It's All About Character

 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. -Romans 5:3

 Suffering --> Perseverance --> Character

Why, oh why, does it have to be in this order?

As days are added to my life, the Lord made me realize that He is after my character. Life is all about character. It's not about my skills. It's not about my knowledge. It's not about how much money I earn. It's not even about my reputation. 

I may be knowledgeable, but without character, I cannot live in victory. Now I understand how some people with no educational background far exceed those who have master's degree. They did not get it through magic. It's just that they suffered the same common sufferings people suffer everyday. But they just did not give up. And funny, most are not even Christians.

Why does it seem that they get God's promises of prosperity? Shouldn't I get those promises, being a co-heir with Christ?

So here I was, praying to God for financial independence, claiming the things He promised in the bible by faith. But the whole heaven knows how I mumbled, grumbled, and complained about my job and generally about my life.

As I write this, I imagine my Jesus laughing at me. " I thought you want to have a victorious life! So here I am leading you through the desert on your way to the Promised Land. Hahaha!"   


Sigh. The Lord is abounding with patience. Good thing God is not like my impatient self. Else, He would have fed me to the desert snakes. 

"I am giving you one of the best trainings I can ever give...the Never-Give-Up training. Many people run from it. But I, God, am the Master of this training. I also don't give up in training my people not to give up. If you fail the test, there will always be next time. If you run from the test, I will make sure the same test is waiting on your hiding place."

Ang dating sakin nito, God will never give up on me because He so wants me to live in prosperity. How cool is that? I found out that all along, God had me where He wants me. Every time I experience hardships, trials and injustice in my office, He is refining my character or basically how I think and respond to life on a daily basis.


 He is watching me. He is watching you. How will you respond to every situation? This makes up one's character. Not character in relation to identity, but character in relation to good morals, right conduct, and integrity. Because truth is, God will never promote us to a place that our character cannot sustain us.


If you have reached the top too early (through 'luck' or wicked means), when adversities of top level strike, you will fall down hard like a shooting star.

It is amazing to find out that when the Israelites reached the Promised Land, their lives weren't easy-easy as they thought it would be. They were to fight more high-level battles. Same with us. When God promotes us, our trials, problems and adversities get promoted as well. 


All these sufferings we are encountering, they are instruments by God to build in us a character like Jesus. Calm, cool, loving, wise but fierce, righteous and holy. 


That's why one day, if we diligently seek the Lord, we will become the new Henry Sy's of the nation. But, the only difference is, we shall be rooted in Christ, established in righteousness and justice and love that the whole world will marvel at what the God of Ryan (your name) has done for him and through him. 


Right now, let the rich who is not rooted in the Lord get more money. At His timing, we will be recipients of the wealth transfer the Lord is about bring. For it says in the word:

 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. -Proverbs 13:22

 ^{I cannot believe I'm saying this but "I thank you Lord for letting me experience trials in my life, in my office and in my family. You are truly behind the scenes, working out your promises."}

^{Now I understand why James wrote this once complicated verse.}

 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:1-4

Unknowingly Fasting

The Lord had revealed to me that for the two years (and counting) that I have been in my present company, I have been fasting unknowingly.

It was part of God's plan to put me in an office where I work from Mondays to Saturdays. It is a work that is far from our house that when I get home, I am too tired to do anything else. It is a work with a dictator boss and a place where you have no choice but to submit. 

Things did not work out my way. Wasn't able to draw. Wasn't able to do my stuff. Not much movies. Not much hangouts. 

But surprisingly, things worked out for God concerning me.

I became intimately close to Christ. 
A bad habit (which I thought I will have forever) was broken. A stronghold is being destroyed. 
My roots of rejection and rebellion are being dealt with. 
I was given vision to see what's really going on around.
Towers of fears are vanquished.
And many more.

So I encourage everyone not to despise the inconvenience brought to you by your obedience to the Lord. I also encourage everyone to have an everyday life of fasting and abstinence. It doesn't necessarily have to be on food or water. It can mean less feeding of self desires, leaving you more time with God. Partnered with a prayer time a day, I guarantee excellent results! 

Remember: This is something you have to do out of love. If it is not in your heart to do it yet, pray that it may be.

God bless you all in Jesus' name!

The Greatest is Love

For the few years I have walked with the Lord, there is but one thing that can sum up all that I have experienced. That is LOVE.

You can never experience the fullness of life without it. You can never experience the fullness of a Christian life without LOVE FOR GOD. It is from this love that we are enabled to LOVE OTHERS as we LOVE OURSELVES.  It is from this love that we can truly love ourselves.

Love God. Love others as we Love ourselves. In this exact order.

I can mention to you the have-to's and the do-not's to live a full life in Christ. But without love, they are useless. 

Read the word of God without love and you will find out that it's just like one of those ordinary books.

Love is a spirit. God is love. God is a spirit. We need both the Word and the Spirit of God, both the Word and Love. And this partnership carries a power beyond our comprehension, a power greater than the combined powers of the avengers, the power to change [internal] lives!

Law alone brings death. Law through Love brings life and a personal relationship with Love Himself...Jesus.

How do you know that you truly love? If amidst all injustice, all trials, all persecution that another person brings you, you still pray for him like you would pray for a family member. If amidst all wrong things, you still worship God, then you truly love the Lord. And He is very pleased with you because you love Him even though He seems to be just a figment of your imagination. You live your life as if He's just around. Now that is what I call FAITH. Yes, even faith works through LOVE.

 

I bless you all in the wonderful name of Yeshua our Messiah!