Show All » 2010/05 » Power to Change
Wednesday, May 19, 2010Power to Change
They say, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks – I believe this is true. However, we're not dogs so we're exempted.
As humans, created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26), we only become old if our memories become more important than our dreams. So, when you are at the stage of sitting down and reminiscing all afternoon day by day without dreaming of what you can still do with your life, guess what – you're old.
When you have dreams, you constantly adapt to change because change is the only way you can reach your dreams. There is no such thing as "it's too late for me to change" unless you are on the "reminiscing" stage of your life. God created us to be powerful - including the power to change our lives.
Change is probably one of the hardest things we need to do. It's a painful process. You will get out of your comfort zone. But, do we really have to?
Whenever we find out that we need to change something, we get excited. After a while, when things do not go our way, we end up saying, "I'm trying so hard. I'm doing my best, but nothing's changing." After all our efforts, we say, "ang hirap pala Lord, huwag na lang." (That's it Lord, I give up. I can't do this anymore; I quit.)
In my experience, there are even times where I get really dramatic - down on the floor on my knees with my head bow down, like in one of those old movies, crying, "Help me, God. I'm trying so hard but I just can't change. I give up." (Next year I will be receiving the best actor award for drama...)
Just thinking about it, since my wife and I joined in the renewal in 1993, the most common prayer that we hear (including myself) is "I can't do anything without you, Lord. I can't change myself, my wife or my kids. I can't make prosperity come to me. I can't make my ministry grow. I can't force myself to be nice. I've tried to be quiet but instead I talk more than I ever have in my life. I've tried to think positive thoughts but I have more negative thoughts instead of one."
In the midst of all the efforts we do, we forget to go back to the basics, that is to believe. We often tell God how hard we're trying when the Bible tells us if we will just believe God; He will give us His rest. (Hebrews 3:19)
If we do not change the way we think on how God works in our lives, it is going to be tough. Probably, it can be as simple as changing how we pray to experience breakthrough in our lives.
The Bible doesn't tell us to try to do everything on our own; it tells us to believe. And it tells us to wait on the Lord. Isaiah 40:31 says, "Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary."
Am I making it sound easy?
My transformation story was not handed to me in a silver platter. Even today, I am still in the process of being transformed. There are days when I'm still being haunted by some of my old weaknesses. Regardless, I noticed a major change in my behaviour on how I deal with them. Every time I face these challenges, call me devout but the first thing I do is to pray to God and ask for help. Little by little, my prayer turned into a habit. With this habit, weaknesses are easier to overcome each time I face them.
Bad habits like weaknesses are also hard to remove. Bad habits can be prevented through constant prayer and keeping yourself busy in doing the right things.
The scripture says, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
Be determined to change your poor ways for the best ways and removing your bad habits and turn them into good ones. Once you decide to start your journey in changing for the better, be firm in your decision.
It may sound simple but let's be realistic. There is no easy way to overcome these bad habits and weaknesses without sacrifices. Proverbs 20:30 says, "Sometimes, it takes a painful situation to change your ways."
Your lifestyle will change. Your values and attitude will change. It may also require you to change your set of friends. It is going to be tough. You will push yourself towards your limit. You will be dragged out of your comfort zone. You will experience a point where you would ask yourself, "Is it really worth it?"
It's not going to be fun!
But if you think about it, it's a lot better than keeping your bad ways and bad habits which results in ruining your life.
The common reason why we do not change is we allow our past to hold us. I'm not against remembering the good times or your past hurts but if these are the reasons why you are stuck in mediocrity, it becomes a problem. The more you look back the harder it is to move forward.
Luke 9:62 says, "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Change is not only for a person who needs to change, it's best needed by a person who thinks they don't need to change. Remember, there is always room for improvement. When you become too proud of what you have become, change is hard. You can end up justifying your faults and errors with no intention of removing them.
To end, I want you to read this radio conversation between the US naval ships off the cost of Canada with Canadian authorities. By the way, this is a joke, this never happened.
American: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.
Canadian: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
American: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadian: This is a second class Seaman of the Canadian naval force. No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
American: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS, AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I AM THE ADMIRAL OF THIS FLEET! I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadian: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
Friends, regardless of how powerful we have become, even if we are now an "air-craft carrier", when the voice of the Holy Spirit whispers in our hearts and tells us that we need to change, we yield to that voice, we divert our course.
Like I said, change is never easy but it can be done. That should be enought to inspire you. Without change, I would still be in the same mess I was in.
If you want progress, change is your greatest ally. When you change yourself, opportunities will change. Like a businessman, if you are still stuck in using typewriters, good luck.
One last thing, do not be discouraged if you still catch yourself doing those bad habits every once in a while.
God doesn't count those incidents, however he sees what you do after those failures.
It's what you do after failing that counts.
God is the greatest!
Posted By: Allen Espejo @ 1:53:55 AM
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Show All » 2010/05 » Start From Where You Are
Tuesday, May 04, 2010Start From Where You Are
Have you ever heard this phrase before - "Life is hard especially when you are poor."
Being poor is not an excuse why you cannot be somebody someday.
Here are some people who made their fortunes against all odds.
Oprah Winfrey, the media maven has spent her early years living in poverty on her grandmother's farm.
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple who also created the iPod sensation was adopted by a working class family. He dropped out of college because he couldn't pay the tuition.
Chris Gardner, the real man behind the movie "In Pursuit of Happiness" grew up without knowing his real father. His mother married a man who completely ruined his and his mother's life.
John Gokongwei, a Chinese-Filipino taipan who owns Cebu Pacific Airlines and Robinsons Galleria Malls to name a few lost all their wealth when his father died at his age of 13.
All of them have one thing in common.
They all started from nothing.
For many of us, we probably started better than these individuals. But why are they more successful than anyone of us? Is it all about luck?
I have read their biographies and I found out that regardless of the challenges they faced, they were persistent. They did not quit. They started from where they are.
In Hebrews 12:1 we read: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Today, as we look at their achievements, I doubt if anyone of them would want to change any challenges that they have to endure in the past.
In one of the speech by John Gokongwei, he said, "Looking back, I wonder, what would have happened if my father had not left my family with nothing? Would I have become the man I am? Who knows? The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards. But we have to play those cards the best we can. And we can play to win!"
Persistent people embark on their success when others quit.
So, wherever you are right now, I believe that that is how God wants you to start.
Our direction - start with what we have and not with what we do not have.
As you travel your path to achieve your goals and dreams in life, never worry about how much money, ability or tools you are starting with; just begin with a truck load of determination.
I have always believed in the saying - "It's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have that makes all the difference."
Consider this; David did not defeat Goliath with a 50 calibre machine gun with a matching bazooka and M1 Abrams tank. He defeated Goliath using a sling shot! He used what he had.
Shamgar in Judges 3:31, one of the most underrated heroes in the bible. He defeated 600 Philistines using an ox goad. Just in case you don't know what an ox goad is, it's like a spear but it's not. It's a tool used by farmers to goad the ox. He used what he had.
Life is what you make of it.
Utilize what you have and not with what you don't have. Start from where you are and with what you have.
I am a kind of person who expresses my feelings through the words I speak. But in writing, nah... I always considered myself poor in grammar or in English for that matter.
In college, I failed in English... twice.
Since I started writing my blogs, gifts started to manifest one by one. A month ago, when I was writing a speech for the graduating class of my high school, I suddenly remembered during my junior year, I was asked to compete to a news writing contest.
At that time, I questioned myself, who in the world would ask a happy-go-lucky person like me to join a writing contest to represent our school? That person was our head teacher and principal. I did not know what she saw in me to ask me to join such competition, but what can I do? She was our head teacher and I have to obey.
Can you guess what happened? With more than a hundred students, I won in two categories.
Opportunity is always where you are and never where you were. Although I know it's going to be a shot in the air but I took action by taking the challenge. I said to myself, "I won't know what I can do until I try."
Unfortunately for me, I neglected that gift because I always thought that writing was not for me. So I tried something doing what I thought I could do - a deejay and computer programmer.
I'm glad that God's gift for us is forever. Romans 11:29 says, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." It's sad because our God given gifts and calling are one of the most ignored areas in our lives. It's a total waste when we don't use it. In tagalog, "Sayang!"
Today, I have chosen to do something with it and I will start with whatever I have.
I found out that the more I use it, the greater and more valuable it becomes.
The problem why we cannot accomplish anything in our life is we wait for something great to happen first before we do something great.
The Lord wants us to do the opposite. Do something with whatever you have and something great will happen.
God is the greatest!
Posted By: Allen Espejo @ 2:17:24 AM
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