When my second son was about three years old, I brought him along with me to a men's accountability group meeting. At the start of the meeting, I noticed how my son was closely and tightly sitting right next to me. In an unfamiliar place, surrounded in a room full of strange and scary-looking men, he felt frightened and insecure. So he held on tightly to the only familiar object in that room - his father. As long as dad is around, he felt safe.
The book of 2 Kings Chapter 18 describes Hezekiah as a righteous king. He was so upright that the bible describes that he stood out uniquely among all the kings in the history of Judah. He was successful, prosperous, and abundantly wealthy. What’s his secret? 2 Kings 18:6 reveals it to us. It reads: “For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.” King Hezekiah clung to the Lord. I believe herein is the secret in unleashing spiritual power in our lives.
The hebrew word for cling is “dabaq” which means to cleave, keep close, hold fast, join together, and stick together. It’s the same word used in Genesis 2:24 describing the relationship between husband and wife: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife and they shall be one flesh.” The word cleave comes also from the same hebrew word. In essence “dabaq” means to stay close together as much as possible, to not separate and be together all the time. Does this describe your relationship with God? Do you cling to Him? Do you hold fast to Him as much as you can?
I observe three demonstrations of how Hezekiah clung to God.
1. He trusted in God fully.
2 Chronicles 29:3-10 chronicles how King Hezekiah started a reform in Judah. His father, Ahaz, was an evil king. Ahaz worshipped in the high places and made different idols and images and worshipped them. He even burned his own sons as a sacrifice to his gods. Hezekiah, however, was different. The moment he became King, he started a reform movement by removing all the high places and every form of idol worship. He ordered that the temple be cleansed of any unclean object and reopened its doors which has been closed for a long time. He repaired the temple and re established the Levites to take care of the temple and ordered them anew to carry out their priestly duties. He consecrated the temple and re instituted the Passover; something that they have not done in many years.
When Sennacherib, King of Assyria was approaching to besiege Jerusalem, these were the words spoken by Hezekiah to his people: "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah (2 Chronicles 32:7-8). The Assyrian army was a military powerhouse during that time. They were much feared by many nations for at that point, the Assyrians have already conquered Israel, Aram, and all the cities of Judah except Jerusalem. Imagine yourself in Hezekiah’s shoes. How would you feel when the world around you is crumbling right before your eyes? What would be your sentiments toward God when you are loosing your money, business, and relationships? When you’re loosing almost everything, would you still trust Him?
2. He obeyed faithfully.
2 Chronicles 31:20 summarizes the reign of King Hezekiah this way: “Everything Hezekiah did while he was king of Judah, including what he did for the temple in Jerusalem, was right and good. He was a successful king, because he obeyed the LORD God with all his heart.” (CEV) Obedience brings blessing. Notice how his success is directly attributed to his obedience.
3. He prayed emotionally.
When Rabshakeh, commander of the Assyrian army, delivered a blasphemous letter to Hezekiah saying irreverently that the Lord, their God, cannot deliver them from the hands of the Assyrians just as what happened to the other nations who they previously dispossessed; Hezekiah took the letter, spread it before God in the temple and entreated Him saying: “But just look how Sennacherib has insulted you, the living God. It is true, our LORD, that Assyrian kings have turned nations into deserts. They destroyed the idols of wood and stone that the people of those nations had made and worshiped. But you are our LORD and our God! We ask you to keep us safe from the Assyrian king. Then everyone in every kingdom on earth will know that you are the only God” (2 Kings 19:16-19, CEV). That same night, after praying, an angel from the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers and Sennacherib was forced to retreat and go back home to Nineveh. Some time later he was murdered while worshipping his god in a temple.
Years later Hezekiah became ill and the Lord told him, through the prophet Isaiah, to set his house in order for he will not recover from the illness and that his life will soon end. Hezekiah pleaded before God, weeping bitterly, he cried out to God and said: "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight" (2 Kings 20:3). After Hezekiah prayed with such emotional agony, the Lord was moved and said to Isaiah the prophet, "Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you.”’” (2 Kings 20:5)
When was the last time you actually cried and sobbed before God? Last September 2009 I lost my job. And probably like Hezekiah when faced with the mighty Assyrian army, I pictured the scenario in my mind to what could possibly happen to me and my family now that I was jobless. I was already financially struggling with a job barely being able to pay my bills. Loosing a job would be a disaster to me financially. Aside from this, a deep feeling of failure encroached upon me. All these emotions welled up inside of me and after a long, long time; I wept and sobbed while praying to God. Afterwards, it felt good. I began to sense a feeling and assurance that everything will be alright.
Clinging to God appears forthright but it’s not as easy as it seems. We have this terrible propensity to be independent. After sitting close to me for about 30 minutes, I noticed how my son was slowly loosening his grip on me. He eventually noticed that the old, scary men were not so scary after all – in fact they were actually friendly. After familiarizing himself with the people and the surroundings, he slowly began to let go of me and soon was confidently walking around and going out of the room by himself. With his fear gone, he was confident and so sure of himself that he didn't need daddy to protect him anymore. Aren’t we like that oftentimes to our Heavenly Father?
When we begin to depend on ourselves and our capabilities, we begin to loosen our grip on God. We find ourselves doing a lot of work and praying less. When this happens, be careful. In Luke 18:7-8, Jesus encourages us to cry out to Him in prayer day and night, an act of total dependence. When we do this, He promises that we will get justice quickly. The secret to unleashing power in our prayers and to living a successful and prosperous life is that we maintain dependence on Him constantly – clinging to Him as if our life depended on it and never letting go.
The New Testament version of the words "cling" and "cleave" is the word "abide". Jesus mentioned this word plenty of times in John 15. I'll share more about abiding in Christ next week.
God bless your week.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Problem - Friend or Foe?
Our history is marked with scientific and technological advances and innovations to create solutions to problems. Problems with health and disease are continuously researched by doctors and scientists to find a better cure or alternative to totally eliminate its negative effects. Financial problems are seemingly given a reprieve with credit. In recent decades, degrees in Counseling and Psychology are now permanent courses in colleges designed to help solve human relationship and behavioral problems. Where once upon a time travel was a long and arduous process, our world has become smaller with faster cars, trains, and airplanes.
Yet no matter how hard we try to avoid it and get the best possible help, problems are inevitable. No matter how hard scientists try to find a cure to a disease, a new one begins to evolve and starts an epidemic even within the safe confines of a first world country like the US (remember the Swine Flu virus). No matter how hard we work to earn a comfortable living, a financial crisis can hit us like an unexpected tsunami and bring us to the realization that financial security comes not from hard toil and genius alone. As leadership expert and author John Maxwell has rightly put it, “...in life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with your problems” (Failing Forward, 2000, p. 5).
A theological perspective
Why do we encounter problems? If you believe in the existence of an Almighty Being who created the universe and all that is in it, you must delve deeper and go further by asking the all time favorite argument among Christians, Agnostics, and Atheists: “Why would a loving and all-powerful being allow problems, troubles, crisis, and suffering?” If I were God and I love my creation so much, wouldn't I solve all their problems? Shouldn't I provide what you need especially during times of crisis? If you start to side on the argument that an all-loving, all-powerful God doesn't exist or that He doesn't care because our world is full of pain and suffering, then you must also consider the ramifications if God were to solve all our problems, provide what we need all the time, and answer all our whims and requests. Consider a father who always gives his child what he wants and disallows him to experience pain, suffering, and the frustration that goes with growing up. Whenever he encounters a problem at school, daddy would always come to rescue him from his troubles with the teachers and his classmates. Would such a protective environment produce a hard working and emotionally stable young man? Would solving all of the child's problems for him instead of allowing him to go through the process of pain give him what he really needs to succeed in life? Personally, I believe that problems are allowed by God and even given, in some circumstances, for our benefit.
If you study the lives of successful men and women throughout the history, you would observe that most of them, if not all, went through some sorts of crisis at one point of their lives. Either they were born dirt poor or they went through a life defining setback or struggle that motivated them to later become who they are now known for. Personal finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki acknowledges, “In my own life, I've noticed that winning usually follows losing” (Rich Dad, Poor Dad, 1997, p. 135). Abraham Lincoln failed twice in business, mourned the loss of his sweetheart at the age of 26, had a nervous breakdown the following year, was defeated for a congressional position four times, was defeated for a senatorial position twice, and at one time defeated for Vice President; yet later he became one of the greatest presidents America has ever elected (Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker's Quote Book, 1997, p. 140). R.H. Macy, founder of Macy's department store have tried five extremely different professions: whaler, retailer, gold miner, stockbroker, and real estate broker. All his business ventures failed and at one time even declared bankruptcy. Yet in 1858, Macy decided to give the retail trade another try. This time around he opened a fancy dry goods store in Manhattan and after only twelve months he was grossing $80,000 a year and the rest is history (John C. Maxwell, Failing Forward, 2000, pp. 167-169). Joseph, son of Jacob, was despised by his brothers, sold into slavery, thrown into prison for more than two years for a crime he didn't commit; yet in God's perfect time became the second most powerful man of the once mighty nation of Egypt. A.W. Tozer once said, “Whom God uses mightily, He first wounds deeply.” Crisis will make or break you. It is God's way of bringing out the best in people. At the same time, it could also break your spirit and bring you to a life of mediocrity and useless pain. The choice is ours.
I have encountered a lot of pressures, stresses, and problems in the past; but, I acknowledge that, so far, my greatest challenge is currently under process today. I'm at my third year of financial difficulties and career transition. Three years ago, my wife and I made a decision to make a huge financial investment involving a very large sum of money that, we believe, would reap bountiful rewards and dividends. After three years, my expected reward in the form of financial or material bounties hasn't come and it may never will. I must admit that, at times, I'm tempted to think that I may have made a wrong decision. That I should have invested the money elsewhere that is safe and risk free, a bank or a lucrative business, perhaps. But I believe with my whole heart that I did right thing and we will, indeed, reap our reward.
The year 2008 marked the start of a change in my career. I used to be involved in a booming manufacturing and export business that brought me a lot of prestige and travel abroad. However, business recently hasn't been doing well, which led me to change my career as a professional Operations Manager into a full time teacher and trainer of character values. However, this journey also had its challenges. I was led to work for a renowned training company early 2009 only to be let go five months later because my teaching style was not consistent with the company's methodology of training. I hope and pray that 2009 is the tail end of this challenging adventure.
Steps to deal with problems
With all these said as a premise to assert my discussion, allow me now to share to you from my personal experience some insights on how to deal with problems.
1. Have a right perspective of problems.
Firstly, thank God for the problem because it presents an opportunity for growth. Regard it as a price to pay for progress. See it as an opportunity to help and promote you to your next level of personal development.
2. Pray continually.
There are things that are within our control and there are things beyond our control. Problems like sickness, natural disasters, and relationships are oftentimes beyond our control and we could do nothing about it. However, what is within our control is to ask for God's help. Usually people do pray hard when they experience difficulty and expect in faith that God will respond and help them instantly in their predicament. I believe God can and will, at certain times, immediately respond to His children's prayer. However, all too often, I find that people stop praying when they feel that God is not responding. We tend to retreat when we feel that He's not listening. God is listening and He will respond in His perfect time. Like a wise and loving father who would purposefully delay or withhold his child's request, He knows when and if you are ready to take the responsibility of what you're asking. The key is to continue in prayer regardless if God answers according to your expectation. Thank Him for the problem and ask for the patience to endure and the ability to learn as the problem takes its course.
3. Take responsibility.
Do not pass the buck or point your fingers at others for your predicament. Its natural for us to blame others, even God, for our circumstances. Accept the problem as your own doing and responsibility and part of your destiny. Thinking in this manner will immediately cause you to plan and look for a solution.
4. Refocus on your goal and purpose.
Know your purpose and refocus on it. A setback may tempt you to change direction and lean towards what's lucrative or convenient. A sickness may paralyze you in your tracks and immobilize you from moving forward. A financial setback may lead you to look for another job. However, the question you must ask is, “will this decision add or contribute to my life's goal or purpose?” In my case, I believe that I have the ability to teach. And this is what I'll do as long as I'm able. I will not be sidetracked in doing other things or businesses regardless if I have money in the bank or not.
5. Modify your methods.
Problems sometimes occur when you're doing something methodically wrong. Ask God for wisdom and learn from your mistakes.
6. Try and Try again.
Setbacks can either paralyze you in fear thus making you afraid to make future risks. Don't give in to fear but take wise risks. According to John Maxwell, “Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal” (Failing Forward, 2000, p. 124).
I wish that I can honestly say that I have followed these principles with diligence throughout the past three years. I admit there were times that I have neglected them out of dismay and disappointment. However, these continually serve as my beacon, my guiding principles through the tough and challenging times.
Next week, I'll talk more about the painful process that I went through and how it connects to unleashing power in our spiritual and prayer life.
God bless your week.
Yet no matter how hard we try to avoid it and get the best possible help, problems are inevitable. No matter how hard scientists try to find a cure to a disease, a new one begins to evolve and starts an epidemic even within the safe confines of a first world country like the US (remember the Swine Flu virus). No matter how hard we work to earn a comfortable living, a financial crisis can hit us like an unexpected tsunami and bring us to the realization that financial security comes not from hard toil and genius alone. As leadership expert and author John Maxwell has rightly put it, “...in life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with your problems” (Failing Forward, 2000, p. 5).
A theological perspective
Why do we encounter problems? If you believe in the existence of an Almighty Being who created the universe and all that is in it, you must delve deeper and go further by asking the all time favorite argument among Christians, Agnostics, and Atheists: “Why would a loving and all-powerful being allow problems, troubles, crisis, and suffering?” If I were God and I love my creation so much, wouldn't I solve all their problems? Shouldn't I provide what you need especially during times of crisis? If you start to side on the argument that an all-loving, all-powerful God doesn't exist or that He doesn't care because our world is full of pain and suffering, then you must also consider the ramifications if God were to solve all our problems, provide what we need all the time, and answer all our whims and requests. Consider a father who always gives his child what he wants and disallows him to experience pain, suffering, and the frustration that goes with growing up. Whenever he encounters a problem at school, daddy would always come to rescue him from his troubles with the teachers and his classmates. Would such a protective environment produce a hard working and emotionally stable young man? Would solving all of the child's problems for him instead of allowing him to go through the process of pain give him what he really needs to succeed in life? Personally, I believe that problems are allowed by God and even given, in some circumstances, for our benefit.
If you study the lives of successful men and women throughout the history, you would observe that most of them, if not all, went through some sorts of crisis at one point of their lives. Either they were born dirt poor or they went through a life defining setback or struggle that motivated them to later become who they are now known for. Personal finance author and lecturer Robert Kiyosaki acknowledges, “In my own life, I've noticed that winning usually follows losing” (Rich Dad, Poor Dad, 1997, p. 135). Abraham Lincoln failed twice in business, mourned the loss of his sweetheart at the age of 26, had a nervous breakdown the following year, was defeated for a congressional position four times, was defeated for a senatorial position twice, and at one time defeated for Vice President; yet later he became one of the greatest presidents America has ever elected (Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker's Quote Book, 1997, p. 140). R.H. Macy, founder of Macy's department store have tried five extremely different professions: whaler, retailer, gold miner, stockbroker, and real estate broker. All his business ventures failed and at one time even declared bankruptcy. Yet in 1858, Macy decided to give the retail trade another try. This time around he opened a fancy dry goods store in Manhattan and after only twelve months he was grossing $80,000 a year and the rest is history (John C. Maxwell, Failing Forward, 2000, pp. 167-169). Joseph, son of Jacob, was despised by his brothers, sold into slavery, thrown into prison for more than two years for a crime he didn't commit; yet in God's perfect time became the second most powerful man of the once mighty nation of Egypt. A.W. Tozer once said, “Whom God uses mightily, He first wounds deeply.” Crisis will make or break you. It is God's way of bringing out the best in people. At the same time, it could also break your spirit and bring you to a life of mediocrity and useless pain. The choice is ours.
I have encountered a lot of pressures, stresses, and problems in the past; but, I acknowledge that, so far, my greatest challenge is currently under process today. I'm at my third year of financial difficulties and career transition. Three years ago, my wife and I made a decision to make a huge financial investment involving a very large sum of money that, we believe, would reap bountiful rewards and dividends. After three years, my expected reward in the form of financial or material bounties hasn't come and it may never will. I must admit that, at times, I'm tempted to think that I may have made a wrong decision. That I should have invested the money elsewhere that is safe and risk free, a bank or a lucrative business, perhaps. But I believe with my whole heart that I did right thing and we will, indeed, reap our reward.
The year 2008 marked the start of a change in my career. I used to be involved in a booming manufacturing and export business that brought me a lot of prestige and travel abroad. However, business recently hasn't been doing well, which led me to change my career as a professional Operations Manager into a full time teacher and trainer of character values. However, this journey also had its challenges. I was led to work for a renowned training company early 2009 only to be let go five months later because my teaching style was not consistent with the company's methodology of training. I hope and pray that 2009 is the tail end of this challenging adventure.
Steps to deal with problems
With all these said as a premise to assert my discussion, allow me now to share to you from my personal experience some insights on how to deal with problems.
1. Have a right perspective of problems.
Firstly, thank God for the problem because it presents an opportunity for growth. Regard it as a price to pay for progress. See it as an opportunity to help and promote you to your next level of personal development.
2. Pray continually.
There are things that are within our control and there are things beyond our control. Problems like sickness, natural disasters, and relationships are oftentimes beyond our control and we could do nothing about it. However, what is within our control is to ask for God's help. Usually people do pray hard when they experience difficulty and expect in faith that God will respond and help them instantly in their predicament. I believe God can and will, at certain times, immediately respond to His children's prayer. However, all too often, I find that people stop praying when they feel that God is not responding. We tend to retreat when we feel that He's not listening. God is listening and He will respond in His perfect time. Like a wise and loving father who would purposefully delay or withhold his child's request, He knows when and if you are ready to take the responsibility of what you're asking. The key is to continue in prayer regardless if God answers according to your expectation. Thank Him for the problem and ask for the patience to endure and the ability to learn as the problem takes its course.
3. Take responsibility.
Do not pass the buck or point your fingers at others for your predicament. Its natural for us to blame others, even God, for our circumstances. Accept the problem as your own doing and responsibility and part of your destiny. Thinking in this manner will immediately cause you to plan and look for a solution.
4. Refocus on your goal and purpose.
Know your purpose and refocus on it. A setback may tempt you to change direction and lean towards what's lucrative or convenient. A sickness may paralyze you in your tracks and immobilize you from moving forward. A financial setback may lead you to look for another job. However, the question you must ask is, “will this decision add or contribute to my life's goal or purpose?” In my case, I believe that I have the ability to teach. And this is what I'll do as long as I'm able. I will not be sidetracked in doing other things or businesses regardless if I have money in the bank or not.
5. Modify your methods.
Problems sometimes occur when you're doing something methodically wrong. Ask God for wisdom and learn from your mistakes.
6. Try and Try again.
Setbacks can either paralyze you in fear thus making you afraid to make future risks. Don't give in to fear but take wise risks. According to John Maxwell, “Risk must be evaluated not by the fear it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal” (Failing Forward, 2000, p. 124).
I wish that I can honestly say that I have followed these principles with diligence throughout the past three years. I admit there were times that I have neglected them out of dismay and disappointment. However, these continually serve as my beacon, my guiding principles through the tough and challenging times.
Next week, I'll talk more about the painful process that I went through and how it connects to unleashing power in our spiritual and prayer life.
God bless your week.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Marc My Words
Thanks to my good friend and neighbor, Candy Yuzon-Yee, I have finally logged my very first blog entry. I credit her for coming up with the creative blog title: “Marc My Words”. Thanks, Tita Candy!
Last September 2009, my wife encouraged me to start a writing career and to start my own blog. She's my number 1 fan when it comes to writing (she is probably my only fan). It took me many months to finally start the blog primarily because I couldn't come up with a catchy title. So, finally, here it is.
“Marc My Words” is dedicated primarily to biblical lessons and principles that are paralleled to real life experiences. Most of my friends know that I'm a follower of Jesus so I dedicate this to Him. My close friends would also know that I'm not perfect but I believe that God has given me the ability to teach. That is to take something complex, like the Bible, and turn it into something simple, practical, and applicable. Tomorrow, I will post my first article entitled: “Problem: Friend or Foe?” Hope you come back and read it.
My prayer is that through these upcoming weekly entries, you will be more inspired and committed to obey and follow our Lord and Savior. I hope you visit often and start to follow my blog. Feel free to comment. Positive and negative comments are welcome. Although, I hope most of you would comment more about the former.
God bless your day.
Last September 2009, my wife encouraged me to start a writing career and to start my own blog. She's my number 1 fan when it comes to writing (she is probably my only fan). It took me many months to finally start the blog primarily because I couldn't come up with a catchy title. So, finally, here it is.
“Marc My Words” is dedicated primarily to biblical lessons and principles that are paralleled to real life experiences. Most of my friends know that I'm a follower of Jesus so I dedicate this to Him. My close friends would also know that I'm not perfect but I believe that God has given me the ability to teach. That is to take something complex, like the Bible, and turn it into something simple, practical, and applicable. Tomorrow, I will post my first article entitled: “Problem: Friend or Foe?” Hope you come back and read it.
My prayer is that through these upcoming weekly entries, you will be more inspired and committed to obey and follow our Lord and Savior. I hope you visit often and start to follow my blog. Feel free to comment. Positive and negative comments are welcome. Although, I hope most of you would comment more about the former.
God bless your day.
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