A loss to the World but a gain to the Heavens

I first met the great apologist Ravi Zacharias when I had so many questions, musings, confusions with my faith, my life and my world and at a time I was making sense, significance and connection to it all. I listened to his speeches, teachings and forums, took notes on worldview topics, philosophical ideas and doctrinal discourses, and enjoyed the shots of humour and personal life references he always injected in his discussions. He is a loss to the temporal world but a gain to the heavens.

(1 Peter 3:15, NIV) "...in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..."

One thing I've learned in my journey of faith and life is to "ask, seek and look for the answers way beyond these dim eyes for though the truth may sometimes lie in plain sight, it may also be found in the core of the heart."

“This life's dim windows of the soul
Distorts the heavens from pole to pole
And leads you to believe a lie
When you see with, not through, the eye.”
--William Blake

The Blessing South Africa

“The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”
(Numbers 6:24-26, NIV)

5 Essential Beliefs for a Peaceful Heart

5 Essential Beliefs for a Peaceful Heart

by Charles F. Stanley

If you’re a Christian, God alone is in charge of your life. He’s your security. And He’s never been out of control over His creation for one fraction of a second since the beginning of time. He hasn’t lost one measure of His power or might. He’s just as omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and all loving today as He was at the dawn of man. 

Though we may not always understand His purposes, understanding the ways of God always leads to an understanding that He’ll act in a way that brings about eternal blessings for His children. Through the years, I’ve discovered five essential beliefs for a peaceful heart. I challenge you to take a long, hard look at what you believe about God. Your peace is determined by the degree to which these truths are embedded in your soul.

Belief 1: God is absolutely sovereign.

Recognizing and accepting the truth that God is sovereign over everything is vital for your inner peace. This means that nothing related to you is beyond His watchful eye and loving care. (Col. 1:17)

Belief 2: God is your provider.

From cover to cover, the Bible has a clear message that God is the One who provides for all your needs. No need is too massive, problematic, or severe for Jesus to meet it. The Bible tells us, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Ps. 34:10).

Belief 3: God made you the way you are for a purpose.

There are many things about your life in which you have no control. Accept those things as part of the way God created you. Your race, culture, language, nationality, sex, and many attributes of your physical being are God’s “choices.” He also gave you talents, aptitudes, intelligence, personality, and spiritual gifts that, taken as a whole, make you a unique person on this earth to fulfill the plan He has for you. (Ps. 139:13-16)

Belief 4: God has a place where you truly belong.

God created you for fellowship with Himself and others. Trust Him to help you gain a strong sense of belonging to Him and to provide for you a “family” of fellow believers to whom you can belong. Then, as you grow in Him, reach out to others. (1 Pet. 2:9).

Belief 5: God has a plan for your fulfillment.

For real inner peace, a person needs to know that he or she is competent, able, capable, and skilled at doing something. There’s a wonderful sense of peace that comes when you know you’re capable of putting in a good performance or doing a good job. (Eph. 2:10)

When you accept these five essential beliefs at the core of your being and trust that God is working in you and on your behalf, inner peace will truly be yours.

“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Advocate Personality

I received one of those online personality tests you take on the internet that was sent by a friend. It was a welcome intellectual activity otherwise it's either my pile of unfolded clothing or the seemingly unappealing shows on the tele.

So I took the test and it said my personality type falls under the Diplomats--Advocate.

A.  INTRODUCTION

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being." Johann Wolfgang Van Goethe

The Advocate personality type is very rare, making up less than one percent of the population, but they nonetheless leave their mark on the world. Advocates have an inborn sense of idealism and morality, but what sets them apart is that they are not idle dreamers. These individuals are capable of taking concrete steps to realize their goals and make a lasting positive impact.

People with this personality type tend to see helping others as their purpose in life. Advocates can often be found engaging in rescue efforts and doing charity work. However, their real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people need not be rescued at all.

Help Me Help You

Advocates indeed share a unique combination of traits. Though soft-spoken, they have very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea they believe in. They are decisive and strong-willed, but will rarely use that energy for personal gain.

Advocates will act with creativity, imagination, conviction, and sensitivity not to create an advantage, but to create balance. Egalitarianism and karma are very attractive ideas to Advocate personalities. These types tend to believe that nothing would help the world so much as using love and compassion to soften the hearts of tyrants.

Nothing lights up Advocates like creating a solution
that changes people’s lives.

Advocates find it easy to make connections with others. They have a talent for warm, sensitive language, speaking in human terms, rather than with pure logic and fact.

It makes sense that their friends and colleagues will come to think of them as quiet Extraverted personality types. However, they would all do well to remember that Advocates need time alone to decompress and recharge, and not to become too alarmed when they suddenly withdraw. Advocates take great care of others’ feelings, and they expect the favor to be returned – sometimes that means giving them the space they need for a few days.


 
Live to Fight Another Day

Really, though, it is most important for people with the Advocate personality type to remember to take care of themselves. The passion of their convictions is perfectly capable of carrying them past their breaking point. If their zeal gets out of hand, they can find themselves exhausted, unhealthy, and stressed.

This becomes especially apparent when Advocates find themselves up against conflict and criticism. Their sensitivity forces these personalities to do everything they can to evade these seemingly personal attacks. When the circumstances are unavoidable, however, they can fight back in highly irrational, unhelpful ways.

To Advocates, the world is a place full of inequity – but it doesn’t have to be. No other personality type is better suited to create a movement to right a wrong, no matter how big or small. Advocates just need to remember that while they’re busy taking care of the world, they need to take care of themselves, too.

B.  STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Advocate Strengths

• Creative – Combining a vivid imagination with a strong sense of compassion, Advocates use their creativity to resolve not technical challenges, but human ones. People with the Advocate personality type enjoy finding the perfect solution for someone they care about. This strength makes them excellent counselors and advisors.
• Insightful – Seeing through dishonesty and disingenuous motives, Advocates step past manipulation and sales tactics and into a more honest discussion. Advocate personalities see how people and events are connected. They are then able to use that insight to get to the heart of the matter.
• Inspiring and Convincing – Speaking in human terms, not technical, Advocates have a fluid, inspirational writing style that appeals to the inner idealist in their audience. Advocates can even be astonishingly good orators, speaking with warmth and passion. This is especially true if they are proud of what they are speaking for.
• Decisive – Advocates’ creativity, insight, and inspiration are able to have a real impact on the world. This is because they are able to follow through on their ideas with conviction, willpower, and the planning necessary to see complex projects through to the end. People with the Advocate personality type don’t just see the way things ought to be; they act on those insights.
• Determined and Passionate – When Advocates come to believe that something is important, they pursue that goal with a conviction and energy that can catch others off-guard. Advocates will rock the boat if they must. Not everyone likes to see this, but their passion for their chosen cause is an inseparable part of the Advocate personality.
• Altruistic – These strengths are used for good. Advocates will not engage in any actions or promote beliefs just to benefit themselves. They have strong beliefs and take the actions that they do because they are trying to advance an idea that they truly believe will make the world a better place.

Advocate Weaknesses

•  Sensitive – When someone challenges or criticizes Advocates’ principles or values, they are likely to receive an alarmingly strong response. People with the Advocate personality type are highly vulnerable to criticism and conflict. Questioning their motives is the quickest way to their bad side.
• Extremely Private – Advocates tend to present themselves as the culmination of an idea. This is partly because they believe in this idea, but also because Advocates are extremely private when it comes to their personal lives. They use this image to keep themselves from having to truly open up, even to close friends. Trusting a new friend can be even more challenging for Advocates.
• Perfectionistic – Advocate personalities are all but defined by their pursuit of ideals. While this is a wonderful quality in many ways, an ideal situation is not always possible – in politics, in business, in romance. Advocates, especially Turbulent ones, too often drop or ignore healthy and productive situations and relationships, always believing there might be a better option down the road.
• Always Need to Have a Cause – Advocate personalities get so caught up in their pursuits that any of the cumbersome tasks that come between them and their ideal vision is deeply unwelcome. Advocates like to know that they are taking concrete steps toward their goals. If routine tasks feel like they are getting in the way – or worse yet, there is no goal at all – they will feel restless and disappointed.
• Can Burn Out Easily – Their passion, impatience for routine maintenance, idealism, and extreme privacy tend to leave Advocates with few options for letting off steam. People with this personality type are likely to exhaust themselves in short order if they don’t find a way to balance their ideals with the realities of day-to-day living. 

C.  TWO TYPES OF THE ADVOCATE PERSONALITY

1. Assertive Advocate (INFJ-A)
2. Turbulent Advocate (INFJ-T)

While Assertive (INFJ-A) and Turbulent (INFJ-T) Advocates are likely to be more alike than different, their identity personality trait provides some nuanced dissimilarities between the two. It impacts the way each thinks, acts, and responds to their worlds to a significant extent.

Assertive Advocates are more likely to be confident and relaxed. Turbulent Advocates are likely to question themselves more and are ordinarily more sensitive to stressors.

Summary Differences

• Both personality types are concerned with other people, but Assertive Advocates are likely to be more hopeful, and Turbulent Advocates to focus on the difficult parts of a problem.
• Turbulent Advocates are often fueled by their worries and concerns, and these can be used to make significant progress.
• Both Assertive and Turbulent Advocates can get caught up in the drama of life, but those who are Turbulent are likely to be affected by it more.
• Stress and regret affect the Assertive Advocate individuals less, but this should not be confused with their not caring.
• Because their regrets weigh on them more, Turbulent Advocates are more likely to learn from their mistakes than Assertive Advocates.
• Assertive Advocates are less influenced by the opinions of others than Turbulent Advocates. However, paying too little or too much attention to the opinions of others carries its own difficulties.
• Assertive Advocates are more likely to want people in their lives, while Turbulent Advocates may feel they need people in their lives.

The same but different – that’s what we discover when we explore Assertive and Turbulent Identities in a single personality type. For Advocates, this means they share the same passion, the same concern for others, the same sense of order, and the same level of conviction about right and wrong.
However, it also means each personality type has a somewhat different perspective regarding the metaphorical glass. Is it half-full or half-empty? To what degree do they respond to other people and events, and to what degree do they move forward despite them? It’s all part of the journey of self-exploration.

CONCLUSION

“In the end, it’s your actions, how you respond to circumstance, that reveals your character.” Cate Blanchett 

Few personality types are as passionate and mysterious as Advocates. As someone with this personality type, your imagination and empathy make you someone who cherishes their integrity and deeply held principles. Unlike many other idealistic types, however, you are also capable of turning those ideals into plans and executing them.

Yet Advocates can be easily tripped up in areas where their idealism and determination are more of a liability than an asset. There are many areas in life where you may face challenges that, at times, can even make you question who you really are. Anything from navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or finding a career path that aligns well with your inner core can cause internal frustration.

 

Support Your Local Church

INTRODUCTION

1. The title for our lesson was adapted from that of a movie starring James Garner ("Support Your Local Sheriff!") made in 1969...

2. In most congregations, there are varying degrees of commitment among the members...

   a. The faithful few who can always be counted on to do whatever is needed
   b. The fairly faithful who attend somewhat regularly, but are not as dependable
   c. The C&E group who attend only on Christmas, Easter, and other special days
   d. Then there is the FPO group (using a church for funeral purposes only)

3. Membership in the body of Christ has many blessings...
   a. A relationship with Jesus Christ and all that entails
   b. But there are also responsibilities incumbent upon the members - e.g., Ep 4:25

[What are our responsibilities as members of the body of Christ?  In particular, what are our duties to one another as members of a local church?  Let's first review the concept of...]

I. MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH

   A. THE CHURCH UNIVERSAL...
     1. That is, the body of Christ, made up all the saved
     2. The church of which Jesus spoke in Mt 16:18
     3. One is added by the Lord to the church universal when they are saved - cf. Ac 2:41,47
      -- Membership in the universal church is automatic upon one's conversion

   B. THE CHURCH LOCAL...
     1. That is, a local group of Christians who function together as a congregation
     2. We read of such churches in the New Testament - cf. 1Co 1:2; Ro 16:16
     3. One joins a local church when they seek to work with other Christians - cf. Ac 9:26-28
      -- Membership in the local church is by mutual agreement among Christians
 
   C. IS LOCAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP NECESSARY...?
      1. Can one just have a "floating membership" without joining a particular congregation?
      2. The mere provision of local churches in God's Word implies...
         a. A divine purpose for the local church
         b. A corresponding responsibility of Christians to avail themselves of it
      -- The idea of becoming a Christian and never a part of a local congregation is foreign to the Scriptures

[Membership in the church universal comes with responsibilities toward other Christians.  Let's now consider our...]

II. RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE CHURCH

   A. ATTITUDES TO MAINTAIN...
      1. Concern for one another - 1Co 12:25-26
      2. Humility, lowliness of mind - Php 2:3
      3. A peaceable spirit - Ro 14:17-19
      4. Appreciation for others and their work - e.g., 1Th 1:2-3
      5. Willingness to cooperate, work together - 1Co 12:21

          a. "It marks a big step in a man's development when he comes to realize that other men can  be called on to help him do a better job than he can do alone." - Andrew Carnegie 
           b. "Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress, working together is success." - ibid.
      6. Friendliness, warmth - cf. Phm 1:7
      7. Gentleness, meekness - Ga 6:1
      8. Forbearance, longsuffering, patience - Col 3:12-13
      9. Forgiveness - Col 3:13
     10. Love - Jn 13:34-35
      -- Such attitudes will insure that involvement in a local church will be a great blessing!

   B. ACTION STEPS TO TAKE...
      1. Seek to join oneself with a faithful congregation (place membership) - cf. Ac 9:26
          a. Drifters, "floating members", "members at large", are missing an important aspect of what it means to be a Christian
          b. The same goes for passive "spectators", those "just along for the ride", "permanent visitors"
          c. One places membership with the intent of being an actual, functioning member - not a mere appendage to the body
d. It involves making real commitments to the group to work and serve

      2. Attend and participate in the assemblies of the congregation - cf. He 10:24-25
          a. The Christian enjoys and benefits from private and family worship, but must not neglect God's provision for collective, congregational worship and Bible study
           b. Every aspect of our assemblies is vital to the Christian
               1) The Lord's Supper - Ac 2:42; 20:7; 1Co 11:17-34
               2) Praying - Ac 2:42; 4:23-31; 12:12
               3) Singing - Ep 5:19; Col 3:16
               4) Preaching and teaching - Ac 20:7
               5) Giving as we have been prospered - 1Co 16:1-2; 2Co 8,9
          c. Our assemblies provide opportunities for three different levels of involvement:
               1) Providing for the assembly - cleaning the building, preparing the communion trays, leading in the service, etc.
               2) Attendance at the assembly - attending every service is critical to the overall growth and health of the congregation (let alone self!)
             3) Participation in the assembly - to the extent of one's ability
                 a) Worship is not a spectator activity
               b) The crucial question is not "How did the preacher or song leader do?", but "How did I do?"
              c) If one can do no more than listen, then listen in a manner that shows reverence and respect to God's Word! - cf. Ac 17:11
         d. Assembling together is not merely a routine to perform, but a God-given provision for our spiritual good
1) Quibbles and questions about whether we have to, complaints, neglects, etc., reveal an attitude of taking lightly the opportunity for Christians to be together
2) God wants to give us something in our assemblies – our involvement or lack thereof reveals much about whether we desire to accept what God has for us!
3) To minimize this aspect of Christianity jeopardizes not only one's own soul, but the souls of others!

      3. Engage personally and directly in the work of the congregation
         a. Evangelism - e.g., Ac 8:4
         b. Edification - Ro 14:19
         c. Benevolence - Ac 2:44-45; 4:34-35
      4. Contribute financially to the work of the congregation - 1Co 16:1-2, 2Co 9:6-7
      5. Pray for other Christians, especially those of one's own congregation - e.g., Col 4:12
      6. Help maintain unity in the congregation - 1Co 1:10; Ro 15:5-7; Ep 4:1-3
      7. Participate in the discipline of the congregation, both instructive as well as corrective - 1Co 5:1-13; Ga 6:1-2; 2 Th 3:6-15
      8. Extend courtesy and hospitality - Ro 12:13; 1Pe 4:9
      9. Find an individual role and fill it - Col 4:17; 2Ti 4:5
     10. Submit to the congregation's elders - 1Th 5:12,13; He 13:7,17
      -- Such action steps will greatly increase one's level of involvement in a local church


CONCLUSION

1. Too often, churches are like football games...
   a. The players on the field could use a rest from their exertion
   b. The spectators in the stands need to exercise more

2. Churches likewise have "players" and "spectators"...
   a. The players are active members, faithfully supporting their local church
   b. The spectators are members who benefit while expecting others to carry the load

3. Do we really love and appreciate the church of our Lord...?
   a. For which He shed His blood? - cf. Ac 20:28
   b. Then let us fulfill our responsibilities to the church, both universal and local!

Support your local church by being an active and involved member.  Not only will you bless others in doing so, but you will be richly blessed in return...!

   "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."
                                                            - He 6:10




https://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/top/support.htm

Way Maker

♪♫ Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who You are
That is who You are ♪♫

-"Way Maker" by Leeland
music link - https://youtu.be/EXQGTInPpZU

Online Church

Our Sunday mornings now: online church service & kids church at home 😍 thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your blessings, grace & the freedom to worship You! 😍

Join us every Sunday 9:30AM at this link: https://christconnectchurch.online.church

Enjoy online church everyone!

The Foundation for All Peace

“The Foundation for All Peace”
by Charles F. Stanley

Prior to a speaking event not so long ago, a staff member and I were enjoying a meal on the West Coast. While the young waitress attended our table during the meal, I asked her: “If you could ask God for anything in your life, what would you ask Him to do for you?”

Without hesitation, she answered: “I’d ask for peace.”

A tear made its way down her cheek as she shared with us about her beloved grandmother’s death a few days before.

As she shared her story, I learned no one in her family believed in God—and neither did she. She’d not consciously rejected Him. All she knew was there was a deep restlessness inside, but she had no understanding about how to resolve that inner turmoil, or even what lay at the root of it. Like many people, she was living day to day, not having much purpose or meaning in her life.

This young woman represents so many in our society today—going through the motions, striving to make ends meet, seeking a way where there seems to be no way, and trying to make sense of it all.

Too often, there seems to be no adequate answers to our human dilemma—especially to the question of why we feel so empty, void, and lacking peace. Furthermore, there appears to be no satisfactory reason for us to keep putting out our best efforts and still suffering with life’s adversities.

The young waitress serving us explained the issue in her terms by saying, “I need peace.” Others would say, “I’m so lonely.” Some would say, “If my spouse would only love me as he/she should, then I’d be happy.” Different variations but all the same melody: “There’s something wrong ... I’m not happy. I have no peace. What’s wrong with me?”

Most who are victims of the messages of our secular society experience this void and don’t equate their problem with God. We’re constantly bombarded with society’s claims: “If only you were thinner, dressed with more style, drove a Jaguar, lived in a better part of town, made more money …” the list goes on and on. But none of the aforementioned highly-prized answers to our problems or any of the hundreds of others offered to us can permanently and satisfactorily provide what we desperately crave.

The young waitress had it right: Most of us feel strongly that we need something more—and the all-encompassing word that so well describes it is peace.

And as a pastor for more than six decades, I can tell you that until you have peace with God, you will never experience true peace in this life.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” [2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬]

COVID-19

COVID-19
Christ Over Viruses and
Infectious Diseases

[Joshua 1:9]

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Convo snippets

Convo with my lil’ boy at school pickup today...
Me: Excuse me, Caiden, can you count from 1 to 100 please?
Caiden: Hmm...ok Mommy... 1... 2... 100!
Me: 😅

Manang-mana kang bata ka sa pinagmanahan ng kakulitan—Daddy Luis!!! 😆

Bedtime Prayer

Bedtime prayer convo with God...
Caleiya: Dear Lord, thank You for today. Today was a really good day for all of us. But Lord, I pray for Caiden that he eats well. What about You, Lord, how was Your day? If you can’t tell me now, You can text me on my phone.
Caiden: What about me, Lord?
Caleiya: Lord, Caiden doesn’t have a phone so just text me and I will let him know. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
Daddy & Mommy: 😄😆😍

None But Jesus

♪♫ In the quiet, in the stillness
I know that You are God
In the secret of Your presence
I know there I am restored

When You call I won't refuse
Each new day again I'll choose

There is no one else for me
None but Jesus
Crucified to set me free
Now I live to bring Him praise

In the chaos, in confusion
I know You're sovereign still
In the moment of my weakness
You give me grace to do Your will

When You call I won't delay
This my song through all my days

All my delight is in You Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength
All my delight is in You Lord forever more ♪♫

-"None But Jesus" by Hillsong United
music link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQgiqMDRdj0

Know My Heart

"Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

[Psalm 139:23-24 NIV]

Faith over Fear

We need FAITH
(Full Assurance In The Heart)
to conquer FEAR
(False Evidence Appearing Real)

Convo snippets

Convo with my lil’ girl at school pickup today...
Me: How was your day, my sweetheart?
Caleiya: It was good, Mommy. I had a perfect day!
Me: Oh! Well, how about that... That’s great! I’m so happy for you! 😍
Caleiya: 😄

My heart is full 🥰

Song cover

"My Lighthouse" cover by Caleiya & Caiden with Daddy Luis on guitars.
Have a blessed day everyone! 😊

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfaIuooCHM

Kindly subscribe to Caleiya & Caiden's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcI-rahONhiixb0TAxjDHXA/videos

Thanks much! 😊

Exodus 12

♪♫ I was blind, now I'm seeing in color
I was dead, now I'm living forever
I had failed, but you were my redeemer
I've been blessed beyond all measure

I was lost, now I'm found by the father
I've been changed from a ruin to treasure
I've been given a hope and a future
I've been blessed beyond all measure

I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing
Letting go and trusting when I cannot see
I am counting every blessing, counting every blessing
Surely every season you are good to me

Oh, you are good to me
Oh, you are good to me

You were there in the valley of shadows
You were there in the depth of my sorrows
You're my strength, my hope for tomorrow
I've been blessed beyond all measure ♪♫

-"Counting Every Blessing" by Rend Collective
music link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6CyBGwVZYc

Strength & Peace

Dear Lord, thank You for each day & the blessings that You bring. Thank You for answered prayers, miracles great & small happening all around us, for changed hearts & set-free minds, for redeemed souls & forgiven sins, for love & compassion at work in people’s lives, and for family & community we’re blessed with that’s there to connect, comfort, uplift, rebuild & love. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who guides & convicts, encourages & rebukes, teaches & gives peace. In light of political tensions & unrest, wars & rumour of wars, natural disasters & extreme weathers, even in our life’s battles & struggles, we hold on to Your Word & promises for Your people & believe that You are sovereign, Your ways & thoughts higher than ours. In Jesus’ name. Amen! 🥰

New Year 2020

Thank You, oh Lord for the year that has passed & for year 2020! You have been faithful & surely will remain so for Your love endures forever! HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our family & friends! May we all experience the unfathomable love, abounding grace, unconditional forgiveness & everlasting peace that comes from our Lord JESUS CHRIST! 🎉🤩💥