he had taken from those he believed he cheated with.

     “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your  righteousness”-2 Cor:10

We received more so that we could bless more and share these blessings with those who need them.

We should become the channel of that blessings rather than the bucket because a channel will never run out of supply.

God has given us more gifts not because we are serving Him but rather to equip us in our service.

We cannot beat God in His generosity.

We received it so that we don’t have an alibi or any excuses that we cannot give.

God’s generosity should be manifested by our generosity and let others experience this through our unselfish giving and sharing of what we received.

Remember that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and he who sows joyfully will also reap bountifully.

To know and understand deeply who we are is to go back to our creator.

We are special. We are gifted. We are blessed because that is His will for us.

May your happiness be full,

mikesendon-qoute

Mikesendon

THE POWER OF A POSITIVE MIND

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THE POWER OF A POSITIVE MIND

Matthew 6:25-37

Mind

Is it not that our life could be more peaceful, successful, and purposeful if our mind is not full of clutter, rubbish, and negative thoughts?

Because the one thing that should be important in our life, the unique gift we received that should be helping us to be different, to be unique, be fruitful, to be good, to be great, and be successful is sometimes the same thing that is KILLING US.

This is a powerful life-changing message that will enlighten us on how powerful and gifted we are among other God’s creatures.

Today I want to share with you that all of us possess and are endowed with such a powerful gift that no other creature has, IT’S THE POWER TO THINK.

The subject is so powerful that can change our life if we will only understand the power of having A POSITIVE MIND.

UNIQUE POWER

God has given all its creatures distinctive characteristics, features that make them distinct from the other creatures.

The Creator has given them certain qualities they need to multiply, live, and survive.

Have we not been amazed at how fast the Cheetah runs? The fastest animal that can run at a speed of 110-120 kph has this nature to help them hunt their prey and escape their predators as well.

When you see massive elephants, they are so huge that you cannot put them in your refrigerator. Gifted with intelligence and strength makes them different as well.

When you look at a lion, they are more mighty than most animals and these animals have no match for the lion. Maybe that’s why they are tagged to be king of the jungle.

When you look at the sky, do you think you see Superman or an airplane flying high?

Nup! It’s an eagle who has a strong wing with an average wingspan of 1.8 to 2.3m and they love to fly above the storm.

This unique power and qualities are innate for them to survive so that when the LION roars, the cheetah could run in the wild.

Lion has no match for cheetah’s speed because it has powerful legs.

So the Lion looks for another prospect and he sees ELEPHANT. But the older elephant is so huge and heavier than your car, the lion just stares at him and asks himself, how I could eat it all?

While looking at the sky, the lion sees the magnificent bird in the sky with its majestic wings spread throughout, but the lion has no match for it because the eagle can fly high taking advantage of the storm.

Now we ask ourselves if God has given the eagles with majestic wings, who can threaten them? And a lion is so strong that when it roars the animals flee out of his sight.

If God has given the elephant with weight, an eagle with wings that can soar, a lion with sharp teeth and a mighty roar; and a cheetah that has a speed with no other; then what do I have to compare with them?

What distinct quality do I have to overpower them?

Ahh! God has given me a MIND.

I have the POWER WITH MY MIND.

WE HAVE MORE POWER THAN WE THOUGHT

How we could match their powers?

With this mind power, we can’t run as fast as a cheetah, but we have the edge to outrun the cheetah by inventing the car that moves faster than a cheetah.

You can say to Cheetah, “I am not scared of you because I can ride a jeep and escape.”

We don’t have a match with the lion’s teeth but we can attack them by using a weapon. We have that genius as well to tame them.

We don’t have a match elephant strength but man invented cranes to lift heavy loads.

We don’t have a match the eagle’s wings to soar above the clouds but man develop an airplane and spaceship that could fly beyond the stars.

WHAT MAKES US POWERLESS

But what are an eagle’s majestic wings if we clamped his wings? What good it will do?

The eagle will fall to the ground.

What is the use of a lion’s teeth if you clamped his mouth? We have taken out his power and it can roar no more.

What is the strength of an elephant in a sturdy cage, they are useless.

If God has given them the power to survive with their unique abilities and nature, then for me to survive, what God has given me is my MIND.

What is the use of our mind if it is powerless?

That is why the mind is an expensive and awful thing to waste and many people are wasting these unique gifts and power that we have.

The battlefield is in our minds, because if the enemy has our minds, then we’re like a lion with no teeth, like an eagle with no wings, and a cheetah without legs.

It makes us useless.

MAKE NO THOUGHTS

 In the King James Version, it says that “Make No Thought of your life”.

But how does Jesus say make no thought of our life?

It’s quite intriguing because we use our minds to strategize, plan for the future, and make a goal.

Thinking is our life.

The highest-paid person is the one who thinks.

It’s the Thinker, the movers who are paid well. But how does Jesus say make no thoughts of your life?

Jesus is not asking us not to be mindless about the future but how we think about our future.

He is telling us not to worry about our future.

Because worry results in anxiety.

When anxiety becomes more frequent, it results in a bigger problem.

The problem with anxiety is that we are afraid of something not happening yet.

And I am not exempted from that because I also worry.

A person who is full of anxiety repeatedly sees the picture of something that makes him worry.

But Jesus said to be anxious about nothing.. Make no thoughts.

Maybe what Jesus was trying to expound in the idea of “make no thoughts” is not because we don’t use our minds to think, but the idea of not using our minds against us.

That the power that I have will be the same power to kill me. That the same power I can use against the enemy can be used to my disadvantage.

THE MIND AGAINST ME

It says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy.

The enemy, therefore, his ultimate purpose is to destroy us using all of his devise and skills to manipulate everything and create situations to make us worry.

The enemy understands how we can be powerful if I use my mind’s power.

It is by our mind that we serve and worship the Lord as we need to love God with all of our minds.

How we could truly serve and love Him if we are not in the right stage of our minds?

He knows how creative I could be if I am on the right stage of my creative mind.

Would it be the enemy is stealing our today by worrying about tomorrow?

Is it that he threatens me with death tomorrow that I cannot enjoy my today?

All the terrorist activities happening all around the globe is enemies’ ideology not only to kill you physically but there are more to that.

More people are destroyed and stolen their lives because of the worries, the dreadful thoughts it creates in the mind of people.

More people’s lives are destroyed and disrupted by worrying rather than the number of people killed by any bullet, an explosion, or terrorist attack.

It terrorizes our minds.

We live afraid, we fear death that we don’t enjoy life. We are afraid to go to shopping malls or even ride an airplane.

We are more fearful of losing our job, how will I retire? How will I survive?

We lost sight of today because we are so anxious about the future.

 

 SINGLE FOCUS MIND.

If we go back to the text before the text that we read Mt 6:22

The eyes are the lamp of the whole body, do then your eyes are clear your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.

It is in the context that we have two eyes but we can only see one image. Why? Because of a single focus vision.

But if the focus is not clear, the image we can picture is blurred and not clear

What makes the eyes to be single is FOCUS.

If the eyes are single then the whole body is full of light. If not everything is there but it’s not clear.

Ah, if our mind is out of focus, everything is there but we can’t see it clearly.

We gave bad decisions and we cannot see the clear details or picture of what good it should be.

In a single vision, there should be a focus.

Even your camera, the lens should be focused on a center or a subject.

For us to be focused, God is asking us to what is the center.

Jesus said not to focus on what are not important in our life.

Is life more important than food or our clothes important than our body?

It’s a trick of the enemy to bring our focus on the provision rather than on the vision.

To the gift rather than to the giver.

DO NOT WORRY

 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

That is why in our prayer, ask God to bring back focus in our life.

Your mind is the cheetahs’ speed, it’s the eagle’s wings and it’s the lion’s teeth.

If we are not focused, the enemy is more motivated to paralyze us by crippling our power.

God is teaching us not to worry because the thing that we can’t do He can do…

Why worry about things we cannot fix. Why worry about a sickness you cannot cure?

Why worry about your spouse overseas if you don’t have power over their mind?

Why worry about the food you can’t grow? Nor worry of circumstances beyond your power to control.

BE ANXIOUS ABOUT NOTHING

To be worried is not to be anxious about what will go wrong.

Faith comes from hearing the Word of God.

What people are talking about you does not matter.

What is important is what you talk about and what you say to yourself.

No matter if people say that you are beautiful while you talk to yourselves that you are ugly, what good does it bring?

Likewise, even if everyone says that you’re a loser yet you speak to yourself that you’re a winner, their words have no effect on you because it is what you believe.

What you say about yourself matters.

Life and death are at the tip of our tongue.

We need to choose and that wise decision comes from a clear mind.

The blessings could not be released because of what you say about yourselves.

But when you believe what you say about yourselves, then you’re calling it to your advantage.

Our minds absorb and process what we say about ourselves.

If you worry, the enemy does not need to send a terrorist to attack you because he had already established a cell inside of you.

That cell activates the negativity that could kill you softly.

FOCUS NOT ON THE PERSON BUT ON YOUR PURPOSE

We have to focus on your purpose rather than your person. With positive faith.

Stop thinking that you are still single, that your nose is flat, that you are inflicted with HIV (hair is vanishing, that you suffer from AIDS (Acquired Income Deficiency Syndrome), that your color is black or brown…So what?

What is lacking in you will not kill you.

Is worrying will add a single hour to your life?

What’s wrong with you is not wrong with you.

If you think right there is nothing against your way.

BECAUSE YOUR MIND IS YOUR POWER.

Jesus when He said “make no thoughts of your life” is not teaching us to be thoughtless but NOT TO WORRY.

It is by worrying that you become thoughtless.

Worry delays the processing of our decision.

Worrying is thinking over and over again making us restless.

Thinking over and over again without resolving the issues is useless.

Our life could be more productive, meaningful, and beautiful if we will focus on our purpose.

Saint Paul says, think of something great, noble, beautiful, praiseworthy, and promote excellence and DWELL on these things.

 DOWNLOAD WHAT IS GOOD

Like a computer, it’s usually corrupted by the virus unintentionally we downloaded into the system.

Sometimes we thought that the software we downloaded is essential to our devices because we were enticed by its function and features.

Later we notice that it starts to buffer, and the system becomes slower until it becomes totally crapped.

Our mind is created by God to function as what He intended it to be. However, during our lifetime, our minds are being polluted by the so many things that we put into them.

There is a saying that says, we become what we eat. In the same manner, we become who we are by what we feed our minds.

A doctor became a doctor because of what he reads and what he feeds in his mind, the same thing with an engineer, a pilot, a nurse, or an astronaut.

Entertain negativity and your thought will be negative.

When I was indulge in reading and watching articles and videos that arouse my sexual lust, my mind became lustful.

That is why we need to guard our minds and we need to be always transformed by the renewing of our minds.

LEARN TO UNLEARN

 No one was born worrying.

We have not seen in our lifetime a baby that is anxious about their clothes or the food they will eat.

Worrying is a learned behavior and we learned it from our parents and from the people around us.

If worrying is learned, then we can unlearn it as well.

Be transformed and unlearned the things that are not important in our lives and replace them with something worthwhile, that bring excellence.

Now start to speak to yourself, “Do not Worry…do not worry, don’t worry, and don’t worry”.

Say it again and again so until you hear it by yourself.

Speak to your mind.

You are special, and may you unleash the power of your mind,

Mikesendon

LET GO TO LIVE UP

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LET GO TO LIVE UP

MARK 8:27-38

 

Let it Go

It seems odd to think that it is only by losing that we could find something.

It seems intriguing to know that we can find life’s true value after we give it up.

It is unusual to tell that life meaning could be found only after giving it up.

The topic makes us curious as we go deep down to find that the essence of life could be better understood if we learn to LET IT GO TO LIVE UP.

The Message in Paradox

In verse 35 of Mark:8, Jesus said that whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses it for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Jesus’ statement is a paradox.

It is an illustrative statement of two contradicting, opposite, absurd statements yet it expresses a latent truth.

It might not be logical to the listeners but it points us to a truth that God wants us to understand. God’s wisdom is different from humans.

That is why we notice that in many of His statements He usually mentioned “those who have ears shall listen” and “Verily, verily I say unto you…”

There is a message hidden in Jesus’ statement that could only be grasped if we have those ears willing to listen and a heart wide open to accept His words.

Two Contradictory truths

 The world teaches us that to save means to keep it up and preserve its value.

So people save his life by keeping up something that would benefit him. Human exerts his effort to be able to control his surrounding that would sustain his life in his favor even if turns that he became selfish and self-centered.

The danger of man focusing his attention and energy to preserve his life is missing to understand that we cannot do anything.  After all of this, it will end in vain for what profit does a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his own soul.

The gospel of John says that without God, we can do nothing.

What Jesus teaching us is contradictory to what the world is teaching us.

We have learned in our lifetime that to be able to save our lives, we need to protect and keep them intact. By any means, we survive our life from any external threat. While there is an intriguing statement, we need to lose our life for God’s sake in able to save it.

He said that if we lose our life for God’s sake and of the gospel, we will find life.

The true meaning of life is when we hand over the control of our life into the hands of God.

We can truly discover the beauty that life brings when we let it go and let God shows us to see life from His perspective. The master designer knows best as He is the one who laid out the blueprint of our life.

DON’T PRESERVE THE TEMPORARY

Our human thinking is so limited that our perception of how to save ourselves might be enough, but we are wrong.

We should never preserve the temporary.

In one of the parables Jesus taught, the rich man said to himself “ I am rich, I have so much harvest that my storehouse is not enough. I will demolish it and build a bigger one”.

Preserving the temporary makes us foolish like the rich man in the parable. We concentrate on preserving what will not last. Keeping up things that can be stolen, rusted, and destroyed by moths, washed out by floods, blown by the storms, and can be burned by fire.

Don’t preserve the temporary because we deserve something that lasts. A life of eternity worthy to be longing for of which only in God we can find.

Focusing on saving the temporary losses our opportunity to experience a life that leads to eternity.

CROSSROAD OF CHOICES TO MAKE

Today we are being offered a lot of choices.

In fact, daily we are at the crossroads of choosing which one would be a better choice.

When you are at a buffet table and all the foods are enticing, it boils up your appetite. It makes your stomach roar.  There are times when you want to taste all of it but you can’t.

Like choosing a dress, my wife has that gift to meticulously cross-examine every piece, and fit it out back in forth inside the dressing room, from one store to the other while I’m waiting patiently as her “consultant” and “fashion show audience”.

Why, because there are a lot of choices and we have to pick the best.

If this law works in the physical round, then it should also apply in the spiritual round. We should never settle for less.

That is why we should not so indulge in the temporary but rather focus on something that lasts. Never so concentrated on the physical but also on the spiritual.

He wanted us to choose him. But God is a respecter of free will.

THE BASIS OF OUR DECISION

Jesus asked His disciples what people say about Him. And they replied that He was Elijah, some said he was John the Baptist and others said one of the prophets.

But Jesus asked them personally, who He was for them and Peter boldly said that He was the Messiah.

God wanted to hear what we know of Him. God wanted us to have that deep knowledge of Him not because this is what we heard from others but because this is our experience of Him

He is establishing an intimate relationship with us.

He wanted that we choose Him not because of fear but because of love.

Loving Him cause us to obey and follow Him but he gave us the condition that if we desire to follow Him, there should be no more turning back like a man flowing his farm in the field.

Our decision to follow and obey God should be founded on truth and the relationship He established in us.

NARROW ROAD

Narrow is the road that leads to a path where God is. Many choose the wider road as these are more comfortable, with fewer hassles. It’s a freeway where everybody is going.

The decision to choose God is a tough decision because we have to lose our life for God’s sake and in obedience to the gospel.

To follow God is to follow Him on the narrow road away from the trance where many love to walk.

To embrace God is to walk with Him on the road less traveled.

In verse 34 Jesus said to His disciples, “if you want to follow me, deny yo

urself; carry your cross and follow me.

To serve God and save our life is costly because we need to exchange all that we considered as valuable. What He demands is not just what is available but He wants all.

Are we willing to lose our life for the sake of the gospel? Then we have to continue reading this article.

DECISION TO FOLLOW

Now that we assess the demand of following God and His gospel, our journey starts.

Like a man who builds his house, he built it on the rock so that flood comes it will not be washed away.

DENY YOURSELVES

In verse 34 Jesus said to His disciples, “if you want to follow me, deny yourself; carry your cross and follow me.

If we are deciding to follow Him, we have to deny ourselves. We must be ready to disown and reject anything that makes us too proud and brags about who we are because of our position, our possessions, our gifts, our talents, and our connections.

It is denying ourselves when we are elected to a public office and for us to reject any outside influence or any opportunity we know that it could make us wealthy yet we choose to live a life of integrity because we know that it is not our money but it’s the money of the people we serve. That it’s not your money but by the owner of the company. That it’s not yours but by the ministry you serve.

Is it not renouncing to oneself when Zacheo the chief tax collector went down the sycamore tree and was convicted to return more than twice of his wealth to anyone whom he defrauded?

Are you willing to hear from your friend that your fool if they tell you “sayang naman, palay na ang lumalapit sa manok”. Anyway, your spouse is not here and nobody could see. Is it not renouncing yourself when you have the opportunity like Joseph rejected the offer of Potiphar’s wife to have slept with her?

Is it not denial when you are lower than your ego and pride because you forgive the person who rejects you. Those people who talked about you.  Is it not denying when David has the opportunity to get even with King Saul when he had that chance to kill him?

A follower is no greater than his master. Jesus denied himself and accepted the will of His Father even on the cross.

How much more of us are willing to follow Him?

CARRY YOUR CROSS

Carrying the cross is the consequence when we deny ourselves.

When we decided to renounce what is due to us it becomes our burden, it becomes our cross.

There is always sacrifice when you choose to forgive. You deny yourselves when you lower your pride just to be reconciled with your loved ones. You carry your cross when you sacrifice to accept him even if the past continues to linger in your mind. The wound is still there but you sacrifice because you choose to love.

You carry your cross when your life is not that plenty because you reject the opportunity to open the box. It hurts to see sometimes your children don’t have that much luxury even if you have that chance by using your position and connection to corrupt other people’s money.

You carry your cross when you send that “balikbayan” box to your family even if it takes you months to fill it and patiently wait for “Sales”. You sacrifice so that others might live.

Is it not carrying your cross when you take care of other children?

miles away from your own just only to make sure that they live, experience a life you have not experienced before, and that they may pursue their dreams.

It’s a sacrifice to follow Jesus when you take his burden as our burden. When we choose to serve God by serving His people without waiting for neither reward nor consolation.

FOLLOW ME

We can only truly follow Jesus when we deny ourselves; we carry

that cross and yet continue to follow even if that cross is still on our shoulders.

We cannot follow when we carry our cross yet we have too many complaints. It does just make the cross heavier.

We follow Him with the awareness that there might be an inconvenience; we may not be having that luxury yet we still continue to walk with God.

Even if that past continues to haunt your relationship, you continue to move forward because you choose to forgive, you choose to love.

The path might not be the road many traveled but this is the road that many missed. It’s the road to eternity because where God is leading us, He will surely bless us.

LET GO TO LIVE UP

In verse 37 what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Are we willing to give up earthly things to receive the heavenly things?

Are we willing to deny everything that is fleeting and temporary for the sake of eternity?

Unless we learn to let go of ourselves we will not live up to what God has in store for us.

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul.

May you have the courage to let go.

Mikesendon