There’s nothing wrong with fear; the only mistake is to let it stop you in your tracks. —Twyla Tharp, choreographer

Whether we like it or not, 5- 10 years from now, we will become someone. The question is who? We will be arriving to a place of our future, but the question is where?

We have to be serious in knowing why we are here and what he are here for? We must discover the reason for our existence. We must uncover what God has given us? What talents, what skills, what abilities did the Lord entrusted you with.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens at me. – Philippians 4:13. We can also say that “I can use all things” for me to succeed.

Most of the time, we tend to belittle what we have. Palagi nating nakikita yong wala tayo. “Wala akong pinag-aralan”, “wala akong kilala big time” “matanda na ako” or “bata pa ako…” Kapag ganito ang mga words mo, you are making that declaration of negativity that will stop God from doing what is good for you.

Formal prayer

Kaya tayong mga Christians, dapat alam natin na hindi lang yong formalised na dasal na may “Amen” ang prayer. Even what we think, say and do can be other forms of prayer. Kahit hindi tayo nakaluhod at nakatikom ang kamay, but life has its own way of knowing what we believe.

Our words have power. The Bible in Proverbs 18:21 said: “life and death is in the power of your tongue.”

Hindi lang sapat na sabihin na “I believe in God” but it is also important to believe in what God has given you. Kapag ginamit mo yang anumang ibinigay ng Diyos sa iyo, magiging powerful ka. It is not always necessary na dapat mataas ang pinag-aralan, or mayaman but when we discover and utilise what life has given you, malayo ang mararating mo sa buhay.

Dahil kahit konte ang pinag-aralan mo, konte ang kaalaman mo, ngunit kapag kumilos ang Lord, at pinagpala Niya ang ibinigay Niya sa iyo, walang imposible.

Don’t block your blessings. Don’t let doubt stop you from getting where you want to be. —Jennifer Hudson actress and singer

Your kindness your faithfulness your trustworthiness is a seed. Galingan mo sa work because that can be your seed.

Samson

Ito ang nangyari kay Samson noon sa Bible. Wala siyang armas laban sa mga Palestinians. Naghahanap sya ng sandata, pero wala siyang weapons to protect himself. He only found a jawbone of a donkey. Bungo ng hayop ang ibinigay ng Lord kaya ginamit ni Samson iyon. Kinuha niya ang buto ng hayop at tinalo ang mga kalaban niya. That jawbone even if it was ordinary but ginamit ng Lord for it to become extra-ordinary.

The strongest people don’t always have everything they need. They just choose to use everything they have. Kapag pinarangalan natin ang Diyos sa ating buhay, walang bagay na mahirap, walang imposible. With God nothing is impossible. Alam ng Diyos how to turn th and the simple, the natural to become extra-ordinary, super natural.

Kaya huwag mong sasabihin na mahina kase ako, tanga ako, bobo ako – when you say these words to yourself, you are inviting those negative words to come into your life. You can be and have what you say. Ingatan mong huwag makapag salita ng masama sa iyong sarili or sa iyong mga mahal sa buhay. Always bless your life with affirmation because you cannot expect a positive life by saying negative words in yourself.

Declaration

Sabihin mo sa iyong sarili: “I DECLARE God’s incredible blessings over my life. I will see an explosion of God’s goodness, a sudden widespread increase. I will experience the surpassing greatness of God’s favor. It will elevate me to a level higher than I ever dreamed of. Explosive blessings are coming my way. This is my declaration in Jesus’ name. Amen”

Feeding of the 5,000 – 20,000 people

Minsan maraming sumunod kay Hesus at na feel ng Lord na gutom na at pagod na ang mga tao. Malayo sila sa bayan but Jesus asked His disciples: “Bigyan nyo sila ng pagkain…” Maaaring nagtataka ang mga disciples dahil alam na alam naman ni Hesus na malayo sila sa mga tindahan noon. Pero tandaan mo ito: God will never ask something from you if He has not equip you and empower you.

Minsan marami taong sinasabi na kahinaan laban sa atin. “Lord I don’t have this, I am not like that person…” but have you have ever listened to God when He said: “Have you realised what I have given you…”

Jesus asked: “What do you have…” The disciples said, “we only have 2 fish and 5 cupcakes…” What are these to feed the 15,000 – 20,000 people?

Pero may imposible ba sa Diyos?

Moses

Mapapansin mo na noong pinalabas ng Panginoon ang mga Israelites, alam ng Lord na ang mga Egyptians and warriors. When they are about to be captured by the Egyptians, Moses may have been asking God: “Lord, we are at the end of the dry land…” The Lord reminded Moses: “What did I give you…” “Moses said: Ito lang po, isang tungkod na ginamit ko sa paglalakad…” Hindi nagpadala ang Lord ng sandata or mga high caliber na mga weapons but God intentionally hid the miracle in a humble walking stick.

Minsan maraming katanungan ang buhay? Hindi natin alam ang sagot. If the devil knew that Moses had weapons with him, Satan could have done something to take it away. But God’s way are higher than our ways. Mas mataas ang karunungan ng Panginoon sa atin. He is the Creator of the Universe and that everything will soon bow down and say that Jesus Christ is Lord. He is a supernatural God.

Be confident in what you have.

Noong bagong dating pa ako sa United Kingdom in 2003, I was enrolled in doctorate degree at the University of Sto Tomas in Manila. I came to the UK enroute to the USA but I came with high expectations in life.

When I stopped over sa UK for few days, my cousins told me: “Kahit anong pinag aralan mo sa Pinas wala yan dito. Lahat dito either nasa bahay, hotel, or hospital lang.”

Syempre bago ako noong mga 2003 and in those days, those words seem to be true dahil ang mga kausap ko matatagal na dito sa UK.

Zerubabel

I was reading the Bible and went to read the book of Zechariah. He was in charge to build the temple for God but because of discouragement and opposition, there was no work in the temple for 15 years (535 – 520 BC). They gave up. They lost hope. They focused on their problems rather than on God.

But in Zechariah 4 verse 6, God spoke and said: “I am the LORD All-Powerful. So don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit. Zerubbabel, that mountain in front of you will be leveled to the ground. Then you will bring out the temple’s most important stone and shout, “God has been very kind. Then everyone will know that you were sent by me, the LORD All-Powerful.”

The word “Spirit” in this context is the breath of God which worked in Genesis 1:2, the breath of God that opened and closed the Red Sea in Exodus 15:8 and 10l and that gave life to dead bones in Ezekiel 37:1-14.

David

When the little David faced Goliath, he said to David about small David was. Even the King Saul reminded David of how great Goliath was. But David knew that God has given him a slingshot and smooth stones to kill the giant.

Ang tanong ko sa iyo ngayon, anong mga bagay sa buhay mo ang akala mo ay maliit pero kayang gamitin ng Diyos para magtagumpay ka? Yes it may seem small, but when you put your trust and confidence to the Most High God, He will send you His Spirit, His breath and will put you to the top of your game, that will make an extra ordinary.

It’s not just your talent, connections and educations that will make you the head, that will make excellent in your chosen career and field, but it is by the Spirit of the Lord who will lift you up so the world will know that you are highly favoured. Alam mo ba na kahit konteng paniniwala ay kayang gamitin ng Diyos para manalo ka, para makapag tapos ka, para yumaman ka? Jesus said: “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains…”

You may face giants in your life, mga higanteng utang, malalaking problema sa pamilya, trabaho, relationships or finances, but that is not match to the bigness of our God.

Just like Samson, David, Moses and Zerubabel, God can use what you have to push you to places, to honor you have never been. Maaaring hindi ka pa abogado ngayon, hindi ka pa doktor, nurse, engineer, mayor or governor ngayon, but the Bible said: “Call things which are not, as if they were…”

The God that we serve is a God of multiplication. He specialises is making more out of small. Pero tandaan mo ang sabi ng Lord sa Bible in Zechariah 4:10 “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…”

Kahit anong meron ka sa bahay mo, sa buhay mo…magsimula ka. Wala kang trabaho, walang kita, maghanap ka ng mga saging na pwede mong iihaw or i-prito para magiging banana cue. Baka pwedeng malagkit lang lagyan mo ng konteng toyo at calamnsi, maging Lugaw queen ka. When God sees that you are confident in what you have, He blesses you and shows you that He is happy to see the work begin.