DO YOU SIT AND CRY?

Read Nehemiah 1 this morning. Pumped me up!!! Here are my thoughts.

THE PLOT:
Nehemiah was hangin out, had a decent job bearing cups ( or cup bearer hehe), somehow hears in a new way that Jerusalam was a wreck, he gets a burden.... he prays, he acts. he goes, he builds, he wins. cool story. this is my take.....

VERSE THAT HIT ME IN THE HEAD:
- Nehemiah 1:4 ¶ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

QUESTION:
when NEHEMIAH encountered the problem and got a burden, what was the first thing he did?

ANSWER:
HE SAT DOWN and CRIED!!!! What? He sat down? lazy man of God!!! How can you actually sit after hearing such a huuuuuuuuugeeeeeee problem. How can you sit and cry like a baby!

APPLICATION:
So i read it again, and i realized that he knew so much more than me. I am an action man, when i hear a problem, I go and do something about it!!! Nehemiah paused and dwelled in the presence of God. He prayed and fasted.

How many of us rush into action when we see an obstacle, Do we actually take some time to pray and wait for God to give us a solution to a problem? Do we know all the answer or have enoguh to get the job done that there is no need for payer? I love the fact when PRAYER MAKES US RELY ON GOD's ABILITY NOT OURS.

PRAYER GIVES US DIVINE INSIGHT , DIVINE STRATEGY AND SUPERNATURAL PEACE . I have challenged myself to be like Nehemiah to PRAY BEFORE I ACT!!! It may not be natural , BUT I WANT TO PRAY BEFORE I ACT.

NASHVILLE LESSONS (DAY 1)

I am in Nashville,TN together with some of our other pastors MArc, Michael,Joe, Ryan tan,and Winston to observe and learn from the School of Campus Ministry. I have only been in school one day but have learned a lot already. Here are some things i learned in DAY 1.


1. LEARNING SHOULD BE ENGAGING AND FUN - Paul Barker head of the school here told us that he wanted to create an environment where students are actually having a blast learning. He said that students who have the most fun while learning retain it more. I totally argee. ( hearing paul has challenged me to upgrade my teaching style)

2. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!!!- On the way to Nashville , I could see most of the people here holding books. Whether they were in the airport, eating in restaurants, or even inside airplanes people read. There is a culture of reading. The school also provides an amazing array of books from which students can learn from. ( i have really been challenged to read more)

3. THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO DO THINGS: - watching how the school works here, comparing it to Manila is totally different. Not that one is better than the other. its just that people have different ways of doing stuff. Im just excited for the opportunity to exchange ideas with people from different nations. ( Im so grateful that we are part of Every Nation Ministries)

4. I SHOULD WEAR GLOVES - Negative 6 CELSIUS!!! its snowing, its too cold for a Filipino like me. My fingers were freezing. I feel like i placed my hand inside the freezer. Oh well, lesson learned. I will be ready for tomorrows class.



All for now!!!

THE YOUNG AND THE CLUELESS

Turn on the Tv and chances are you will see a young celebrity on air. It might be a pop princess, star high school- pros athlete in a commericial ,or some internet wizard who made his first billion.

Somehow the world, understands the potential of young people. Sadly, a lot of churches don't. Church and God things are often associated with old people with white hair or no hair ( i dont have hair!! so please dont be offeneded) but the reality is God loves using young and clueless people. Question is do we ?


Paul had no problem empowering a young pastor named Timothy , giving him the reigns to a WHOLE CHURCH! Im not talking about just the youth department but the WHOLE CHURCH!!!

Do we empower young people? Here are a few questions I have been really pondering on recently...

1. Do I actually take time discipling/ equipping young people?
2. Do i hang out with people younger than me?
3. Do I INTENTIONALLY, raise up people to be better than me?
4. DO I ACTUALLY CHEER FOR AND RELEASE young PEOPLE to do what God want them to do?
5. Do I lose confidence in them or guide them when they make mistakes?

You dont need to be a youth pastor to do this, you can actually be a parent spending time with your children, a couple opening your home to parentless teenagers or a senior pastor giving opportunities to younger pastors.

I have been blessed to have parents, older friends and a church that equipped and empowered me to be what God wants me to be. I just want to do the same for others.


1Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.