Can We Forgive God?

Wednesday, 8:33am – Los Angeles, California, USA
Yesterday I had a chance to hang out with small group (Bible study group) and a sister named Star shared the Word with us. The study was about spiritual muscle and how we are encouraged to take in and exercise our faith, both in taking in God’s Word and also being able to do something with it, either in obeying or sharing it with others. It is great to see the variety and uniqueness that he has created in others as it showed how everyone has their own teaching style. It was awesome to participate in because it was a new way to learn and it was refreshing.

The night was blessed with an opportunity to listen to another brother (follower of Jesus) of things that have been going on in his relationship with the Lord. It made me reflect just now if there is anytime where we would have to forgive God of doing something in our lives. Jesus teaches us of the forgiveness he has given to us because of our sinful nature, and how we need that forgiveness since God the Father has to pass judgement because of his righteousness. Knowing, understanding and accepting that forgiveness and believing or having faith or trust that through Jesus this is true, you are saved, meaning you do not die when your body dies but you have eternal life and you will be resurrected as Jesus was in order to complete the work and purpose that he was set out to do.

So is there any time that we have to forgive God? From reflecting on it the answer is no. We find all throughout scripture that God is perfect. God is just. God is righteous so he is always right and is good. If that’s the case, then all that he does “is for the good of those who love him”. That encompassing “all” I have learned to embrace. That “all” is what I feel we get hung up on because that “all” often at times we don’t think it may be an unfavorable circumstance. But so far, thank you Lord that through every unfavorable circumstance I have come to be blessed with revelation and insight of the reason for things through patience, reflection, spending time with him in prayer and his Word, and ultimately, just by his grace. I turn to you Lord for what is best for me, what is my way to go, and what is my path. I surrender to your will because I have learned my will always lead to death. I pray everyone on this earth Lord comes to know you God and learns of the patience and gains the perseverance and endurance necessary to fight the good fight and to live by faith. I want life. I want you Jesus. In your name I pray. I love you. Amen.

Romans 8:28
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

2 Corinthians 12:8-10
‘Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.’

John 14:6
‘Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”’

Decision to make this weekend: Motorcycles or fellowship?

Wednesday, 5:10pm – Irvine, California, USA
It’s been 2 weeks since I blogged, and it’s becoming less and less frequent. It just seems that this is where it’s being led as I have been getting reacquainted to the way of life here in California. I have been balancing work schedule, spending time with family and friends, trying to find a Church to worship with, preparing for mine and Moina’s wedding for this September 26 and also doing recreational things like rock climbing, surfing and riding motorcycles. There was some insight before from talks with a Bible Study group once with the Victory Fort brothers and sisters and also an excerpt from the Purpose Driven Life Book: know what God’s purpose and will for your life is, and you will make decisions on the daily, and in every instance, to do the things that will support that. If you are not in sync, you may make decisions for activities or scenarios based on your mood, feelings and emotions at the time. But if you are in sync with God, from spending time to get to know him, pray and listen, then you will know and be in alignment with his desires. You will make decisions that support those desires. You will actually get to free your time up more because then there will be no more extra-curricular things you do that will take up your time. I learned that this week.



I had the opportunity today to make a decision for this weekend. I have a choice to either:

A. Go motorcycle track riding with some friends in Nevada, and serve some
unbelievers that may need some time spent in talking through issues they are
going through.

B. Spend time with my sister on Friday for lunch, then some brothers for
accountability in the evening, and then on Saturday go check out a wedding
location with Moina.

For some I can imagine it’s a no-brainer either way. I’m sure some guys will be saying, “Dude! Go ride the track!” And then I can here some sisters saying, “Ryan, go spend time with your family, brothers and Moina!” In either case, this opportunity made me turn to God and pray, and to see what I should do. I always pray to God that he puts the desire in my heart to where he wants me to go and also to either open or close the doors to direct me so that I know it’s from him. In both cases, I would be serving and glorifying God. But where does he want me to go?



Well, a few things happened in the past 2 days:

1. I don’t have money to go motorcycle track riding. So that right there was door #1 closed.
2. I met with my mentor Rocky today and he provided insight that God will lead where I should spend my time. Motorcycle riding is what I want to do, but the true joy that I have learned and fully embrace now are relationships. I can cultivate relationships if I go ride motorcycles, but all the more that my immediate responsibilities are with family, brothers and most of all, my wife-to-be.

These past 2 weeks I have seen from others and my own life that I just really need to slow down, not have any expectations, and just continue in spending time with God to talk and listen to where he wants me to serve. Coming back to the United States from the Philippines has shown an influx of opportunities to get stuck in worldly activities, but God has protected my path by making sure that in all situations, I am to meditate on him and his Word to stay in alignment and in the right step. I can ride motorcycles and still glorify and praise God while doing it but the question was really where my heart was, what my priorities were, and where does God want me.

Thank you Lord for answering my prayers on what I should do this weekend, and where I can serve you and the people around me. I pray Father for continued guidance, receptiveness in your leading, and strength to follow your will. Use me Lord to glorify your name and build your Kingdom. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

What I learned in the Philippines, thank you Lord for this spiritual family

Tuesday, 6:17am – Mandaluyong, Tiger City, Philippines
Today I leave for the United States after roughly an 8 month stint of being in the Philippines to serve the Lord and grow in relationship with him. He has built me up on the foundations of his Word and also in binding me with a great spiritual family consisting of such a variety and color of unique individuals that I continued to be amazed and learn from as I explore what the Lord has blessed them with.


Despedida with Victory Quezon City family

At the same time I was about to leave for the States, my brother Johnathon and fiancé Moina had visited me here in Manila for 2 weeks. My prayers for their visit was that Moina and I could continue to prepare for our wedding this year set to be September 26 and that Johnathon would experience God greatly and be exposed to truth. God’s timing will show the fruit and faithfulness he constantly displays.


Despedida with Victory Fort family

The more I reflect on my time this past year as a follower of Jesus the more I am so thankful and am amazed at all the things God has been doing in my life. I am fully aware of the differences from my life before June 8, 2008 when I verbally expressed my commitment to Jesus and God and his will for my life to Moina over the phone, compared to how it is now with me consciously growing in God’s Word from the Bible and being in constant guidance by the Holy Spirit and non-stop communication wit God throughout each day through prayer. I am sensitive to his teachings and the desires he puts in my heart to serve his purpose. I pray that this continues to grow as I submit my life to love him above all else and love all the people that he puts in front of me and connects me with.

The despedida (going-away parties) that my friends had thrown for Johnathon, Moina and I revealed something that I was unaware of and that gave me insight even more on what I should concentrate for all relationships. The love of the brothers and sisters in Jesus that God connected me with is something that has kept me on fire and helped me stay established on the right and good path. God allowed me to grow and serve others with each and every one of these people. The list if I made it is probably between 50 – 100 people that I was closely connected with, that in one way or another had taught me a great deal of my relationship with God and the truth in his teachings and Word. I can’t fathom how I was able to be linked so closely with all these people but all I know is that everything is possible when God shows you his will for your life and you follow.

The greatest thing I have learned throughout these past 8 months in the Philippines can be summed up in the following:

1. Obedience
   It is by far the most critical thing to do once you have heard or read God’s Word. It’s like reading the instructions of the owner’s manual to an appliance to know how to operate it and following them to detail. You might end up breaking it if you didn’t pay careful attention for each steps that is listed. Worse case you may end up hurting others. Following God’s lead and carefully obeying what he revealed to me kept me safe. When there was a disobedience, that is when I fell into trouble or got off path. I have seen this from my own experience and others. I’d rather learn from others.
2. ActionThis is similar to obedience but more so of just starting the momentum of all the blessings that get poured out once you follow God’s Word and will for your life. Again, everyday is not filled with smooth sailing but action and obedience keeps you directed toward what is good and away from what can cause destruction. I was lead to this revelation by the Holy Spirit one day on the frequent Monday basketball games I would participate in with friends and brothers from Victory Quezon City. If you are on offense, opportunities rarely arise if you stay in one place expecting the ball to come to you or expect the play to be favorable for your team to score. It is highly advantageous to move around and “create” opportunities, all the more likely that something will present itself for your to jump on or take action in order to score.
3. GraceI fall into sin each and every day. There has been no day where I didn’t sin, and this is true for all people. I have come to see that majority of us are not aware of what we do. All the more that we need to study the Bible and be aware and be watchful so that we don’t lead ourselves or others into a destructive nature or consequence. Unfortunately, we are all sinful so in one way or another myself or others will fall into unfavorable circumstances. I have learned that it is how you respond to these situations, whether the situations are favorable or not that determines your spiritual maturity. But in either case, it is by what God provides and gives everyday that even determines where we are as of now. No matter how much I read the Bible, pray or try to do good deeds determines if I remain in favorable circumstances. That’s not what is about. It’s about understanding that God determines what you have or don’t have, and you are to be as responsible as much as you can with what he gives, and to understand even if you have a little that’s already a lot.
   
   I am thankful that I can repent, be forgiven and choose to turn to Jesus for help and to live a new life from the condemnation of sin. Even though I fall, God gives me grace to remain out of sin’s hold and I can be joyful and in peace in the freedom of living my life for him and through him. Even the more I am thankful that I have come to know and understand that I will not die with the world and all its temporary pleasures since I have full faith that Jesus died for my sins and was resurrected, and because of my faith (or trust) in Jesus has granted me eternal life already. Everything I do now is an understanding of this truth, and all that I do is try to obey all he commands. But he supplies enough grace (something given and not deserved, without merit) for me to function on the daily; through all the frustrations, temptations, and sins of others against me and sins from myself to others. I am strong through Jesus and I thank God so much for the grace he has given me.
4. LoveI never knew what love was before I started the intimate relationship with God. I always had it confused with temporary and fickle feelings of excitement for others, I didn’t understand the difference of love between a man and a woman, and the love one feels for the love of family and friends, or the love you feel for someone you don’t even know when you see them in unfavorable conditions. I would relate this latter just to compassion. But now that I know love and knowing that it comes from God and “is” God, everything makes sense now. It can literally move mountains or move things that seemed unmovable, it literally changes someone from the inside-out or 180 degrees from how they lived all their life, and knowing love defines all that you do and is what motivates you, day in and day out. Think about it. What motivates you? You’re always looking for that love. For some, it’s love of money. For others, it’s love of lust. It is only now that I choose the love of God, and I have seen for myself and from others how it can change anything and everything.
   
   When I first came to the Philippines, I really didn’t have an idea how I was going to change poverty while I was there. I just knew that it was in my heart to do something about it and I knew there would be millions that will be effected in the work that I would participate in. I just didn’t know to what detail that would be. I first started thinking that it would be some sort of revolution to the political climate and government, but then that really didn’t follow God’s word of peace. And then I thought it would be radically transforming what the people did for money so they could get themselves out of poverty, but then that didn’t line up with how other people can exploit or sin against another, thus keeping others to remain in poverty. God revealed one day in the Bible from a saying from Jesus, “The poor you will always have with you” (Mark 4:17) so I was wondering, “then what am I here for God?” The Holy Spirit one day revealed that the only true change that could happen was in the heart and mind and soul of a person. The underlying values, passions and desires of a person, if in alignment with God and his Word would radically transform that person, and in turn effect everyone around them as they would be a witness to a changed life and teach others of what they have gone through and what the truth says from God’s Word. This is where literally millions if not billions will be changed, exponentially, all starting from each and every person you have a relationship with and what you share and then in turn them sharing it with others. God will make it grow in his timing and in his will. This love conquers all and moves all.

Below are pictures and links to all the people I know will literally changes hundreds to millions of people based on the few relationships that God has linked in their lives. I am so thankful to God he has brought me each and everyone one of these people to grow with, to know that we helped each other grow, and to know God will be using them greatly to save others from their old selves, and pointing them to truth and love.
Thank you God for everything. All this is for you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.