How many of you pray to God?  I'm sure most of you do.  In fact, when you are doing nothing at work or when you are not doing anything at home, you would often contemplate and ask God for guidance.  If you don't pray to God, its not too late to start speaking to him.  Who among you keeps on praying to God, however feels you are'nt talking to anyone? Do you feel that communicating to God is just a one way thing - you speak to Him but you don't hear Him speaking to you?

Most of us believe that the only way we could communicate to God is through prayer.  Definitely prayer is one of the things we need in order to communicate to God.  It is our primary way to speak to Him.  But it is not the primary way to hear God.  Can you imagine a communication wherein only one person is speaking and the other isn't.  Well, communication is a two way thing.  We cannot communicated by simply speaking.  We also need to learn how to listen.  God really communicates with us.  The right question is not whether God speaks or not.  God definitely speaks, the only problem is we don't know how to listen.

The question now is how do we listen to God?

God speaks in many ways, but the primary way God speaks to us is through His word.  God speaks through the book of life and that is the Bible.  God primarily tells us the importance of His word.  "Do not let the book of the law depart from your mouth.  Meditate on it day and night so that you would be careful to do everything written on it; then you will be prosperous and successful."  At first, before I had this deep relationship with God, I would always think that praying to God is enough to have a relationship with Him.  But it is just one part of the communication process.  You know, when I read the Bible, everything changed.  I began to get a clearer understanding on who God is.  He literally speaks to me through His word, and that everything He tells me is so clear.  The truth is, the Bible was not made for your information.  The bible was made for your transformation.  I submit to you, whoever is reading this, the Bible will change your life.  It changed mine.

 

How God Change my Life

I am a type of person who is a seeker, someone who wants to really find the truth and purpose of life.  When I was in High School, I thought that life's purpose is to be able to find all the friends that you can have.  I was a friendly person and I really go out of my way to be able to please them.  I really hate to offend anyone.  I was doing good because if I don't, people will hate me.  I always find the happiness that I can get from my friends.  When I graduated High School and went into College at DLSU, I began to seek more of what life's purpose is... until I came into conclusion (also by the help of my philosophy teacher) that perhaps, life is meaningless (Reminds me of the book of Ecclesiastes). I began to put my focus in philosophy.  I was dreamer, trying to analyze everything in life, I even wrote a couple of articles about my own philosophy about morality.  I also focused my strength in science and mathematical theories hoping that perhaps these does have the answer for life's purpose.  Therefore I came to a conclusion that life was really meaningless.  There also came a point wherein I no longer want to believe in God.  I felt that everything in life where just random moments and events, and you must make the best out of your life by practically experiencing everything primarily because that is the only thing you got.  So, I got involved in vices such as cigarettes, alcohol, even marijuana.  I was trying to enjoy every bit of my life even though deep inside I know I was not getting any happier.  At one point I met a girl and fell for her.  At that time, my focus changed. But there was this one thing she did not want about me.  I was a smoker.  So she was begging me to quit smoking and so I tried.  Well, I really tried to quit, but it seems so impossible.  I lied and told her I already stopped just to please her, but it was really very difficult.  I could not help but grab that killer stick.  To cut the story short, that girl never became my girlfriend.  I knew it would never work out.  I was so consumed with my vices and I knew I was more enthusiastic in being part with my YOSI friends.  I also saw the fruits of our vices, like one of my friend was brought to the hospital because his lung collapsed at one party.  I got scared, so for like a day or week I tried to quit smoking.  But, it was difficult, I needed a puff of that cigarette so I came back to my vice.  My classmates where even saying how bad I smell every time I go into class and they were forcing me to quit.  Here I am again wanting to stop, and with all confident told them that I will really quit.  Well, it worked for a day or two, but after a couple of weeks I was back smoking again.  Then I told to myself that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to quit smoking.  They probably need to rehabilitate mo before I could do that.  I was almost finishing a whole pack a day and I know that this is it for me... I am already a prisoner of my vice.

Then I graduated College, and I started working.  I became a programmer of one of the best companies here in the Philippines and so I got so consumed in my work.  If before my life were just my friends, then during this time my work is my life.  I worked in that company for 7 months until I was forced to leave.  Then I thought my life was over.

Then I became a teacher in CSB and this is where my life really started.  I met people in my life who asked me to join a bible study group.  You know what, I hated the idea, but I just tried it.  Time came and I met Nixon, a friend who is very passionate in sharing the Word of God.  We had what we call a one-to-one wherein he told me clearly what Jesus did in my life.  At first I thought that this was just one stupid philosophy.  I did not believe him at first, and I even thought that he was just one of those hypocrites who keeps on babbling about God but who's life tells otherwise.  But I still continued on listening to this man, until I realize that this man is really living what he was preaching.  In fact, the other people in the bible study group were also living a life truly dedicated to God.  I got shocked when Nixon told me that Jesus said "You are either FOR ME or AGAINST ME".  Nixon said that in Christianity there is no middle ground.  Its either you live for Jesus or you live for the devil.  He also said that there is only one requirement in Christianity, and that is to give 100% of your life TOTALLY SURRENDERED to God.  When I heard this I felt that this was IMPOSSIBLE, CRAZY.  I thought only a super saint can do this.  Then Nixon said that anything is possible as long as you have faith in God.  You just surrender 100% and you will be amazed in what God will be doing in your life.  Well, I was trying to search for the purpose of life, and I was looking for something that will really give spice to it. This was the only thing I never really did.  In fact this is the thing almost everyone never tried to do - To SURRENDER EVERYTHING TO GOD.  So I thought that I would challenge God.  "Okay, Ill surrender everything and lets see what will happen."

At one point of our One-to-One, the true meaning of repentance was taught to me, and so I prayed to God and to the Holy Spirit to empower me to cut ALL my vices.  I even told God that I will TRY to quit smoking, but deep in my heart I knew that this was impossible.  But I told God that if He is the only one who can change me then I will let Him do it.  I can no longer do it on my own.  In fact when I prayed to God about removing my vice of smoking, I bargained and told Him that drinking is another issue.  I told Him that to stop smoking is IMPOSSIBLE but to stop drinking is ridiculously more IMPOSSIBLE.  I never saw anyone quit drinking unless their liver is literally about to burst.  Well, I prayed anyway, and it was probably one of the few sincere prayers I prayed.

Let me tell you what happened to me after that without any exaggeration.

After that prayer, I never held a cigarette stick nor had I drank alcohol in my life till this very day.  And you know how that happend?  Well, I was really amazed and one thing I do know:  I surrendered my life to God, and I asked Him a miracle.  Then He gave that miracle to me.

After more than a year, God spoke to me to marry the good, pleasing and perfect woman for me.  Her name is Charmaine. She was one of the best things God gave to my life.  In fact our wedding was also a testimony.  We needed to raise more than P200,000 for the wedding in about 9 months, and I can never raise up such amount most especially when I am only earning 8000 monthly as a teacher.  My wife earns almost the same as mine also during time.  But I will not tell you the details but God gave the blessing of the finances.  In fact, we were the one who spent for our wedding.  We did not even ask our parents to help. We just believed God that the finances will come. And again, another miracle from God. :)  Now, I am happily married to a Godly woman, and I am proud to say that our relationship has always been strong because God is always there to keep it as such.

You may have doubts in your mind about Jesus and the power of His resurrection. Well, let me tell you this, I already found the purpose of life and that is to surrender your life to Jesus and to Honor Him.  I am not saying this just because someone told me to do so.  I am saying this because REALLY, God is REAL, JESUS is REAL, and I EXPERIENCED it myself!

 

Spiritual Family

Are you looking for a relationship with God and somehow no matter how you try, it seems you are not growing with your relationship with Him.  Yes, you read Christian books, pray everyday, however you are still not growing in the faith. But you believe that you can survive the temptations of the world without anyone's help because you know that only you and God is whats important.  There is no need for a church or a community to help you.  As long as you and God have a relationship, you think you are already doing great.  The truth is, God created us as relational beings and even God really wants you to have a relationship with Him, He wants you to grow along side with other believers who also have a relationship with Him.  When Jesus started His ministry, He did not did it alone.  He did not do all the preaching and healing.  He needed people in His life to help Him.  That is why he found 12 disciples who can help Him in His ministry.  Before Jesus went up to heaven His last words were "Go and make disciples of all nation", therefore He is saying that my ministry does not end with just the 12 disciples.  He wants us to build relationship with other believers who will be taught how to be a disciple as well.  We should be accountable with people who we know are strong in the faith.  That is an essential part for our growth.  If you are not accountable with anyone, why don't you look for one.  I have several people who I am accountable with in my life.  I have a family who I can trust even my life to.  If you want to start building your relationship with other people and with God why don't you join us.  I will be conducting an outreach leadership group every Friday 5:30 PM Robinson's Place San Francisco Coffee.  If you are interested contact me through this number: 09176011814.  This experience will change your life!

 

The Passion

 

The Good News