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Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

1 Chronicles 4:10

Power Plug

A few days ago I happened to glance at a wall socket. The thought that came to my head was "always plug in to the power source." Immediately the Lord reminded me that without Him I am nothing and that if I am to do the things He's called me to do, I'd have to be plugged in to His presence. It's funny how the Lord speaks to me -- He's so full of variety.

The day after that, while taking a shower, the Lord spoke to me about how we quickly become concerned when our peripheral technological accessories [like mp3 players, PSPs, mobile phones] reach their low battery status. We instantly scramble for our chargers and head for the nearest wall socket to pump some juice back into our tech gadgets. I know this because I also get this way with my cellphone and iPod.

Right then I got the feeling that the Lord was saying, "how many times have you been so quick to notice that your phone or iPod is nearly out of power and promptly remedy the situation by recharging your gadgets? How come you are never as quick to notice that your life is already reaching low-batt status? And when you do notice it, why aren't you are as quick to scramble for the Bible as you do with the charger so you could plug in to the Source of your power?"

Then He ties up the whole thing by bringing back the image of the wall socket he showed me earlier. Talk about visual aids!

Technolgical gadgets are a great help to modern living and a source of amusement but they are not the most important things in life. Yet we are so quick to replenish their batteries and renew their lives, while being so casual with our own lives by keeping it running on low, and sometimes even keep it running on empty.

If we constantly stay conscious and vigilant of the state of our hearts, we should be aware of our need to be plugged in to the Source. God's power is unlimited and as we keep ourselves connected to Him by seeking Him and dwelling in His presence at all times, we will be empowered to live victorious, godly lives and be energized to do that which He has called us to do.

We don't just need a recharge every now and then. We need to always be plugged in to the Power of the One who enables us to do all things through Christ Jesus.

Shouldn't we be more concerned about powering up our lives instead of powering up of our tech gadgets?

Persistence Like a Dog!

One of the meanings of my last name is 'persistent'. Now more than ever, this character of persistence has been brought out and honed 'for such a time as this'. Sometimes I feel like a paki-alamero in the lives of some (or most) of the young men under my cell group because I doggedly watch over their lives, character and behavior like they're my own flesh and blood.

I've never had this kind of concern for young people before. This is God's doing! Hahaha! I used to have a passive role in terms of training and raising up the younger generation of men -- and women -- in our congregation. Now, it's a totally different story.

I believe this is one of my assignments in the Kingdom; that I am to persistently watch over these young men and help them "until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them." [Joshua 1:14-15]. I believe that this persistence, as prophesied by my last name, is given to equip me for this task. Otherwise, why would God name me as such.

I'm like a dog these days in the sense that I "go after with the intent to catch", "follow in or as if in pursuit", and "pursue or chase relentlessly" [from thefreedictionary.com]. What am I pursuing? What am I chasing after? What am I doggedly watching over these young men for? I'm after the fulfillment of the destinies that God has intended for these young men. I am after the realization of their purpose in the Lord. I want to see a Nazirite generation raised up right before my eyes during my lifetime. And as long as the Lord enables me to do so, I will continue to persist and doggedly pursue that by keeping tabs on the guys the Lord has entrusted to me.

If the Lord is relentless in pursuing me to see the fulfillment of His plans for me, why shouldn't I do the same for those He has placed under my care? I will do the things I see my Father do. Since He's persistent, so will I be.

Stay Under Cover

You think submission to authority is restrictive? Try being confined in a box buried six feet under ground!

Link

Lose Your Voice for Your City

Five nights on the mic. Five nights on stage. Five nights of crying out to God to bring change to my city.

Evangelist Dr. James Horvath and his team of international revivalists and ministers came to Cebu City with a mandate from the Almighty God to bring a message of salvation, healing and revival to the Queen City of the South. Our worship team was asked to minister with them. It was awesome. God was awesome.

The praise and worship was intense. I knew that raising my voice to God in intercession was a powerful thing but on those five nights I realized how costly it was and that it was not only physically draining but also spiritually exhausting. You gotta give it your all when you stand in the gap for your city and for your people -- that's how I felt on those nights. I seriously sensed the Lord raising up my warfare mentality to another level.

Body, mind, soul and spirit have to be involved in worshiping God -- it's all or nothing at all. I got that understanding from the five nights we ministered with Dr. Horvath and his team. Like David who said he would not offer anything to God that cost him nothing, we -- the local and visiting forces -- gave our all for the city of Cebu. We offered what physical strength we had... and had left. We lost our voices for Cebu City.

In the last few weeks the Lord has been leading me to intercede for my city and for the youth of the city. And seeing the great things that God did in the Cebu Coliseum confirmed what the Lord has been speaking to me -- change is coming to Cebu City and the youth will be a big part of that.

I am a little hoarse today. My throat is a bit agitated. But it's worth it. I am willing to lose my voice if that's the price I have to pay to see the youth of Cebu and the city of Cebu changed, empowered and walking out the plans the Lord has for them.

To God be the glory!

DGen: "M" for Maturity

Yeah. We talked about the "M" word during Saturday's cell group meeting. And yes, we went overtime again. But it was a nice time sharing this with the guys. And as I said before, the "M" was not exactly what most had in mind. It was something else. Something that needed immediate attention. Maturity.


+ Definition of Maturity

The state or quality of being fully grown or developed; the state or quality of being mature; adulthood; coming of age; fullness; full bloom; full growth; manhood; the age at which persons are considered competent to manage their own affairs

God has designed you to grow and mature physically, emotionally and spiritually. He created your body and mind to change from infancy to childhood, childhood to adolescence, adolescence into the fullness of your manhood. Throughout your life, there needs to be a constant putting off of the old and the wrong, and the putting on of the new and the right.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” [1 Corinthians 13:11-12]

+ What Is Spiritual Maturity?

Spiritual maturity is a process that begins when a person accepts Jesus Christ as Savior.

He or she is born again of the Holy Spirit and then chooses to live "in Christ." The Apostle Paul said that spiritual growth is an ongoing process.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14).

Even the Apostle Paul had not arrived, yet he continually pressed toward the prize.

+ What Spiritual Maturity is NOT

Being baptized a long time ago.
Intimate knowledge of and belief in your denomination's doctrines.
Going to church services every week.
Being old.
Having a loud voice and domineering personality.
Being a "high ranking" minister.
Being a deacon or deaconess.
Having gray hair and dressing well.
Being a master of the putdown.
Being a great preacher.
Spiritual pedigree.
Hanging out with ecclesiastical big shots.
Being excessively righteous (as in having a religious spirit).
Being wealthy.
Being highly placed in a church hierarchy.
Knowing a lot.

Maturity is marked by a progression in your knowledge and understanding of God, and in your relationship with Him. You are to grow in learning and applying biblical truths in your life and in your intimacy with the Lord.

“So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” [Hebrew 6:1 NLT]

Therefore, in order for Christian maturity to develop in your life, you must:

1. make a choice to learn God's Word
2. allow God to renew your mind
3. be obedient to what you learn

Romans 12:1-2 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

+ What Does Spiritual Maturity Look Like?

Maturity is evidenced by the manifestation of Christ-likeness in your life.

“And it is he who gifted some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, and still others to be pastors and teachers, to equip the saints, to do the work of ministry, and to build up the body of the Messiah until all of us are united in the faith and in the full knowledge of God's Son, and until we attain mature adulthood and the full standard of development in the Messiah. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed like waves and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, or by clever strategies that would lead us astray. Instead, by speaking the truth in love, we will grow up completely and become one with the head, that is, one with the Messiah, in whom the whole body is united and held together by every ligament with which it is supplied. As each individual part does its job, the body builds itself up in love.” [Ephesians 4:11-16 ISV]

Spiritual growth is indicated by the appearance of the fruit of the Spirit in your character.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” [Galatians 5:22-23]

Spiritual maturity is learning how to walk in obedience to God. It is making the choice to live by God's viewpoint rather than your human viewpoint.

Galatians 5:16 and 25 give the key, "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature…Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

The word "walk" in verse 16 is from the Greek word peripateo, which means, "to walk with a purpose in view." The word "walk" in verse 25 is translated from another Greek word stoicheo and it means "step by step, one step at a time." It is learning to walk under the instruction of another. That person is the Holy Spirit. Since believers are indwelt by the Spirit, they should also walk under His control.

+ How Do I Accomplish Maturity in the Spirit?

How can you learn to walk in the Holy Spirit's control? You study God's Word!

2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17 instructs us, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth…All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

This is a good practical instruction on how you become spiritually mature. Achieving spiritual maturity is done by choosing to apply God's Word in everyday circumstances. As you walk step-by-step, applying God's Word to your life, you will grow spiritually.

Just as you feed your body daily to make it grow stronger, you also need to feed your spirit to make it grow equally strong, or even stronger. Just as a maturing person progresses in his dietary intake – from milk to solid foods – to cope with the increasing energy needs of his growing body, your spirit also needs a progressive diet to supply nourishment and sustain spiritual growth.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” [1 Peter 2:1-3]

But as a growing Christian, you are not to be milk-fed forever. Instead, you are called to chew on the "meat" of God's Word. Discover God's truth by in-depth Bible study and feed yourself spiritually. Then apply that sustenance to your life as you walk in the Holy Spirit.

"Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil" [Hebrews 5:13-14].

+ Spiritual Maturity in Christ

In order to experience spiritual maturity, you must also understand that growth comes by grace and it is God alone who is your Source.

2 Peter 1:3-9 reminds you that God is the source. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

When you became a child of God, you were given all you need "in Christ" to become a spiritually maturing believer. However, you are responsible to make a choice! Will you choose to use and apply God's principles to your life?

The wonderful thing about being in submission to God's maturing process is that you will be changed! You don't have to worry about becoming mature. God does the changing! He will conform you to the image of Jesus Christ as you humbly surrender to His Holy Spirit and learn His Word.

Hebrews 13:20-21 says, "May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."


+ Spiritual maturity should be a priority for you.

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an amalgamation of this article and God's download to me.