"The PRAYER"

One of the things many do (I know I have done & may still do lol) is pray for that one person who they'll marry. We would ask God for specific things like looks, personality, a person with same hobbies, etc... Am I the only one who has done this? hahah

Anyways we pray and pray and pray for God to send us that right person for us. That's alright, except that recently as our youth group has been discussing about "love, purity, and 'true love waits'" He has reminded me that I should focus first on what God need to work in me, so that in the future when I am blessed with a wife I would be able to be that person that my future wife needs.

So now my prayers have been sounding a little different. Instead of asking God for that perfect wife, I've been praying that God would make me the man my future wife and kids can trust. God make me the man who is there for his wife and kids. A man who my wife and kids can rely on. A man who can take care of them and be there for them through the ups and the downs. A man who will always be there... Many times we focus on what we want, but what we really need to focus on is how God can make us that person our future spouses need. If we ask God to make us better people, to learn how to care, love, be trustworthy people, and be the person God  wants us to be I believe our relationship with whomever God has called us to be with will be a lasting one.

Don't focus on the who, rather first focus on the YOU!

Noah

May 6, 2012
Bible Reading: Genesis 5

I'm going to be honest, the many times I read chapters like chapter 5 that give the geneologies I always thought it was boring and sometimes I speed read through it. Are there others like me? lol Anyways, after reading it today I realized how important it actually is to know the geneologies. In this case we learn about the geneology of Adam. With all his descendants one stood out who actually became the one man we are descendants of. If you continue reading on into chapter 6, you'll find out why.

But one of the last verses of chapter 5, Noah is introduced as the son of Lamech and once Noah was born Lamech in verse 29 said this "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed." (I have overlooked this before because of my "speed-reading" through geneologies) This passage really stands out to me because it was a prophecy of what is to be of Noah. If you haven't read about Noah before, continue to read Genesis because it's pretty cool stuff that happens. Anyways, Noah's father had prophesied about his son, and little did Noah know that what his dad would say about him would come true, and he was used greatly by our Creator!

It's also interesting to know that in this chapter people lived for a very long time, and they all had many kids which made up the human population back then. From all those descendants one remained! NOAH

Continue to read on, pretty amazing stuff!
Ronald D.

Brotherly & Sisterly Love

June 4, 2012
Bible Reading: Genesis 4

How many of you have brothers and sisters? Some people have a sister like myself, others have more than one, there are others who have a good mixture of both brothers and sisters. There may be those also who have half-siblings, or even foster brothers and sisters. Whoever you're siblings are whether of blood or not, they are your brothers and sisters, they're your FAMILY! My sister and I don't get along all the time, and this may be true for many others with siblings. You have your good days and there are days you butt heads, but at the end of the day you're still FAMILY.

In Genesis chapter 4, Eve gave birth to 2 sons, the oldest Cain and the youngest Abel. Both had different responsibilities; Abel kept the flocks and Cain worked the soil and harvested crops. Both also gave an offering to the Lord, Cain brought some of his crops and Abel brought fat portions of the firstborn flock. Now the Lord looked upon Abel with favor, but Cain on the other hand God did not.

After this Cain was pretty upset and as scripture says he was "downcast" and God even had a talk with God asking him why he was so upset. And after the converstation Cain came out of it still pretty upset and let it out on Abel whom God favored, and ended up killing Abel in the field. In the initial  converstation with Cain, God knew he was harboring anger and said to him "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

Apparently Cain could not master it and allowed sin to enter which ended up with the killing of his own brother. I can't even imagine myself or anyone killing their own blood let alone their siblings, or anyone in the family, but Cain did. Not sure what Cain was thinking but it looks like jealousy came to play. Cain was jealous that God looked at Abel with favor when they both gave an offering to the Lord.

Many of us probably get jealous of our siblings. Maybe one is treated differently than the other, or one is given more than the other, whatever it is jealousy and stuff like that happens between siblings. The only difference is that Cain let his anger get the best of him leading him to killing his own brother.

No matter what you think about your sibling, no matter what you've said to them, no matter what argument or unforgiveable thing you think they might have done, at the end of the day they are still you siblings and your blood. That fact never changes, and whatever faults we might tave against our siblings they are still our brothers and sisters and we have to master those thoughts saying not to love our siblings, or to stay away from them, to curse them, to hate them and get that attitude of forgiveness and love. I heard a sermon yesterday and the pastor said that if we love God and we say we love God that there are no enemies, because when Jesus said "Love your enemies as you love yourself," it means that your enemies have become your friends, that why you can love your enemies.

God's love reigns over all, and no matter what it is you have against your sibling let it go and allow God to restore your friendship for each other and most importantly that brotherly & sisterly love!

Have a great week!
Ronald D.

The CHOICE

May 31, 2012
Bible Reading: Genesis 3

So Adam and his wife Eve (named at end of ch 3) were pretty much given all they needed and really could ever need. They became basically the in-keepers of earth and were in charge of taking care of the Garden of Eden, they got to name the animals, they were given all the food they can eat from the livestock to the many trees in the garden. What's amazing though is that you can have everything one moment but with one wrong choice or decision, that can all change.

Eve made a choice that day in the garden. She knew in v2 that she shouldn't eat from the tree in the middle but she gave in and ate it then leading her husband Adam to eat it as well causing God to get really angry and sending them out of the Garden of Eden. Why would they do this you ask? She was tempted by the serpent in the garden (represents devil), deceiving her and making things more desirable than they really are. He had her see the fruit as desirable and pleasing to the eye making her believe that only good can come out of her eating this fruit, when in reality it was nothing but trouble.

You see when temptation hits and you know right from wrong, the devil makes you question your knowledge of what is right ary thkes everything that is wrong seem so right. he deceives us making things looks greater than they actually are. We have to be alert! The Bible says that our enemy the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for whom he may devour. God has given us the spirit of discernement as well as the Holy Spirit to help us distinguish what we SHOULD do and what we SHOULD NOT do, but ARE WE LISTENING or is the temptation too great and so pleasurable that we just have to give in?

I say BE STRONG IN THE LORD and STAND FIRM! GOD WILL GET US THROUGH! He knows our struggles and HE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE HERE FOR US NO MATTER WHAT, we have to TRUST HIM!

Be blessed and have a great Thursday!
Ronald D.

The Union

May 30, 2012
Bible Reading: Genesis 2:4-25

Today's reading is from Genesis 2. In this chapter there is a more specific explanation to the creation of man, and the Garden of Eden which was where Adam was placed. In that garden God had trees that were not only cool, but good for food, but in the center of that garden was placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree plays a significant role in the next chapter, but let's stick to chapter 2.

Now what I wanted to focus on in this chapter is one word: UNION! God had placed Adam in this garden to work and take care of it, and commanded him only one thing; not to eat from the tree of life. (1st job by man: GARDENER lol) God also saw that it wasn't good for this man to work alone, and so God created a helper to help him created from one of the ribs of Adam, and a woman was created.

v24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

The first marriage in the Bible was Adam and Eve. God created marriage so that 2 can become one, and that these 2 people can help each other. This was the Sacred Union, the marriage between husband and wife, which is carried on til today. Marriage is a UNION, it's the uniting of 2 individual people becoming one. I was just at a wedding a couple weeks ago, and to witness 2 friends of mine becoming one was awesome to see. When we think about marriage know how special it is, and know that it isnt something to be taken lightly but really a gift from God for a husband and a wife to be united and become one.

Be blessed everyone!
Ronald D.

*tomorrow is chapter 3 "The Fall"

The Beginning

May 29, 2012

Devotion: The Beginning!
Bible Reading: Genesis 1-2:3

I'm going to start something new with these devotions, we're going to start from the BEGINNING! Each day we'll read a chapter of the Bible until we finish it, and we'll study it together. Feel free to post comments about the chapter if you would like to.

Today's word is BEGINNING. Everything had a beginning. We had a beginning, everything you see in nature had a beginning, everything created had a beginning. Now there are different interpretations to how the BEGINNING started. Some say Big Bang, and other scientific explanations such as Darwin's theory. My BEGINNING started with a creator, a creator who took 6 days to create everything around us. A creator who thought about us, even before we were even created by giving us light during the day through the sun, and light during the evening through the moon and stars. (He was the first inventor of nightlights lol) A creator who gave us water and distinguished the oceans  between dry ground (land) where we are able to dwell and live today. He even gave us the fruits, the plants and all vegetation we see today. Not finished yet, but before we were created He gave us animals from the sea life in the oceans to all the creatures roaming the lands today. Then finally after creating all of that He created us to watch over His creation, to be fruitful and increase.

We all have BEGINNINGS, and ours started with a creator! A creator who thought of us first. A creator who provided for us before we ever existed. A creator who loves us and made us in His own image. A creator who saw all that He had done and said that "IT IS VERY GOOD." What a BEGINNING huh?! You looking for the history of the world and how it all started, go straight to the creator Himself and His Word.

Have a blessed week everyone!
Ronald D.

P.S. tomorrow we'll look at Genesis 2, so if you want to read ahead please feel free!

Servant Leadership

May 25, 2012

2 Words: SERVANT LEADERSHIP.

It seems as if I haven't been blogging in a while, but I'm back and thats all that matters right?! LOL. I was out of town last week to Florida for my friends' wedding. It was awesome, had so much fun!

Anyways, tonight I was taking home one of my youth members and we started talking about leadership within their junior/senior high worship team, and I started mentioning SERVANT LEADERSHIP. If you may not know what this is, here is a passage from the Bible that explains it:

John 13:3-5,12-15 "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returing to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him... 12 When he had finsihed washing their feeet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. 'Do you understand what I have done for you?' he asked them. 'You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.'"

This passage shows us that leadership is not about ordering people around and telling them what to do, but it's about humbling ourselves and serving first and leading by example. Jesus who is Lord and Savior should be getting His feet washed by us, but He showed us that even as a leader and someone so many people look up to that it's about Him serving us so that we may do the same for others. Leading is all about serving!!! If you're not serving you're not leading. I know people take kindly to a servant leader rather than someone who barks out orders all the time thinking they are mightier and more powerful. Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples feet, and I think it's time that we do the same.

Leadership is not about having the power or the position, but it should be about serving others, helping others, showing people how it's done, caring for others, etc... Leadership is about leading by example. The question for you today is are you using servant leadership? If not, I think it's time for us to humble ourselves and serve.

Other servant leadership verses you should check out: Matthew 20:25-28, 1 Peter 5:2-4, Philippians 2:3-8, 1 Peter 5:5-7, John 3:30, Nehemiah 4:21-23, Luke 24:25-26, 1 John 4:8.

Have a great Long weekend everyone!!!

God Bless,
Ronald D.

devotion: Overwhelming Thoughts

May 14, 2012

2 Words: "Overwhelming thoughts."

Question: What do you do when you have overwhelming thoughts? You know when you just sit and think and think and think about everything that has happened, that may happen, and that will happen. You become just overwhelmed with thinking & your thoughts. It may sound silly, but does that ever happen to you?

It definately happens to me! Our thoughts are just filled with everything we have to do, everything we could have done, everything we should do. Also the "WHY's" start to pop up, and the "Are we good enough thoughts..." LoL it's amazing where our thoughts take us sometimes. But as I sit here and think, I am also sitting here talking to God and giving Him my thoughts. I may be overwhelmed by my own thinking, but I do know I have a God who takes my every thought and brings peace to my mind because I know that's He's bigger than my biggest thought. You will definately find peace when you give your "overwhelming thoughts" to God! Brings a smile to your face and let's you know EVERYTHING WILL BE OK!

Ronald D.

devotion: new beginnings

May 1, 2012

2 Words: NEW BEGINNINGS!!!

Can you believe that it's already May 1. It feels like just yesterday I came back from the Philippines and that was January 27th. Time just seems to continue to fly by. April came and gone and now it's a new month, a new start, a NEW BEGINNING. Whatever happened in April happened in April, now we have another oppourtunity to make this next month even better than the last. You know how that saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers," so if you had a stormy April filled with many ups and downs know that May is an opportunity for us to see God do B-E-A-U-tiful things in May.

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV says "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

Do you feel it? God's doing a new thing in your life starting today! Don't dwell on the past but look to the future. Remember that our God is the holder of our future and whatever happened yesterday, a couple minutes ago, last month... that was then and this is now. Know that we're given every opportunity to start new and have a NEW BEGINNING!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR ME THIS MONTH, OR EVEN TODAY!

Be blessed & have a great Tuesday!
Pastor Ronald D.

devotion: GOALS & FAITH

April 30, 2012

Today's words are: GOALS & FAITH!

Question is what are your goals in life? Talking to some young people, some goals were to make it to the NBA, or other professional sports career. Some want to be doctors, nurses, psychologists, etc... Some goals are to get married and have kids. My goal growing up was to be some sort of professional athlete. First I wanted to be the first filipino to play in the NBA. Then I wanted to be a professional golfer. These are the 2 sports that I felt if I put much into it, I can really be good at. My problem was I didn't put too much into it. Then as I got older I knew I wouldn't have a future in the NBA or golf for that matter because I never practiced or anything, and so I started to think more about where I would go. I asked God what He wanted me to do. At a young age, around 13 God spoke to me about being a pastor some day. I was actually super excited, but when high school graduation came around and it was time to go to college I ran from it. So for 1 year I ended up at Sac State pursuing nursing mainly because my mom is an RN and I knew how much money a nurse can make, but that first semester God kept knocking on my heart reminidng of His calling for my life and I knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be. I then finished the schoolyear at Sac State but applied to Bethany University where I attended the next year giving up on my desires and that desire for more money to pursue what God wants me to do. It was the best decision I made in my life.

Yes I had goals, but God's goals and desires for me are much bigger and better than my own. I followed His will and it is the best decision I have ever made. Yes there are bumps in the road along the way, but it is the most rewarding. My parents wanted me to continue nursing, but once they saw the calling God placed in my life, they gave me over to God 100+%. Let me tell you though that it definately is a faith stretcher.
No one ever said that obedience to God was going to be simple and easy. The disciples who followed Christ did not have an easy time continuing Christ's ministry after He left. Paul did not have an easy time either. He was imprisoned for the most part for spreading the Gospel. They did not have it easy... There are many preachers and teachers and ministers of the Word today who can say that there have been some trying times in ministry, and where their faith was being stretched.

First of all I have to apologize because to be honest there are times including now where my fears and doubts outweighed my faith. Honestly I have been scared for a while... And I have allowed that fear to take over and I wasn't even aware of it til I had breakfast with my dad today before I came into the office. For a while I have been out of school, mainly because I couldn't afford to go back. We owed Bethany for a while til last year, I'm in a huge amount of debt with student loans, etc... Since I left Bethany things fiinancially have been tough. I tried to get loans to finish, but I couldn't get anymore. Ever since I left Bethany I allowed this financial burden to take over my life. I applied to schools trying to finish my one year, but as soon as I saw the amount I needed to pay, I froze. And still today I neglect to even apply to school because I know I CAN'T afford it. Great faith for a youth pastor huh?! The fear of finances have taken over my faith and caused me to put more concern and focus on the payments than my faith in God and God's love for me knowing that He will never leave me nor forsake me. I even neglected going after my lisence with the AG for 3+ years because I knew I couldn't afford to go back to school and my credit report isn't that great so I was embarrased to even continue.

I preached yesterday about the devil finding our weaknesses and pounding at them, and my dad helped me realize that I was actually preaching to myself too. The devil is pounding at my fears of NOT being able to pay for school and my crazy credit report that it's totally making me doubt what my God can do!!! So for that I apologize, but I can tell you that the devil is not going to defeat me any longer! I am going to show the devil that with my shield of faith I will extinguish all the flaming arrows of the enemy, and I will declare that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME WILL PROSPER!!! I will not live by fear, but I will live by my faith and my God's love for me, that with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE for those who believe! That I will begin to live by the Words that with faith as small as a mustard seed, I can move mountains!

No matter what your goals are keep praying and ask God to direct you towards His will for your life! Not only that continue to walk by faith and not by sight! Put your faith and trust in God not allowing the enemy to take hold of your weaknesses as it has done to me. Put your faith in God and not our ability to try to make things happen because I've tried that I know that it doesnt work. BE STRONG WARRIORS OF GOD! OUR FAITH WILL BE STRETCHED BUT KNOW THAT IT'S ONLY GOING TO MAKE YOU STRONGER!!!

Please continue to pray for me & many others who are struggling or have struggled with fears & doubt!

Pastor Ronald D.

Devotion: GRATITUDE

April 16, 2012

Today's word is GRATITUDE!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Psalm 107:1 (ESV) "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever."

Ephesians 5:20 (ESV) "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Gratitude! What is gratitude. Gratitude is giving thanks, being thankful and greatful for something. Question is what are you thankful &/or greatful for? I'm not sure if you feel the same, but sometimes there's not enough gratitude that goes on around this world. I do hear a lot of complaining though... We have paying jobs & yet we complain that we don't get paid enough or we can't stand the people we work with. At least we have a job! We complain about not having a properly working toilet or household items. At least we have a place to call HOME! We complain about not having a nice car like so and so. At least we have a car! To be honest I can be one those people sometimes... but do you know what I mean? Too much complaning and not enough gratitude where if we think about it, there a lot more people around the world that have it worse.

God's teaching me to be THANKFUL & GREATFUL for what I do have! So let's not think about what we don't have, but what we DO have. Look around you, there's so much to be thankful for. The last scripture in Ephesians Paul is thanking God for everything, and I love this because Paul was in a situation that most people if in prison would not be thankful for. No matter what situation Paul was in, He still thanked and praised God. Can we do the same? That even if we were in the most terrible of positions or circumstances that we can still give glory and honor to God? Let's ask God to instill in us the ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. It's great to be THANKFUL, it definately helps us focus on the positive rather than the negative.

Have a good one everyone & be blessed! Remember SMILE & BE GREATFUL FOR ALL GOD HAS DONE & IS DOING!

Ronald D.

Devotion: boredom

April 15, 2012 It's kind of late but I'm up and I thought I would blog this little devotion. Word for today: boredom! Boredom gets to all of us right... Like tonight, I didn't really have anything to do after church but watch tv including stuff I recorded on my dvr, and then after that tv got boring too, & so I opened my Bible to what Pastor talked about this morning in Ephesians 6:10-20 & since we're continuing with it for youth Sunday I tried to see what God has to say to me & it's amazing how God has so much in one passage for us! It went from an initial night of boredom to night full of truth and excitement about what God has for me & you included. Let me tell you what, living a life in Christ IS EXCITING, no matter what anyone says. Boring nights aren't as boring anymore when you allow God to take over your boring night. in this case He brought me to His Word. What do you do on your boring days or nights? Instead of walking around your room, flipping channels on tv, eat snacks etc, til you find something to do let God lead your boring night/day! Sometimes it'll lead you to His Word, it can lead you to prayer for someone, or even lead you to finding something about yourself that God's been trying to tell you but we're to preoccupied with stuff to listen. Whatever it is there are no limits to where He can take us on these boring nights/days. So I guess, boring times aren't so boring after all! Good night! Ronald D.

Devotion: Open & Closed

April 12, 2012

Today's word or words for the day are OPEN DOORS & CLOSED DOORS. During my own personal devotion yesterday I read a devotional about "Open Doors." It got me thinking about how great open doors are. When doors are open you can walk through with no hesitency, no fear, and you can just walk right on through. With open doors you can get to wherever you need to go. No keys needed, no locksmith, doors wide open for us.

With open doors, we've also had many closed doors. Closed doors stink because we CANT get to where we need or want to go. It stops us from continuing and moving forward, but what it also does in my opinion is it prevents us from going places we weren't meant to go to in the first place.

We have many OPEN DOORS & CLOSED DOORS in our lives. There are times where God says "walk on through" but other times He says "I have something better for you." The question is though, what do we do with those open doors? Are we going to walk right on in or question the opening? These OPEN DOORS are opportunities that God has placed in our lives. Who knows how long or often these opportunities will come, so when we get the opportunity to do what God wants us to do JUMP IN & GO FOR IT! You might be scared or maybe even frustrated that this open door wasn't the door you wanted to go into, but that's the great thing about God, He's going to surprise us (in a good way) every now and then. God's going to take us to places we've never been or imagined going and doing things we've never imagined ourselves doing.

So whatever doors that God opens for you, GO RIGHT IN AND JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE GOD. If there are doors that God seems to close, KNOW THAT THERE'S AN OPEN DOOR WAITING FOR YOU. When doors are closed, know that it's God knowing what's best for you!

Ronald D.

Devotion: The Future

April 11, 2012

The word for today is FUTURE. I look outside today, though it is a little chilly the sun is out and shining. We could even wear our sunglasses. I was super surprised this morning though to see the sun out, mainly because I remember hearing on the news that it was supposed to rain all the way until Friday. So it got me thinking that no matter what equations we use, what sciences we use, patterns we use, we just never really know what’s going to happen each and every day. The weather person may predict the weather for the entire week, but we never really know what’s going to happen until that day comes. It may be sunny right now, but we all know that it can change any moment. WE JUST DON’T KNOW!

Same goes for our lives, WE JUST DON’T KNOW! I can sit here and lay out a plan I have for my future, all my goals and desires. I can even write down exact dates that I want things to happen, but the truth is I’m not even sure it’s going to happen at all. We can go to a psychic and get our future read, or call a number and they’ll tell us what our love lives will be like, or get a bunch of fortune cookies and find out what the cookie says about my future, but the truth is no matter what someone says they don’t know either.

I do know someone who does know and that’s God! He knows our plans, He knows where we’re going and He’s going to take us there. Last Friday I had the youth write their plans, goals, etc., and toss it in a basket representing us giving our hearts, our goals, and our plans to God. That’s what we have to do on a daily basis. I don’t know what’s going to happen today, tomorrow, a month from now, even 10 seconds from now, but what I do know is that if I give my every second and every minute of every day to God He’s not going to let us down. He’s going to take us to places we’ve never dreamt of going and have us doing things we didn’t write down on that list.

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Live everyday giving everything to Christ. You won’t regret it!