The Holy Spirit

"For this is the secret: Christ lives in you." -Colossians 1:27 (Msg)

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the Hearts of your faithful; and kindle in them the fire of your love."

"As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more." -2 Corinthians 3:18 (Msg)

"It is the Holy Spirit's job to produce Christlike character in you." -Rick Warren

"We choose to do the right thing in situations and then trust God's Spirit to give us His power, love, faith, and wisdom to do it. Since God's Spirit lives inside of us, these things are always available for the asking." -Rick Warren

"God waits for you to act first. Don't wait to feel powerful or confident. Move ahead in your weakness, doing the right thing in spite of your fears and feelings. This is how you cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and it is how your character develops." -Rick Warren

Home

Remember, this world is not your home; heaven is. You're not home yet!

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself." -C.S. Lewis

Smile

God loves you!

"Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love." -Mother Teresa

"Use your smile to change the world, don't let the world change your smile." -Anonymous

Fantasy

There's nothing wrong with those conjured up "worlds" of ours in books, games, movies, etc. But they do not compare to the majesty, glory and beauty of heaven.

Don't get lost in your fantasies.

Besides, heaven is real.

Operation

"Daddy,

Give me a heart transplant- Your heart in place of mine. I need Your blood running through my veins. Because my heart isn’t pumping life but death. I know it will be painful; I know I must be conscious every second during the surgery. I ask for this in full awareness of my lack of awareness of the pain I am asking for. No pain no gain; Christ proved that. The utmost pain for the utmost gain. Yes, we gained the utmost, (salvation!) but we so often forget that Christ gained too…the utmost GLORY for Himself, for You.

I ask for this operation because I want to gain… for the ones I want to love so much more than I can with this weak and faulty heart. I want Your capacity … which doesn’t exist. I want limitless Love, You. But more than this burning desire to gain for those around me, those who receive my love, I fervently desire to gain glory for You. To be a living proof of Your surgical expertise. Of Your power to turn water to wine. To turn a Gentile into a Chosen one. To turn a judgmental and selfish sinner like me into a beacon of light and love in this dark world. No pain no gain. This present affliction is but light and momentary; the glory that is to be revealed in us is intense and eternal.

-audesther"

(via sdgs.wordpress.com) (via Abby Zaporteza)

Cool and Free like a Summer Breeze

I’m looking forward to this short break. Give me a break longer than the average 3 days, throw in some YFC and bonding time with my friends who I can’t thank God enough for (who I know I should appreciate more) and I’m back to living life cool and free, like a summer breeze.

Lately there’s been a nagging in my heart. And I know its God. You know after seven years of the same sin, I really have to say that that chapter in my life is coming to an end. For sure now. And I’m really glad but I know I don’t really show it to myself cause I know I’m still in this battlefield. Ever since nearing the end and feeling it, I’ve felt like I’ve grown more and changed a whole lot but at the same time… I’ve seen the bigger battlefields.

But I’m not scared.

I know things have changed since a year ago. I think different. I feel different. Our friendships have changed. My emotions have grown less, but my faith has grown larger. I haven’t had deep conversations in a long time. The love that you feel when you’re bonding with friends. I guess that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you guys, that I can’t feel it anymore. That… something is gone.

But something new is here.

I can’t give up. I promised God a long time ago that I would never give up and that I’d try to be the best version of myself. At that time I knew I was saved and forever I’ll keep that in my heart. Truly, if God wills it, maybe things will come back again if it was truly meant to be like that. But… at the same time I’m ready to let go and move on.

I know God knows what’s best for me. He alone knows how to satisfy me beyond my fantasies, beyond my dreams and desires, and beyond anything that this world has to offer. Whatever path I’m headed for, I have to learn to become a man of God so that when I’m a father, either a father of a family or a father of a community, I can persevere and be steadfast.

I have hope. :)

-Gabriel

Parents

" “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you."

Deuteronomy 5:16

I’ll be the first to admit that honoring your parents is at times on the top of my “work on it” list. They brought us into this world and we should always respect and love them no matter the situation. Even if it kills us inside. Drop that pride and love. Drop that rebellious nature and be obedient. Ok, I’m done preaching. The following is a story I read a few days ago and really made my heart sore. ENJOY..

My mother only had one eye.
I hated her… she was such an embarrassment.
She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mother came to say hello to me…
I was so embarrassed.
How could she do this to me?!

I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.

The next day at school one of my classmates said:
“EEEE, your mum only has one eye!”

I wanted to bury myself.
I also wanted my mother to just disappear.

So I confronted her that day and said:
“If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?”

My mother did not respond!
I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger.
I was oblivious to her feelings…

I wanted to get out of that house…
So I studied real hard, got a chance to go to Singapore to study.

Then, I got married.
I bought a house of my own.
I had kids of my own.
I was happy with my life

Then one day, my mother came to visit me.
She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren!
When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her.

I screamed at her:
“How dare you come to my house and scare my children!”
“GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!”

And to this, my mother quietly answered:
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address”
And she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house.
So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip…

After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity!!!.
My neighbors said that she…
Had died!

I did not shed a single tear.
They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have…

“My beloved son,

I think of you all the time…

I’m sorry that I came to Singapore and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion.
But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you.

I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see…
When you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye.
As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye.

So…
I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With my love to you…
…Your mother.”

It’s never too late to mend a broken relationship no matter how bad it may have been in the past. You don’t want to end up with guilt like this son did do you? When in doubt, love people.." -http://knowgodknowlove.com/

"At my grad breakfast, I started crying because my dad wrote something that hurt my feelings in my letter. Then, he said that he missed the way we used to hold hands when we walked.

Today, I spent the whole day with him. I had my hand tucked between his arms as he held the umbrella for me, just like the way we used to when I was his little girl.

My feet were cold, my shoes and soaks soaked, and my fingers numb, but it was one of the warmest feelings I have felt in my heart in a long time." -Jancy Hui

God's Chisel

Video

It's not about you.

"Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone. To have deep soul relationship with another. To be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God to the Christians said, “No, not until you are satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, love by me alone and giving yourself totally and unreservedly to me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone.”

“I love you my child, and until you discover that only in me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with me. Exclusive with anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or belongings.”

“I want you to stop planning, stop wishing and allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things. Keep learning and listening to the things I tell you. You must wait. Don’t be anxious and don’t worry. Don’t look around at the things you think you want. Just keep looking off and away up to me, or you’ll miss what I have to show you”

“and then, when you’re ready, I will surprise you with a love, wonderful than any you would ever dream. You see, until you are ready and until the one I have for you is ready, I’m working this minute to have both of you ready at the same time, and until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I have prepared for you, you won’t be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me and the perfect love.”

“and dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh, a picture of your relationship with me and to enjoy maturely and concretely the everlasting union of beauty and perfection and love that I offer you with myself. Know I love you. I am God almighty, believe and be satisfied.”

For those of you seeking a love, and for those of you who wish to know why your love life is not as great as it can be, the above letter cannot be said any better. As we grow in the world, we are not told the truth about the two matchmakers out there, “Jesus our Lord” & “Satan” The letter above is God’s unfailing plan for True Love. As we have experienced anything other than that, is Satan’s worldly plan. Satan causes grief, heart break, abuse and the pains of UNTRUE Love. Unions, God as we know Him, now, can, and will unite Two as one forever. If God is not part of your relationship with your mate or spouse, Satan easily destroys it. Satan cannot defeat God, he is defeated already. The wise thing for all of us to do, is love God with all our heart, soul, and mind first. And then appreciate whom he joins us to so that we can grow together in Love. Do not discard Jesus, or you will have discarded your love of all lifetime.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I pray that everyone can understand, and find their love of a lifetime also.

We are to add what we can to life, not what we can get from it.

(via Grace Alonsabe)

Being a Man.

"The key to masculinity is this: Jesus took responsibility for Himself." -via Tyler Saldana

I chilled with my dad just awhile ago.

I think I’m really blessed by God to have a father like him. I mean the risks he was willing to take and the sacrifices he made to move to Canada.

“I was willing to flip burgers for my family.”

Shoot dad, you’re too deep. Too deep…

I really love him. He was really vague when it came to his past, but I understood. I mean clearly I could tell he wasn’t the best guy, but somehow along the way God turned him around and he really shows that he loves my mom and us. I think that’s a perfect example of God’s unconditional love you know…

”..that’s why your generation should listen to us, the older generations, we had more experiences and wisdom at your age by then… You don’t have to learn it the hard way when we’re already trying to show you, it’s just a waste of time.”

I don’t know what he’s gone through, but I know it’s enough that he’s not afraid to show his love for his children.

“Being strong is not acting tough like a nail, but being strong like steel. Being a man is not acting like a tough guy, but being strong like Jesus is.” -Grace Church

Really Dad, I don’t know what kind of memories were brought back to you, good or bad, but I love you.

And I know God loves you too; I’m sure he’s forgiven you.

-Gabriel

On a side note, I could have lived in New Zealand, whaaat?!