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.

Choosing God every day of your life, in every aspect

Sunday, 10:40pm – Mandaluyong, Tiger City, Philippines
This is the 7th day my brother Johnathon and Moina have been here in the Philippines. We have been traveling doing different things from going to eat at restaurants, going out to a club or a mall, and recently just visiting with Moina’s cousins to eat. From going out to so many different places, doing things a little bit different from my normal routine, I have come to see there have been a few more temptation than usual since we have been doing things that I would consider more worldly. From the money that is spent on traveling, food and amusement to the people that we are hanging around with.

I have been brought to reflect on a few things:

1. To not be self-righteous
2. It is all the more important for those that don’t know God to be there as much as opportunity allows and to how God leads the situation and you by the Holy Spirit
3. Do all we can to choose God everyday of our lives to serve and to obey all his commands

The Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God, his Bible. I cherish this more than my daily bread.

Serving the Body of Jesus - Hosting games for the youth at Victory Church north triangle - Back to the Bible

Working in the fields - Spending time with the children in a nearby community - Barangay Arboretum

All in all I have come to understand that it is entirely by God’s grace that we are able to function on a daily. Even while I didn’t have an intimate relationship or know God’s Word, he protected me and allowed me to learn from my mistakes. I don’t resent anything of the past and from all that has been experienced, each and every one of those situations has been used to build my character up to serve God and people on a daily, and for me to be able to witness how Jesus has changed and is working in my life. Just a list of some things that I do now and what has changed:

1. I read the Bible daily
   I feel awkward if I don’t get to read, similar to the feeling you get if you have just left your house and have forgotten something at home that you know you are forgetting but just can’t remember what it is. Or an imbalanced feeling that I get
   
2. I pray daily, I pray all day no matter what I am doing
   Like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, or eating a meal in order to function, I don’t forget to pray in the morning to give thanks to the Lord and to ask him to guide me and to pray for others that I care for and love and for those that I don’t know in other ministries around the world, as well as the strength for the church and brothers and sisters everywhere. At night time I pray about the sins I have committed, asking for forgiveness and repenting, forgiving those that have sinned against me, and just thank the Lord for all the blessings of today from what God provides or for the lessons learned and to ask for insight and wisdom of every and all situations that I can receive and impart to others.
   
   Throughout the day I try not forget to pray before making any decisions, from the seemingly smallest in terms of deciding what to eat to the seemingly biggest as to where I should go and whom I am to spend time with. All day I am asking God for strength or discernment for a specific task, I pray under my breath before I speak to an individual or speaking before a group and I pray constantly as I am walking or in passing to another area or as soon as I feel temptation to sin: in pride, in immorality, in anger, in judging…anything. I pray to God all day for everything I recognize as such a blessing, even in seemingly negative circumstances. They are seemingly negative as I understand any hardships, challenges or people that sin against me is an opportunity to learn and an opportunity to apply God’s Word.
   
3. In everything I see God is in it and created it
   I constantly find myself reflecting and understanding God has created everything and everyone. I never forget the skies and earth that God created. I constantly reflect on the people and the things that are inspired into creation such as technology, buildings, structures, social constructs and culture. I realize all comes from God and it amazes me the myriad of things God has created and interconnected. This makes me never forget God and allows me never to forget that he is in everything.
   
4. I care and love others like never before
   God has blessed my heart and continues to open it to those around me. This is what I have been most thankful for besides the first and foremost of Jesus life, death and resurrection; God’s gift to us and his love, grace and mercy on our lives and souls. I thank so much that I can truly love and know him, and truly love others and desire to love so greatly.

Thank you Lord for your love. Thank you so much for saving me. I pray you continue to open my heart to love and choose you all the days of my life, and that I can serve you as much as you want me to, and I can love you and love everyone you connect me with to greater than I can ever imagine. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.