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WALK FORWARD TO YOUR STARS
WALK FORWARD TO YOUR STARS
Matthew 2:1-12
At the start of the year 2018, it is an opportunity for us to look back and thank God for a wonderful and blissful year God has given us in the past.
This is not a time to regret but rather be grateful for whatever we achieved, whatever we received. Even there were failures; there were no mistakes but only lessons learned.
What has passed is history.
We have to move forward with much zeal and hope as there are always something in store and the best is yet to come.
JESUS IS OUR STAR
Jesus is the bright morning star, a star that outshines all the stars.
He is the light shining, giving us hope, direction and light.
“ I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches, I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”-Revelation 12:16
We walk forward to reach Him, our star. Like the Magi, they brave the journey till they reach the star, where Jesus was lying on a manger.
OUR OWN LITTLE STAR
All of us have our own star to follow.
What is your star that you want to reach?
What are your dreams that you want to achieve?
With that desires to walk toward Jesus, we also have our own dreams, our own little stars to achieve.
But how we could reach our little stars?
START YOUR JOUNEY WITH FAITH
“Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know?”
These are some phrase of a popular song, Do you Know Where your Going to by Diana Ross in 1976.
Why so many people today cannot reach their destination is precisely because we don’t know where we are heading to.
We should specifically state our destination. We should know exactly where we want to go.
Like the three Magi, they know where they were heading to.
They believed that at the end of that star is where what they are looking for.
They have their star to follow.
We have to start our journey with FAITH. And why faith?
Because faith is the assurance of the things that we hoped for and being certain of things that we cannot see.(Hebrew 11:1)
Faith could not materialize until we have something to hope for.
So what are those things that you hope for?
We should know what we really want in life for this and the years to come.
Our star may be a happy united family, a strong marriage relationship, financial freedom, to be a faithful and committed servant in your ministry, to pursue with your passion, to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit, start a business or be successful in your career..
These are just few stars that you want to follow and reach. These are the things you hope for.
You may not yet be able to see it clearly right now be dismay and desperate. Even the Magi only see the star above but they never stop.
They believe and they were never failed.
Start our journey with faith, believing that at the end of our journey we will achieve it.
There are no failures; there are no mistakes but lessons learned.
TAKE A CONCRETE ACTION WITH TRUST
Faith without action is dead. (James 2:14)
A hundred miles always begin with a single step.
We have to take a concrete action at a time.
The magi rode their camels and start their journey. They were not satisfied just seeing the star from afar but rather walked to go for it.
You will never discover what lies beneath until we dug it.
We will never discover what awaits us on the other side until we cross it.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.- Proverbs 3:5
Take a concrete action and reject all fears. Our trust should be bigger than our fears.
True courage is doing it afraid.
It does not mean that we are not afraid. Despite of the feeling of fear to fail and hearing from what other people might say, we act upon it.
Our action is driven by our determination to succeed no matter what.
AVOID NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND TOXIC PEOPLE
In our journey to reach for that stars, we will meet a lot of people who don’t want us to succeed.
Like the three Magi, they have Herod to meet.
How many Herod do you have that instead of encouraging you, they are pulling you down.
There are people who are so negative that they don’t want you be better than them.
Toxins is not good for our body so we get rid out of them, we get them rid out of our body.
Toxic people and toxic thoughts should not be entertained as they will slow down your pace.
Reject all the negative thoughts that belittle you but rather think positive.
Positive thinking creates a positive results. Positive thoughts lift up our spirit, it boost our morale and increase our tolerance to disappointments.
Phil 4:8 “ Finally, brother and sisters, whatever is noble, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think of such thing…
Avoid people who rob your confidence and steal your morale and add toxicity level on your thoughts.
REWARDS AWAITS AT THE END FOR THOSE WHO PERSEVERE
Like the three Magi, they never stopped.
They never let Herod intimidate them nor the journey frustrate them.
There is no easy and smooth journey on the road.
Always expect the unexpected but with faith we can conquer all these knowing that our God is always with us.
There is always a prize for those who persevere.
The tendency to complain is great but there is no room for a whiner to be a winner.
We rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope.- Romans 5:3-4
There was a beautiful song titled “The Impossible Dream” adapted from a musical play Man from La Mancha in 1964.
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how farTo fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly causeAnd I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my restAnd the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
SERVE GOD WITH THE GIFTS YOU RECEIVED
Like the three Magi they offered their gifts to Jesus.
All of us have its own and unique gifts which we need to offer, which we need to share.
God has given us blessings so that we could be a blessing to other as well.
The ultimate purpose of our reaching that stars is not about ourselves but rather, this could be an instrument that we could bless people whom God has given us.
The pinnacle of reaching our destination is that we have done something that will leave an imprint on those whom God entrusted us.
What profit a man if we gain and conquer the whole world yet losses our soul.
Our journey shall be in vain if at the end we attain all of the things we hope for yet for our own gain.
“And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest”
You can only be peaceful and calm when at the end of all of those journey we can say “Lord it is finished, I ran the race and ready to receive the crown that you prepared for me..”
We have to serve God with what we received because we have to answer His question “What have you done to the least of your brother?
May the start of this year brings you to a more fulfilling life toward your purpose and core value.
In summary, follow your stars ….
Start your journey with faith
Take a concrete action with trust
Avoid Negative thoughts and toxic people
Reward awaits those who persevere
Serve God with the gifts you received
May your walk toward your stars,
Mikesendon
The Power Of Positive Words
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 WORDS 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 of which it 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 power to be what God destined and desires us to be.
Having a positive thoughts helps us to have positive attitude towards life.
But there is one more ingredient if we want to release more of its power if we have this POSITIVE WORDS.
Take time to read this another life changing message that could transform our life if we understand THE POWER OF POSITIVE WORDS.
TRANSFORM OUR WORLDS
Our world could be transformed by our words.
Our life could be shape by every words that we speak as it says in Proverbs 18:21 that life and death is at the tip of your tongue.
Many of us desires to change our lives..
We may be aspiring to possess an 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 words we say.
WORDS REVEALS OUR CHARACTER
The bible says that our words manifest what is in our heart.
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 an air passing through the throat and our larynx.
In all God’s creation, only man has the ability to communicate with a spoken words.
The power to use words is again 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 things which are visible. (Hebrew 11:3)
Life and death is 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, 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 words that impact our life every day.
What are those words that we speak to yourself and the words that you speak to others?
WORDS EVOLVE IN TIME
The quality of our words shape our world.
Sometimes there are more useless words that we say than the words that bless us.
Today, there are lot of new words that comes 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 of gadget that its 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 like “petmalu”, “werpa”, “jologs”,”kikay”, “lol”, “lodi”.
What Power The Spoken Word Has:
THE POWER TO REBUKE
Mk 1:22 When a man with 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 rebuke 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 hopeless guy”
Remember David when he was about to fight Goliath, despite of what other says about him, he was not discouraged. He said to himself and to his bashers “the God who help me from lion is the same God that will deliver me from this uncircumcised giant”
David said to Goliath, you come with me with 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 “Be gone”. Say “It is written, nothing is impossible with God”. “My God is bigger than my problem”.
Do not accept your miserable conditions, rebuke it.
THE POWER TO BUILD
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building 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 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 is helpful for building 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 builds. Words that boast other moral.
Words that will inspire.
Our word is powerful that it can destroy rather than build.
We have to choose our words…that inspire other.
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 heals 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 in order 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 that “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 has 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 enjoy good, but the desire of the treacherous is violence.
Remember when God commanded Prophet Ezekiel to speak words of prophesy 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 the 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 prosperity in your scarcity and poverty.
Let the weak say I am STRONG. Let the poor say I am RICH.
When Bro Mike asked as 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 of what other people say to you or they say about you.
The power lies on 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 a friends who hike on a mountain and they were curious about the echo. So they started to shouts in the mountain.
One man says, I am good and the echo says” good…good…good..good
Then other 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 temporary broke”
“I am loveless” say” I am in love”
If we want to change our life, change our talk.
Mikesendon
Possibilities
WALK TOWARD YOUR STARS
WALK TOWARD YOUR STARS
Matthew 2:1-12
At the start of the year 2016, it is an opportunity for us to look back and thank God for a wonderful and blissful year God has given us in the past.
This is not a time to regret but rather be grateful for whatever we achieved, whatever we received. Even there were failures; there were no mistakes but only lessons learned.
What has passed is history.
We have to move forward with much zeal and hope as there are always something in store and the best is yet to come.
JESUS IS OUR STAR
Jesus is the bright morning star, a star that outshines all the stars.
He is the light shining, giving us hope, direction and light.
“ I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches, I am the root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”-Revelation 12:16
We walk forward to reach Him, our star. Like the Magi, they brave the journey till they reach the star, where Jesus was lying on a manger.
OUR OWN LITTLE STAR
All of us have our own star to follow.
What is your star that you want to reach?
What are your dreams that you want to achieve?
With that desires to walk toward Jesus, we also have our own dreams, our own little stars to achieve.
But how we could reach our little stars?
START YOUR JOUNEY WITH FAITH
“Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know?”
These are some phrase of a popular song, Do you Know Where your Going to by Diana Ross in 1976.
Why so many people today cannot reach their destination is precisely because we don’t know where we are heading to.
We should specifically state our destination. We should know exactly where we want to go.
Like the three Magi, they know where they were heading to.
They believed that at the end of that star is where what they are looking for.
They have their star to follow.
We have to start our journey with FAITH. And why faith?
Because faith is the assurance of the things that we hoped for and being certain of things that we cannot see.(Hebrew 11:1)
Faith could not materialize until we have something to hope for.
So what are those things that you hope for?
We should know what we really want in life for this and the years to come.
Our star may be a happy united family, a strong marriage relationship, financial freedom, to be a faithful and committed servant in your ministry, to pursue with your passion, to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit, start a business or be successful in your career..
These are just few stars that you want to follow and reach. These are the things you hope for.
You may not yet be able to see it clearly right now be dismay and desperate. Even the Magi only see the star above but they never stop.
They believe and they were never failed.
Start our journey with faith, believing that at the end of our journey we will achieve it.
There are no failures; there are no mistakes but lessons learned.
TAKE A CONCRETE ACTION WITH TRUST
Faith without action is dead. (James 2:14)
A hundred miles always begin with a single step.
We have to take a concrete action at a time.
The magi rode their camels and start their journey. They were not satisfied just seeing the star from afar but rather walked to go for it.
You will never discover what lies beneath until we dug it.
We will never discover what awaits us on the other side until we cross it.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.- Proverbs 3:5
Take a concrete action and reject all fears. Our trust should be bigger than our fears.
True courage is doing it afraid.
It does not mean that we are not afraid. Despite of the feeling of fear to fail and hearing from what other people might say, we act upon it.
Our action is driven by our determination to succeed no matter what.
AVOID NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND TOXIC PEOPLE
In our journey to reach for that stars, we will meet a lot of people who don’t want us to succeed.
Like the three Magi, they have Herod to meet.
How many Herod do you have that instead of encouraging you, they are pulling you down.
There are people who are so negative that they don’t want you be better than them.
Toxins is not good for our body so we get rid out of them, we get them rid out of our body.
Toxic people and toxic thoughts should not be entertained as they will slow down your pace.
Reject all the negative thoughts that belittle you but rather think positive.
Positive thinking creates a positive results. Positive thoughts lift up our spirit, it boost our morale and increase our tolerance to disappointments.
Phil 4:8 “ Finally, brother and sisters, whatever is noble, whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think of such thing…
Avoid people who rob your confidence and steal your morale and add toxicity level on your thoughts.
REWARDS AWAITS AT THE END FOR THOSE WHO PERSEVERE
Like the three Magi, they never stopped.
They never let Herod intimidate them nor the journey frustrate them.
There is no easy and smooth journey on the road.
Always expect the unexpected but with faith we can conquer all these knowing that our God is always with us.
There is always a prize for those who persevere.
The tendency to complain is great but there is no room for a whiner to be a winner.
We rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope.- Romans 5:3-4
There was a beautiful song titled “The Impossible Dream” adapted from a musical play Man from La Mancha in 1964.
This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how farTo fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly causeAnd I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my restAnd the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star
SERVE GOD WITH THE GIFTS YOU RECEIVED
Like the three Magi they offered their gifts to Jesus.
All of us have its own and unique gifts which we need to offer, which we need to share.
God has given us blessings so that we could be a blessing to other as well.
The ultimate purpose of our reaching that stars is not about ourselves but rather, this could be an instrument that we could bless people whom God has given us.
The pinnacle of reaching our destination is that we have done something that will leave an imprint on those whom God entrusted us.
What profit a man if we gain and conquer the whole world yet losses our soul.
Our journey shall be in vain if at the end we attain all of the things we hope for yet for our own gain.
“And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest”
You can only be peaceful and calm when at the end of all of those journey we can say “Lord it is finished, I ran the race and ready to receive the crown that you prepared for me..”
We have to serve God with what we received because we have to answer His question “What have you done to the least of your brother?
May the start of this year brings you to a more fulfilling life toward your purpose and core value.
In summary, follow your stars ….
Start your journey with faith
Take a concrete action with trust
Avoid Negative thoughts and toxic people
Reward awaits those who persevere
Serve God with the gifts you received
May your walk toward your stars,
Mikesendon
Pray About Everything-Series 2 (Rejoice in our Storms)
Pray About Everything- SERIES 2
PHILIPPIANS 4:6
In this first series of Rejoice in your storms, we understood that worrying will not add anything to solve our problems.
As worrying will not help, we should know that we need to focus our attention on giving it to someone who understand us. To a God who can help us.
In Philippians 4:6 says Don’t worry about anything but in all your prayers ask God for what you need.
Paul is encouraging us to pray and ask God what we need.
Worrying will not solve anything; praying can move the heart of our King.
ASK & SHALL RECEIVE
Mt 7:7 says that we should ask and we will receive; we seek and we shall find; we knock and the door shall be opened for us.
Why need to pray about everything?
Because we need the grace that comes from God.
Instead of worrying, we need to call upon the name of the Lord.
Because when we are in the storm, the only one who can defile the law of nature is God.
What seems impossible to us is possible with Him.
When we are worry, whom do we shall call? We call a friend. When you are sick whom you call? You call your doctor.
DIAL THE CALL CENTER
It’s not bad to call someone whom you know could help you.
But just understand that when we do that, never forget that there is someone we should call first.
God has a call center, not being manned by call center or an answering machines.
In Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things which you do not know.
When we are into the storms of problems, difficulties, infirmities; we usually battle and face it by ourselves. We try to solve it alone hoping that we can do it by ourselves.
But we can turn to Him who knows more than what we know. He who can do great and mighty things.
We can surely find an answers every time we call upon Him because that is His promise.
Psalm 50:15 says “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you and you will honor me.
EAR THAT LISTEN
There is an assurance for us calling Him because HE LISTEN to us.
Jeremiah 29:12 “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.
Many people don’t pray anymore because we think that God is not listening o them. But God is giving us an assurance that He don’t only listen but He also answers.
In the world today, there are only few who really listen. Many times that we are deaf to the need of others. Our ears are close to the suffering of many.
There was a boy who’s pant need some repairing, to be cut and adjustment of an inch as his pant is little bit longer. So he turn to her elder sister and asked for favor but the sister replied “ I am so busy today with my assignments, can you go to Grandma and let her do it”.
So the boy went to her Grandma with his pants but the grandma was also busy and asked him to give it to her mother.
The mother was doing some chores so she said to his son, can you go to your auntie Matilda as I am so busy with this work. The boy turned to her auntie who was also busy chatting on her phone.
At the end of the day, the boy has fallen asleep with his pants on his side. The sister remember the request of his brother went to his room and cut and adjusted the pant then she went to sleep.
The Auntie remembers that her nephew asked her favor so he went to his room, cut the pant and adjusted it.
The grandma reminded of her grandson request, went to the room and adjusted the pant. Then the mother, before he go to sleep seen the pant of his boy and recall his request to adjust the pant.
In the morning, when the boy wears the pant, but the pant became a short.
When nobody is listening, we will always add to the problem instead of giving a good solution.
When no one is listening, we deny the basic help to those who need it, our love and our attention.
WHICH NUMBER YOU ARE DIALING
All of us experience the operator answering the telephone when we dialed it.
“The number you dial is busy, please try your call later”.
“The number you dial cannot be reach.”
“The number you dial is not a working number.”
“The network is busy.”
What if the person you dial is not answering your call? They are so busy that they missed the call and not answered back.
Some people cannot be reach anymore because they may already be hiding from you. But some may change their number because they don’t want to be found anymore.
What is the network becomes busy. Your circle of friend is not willing to help you or help is nowhere to found.
But how if we hear the operator says “The number you dial is not yours, please buy your own later”. The worst thing to hear is when other look down on you in the times of your need.
But God is always a call away.
God open His direct call for us.
It is His promise that when we pass through the water, He will be with us.
He said that He is the instant help in times of our urgent needs.
When you are in the storms, we know whom we have to call.
‘Don’t worry about anything because God can do everything; In prayer call God who listens and answers.”
Never worry about your sickness; He is the God that heals.
Don’t be bothered by your needs, He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider.
May God sustain you with joy even in the midst of storm,
Mikesendon
Rejoice in Our Storms
REJOICE IN OUR STORMS- SERIES 1
PHILIPPIANS 4:4
How we can rejoice when our boat is filling up with water and we are afraid that it is about to sink?
How we can say “I am glad” when we are in a situation that things are beyond our control? When everything seems to be loose.
It seems odd to tell that we should be rejoicing in all times.
But how can we be rejoicing when our finances is shaking us down? When sickness lingered around? When our relationship is in the brim of separation?
Can we really be joyful in all our circumstances?
REJOICE IS A CHOICE
It is difficult and not easy to be happy when we are in the midst of so many troubles but we have to make a choice.
To be happy or to be sad is our choice.
To be grouchy or be happy.
We can choose to be sad when our love ones left us.
We can decide to be misery when all our troubles are hard to bear.
We can choose to be a loser when we were overcomed by our situations.
But St. Paul admonishes us that we have to be joyful always in all our circumstances.
If we have given that choice, we choose to be happy rather than to be misery.
Why? Because Jesus said that being worried would not add any single hour in life. (Mt. 6:27)
Here are four things how we can have that joyful attitude even when are in the midst of any storms.
- DON’T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING
Do not be worried about your life as to what you will eat or what you will drink nor for your body what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?- Mt. 6:25
The common worry for so many of us is food. What we will eat? What we will drink?
It is good to understand that all our worries are learned. We learned it from our parents and from our peers.
We were not born to be worry. Have you remember that you were worrying when you were born? No babies were born thinking how he will survive nor who will take care of him.
Since all worries were learned, we can unlearned all our worries.
Never so worried about things that are beyond your control. Because the moment that we worry about things beyond our ability to control, it makes us more anxious.
Why worry if you cannot control it.
Worry is the darkroom where all negative develops.
Worry bring fear and fear brings your worry into reality. It brings us more stress.
When we worry about anything, ask ourselves “ what will truly makes us happy?”
Our life is in the hand of God.
Why we have to worry when God is in our boat?
He might be sleeping in the stern of our boat but it does not mean that He loss is control on the boat.
Never so worried about our circumstances that we loss the sight of God’s promise.
Never so focus on our situations that we fail to see God’s inspiration.
DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY
Don’t be worry because our life is more than the things that make us worry.
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather into tha barns and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more than them?- Mt 6:26
God knows what we need.
He knows what we are been into. He sees our situations.
All of us are so important I His eyes because we are worth more than the birds that flies in the sky.
We need to be continually and consistently abide in His unfailing Words. Like a branch connected to the vine, we have to be always connected with God.
Not only the blessings flow but the joy that comes from Him flows as well.
FIRST THING FIRST
In everything, we have to consider first our God and our worries will pass.
Instead of worrying, seek first for God who is always our help close at hand.
Seek ye first His kingdom and all the things we need shall be added unto us.
Look for His promise in the midst of all adversities.
What God wanted us to learn is to entrust things in to His cares. Because the things we cannot do, God can do.
Trust that God’s help and guidance is enough to solve our problems and worries.
Don’t worry about everything, trust God in everything.
May God sustain you with joy even in the midst of storm,
Mikesendon
PLANTING SEEDS TO MULTIPLY
PLANTING SEED TO MULTIPLY
JOHN 6:1-14
Jesus feeding the five thousand men is another miracle He did to show us what he could do.
The multiplication of five loaves and two fish is an event to teach us to multiply the fruits of whatever we are planting.
To multiply, there should be a seed to be sown.
By learning the virtues of Jesus, we can multiply the result of our endeavor through the grace of God.
The Principle of Harvest
Everything starts with small.
A single grain can grow and can give you more than double in returns.
We plant the right seed and we harvest the best fruit.
A single grain can multiply but the question is what type of grain. The quality of the fruits we have depends on the quality of grains we sown and the quality of care we gave while the plant is growing.
What we reap today is what we have planted years back.
What we are planting right now, is what we will harvest in the future.
Don’t expect to grow a mango by planting an avocado.
This is a universal law.
We plant today to harvest for tomorrow.
What we sow grow. What is alive, multiplies.
We plant single seed today to let it multiply in the future.
Planting SEED OF COMPASSION
John 6:5 says, therefore lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him said to Phillip “Where are we to buy breads so that they may eat?”
Jesus was so compassionate that He felt the need of the people following Him.
His compassion prevails over his desires to take a rest for He knew that this people are hungry, sick and in need. That is why in the book of Mark 6:34 when they land ashore, He saw the large crowd and he felt compassion for them for they are like a sheep without a shepherd.
How do we see people when they come to us? Do we see them that they are in need or do we see them that they can give what we need?
God is teaching us that for us to have that power to multiply if we will have the same seed of compassion in our heart like Jesus.
Compassion is a love in action. It is a seed that should grow in our heart.
It should move us to help others because we feel their pain, we feel their suffering, we know their struggles and we know what they are been to.
We are ought to give what we received. We need to show our compassion same as what we received from God.
Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us? -Saint Vincent de Paul
The seed of compassion help us to understand the needs of those people surround us. We become tolerant and we put our feet on the shoes of others.
It is easy to help and care for people who went through various storms in their life. It is easy to understand people who are in trouble because they lost their job, they are sick, those who suffer because they lost their love ones.
But compassion is seeing beyond what we can see from what other person is suffering. That seed of compassion, we understand people who are beaten by secret storm. You see them laughing, you see them dancing, you see them normal but deep within, they were suffering.
These are the people who have good job, newly promoted but their responsibility is great that they have too much pressure at work. These are people serving in the church, in a ministry and you see them normal, happy yet they secretly enduring their sickness.
Plant that seed of compassion and let it grow.
We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God. -Saint Vincent de Paul
Planting SEED OF FAITH
The size of our faith determines the size of blessings we will receive.
In verse 5-6 Jesus asked Phillip where they will buy bread so that the people may eat. This was to test him for He knew already what He intended to do.
God sometimes put us in a situation to test us where we have to use our faith.
It does not mean that when we are in situation of troubles, sufferings, in need, in sickness, He is leaving us to settle it by our own.
He wants us to have a mind that sees increase rather than decrease. To see something even when we see nothing.
God is teaching us to see plenty in the midst of scarcity. Faith can turn the scarce to abundance. To have a vision of increase, magnify what is good.
That seed of faith planted in our heart grows help us to see the provisions rather than the dreadful situations.
The disciples see that even two hundred denarii are not enough to feed the five thousand people. With faith, we know that we have God who is more than enough.
We see the impossible rather than the visible.
Jacob was blessed by God for everything he does prosper. Laban flocks increase from little to multitude because of Jacob. But Laban witnessed how God blessed Jacob and he did treat Jacob deceitfully by not giving him his fair wages. Jacob asked Laban to depart from him and let him go to his country. They agreed that Jacob will continue to pasture his flocks but his wages shall be every spotted and speckled among the flocks shall belong to him.
Jacob faith took him to take fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane trees and peeled white stripes in them, exposing the white which was in the rod. So the flocks mated by the rods and the flocks brought forth striped, speckled and spotted.. He separated the lambs and made the flocks face toward the striped and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put his own herd apart and he did not put them in Laban’s flock.
The flocks became what they see. We achieve what we conceive in our thoughts.
Planting SEED OF GENEROSITY
In verse 9, there was a lad who has five bread and two loaves.
The boy can just simply refuse to give what she had for this may just be enough for him. But he willingly give it away and miracles happens.
Every seed of generosity will not turn into vain. What you have given to the needy is you’ve given to the Lord.
We may be thinking this is just enough for us and why bother others, but giving is a key to receiving more abundant blessings.
What we give will return a hundred times. The five loaves of bread and two fish return baskets of leftover more than enough.
What you keep will only be yours but what you give will come back more than what you give. Because we cannot beat God in His generosity.
The widow in the times of Elijah can refuse the last ounce of oil and flour but their act of kindness turn to be a miracle of overflowing, an oil flowing without ceasing more than enough for their needs.
Planting SEED OF GRATITUDE
In verse 11, Jesus took the loaves and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated.
Jesus did not consider the quantity of what they have but rather the quantity of what God can give by giving thanks to the ultimate source of all our needs.
Consider what you have as a blessing for out of what you have, God can turn it into your favor.
That remaining flour, remaining money on your savings if we acknowledge that God can multiply it to your contentment.
I remembered when I was in the province years back; the general source of water aside from a well was a manual water pump. But for the manual pump to work, a bucketful of water is set aside to pour it into the pump.
We can use that water being set aside but what it gives us just temporary but when we pour it into the pump, what it can give is bounty.
We can keep what we have for us but when we planted that generosity and learn to give it away, it bounces back to us plenty.
Jesus in His power can just click His fingers and “kaboom!” an instant buffet meal could be in front of them.
We can make a difference today
But God allow us to be part of the of His miracles. Unknown to us, God uses us to be miracles for other.
Unknown to us, we become Jesus to somebody if we continue to nurture the seed of compassion, the seed of faith, generosity and gratitude in our heart.
We have the power to multiply as what Jesus said, we can do things like what He did.
May your happiness multiply,
Mikesendon
RECOGNIZING GOD IN THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
Recognizing God in our Emmaus Experience
Luke 24:13-35
It was after three days when the two disciples were travelling 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 whom was mighty in deed and words but crucified then buried.
They were so downcast and depressed because their hope was lost. A hope that someone would deliver them from the Roman oppressions.
Their faith was with Jesus Christ, their would be 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 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 person. With great optimism that this person will be our defender, our champion, our hero.. but at 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 dedications and hard works 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, left us down casted, 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 journey.
All of us have walked on the same road.
Like the experience of Cleopas and the other, we have journeyed the same path.
Because on the same road, it is where God find 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 find 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 in 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 experience is not only about retreat but an encounter with God.
It is when in this moment that 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 don’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 our 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
In 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 regard our value worthy as we perceived ourselves.
It is a presence that never condemns and reject 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 encourages us and gives us hopes.
Jesus is the Word that gives us life.
By the breaking of the Bread
In verse 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.
