The Power of Our Actions

I remember hearing a talk about the power of our actions. I remember that in during that talk, I had not had a chance to take in. That's probably right now why I don't really remember much. But the thing is, right now, I am feeling like my actions had so much power. Somehow, I realize that my actions took on so much power today. I realize that I was able to bring my friend closer to God, just because I took the time to spend with them, to make them feel special. Personally, I get that a lot, but hearing it from this one friend made it somehow very special. Realizing it from someone who had once hit the lowest of lows, and being brought that much closer to God, allowed me to see that I actually do have that much power for it. Every little thing we do can change the path of someone's life in so many ways, but it's always the good actions that outweigh the bad. I saw that today. And I'm thankful.

Lord God, I pray today that I continue to help shape people's lives, the way you want me to. Lord, my actions, but your will.

Amen.

Overdoing it a Bit?

So today was a Leaders Assembly for Cluster 3. Thinking about it now, I question if God's intentions are really just overdoing it a smudge, or maybe it shows the absolute might of God. What I'm saying is, I had told someone something along the lines of

"I'll pray, and I hope that you pray too, that the leaders who are lacking faith and missing that passion, that they find that passion, that they renew their resolve, and that the re-ignite that flame of service in their hearts."

Somehow, I think God was just waiting for me to say that prayer. After feeling so dry in my service, saying that, today had given me new resolve. And I really can't believe that's all it took, that after being so selfish in my service, in my prayer, in my worship, that that's all it took. My prayer is in thanksgiving to God for helping me rediscover the passion and resolve of a servant. I found myself with a humble heart once again.

Amen.

Doing the Work of the Lord, to Glorify the Lord of the Work

I was just thinking to myself and reading up for my poetry class, meanwhile playing some music in the background. At the moment, I was listening to "Center of My Life" by Hillsongs London. And in listening to this particular song, the two words that kept going through my mind were, "Your majesty." I find this so centering because it seems to me, I never thought of calling Jesus anything but Lord and King. Then it hit me...Jesus is King, and a king, by virtue of that title, also has the name "His Majesty." It's supposed to be a factor showing how important it is, more than working for God, to glorify God - the reason we work for God, is because doing the work of the Lord is meant to glorify the Lord of the work.

Anyways, I've been busy a bit lately, and I took this time to write this because I felt like I needed to respond to that thought.

So I pray today in thanksgiving for the amazing weather we're having here, and in a humble prayer to bless those not so fortunate, that even in those times, they may find God at work in their lives.

Amen.

Three Days

Sometimes, that's all it takes to change your perspective entirely. In three days, what have I done?

I've done a lot to change myself as a person. I ended up finding out that my passion for poetry is not only a deep rooted love, but a desire to find in my faith a comforter in a voice different from my own. I ended up discovering the type of son I am, and recommitted myself to the love of God and parents. I ended up seeing through learning to play guitar, that practice in life is painful, but I will get the hang of things, if not sooner, then later. All this, in three days.

More then that is the music I've fallen in love with. The song now playing is a song called "Complete" by the Parachute Band. This song's lyrics fills me with such hope, because, and listen to it, the chorus says "Then I'll see beyond my Calvary one day, And I will be complete in you."

I want to find that perfect completion in God's own love. I want to see beyond all the temptations, the trials, the sins, the lies, the deception. I want to find that light in God's love that breaks through all of that, that will make me complete.

So today, as I sit here writing this at such a bad time, I pray that one day, I will be complete and with God.

Amen

Prayer is...

Prayer is more than just a way of talking to God. It's quite interesting to note that, while reading for my Western religions course, I'm going through my Judaism text, and I come across a section on prayer.

The textbook outlines prayer in several ways, using the bible for support - and while it isn't really the best source of information, I'll concede this time, it has been used, and taken me to a whole new understanding.

1. The Psalms - a collection of collective and individual prayers; described as the prayer book for the second temple.

2. 1 Kgs 8:22-53 - King Solomon's prayer as a dedication of the temple to the Lord, one of the finest prayers

3. Deut 10: 20 - explained that we must serve our God, that prayer is service, a service of the heart.

4. 1 Sam 1 (inclusive) - Hannah (Samuel's mother) prays for a child. This is the prototype of the most sincere, spontaneous prayer; prayer requires inner commitment, the heart.

5. Psalms - Prayer is not just words, it is the "outpouring of the soul" and "a cry from the depths."

Other things are mentioned, but what this reminds me of is the end of Hillsongs' "You are My World" where they sang the reprise version of the songs, but Darlene says "we want to feel the heartbeat of the church, crying out to their God." That's what prayer is. It's the outcry of the heart, calling out to God.

I personally need to grow in prayer, and I realize this is a part of that step. So now, I will keep on pursuing, and growing, and I pray that everyone finds their own way of crying to God.

Amen.

Learning to Live for God

So today was a Household Assembly. It's certainly in my book of memories. While there weren't a lot of us, it was still a worthwhile time. In my head the whole time was what had happened the past few weeks, since precon.

"Dare more than ever to proclaim the word fearlessly" - The bible verse from Precon (Phil 1:14)

"Jesus I believe in you, and I would go, to the ends of the earth, to the ends of the earth for you" - The Challenge Phrase from "To The Ends of the Earth" sung at Cluster 3 Leaders Training

"I Choose to be a guide to those who need God most" - My mission statement developed at the Core Group

"He died for us, shouldn't we live for Him?" - Today's Household Assembly taught of the effort it requires to DARE TO BE DANIEL

So I thought about all these things lately, and I realize what it is God is telling me to do. I need to put more effort into my service. And my prayer is that I can grow in service, and that I can put in more effort.

I pray that everyone searching for service will find it, and give all for the sake of their God.

Amen.

A Word From...

Today's post will be something different. Today, I'll be talking about life, and learning to live it day to day. But instead of my own words, I'll be sharing the words of someone who has lived life a way much more than I ever could; a life so full of passion, this guy knows what it is to live and let live. This is a poem written by my friend, former chapter head, brother.

The Truth Wrapped Tight
Miguel J. Javier

I found it, though it did take a while
I found where the purity comes from a genuine smile
All that is hidden in the Truth wrapped tight
Exposed the light, and I fell in love with life

It’s the feeling you get from giving a hand
The satisfaction from offering an ear
The selfless act of helping someone to stand
Sacrificing yourself with intentions sincere

I try to live my life with a goal but in-between
I strive for the truth of all things
I want to live and be in the side that is green
Living here helps me see more of what life brings

I found it, though it did take a while
I found where the purity comes from a genuine smile
All that is hidden in the Truth wrapped tight
Exposed the light, and fell in love with life

I’ve fallen in love
And I’m falling more every night
I’ve fallen in love
With everything beautiful in my life

Find it, though it might take a while
Find it in the purity that comes from a genuine smile
All that is hidden in the Truth wrapped tight
Expose the light, and you will find your love for life

The light is in family and friends
It is contained in the hand that you lend
It is in a heart that gives
In a heart that forgives

It is in everyone that appreciates everyday lived.

This poem is an incredible depiction of a life full of love. And the way I see it, it really is those simple things, the most simple things, which make life all that much more amazing. It's like, have you ever gone out on a really nice sunny day, to just lie down in the grass and look up? Sure, it sounds sappy, but those are the times at which I can be truly happy, away from the stress of anything, just lying down, at peace. Then when I smile, I can feel the warmth of the sun wrapping around me. It's really just because it's so simple, yet it does so much. I guess that's what it means to say that sometimes, the smallest smile can change the world. Sometimes that's true, because if the smile is a warm one, then it's bound to create only good things.

So if you're reading this Miguel - thanks for the inspiration, and thanks for being a brother.

Amen.

But how?

How do we learn to forgive others?And how do we learn to pray? How do we learn to love? How do we learn to live?

To all of these answers and more, the only answer one can give is to experience it. We learn to forgive by being forgiven, to pray by watching others and listening, to love by feeling loved, to live just by living.

But how do we ever learn, if we never learn for ourselves? How can we forgive others if we can't even forgive ourselves? How do we love others, if we can't genuinely say we've done so for ourselves?

It's just been test after test lately, and I wish I could learn to forgive myself. I don't know why, but I've been bothered by every single mistake I've made lately. So I just want to figure it out.

Anyways, my one prayer is that for anyone who's seeking serenity, that they find it. And that God will grant me serenity and that I will find a way to forgive myself.

Amen.