Passing the Test by Rick Warren

"Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin!" Hebrews 12:3-4

When you feel like giving up and you start to feel sorry for yourself, and you get discouraged and have a pity party, stop and think about what Jesus endured for you. (After he died, He rose again clothe in white and purity, heavenly, When you trust in the trust in the Lord, there is no reason to feel discourage or to give up, in His time, He will bless you.)

Think about the attacks and the criticism he went through. Think about the abuse and cruelty he experienced not for his benefit, but for yours. (A Pastor once told me, there is nothing humiliating done the crucifixion of Christ. He was mocked, stoned, carried the cross, hurt and put down.)

You may be facing some very real, discouraging challenges in your life. But what you are really going through is a test of your faith.

It's easy to trust God when everything is going your way. It's tough to trust him when you've been out of work for a year or longer. It's tough to trust him when you don't know where you will get the money to make ends meet. It's tough to trust God when somebody you depended on has walked out of your life. But these are tests.

Will you endure? Will you persist? Will you make it to the end? Will you be disciplined? Will you finish well?

What are you being tested in right now? Are you going to give up, or are you going to persevere? What have you started that you need to finish? (Remember: God is always with you, He will not leave nor forsake us, my husband and I have always believed that God will always provide, we are going through a very tough situation, literally we have no money to buy for food, but God gives us blessings each day for our daily bread. He gives us exactly what we need, nothing more nothing less. He is amazing.)

A year before Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians, the church there had made a commitment to give an offering to help the Jerusalem church. It was tough times for churches in those days, but they had pledged an offering that they hadn't given yet. Paul wrote and reminded them, "Finish what you started a year ago … carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can, according to what you have" (2 Corinthians 8:10-11 NLT).

What commitments have you made that you need to complete? Whatever it is, you need to finish. Trust God to help you through so you can pass the test.

Pray for Others by Rick Warren

"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy." Philippians 1:4 (NIV)

(God himself prays for all of us. He prays for us that we may find our way to Him.)

The quickest way to change a relationship from bad to good is to start thanking God for people you are having difficulty getting along with. (Loving someone is actually loving what you do not like or hate about that person, it is hard to love your enemies but it's what's pleasing to God, i tell you i learned it the hard way J )

 

Praying for them will do two things -- change your attitude and change them. Positive praying is much more powerful than positive thinking. People may resist our help, spurn our appeals, and reject our suggestions, but they are powerless against our prayers. (Many plots were made against Paul in the last years of his life, especially by Jews who would stir the crowd and excite them when Paul was preaching. He was beaten more than once, and put in prison. He was persecuted in every one of his missionary journeys. He was persecuted because of a "lack of understanding, preconceptions, irritations and provocation."The message of a risen Christ and Saviour was aggravating for Jews as well as many pagan believers. During his first missionary journey, Paul was stoned in the city of Lystra for healing a crippled man. Some Jews dragged him out of the city thinking he was dead but when his disciples came around him, he miraculously got up and went into the city. Paul was also put in prison while he was in Philippi and also in Jerusalem. He was saved because He prayed for God to protect Him)

 

What do you pray? The more specific you are in prayer, the more specific the answer will be. 

In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul spells out exactly what he's praying for people. "And this is my prayer, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God." (NIV)

These verses give you four things you can pray for people today –

"Abound in love …" Pray that they will grow in love.

"Discern what is best …" Pray that they make wise choices.

"Be pure and blameless …" Pray that they will do the right thing.

"Filled with the fruit of righteousness …" Pray that they will live for God's glory.

Faith Means Taking Risks by Jon Walker

"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." (NLT)

Faith always means risk. (We are taking the leap of faith; God will hear our prayers and will fulfil His promises) Everything in life is a risk. (Marrying is a risk but you have faith that the one you are marrying will make you happy forever) Ecclesiastes 10:8 says, "When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you! When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax! Such are the risks of life" (NLT). There's nothing we can do that doesn't have some element of risk in it.

But the greatest risk of all is how we relate to other people and how we relate to God – the risk to do something about those relationships. (It takes courage and risk when you speak about God, not everyone believes in His mighty power, they will tend to mock you and God) Mark 12:30 says, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength" (NLT). You take a risk when you love with all your heart. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Jesus reminded us that one of the greatest mistakes we can make is to play it safe with our lives. He said, "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you'll lose it."

You probably remember the part in the third Indiana Jones movie where Indiana Jones came to the edge of a cliff. He was challenged to step out over the cliff even though he couldn't see a bridge beforehand. That's not a bad picture of genuine faith. Faith is stepping out and doing what God has asked you to do when you can't see what will happen in the end. You don't know exactly what God's going to do in the end, but you know he's asking you to step out in faith.

The story of the Red Sea,

Moses held out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind.  It blew all night and turned the sea into dry land.  The water was divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides. The Egyptians pursed them and went after them into the sea with all their horses, chariots, and drivers.  Just before dawn the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw them into a panic.  He made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. 

The Egyptians said, "The LORD if fighting for the Israelites against us.  Let's get out of here!"

The LORD said to Moses, "Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians and their chariots and drivers."

So Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its normal level.  The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but the LORD threw them into the sea.  The water retuned and covered the chariots, the drivers, and all the Egyptian army that had followed the Israelites into the sea; not one of them was left.  

But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.

On that day the LORD saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians, and the Israelites saw them lying dead on the seashore. 

 When the Israelites saw the great power with which the LORD had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the LORD; and they had faith in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

Many times we'll come to the edge of faith in our own lives. We're not sure where things are headed. Maybe it is a decision to start a relationship with Jesus for the first time. Maybe you need to trust him with a business decision or something related to a relationship. There is a risk in stepping out in faith. Who will you trust? Will you trust in the Lord with all your heart? What if you're wrong? Is it really God telling you to take the step of faith?

Practice the 80/20 principle
If you'll do the 80 percent of God's will that's clear in the Bible, he'll show you the 20 percent that's not clear. In other words, love your neighbour. Spend time in God's Word. Talk to God in prayer. Spend time with God's people. Love your family. Love your kids. Protect the way that you speak to people. Be kind in your relationships. Be patient. Do the 80 percent that's clear and God will show you the rest?

So take the risk. Trust God with everything you have. Do what God has told you to do in His Word. Then, when God challenges you with a risk of faith, you'll be more confident to do what God tells you to do.

The Daily Hope Inspired by Rick Warren

I started receiving God's word back in 2007 from a very dear friend (Raul Firme), it was an amazing experience as I have never felt relieved from my agony and anxiety until the time I knew that there is no one that can save me but only our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was somewhere between November and December of 2007 when I started attending the Sunday service at CCF St. Francis (Christ Commission Fellowship), I was hesitant at first, and all the while I thought that only rich people goes or attends here. When I entered the place everyone was so courteous greeting everyone who comes in and welcoming them as if they already know the person. I was in a hurry to look for Sir Raul as I was afraid someone would come near me and start reading the Bible. I went just for the sake that I would not turn down my friend's invitation and to see what's in there. I finally got hold of Sir Raul; he accompanied me in and showed me where the seats are. I sat quietly waiting for the Pastor to begin his sermon. When the Pastor started talking, I was liked struck by lightning, I can't move a muscle, and when he said "Let's pray", my tears rolled down my cheeks and started uttering His Holy name "LORD". That's the only word I was able to say and yes it was an amazing experience. After that service upon exiting the place I felt so happy. I began learning how to forgive and love those people who have hurt me. And learned that the best relationship there is, is the relationship with God.

This experience went on for several months but I was not perfect by the time I was feeling better already I forgot again about Him. I went with my life living it the way I wanted. I sinned against the Lord and he was not pleased. Until another test came along, then again I remembered Him.

Mid of 2010 around April, I had the opportunity to meet Sir Raul again. We started working together in a call centre that I and Jayghee were spearheading here in Manila. We were blessed in late 2009 with an investor that he gave us the opportunity to start or run a company. We then took the opportunity to get the people who we have worked with in the past that were really reliable.

After 2 years of hard work, we came across a very big challenge, losing our investors, not being able to pay salaries, tons of debts with the creditors. Discouragements came along and until now, people even talks about us as swindler, fraud, etc.

But through it all I know and I believe that God is my refuge, I know He has something better for me and my family. I have been praying that God will show me what His plans are for me, where in I asked Him to use me as his instrument to spread His word. I am now beginning to fulfil this task; I will spread His good news. I hope people will come to see how wonderful He is.

To God be the Glory!

Day 2

Another day has passed.

People are all worried with their financial needs, school days is fast approaching, rental needs to be paid, electricity needs to be settled, landlords pressuring tenants, need for transportation allowance etc.

It pains me a lot that we can not even provide a single cent to the people who is working hard for the company. A day delayed on their wages is greatly affecting them as an individual they get to face arguments with their spouses, complains from their parents, demands from their kids...

What's next? What's in store for tomorrow?

Day 1

It has been a year and mos since I started a new Endeavor, looking at a positive out look in life, I entered a commitment to work for my partner as the finance officer of a new company he established with an American partner. During the past year we were able to put up a business from 15 employees to 300 employees which I can say was a result of sweat and tears.

J and I came into events that we argued and our relationship was tested as partner as colleagues as friends. We both have given all effort to get the company where we want it to be. People around us never stopped supporting us which made us stronger. A very close friend of ours who also works in the company has always been our spiritual guide, he has always reminded us to put God first in everything we do.

Challenges never stopped coming in, we have been able to surpass most of them if not all.

But a sad thing happened, J at some point lost his authority as his American partner wanted change he then on introduce new people in the company that was expected to be a consultant but became otherwise. They started manipulating processes and implementation. Voices of people who have worked hard in the company was kept in silence. J eventually gave up and resigned, during the time that J was already out of the company we looked at it as a blessing because during troubled times we found ourselves staying strong and comforting each other, we looked back and said to ourselves that all the experiences we had with the company made us tough and how to be a better person for each other. It taught me and J to be more patient, loving and understanding. His relationship to his family grew better, he was then acknowledge and appreciated that he has done something in his life that he can always be proud of.

But people trusted him and loved him so much that they asked him to come back and redeem himself.

Aprill 11, J made an announcement that he will be back and that the company will be given back to the people who have worked hard for it. The American did not like it and instead of cooperating in making sure that the company will be better he came up with things to dishearten us. He put the company in a situation where people had to choose whether to stay or go.

Up until this day the company is struggling in putting back things into its pedestal. J and myself together with the people who stayed and stood for the company are working hard to get our feet back standing straight without any fear and with confidence that we will continue.

Today, the people is not gong to get their salary which was an effect of what the American did to the company, salary will be delayed for at least a week in time. But will they understand? will they stay if after they learned that it will be delayed? Will people still believe us the management?

J and I had been given a large task to take care of people with God's guidance.

I have read a passage today which i would want to share with the people of the company later during the general assembly "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will Set you high above all nations of the earth...But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, and all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28: 1 to 15".

I hope they will hear what the real message God wants them to hear.

I am hoping that tomorrow, I will be able to share a story brighter than this one. :)