First of all, I just want to share that I’ve shifted… or, I don’t know the word, maybe I ramped up, or rather, I’m amped up to finish 365000 words as soon as possible. I’m also amped up to finish reading the Bible ahead of schedule.
I’ve also told myself that I won’t take a rest – or, maybe that wasn’t right – I’ll keep on working out and maybe even keep escalating my physical output until I can finally say I’ve written the equivalent of a thousand words per day for every day of the year, and read through the entire Bible, nourishing my soul along the way.
I feel as if these recent days are highly critical and require the most out of me… I feel as if there’s something more to attain, along with a shift for the better, and by writing and reading and working out as hard as I can – well, I guess this is me trying to ‘prepare’ for the better days.
Besides, it’s not like I don’t have anything to write about – buddy, I have a LOT on my plate that I’d love to hop on as soon as I can, not only to get those words posted, but also to just get all of it out of my head.
Obviously reading the Bible is never a waste of time… I’ve been reading it out loud for me to hear it, and to just project the power of the spoken, living word just so that my environment is also as ministered to as my being. Indeed, let faith arise as the Word is spoken and heard. Finally, working out will never be a waste of time for me – it’s me reprogramming my brain from persistent temptations, refining my body by way of strengthening muscles and burning excess fuel.
I’m doing all of this also, perhaps in anticipation for the next year, and the seasons to come. I’ve been seeing a lot of rearrangement, I’ve been seeing a lot of people moving out, a lot of opportunities presenting themselves; yes, in spite of the laments I’ve made regarding my regrets and all that I’ve done in the past which has led me back to square one (single and without much money to my name) – Man, there’s a lot going on, and a lot that WILL go on, not just in an individual sense, but from so many other perspectives!
Oh, and let me not go on without mentioning – I’ve been praying a whole lot more recently, and most of it is joining others in lifting their burdens to the Lord, as well as just really crying out to the Lord until I run out of words and let the Spirit take over. It just feels so good – I mean, I’ve been brought to remember how good it used to feel when I just lift EVERYTHING to Him, in a tangible and intentional act of TRUSTING in Him – indeed, those who DO pray and trust in Him will never be put to shame!
I don’t know, I feel like some of this stuff should be part of my Inventory or Appraisal ‘series’ of self-examination and introspection (by the way, if you’ve been reading through all that, first off, thank you, but I hope you understand I’m pushing all of that for my sake more than anyone else’s)… But it just feels good to let some of it out now. Besides, it won’t hurt to mention any of this again, as we keep on writing and sharing.
Sorry, I let off a little more than I think I wanted just there. Today – rather, tonight, I’m contributing to my thousand-word a day run by writing about some additional stuff I left out when I was delivering the actual message yesterday.
After talking about Romans 8, I jumped straight to Romans 12, for lack of time. Here, I’d like to mention what I had on Romans 9-11.
In a nutshell, these three chapters I didn’t really touch base on could be summarized into four related points: How God’s grace is not without His glory, how God’s glory is not without His grace; How God’s goodness is not without His greatness, and how God’s greatness is not without His goodness.
Creation will never be able to fully comprehend its Creator. Fortunately, the next and only response to this truth is to trust in Him – and though we may not live long enough to see how God makes all things in our own lives to work for good, we CAN trust in Him.
Whether we understand Him or not, we CAN trust in Him. He IS for us, and not against us – and I look beyond His saying ‘Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated’, beyond His hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, beyond His taking salvation and righteousness to the Gentiles over Israel, His own people – I look beyond to see and behold the true reason for my trusting in God – Jesus Christ, whose birth, death, resurrection and ascension reconciled me completely, and I am loved, saved, and blessed absolutely.
So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. Romans 9:16, 18
For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. Romans 10:11-12
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33, 36
Is it for us to tell who God has mercy on, and who God hardens? No, let us instead focus and encourage others in calling on Him, and in so doing, glorifying Him!
Also for lack of time, I omitted most of Romans 16, focusing on one verse where Paul reminded us, just before closing the rest of the chapter and the rest of the epistle, of how we should steer clear of anyone who causes division. For this I mentioned that an easy way to tell who’s capable of causing such damage to the community is to listen – and if they’re barely talking about Christ, well, that’s a first warning sign.
The point is, we come together, and more importantly, we are a whole lot more difficult to divide when we realize our common ground and the Rock on whom ALL of us stand in the body of Christ is, well, Christ Himself! We come together through Christ, and we STAY together because of Christ.
I was satisfied because all in all, I said what I wanted to say to myself and the congregation, regarding how we ought to start discipling our families, and we ought to minister to ourselves, and eventually this would all translate to contributing – making a very solid contribution, even – to the seemingly daunting task of discipling the nations.
Sure, I talked about how the Gospel as explained in the book of Romans is ABSOLUTELY critical to our ministering to ourselves and our households… but for lack of time, I failed to share something else I had in mind.
See, another ‘gap’ identified, but not necessarily drilled down on in the Lausanne Congress Reunion was the opportunity of digitalization – and the thing is, it’s something we really couldn’t avoid in this day and time.
I see two things that are essential as we embrace digitalization in our own communities and ministries: First, it spans generations – even those who call themselves techno-phobic, no matter which decade or epoch they belong in. When I say it ‘spans’, I’m just saying it’s impacting all of us, across generations and nations.
Second, it’s an ‘amplifier’ of an essential we have, again when it comes to our ministering to the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) – every family thrives when they communicate with each other.
I remember mentioning a random thought, or maybe something that I’ve heard somewhere before, or maybe just an assumption I’ve made – regarding how the Roman era was the best time for the Gospel to begin, because it was through the Roman Roads, which connected everyone within the civilized world at the time – it was through these logistical, travel lines that communications also moved, and wherever there was communication, there certainly was much mention of the Gospel of Christ!
I believe the many verses of Paul’s communicating to other specific people and entities in the final chapter of the book of Romans… well, all that wasn’t at random, and it certainly wasn’t a waste of time. In Romans 16 we see the revelation of communication, and the way I see it, in our day and age we have a lot more in our fingertips – we have a greater opportunity to communicate through digitalization.
They used to have the Roman Roads, but we also now have the Information Superhighway. Oh, Lord, teach us to make the best use of what we have in front of us!
One last thing I’m intending to throw in next Sunday (by the way, these aren’t going to comprise the entire message, or this isn’t going to take all of my allotted time this coming Sunday), is an update to our prayer list on our newsletter.
I’m going to put there – Please pray for the United States Elections, and the Philippine Elections!
I mean, while we’re praying, we might as well lift these two nations up to the Lord.
(my own personal political views follow)
I’m just slightly worried that I would be eating my own words come Election Day for the USA… I’m definitely rooting for Trump, but man, I couldn’t help but worry about how ‘they’ could steal the elections. I’ve seen Maduro win by questionable numbers in Venezuela, I’ve seen Bongbong Marcos cheated out of his votes and out of his chance of becoming Vice President to (legend) Duterte… I’m just praying, oh, really, really praying, above anything else, that no weapons designed for cheating would prosper, and I’m praying that the words and declarations of life would truly take hold, and that no curses said against the body of Christ would come to pass.
I’m not only praying for a win, but a clean win – for Donald Trump, and for my mentor, Pastor Poppo, this coming year, when the Philippines is up to vote as well.
(my own personal political views end here)
These ARE exciting times, and you can bet I’m going to keep on typing, because the typing is good.
One last thing – Friends, I just want to thank you for everything. I know, we never talk, and by you coming this far along I can only assume you’re just bearing with everything I have to say here – even if a good number of times it’s just me rambling and spitting things out.
I’m just excited about these recent days, and I just thank God for His faithfulness through it all. There, I’m definitely also sharing that this coming Sunday.
Now, with all this said, I just want to say – May the Lord continue to bless you, and may He bless us all more and more and more and more. See you at the next post, hopefully coming soon!
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JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
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