Divide and Multiply

"Give back to Ceasar what is Caesar, and give back to God what is God." Mk. 12:17

The more we accumulate the more our life will become stressful. And when we are stressed, many things diminish or subtract. Yes! Our focus and peace of mind diminishes; our resources and money diminishes; even our health and spirituality diminishes too. And the more we feel we’re losing all these, the more we crave for them.  So we try to add again, stressed again, and then subtracts again. What a sad and difficult pattern!  

I invite you to choose another path. That is to learn how to manage well and divide what you have. That more than trying to accumulate, you learn how to give and share. Here, your peace of mind and happiness grow instead of stress. And because you are happy (and others too) the more your blessing multiplies. 

How Can You Stay Connected Without Load?

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my commandment and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and live with him.” Jn. 14:23

Have you received a text from your telecom company that goes something like this? “Stay connected even without load! Borrow 5MB for 1-day mobile surfing….” If you did, I guess there’s no need to continue because I’m sure that you already know how it ended. The catch- We need to LOAN so therefore, we need to SPEND to stay connected.

This is not the case when you love.

Actually, the free-er love is, the more it is love (and the more it resembles God). I’m not saying love is cheap because we all know that true love cost much.What I mean is that in its essence- You don’t need money to love (better say, you love that’s why you need money) and you don’t need to buy love either. Involve in at least one and it’s not love.

What's my point here?

By loving you will always be connected. 

Yes, minus the loan; minus the spending. 

Listen well. The moment you love, (I mean selflessly love)

You’re connected not only to the one you love and to yourself, but your connected especially to your God and your God is connected to you (yes, no matter how negative or isolating your circumstance is).

Jesus assures you.

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my commandment and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and live with him.” Jn. 14:23

Read it again slowly.

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my commandment and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and live with him.” Jn. 14:23

Yes, God always dwell on those who love, how can you be disconnected.

Today, let me invite you.

Feel love or at least remember it. 

Especially if you feel alone or you feel that you’re not connected to someone. That kind of feeling may be true but NO it’s not. It’s a lie. The greatest lie ever. Again, feel love and remember it.

Just try it. 

Start feeling loved and you'll be well. 

Sa Pagbibigay, Naroroon ang Diyos

"Nung siya’y kasalo na nila sa hapag, dumampot siya ng tinapay at nagpasalamat sa Diyos, saka pinaghati-hati at ibinigay sa kanila. Nabuksan ang kanilang paningin at nakilala nila si Hesus."  Lu. 24: 30-31

Maraming paraan upang makita ang Diyos.

Sa araw na ito hayaan mo siyang makita sa pagbibigay.

Hindi ba tunay naman talagang nakakapagpapasigla ng puso na maka-saksi ng isang taong tunay na nagbibigay. O makapanood o kahit makabasa lamang ng mga kwento ng pagbibigayan. Yun bang mga totoong kwento na sa kanilang kakulangan ay nakaya pa ring magbigay at nananatiling nagbibigay. 

Ako’y naniniwala na marami ka ring kwento na tulad nito.

Inaanyayahan kitang balikan mo ang iyong hindi malilimutang istorya ng pagbabahaginan. Isa lang ang tinitiyak ko sayo: Ang puso mo ay mapupuno ng inspirasyon! Sige na, wala namang mawawala (sa totoo lang may madadagdag pa) subukan mo.

Hindi ba totoo? Nakaka-inspire talaga diba?

Bakit ganoon? Tanungin mo ako kung bakit?

Nakita mo ang Diyos. Oo, nakita mo nga Sya.

Maniwala ka man o hindi, makikita ang Diyos ng higit sa pagbibigayan. Doon sa mga taong marunong magbigay at maging sa mga taong marunong ring tumatanggap.

Sa mabuting balita ngayon (at sa marami pang pagbasa ngayong Panahon ng Pagkabuhay) nagpakita si Hesus sa paraang mas maaalala siya ng kanyang mga alagad. At ano yun? Sa paghahati-hati ng tinapay. Oo nga, sa pagbabahagi-bahagi ng tinapay. Dito nais ni Hesus na maalaala. (Lu. 22:19) At dito nga Siya na-aalala ng mga kanyang alagad.

Kaya naman lubos akong naniniwala sa pagbibigay.

Sa kapangyarihan nito na papanibaguhin ang mundo nating ginagalawan. Dahil sa tuwing nagbibigay tayo, (o nakakasaksi lamang ng nagbibigayan) binubukasan nito ang ating mga puso (kaya nakakainspire) at na-aaninag natin ang Diyos.

“Kaya pala gayon ang pakiramdam natin habang tayo’y kinakausap sa daan.” (Lu. 32)

At sa tuwing nakikita o nararamdaman natin ang Diyos,

Dinadala Niya tayo na makita ang tunay na tayo at gumawa ng mabuti at tama. Ginganyak Niya rin tayo na lumabas sa sarili at tumungo sa ating kapwa. Lalong higit doon sa di natin kakilala at sa mga lansangan upang ibahagi ang ating nasaksihan.

"Noon di'y tumindig sila at nagbalik sa Jerusalem" Lu. 33

 Maging sa oras na sumusulat ako ng ganitong mga pagbabahagi. Hindi naman sa ako ay banal o hindi nakakagawa ng mali kaya ko ito nagagawa (o ginagawa). Ngunit isa lang ang nararamdaman ko sa mga oras na tulad nito, pinupuno ng Diyos ang aking mga kakulangan kaya ako nakakapagbahagi. Oo, sa parang ito, nakikita ko Siya, higit pa sa mga kakulangan at maging sa kalabisan ko.

Ito rin ang dalangin ko para sa iyo ngayon kapatid.

Makita mo siya palagi sa pagbibigay ng iyong sarili sa iyong kapwa.

Pagpalain ka ng Diyos.

Receive Well, Thank Well, Give Well

"Jesus took the bread, give thanks and distributed them." Jn. 6:11

Generosity is not only about giving.

First, it is about receiving.

And second, it is about thanking.

Remember  the  IPO model?

Receiving is the INPUT

Thanking is the PROCESS

Giving is the OUTPUT

Listen well.

The quality of your giving is in the quality of your receiving. And the quality of your receiving is in the quality of your thanking.

What do I mean by this?

First, you cannot give what you don’t have.

You cannot give food if you don’t have food.

You cannot give water if you don’t have water.

So, the first stance in generosity is your ability to receive well.

And receiving well means your ability to be open and humble to accept good things from others. Without this ability, there’s nothing to be thankful for and nothing to be given.

Second, true giving only comes from true ‘possessing.’

What I mean is that you need to ‘own’ what was given to you first before you can truly give it. Because without you owning it first, giving can only be an act of corruption or of disposal.

(More on this later) But how we can truly possess what was given to us? By gratitude! By having a thankful heart.

Is this not what we expect to people we are giving?

That they will be happy and thankful for the gift that they have received from us?

Yes. If they are truly thankful, we know that they will own the gift, enjoy it and take care of it.

This should also be our second stance when we received something from others. Be thankful. Express gratitude.

Lastly, share what you have received and what you are trully thankful.

Have you experienced to share or give something which is not yours? That is not generosity that is corruption.

Have you experienced to share or give something that you don’t need or not really thankful? That is not generosity that is disposing.

So true generosity starts form receiving something.

Claiming that something as your own by being thankful.

And if you are really thankful, you cannot help but give or share it to others.

Because thankfulness is something to be shared. After all, you cannot contain thankfulness.

Today, let us learn from Christ.

He humbly received the bread.

He gave thanks for the bread.

And generously given the bread to others.

That is generosity. Genuine generosity!

God bless your giving.

Don't Think Positive

"The One who comes from heaven is above all" Jn. 3:31

We always hear people say (or yourself saying) ‘Think positive!’

Yes, it is good but I have a better proposal for you.

‘Think Godly!’

Are these two things different?

Please ask me. Are these two things different?

My answer is a big ‘YES!’

Allow me to put it this way.

Not all Positive thoughts are Godly thoughts,

But all Godly thoughts are Positive ones!

Allow me to tell you two stories.

My friend Jack before feeds his family by stealing. He was a cold blooded thief. One time he shared to me that when he is just starting his tricks, he is very nervous. But because he believes that he needs to do it for his family (Positive Thought #1) He must do it, (Positive Thought #2) and he can do it! (Positive Thought #3) And not only that, he can successfully do it (Positive Thought #4) without being caught (Positive Thought #5). Sounds not good, but nonetheless, Rick is a positive thinker.

Here’s the second story.

I have another friend I called Poy. He’s a politician.

Oops… I will no longer continue the story. For sure you already know the ending. I give you a clue. Jack and Poy are friends.

What’s my point?

It doesn’t mean you’re a positive thinker, you'll have a positive life.

The truth is many people who are involved in crimes are also working on positive thinking. (And the sadder truth is that sometimes, they are more motivated than those people who tries to do good.) 

So, if you are dreaming to have a positive or better still a godly life; don't just think positive, think godly thoughts!

The bible says:  

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Rm. 12:2

The letter of St. Paul to the Colossians added:

 “Set your minds on things above not on earthly things.” Col. 3:2

Again, think godly thoughts.

Now, what I suggest is that you evaluate your positive thoughts if they are also godly ones. What I mean is that; ask yourself if what you’re thoughts now is inspired by God and not only of what people (whom you considered inspiring) are telling you.

Try these two questions.

First, are my thoughts now in line with what the bible is saying?

The Holy Scripture speaks for itself about this:

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training for righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16-17

Second, are my thoughts now being driven by good intentions and will lead to good actions?

The bible speaks:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Phil.4:8

Those “whatevers” represents godly thoughts.  

And if what you are thinking now is like them, (amidst the challenges and problems you are experiencing) congratulations!  You are not only set to live a positive life but to enjoy a godly life.

Yes, this is my prayer for you my friend.

That you may enjoy not only a positive but a godly life.

Thank you very much for considering my proposal.

Today, think godly thoughts!

P.S. (When your positive thoughts doesn't work, your godly thoughts will.)