FAITHFUL GOD > FAITH GOALS

Time flies so fast. It's as if I was just writing down my faith goals for the year 2012 yesterday. And just this previous week, I'm officially over with my faith goals for this year.

Every January, I am not only excited to start fresh. I'm more excited of God's plans and promises for the year ahead. I love January because it's the time I can look back to the ups I'm thankful for and for the downs I pray that improvement and betterment will cover. It's also the season where I get to list down the prayers I'm faithful for including the bucket list I want to downsize. 

Before I took the time to pray and think of the things I'm believing for 2013, I reviewed my 2012 Prayer and Fasting booklet and saw for myself the number of prayers that were miraculously answered by God. I sought to it that I cancel out every prayer answered off my list. But I was totally unconscious that 96% of these were fulfilled! Imagine 96/100! What an all-loving and generous God we have.

I was so joyful to see that my prayers were not wasted all because I have a faithful God. Yes, I was in awe that only 4% wasn't fulfilled. And from deep within, I felt victory and triumph. These answered faith goals wouldn't end up as glory days if not for God's perfect will and promise. More than my faith goals, I was reminded of God's faithfulness to us. His faithfulness to us is overflowing and unbelievable that it leaves one wanting for more of Him in our lives. 

We can be fervent with our prayers and be tirelessly faithful in our walk, but these will not be enough to reach what we all desire to achieve. If not for the One who is more loving, more compassionate and more faithful, we wouldn't be able to receive these riches in full reward. It is still God who is responsible and working even in every faith goal we have. We may not notice it because we are busily and impatiently working hard for it (believing this might help) or too focused on raising our palms up high in receiving it that we lose the real focus which is Christ.

Psalm 89:2 

"I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself."

Psalm 89:8 

"O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you."

Faith goals are not about us. But it is about Jesus' faithfulness to us.

It is the kind of faith that does not leave you empty-handed.

It is the kind of faith that draws you to believe more in uncertainties.

It is the kind of faith that teaches you to love and accept.

It is the kind of faith that humbles you down in patience.

It is the kind of faith that makes you worship the Lord more.

It is the kind of faith that each one of us should have.

A faith like that of Jesus.

Just as the Word for my 2012 faith goals says: 

JOHN 16:23

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."

Indeed, I can't ask for more. Whatever I've asked in His name was rewarded to me solely because He was faithful more than I. Thank You Jesus, that even though my faith falters at times, Yours was always intact and immovable. And, thank You, that I can't ask for anything more because Your love for us had completed it all.

A faith like Jesus.

Make it one of your 2013 Faith Goals.

Sealing this with love,

Diane

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CELEBRATING CHRIST

2012, I must conclude, is the year of celebrations. I can say that this year has been filled with new, fruitful relationships, unexpected accomplishments and abundance of blessings. There are so many things to celebrate for that I cannot actually remember each in detail. 

But what I want to talk about is neither celebration in particular, nor the different Christmas parties I've attended to as how the holidays present them at their peak. What I'm eager to give focus on is the reason for this season which is Jesus Christ.

Yes, a lot of remarkable events which led to my growth were noted, a number of relationships were built with love, trust and stability and blessings both concrete and abstract were received but the best gift I've took hold of is the life and love of my most favorite person, Jesus.

More than anything else, it was the story of the "Cross" that I'm grateful for. It's the event I want to celebrate as I'm reminded of God's unconditional love from time to time. The spiritual blessings and material provisions were Jesus' grace abounding. For with all honesty, His life was more than sufficient for each of us. 

This Christmas season is not about the food on the table, the gifts we give and receive, the reunions we attend to but it is all about CELEBRATING CHRIST and SHARING CHRIST with everyone.

That's why it was even called CHRISTmas.

And every now and then, whether on-season or off-season, let us carve in our hearts that Christmas should not only be considered as a yearly treat but an everyday attitude of worship and obedience to the One who deserves it all.

CHRISTMAS < CHRIST-MUST

Sealing this with love,

Diane

 

HUMILITY

If there's one lesson in 2012 I would never forget was when God taught me how to become humble. 

Humility is probably one of the weakest values I have. Growing up with much attention and praises coming from everyone, it was so difficult for me to practice being humble. Excelling in different areas made me realize that I'm special and better than anyone else. At first, I was confident that these accomplishments were my stepping stone to a brighter future; to a name everyone will dearly remember; to a legacy most would want to imitate. Later on, I found no joy, security and love in here. Rather, more than victory, I've experienced defeat. 

I'm certain that I'm not the only proud soul in here. As worldly individuals, our tendency is to give pride to ourselves; to live up for our own glory and to stand up mightily among a crowd. We were not born to be passive achievers but active achievers, who would want all the aces as much as possible. The degree of our desire is what makes our pride distinct from each other. But the root and the result are one in nature. The root is the enemy's work of using our hearts for something that will destroy us and will displease God. The result is no matter how well you started out your plan to thrive, you end up empty and worthless. 

Pride and humility are so powerful that the enemy combines them during attack so that it leaves you handicapped. Pride and humility: we love them both ways only that we practice them wrongly. We are so blinded with their effect that instead of us being the controller, they are the ones ruling over us. 

Battling over pride and humility a couple times didn't make me a pro in this context. From time to time, the Lord teaches me a different lesson and changes my heart and perspective in life. It was not easy to throw away my old self including the glory days, but when God told me that in Him I can be secured in everything, I felt that the chains were cut off. I was released from the works of evilness. I was more than free.

I remembered that when I was in 2nd grade, my section's name was HUMBLE. And on our wall says: "Humility is not to put yourself down but to accept who you are. What you can do and what you really can't." This line, I must say, helped me in understanding what true humility is. But still, when this is associated with a context apart from Christ, we'll still perceive it the wrong way. 

God is greater than all of us, by all means, in all ways. 

Don't feel you're less of a person when you practice humility for God is pleased with you.

It's God who will lift you up. Do not fear for He cares for you.

The Lord is the only one capable of humbling us down. If we rely on ourselves, we're just wasting our energy. We cannot do it apart from Christ.

⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

1 Peter 5:5-7

If you become the dictator of your own life, you see pride and humility in these ideas:

PRIDE

• It is something you run after to 
• It defines who you are, what you can do and what you are good at
• You value it like a material object 
• You keep track of its quality and quantity
• It makes you better than anyone else
• You work hard for it
• It is your ultimate goal
• You take good care of it, water it and make it grow
• You find your security in it

HUMILITY

• It is something you do to lift your spirit up
• You practice it because it makes you "good"
• You do it so that your righteousness will be noticed
• You equate it with heaven
• You associate it with good deeds=salvation
• You use it as an advantage
• You hide under its goodness
• You do it to keep you clean and fresh as new

Apart from Christ being the center of everything we do, even our values suffer. The wrong motives and second thoughts implanted in us destroy us too. When we allow Jesus' love to change our hearts so that our humility becomes automatic and natural rather than planned, that's when we see true humility. At the end of the day, it's still Jesus.

Jesus' love set me free.

Sealing this with love,

Diane

TRAINED FOR VICTORY

Last November 14, 2012, Training for Victory formally ended with its 77 graduates from Batch 7.

Here is a video presentation of my students' response speech. I hope everyone will be encouraged to pass the baton and be compelled to Honor God and Make Disciples.

Video courtesy of Pastor @bojobonfacio