Addiction comes in many forms and varieties. Some may be addicted in drugs, sex, gambling and others. I am going to write here about Approval Addiction.
I read a book by Joyce Meyer about Approval Addiction. The first time I saw it, I said to myself, really is there such a thing as Approval Addiction? As I read the book, i realized that sometimes in our daily walk in this life without knowing it, we are addicted to other peoples approval. If we do something good for others, we expected in return that they will appreciate what we do. But the next question, comes into our mind, why do we do it? Maybe because of insecurities or somewhere in our past experiences, we encountered rejections that leads us to have a tendency to do good to others, to fill the emptiness-to be loved, eventhough we say to ourselves, I did it because I just want to do good or maybe we reason out by saying that-hey, I did it because it is written “love others as ourselves”. Well, we can justify anyway we want it. You may say to yourself, I do not want to do anything no more concerning other people because maybe I am addicted to approval. Check it out! Bottom line is just be honest to yourself.
Let us check our motives for doing it. Is it because we want to win people? Does it compromise something? On my perspective, I agree with what Joyce Meyer wrote in her book. She said that, “It is not bad or evil to please people, what is evil is if it compromises the will of God in our lives”. Well, the great way to do it, is to love God first, please Him only and everything will follow. It is the same as saying, “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all this things shall be added unto you”. If we have this motive and attitude, our fruits from every experiences that we encounter, whether it is to our advantage or not, is a blessing. Pleasing God because you love Him will automatically please the people around you. So, let's prioritize the will of God. This is true, I experienced it.
Lastly, here's my suggestion: check your motives before you do something and decide wisely or you can follow my principle “seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all this things shall be added unto you; love and please God first". Either way, we all have our free will to decide for ourselves. Just remember that in the end, it is between you(me) and your(my) God. It's a matter of choice.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
THE SPEECH
"We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things." says Barrack Obama during his inaugural speech as the 44th US President early this morning (1am Philippine time). As I listened to the rest of his speech, the word "the time has come to set aside childish things" keeps ringing in my mind. I said to myself,that's right I read that in the Bible but another situation flashed in my mind, it was when some parents brought little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it".
So I asked myself, how do we reconcile this truth? I prayed and an understanding of this principle came to me. Childish ways are immature ways. They do not know yet of what is wrong and right, thus they need guidance in their decisions. While the faith of a child is pure and innocent. Let me illustrate, when you promise something to a child, they never forget it, they always remember. As to the legal side, children are the best witnesses because they never know how to lie. Children believes in following what is right. They are easy to say sorry if they commits mistakes because they have pure hearts and mind.
So what, you may asked. What is the importance of knowing the difference?
In my perspective, let us possess the faith of a child in believing our God and in our everyday relationship with Him and with others. To be pure, innocent and honest in all our motives. Let us be a God pleaser like a child who always wants to please his or her parents but in applying it let us not be childish. As Barrack Obama says, "the time has come to set aside childish things."
Kung Hei Fat Choi 2009 everyone! To all law students who are having a hard time memorizing legal forms in the bar exams a colleague of mine atty. zigfred diaz wrote a free book entitled "A Dunce guide to writing legal forms in the Philippine bar exams." I used it when I took the bar last September and it helped me. If it helps me maybe it can help you. To download a copy visit him at http://zdiaz.com, thanks!
But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it".
So I asked myself, how do we reconcile this truth? I prayed and an understanding of this principle came to me. Childish ways are immature ways. They do not know yet of what is wrong and right, thus they need guidance in their decisions. While the faith of a child is pure and innocent. Let me illustrate, when you promise something to a child, they never forget it, they always remember. As to the legal side, children are the best witnesses because they never know how to lie. Children believes in following what is right. They are easy to say sorry if they commits mistakes because they have pure hearts and mind.
So what, you may asked. What is the importance of knowing the difference?
In my perspective, let us possess the faith of a child in believing our God and in our everyday relationship with Him and with others. To be pure, innocent and honest in all our motives. Let us be a God pleaser like a child who always wants to please his or her parents but in applying it let us not be childish. As Barrack Obama says, "the time has come to set aside childish things."
Kung Hei Fat Choi 2009 everyone! To all law students who are having a hard time memorizing legal forms in the bar exams a colleague of mine atty. zigfred diaz wrote a free book entitled "A Dunce guide to writing legal forms in the Philippine bar exams." I used it when I took the bar last September and it helped me. If it helps me maybe it can help you. To download a copy visit him at http://zdiaz.com, thanks!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
THE WORD IN ACTION!
I attended a seminar once and the speaker discussed the importance of our words, it can either make or break us and others. They say there is power in our words. I also read a book wherein the writer illustrates the power of our words. He told a man in the meeting to stand up and the man stood up and then he asked the man's weight. The man's weight was 180 lbs. and then the speaker said, see how powerful our words are, I just make a 180 lbs. man to stand up. Wow, that was amazing!
It is also through the Words of God that this world was created. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. Read Genesis 1 for the full text.
In my own experience, it is also through the words of the people who surrounds me that I learned things in life. But as I journey in this life, I discovered that not all the time people are their to comfort and encouraged us, they also have life and things to learn on their own. Sometimes we must learn things on our own and I discovered that to grow more in wisdom in our walk. First, we must learn to lean on the Word Himself which is God. It is written in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Second, we must also read the written Word and apply it in our lives.
The best example I read on how the written Word was applied, was when the time Jesus was tempted by Satan. The venue of the story was in the desert. Satan, the tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple, "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down, for it is written: "he will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Jesus answered him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
That is what I called "THE WORD IN ACTION". For reference read Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 6:16, 8:3, 8:19; John 6:51.
Let us choose the right Words and apply it wisely!
It is also through the Words of God that this world was created. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. Read Genesis 1 for the full text.
In my own experience, it is also through the words of the people who surrounds me that I learned things in life. But as I journey in this life, I discovered that not all the time people are their to comfort and encouraged us, they also have life and things to learn on their own. Sometimes we must learn things on our own and I discovered that to grow more in wisdom in our walk. First, we must learn to lean on the Word Himself which is God. It is written in John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". Second, we must also read the written Word and apply it in our lives.
The best example I read on how the written Word was applied, was when the time Jesus was tempted by Satan. The venue of the story was in the desert. Satan, the tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple, "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down, for it is written: "he will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." Jesus answered him, "It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test." Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor, "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
That is what I called "THE WORD IN ACTION". For reference read Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13; Deuteronomy 6:16, 8:3, 8:19; John 6:51.
Let us choose the right Words and apply it wisely!
Monday, January 5, 2009
THE WEDDING
Let me begin this New Year 2009 with the story of the father who prepared a great wedding banquet for his son. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, “ Come, the banquet is ready.” But they all began making excuses. One said, I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.” Another said, “ I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.” Another said, “ I now have a wife, so I can't come.”
The servant returned and told his master what they had said. His master was furious and said, “ Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” After the servant had done this, he reported, “There is still room for more.” So his master said, “ Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. For none of those I first invited will get even the smallest taste of my banquet.
But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn't wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. “Friend,” he asked, “how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?” But the man had no reply. Then the king said to his aides, “Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The story above can be likened to the Kingdom of Heaven as Jesus have told in the Parable of the Great Feast in Matthew 22 and Luke 14:15-24.
This story is one of my favorite in the Bible because it has a similarity with my story on how God found me. Long time ago, God used someone who shared to me the Word of God. At first, I was awkward of listening to it because I am not use of reading the bible and I thought I know God that much. Every time that person called me to eat from the banquet (bible sharing), I always make excuses like the people in the story. I even lied just to excused myself. However, that person is very patient and persistent (“very makulit”) with me. Now, I know why and I'm glad I listened.
From then on, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I thought that was it, my sins are forgiven and I'm free but it was just the beginning of my beautiful life relationship with Christ. If we are in Christ, we also have the responsibility to live it everyday of our life, to yield to his throne and to eat from his banquet for us to consistently maintain and live the gift of salvation that God has given. Waves of life are always there but the blessed thing is, we have the wisdom to confront all this things because the wisdom comes within which is Jesus. We have to continue wearing the proper clothes for the wedding so that we cannot be likened to the man in the story that was thrown out by the king into the outer darkness.
Let's enjoy our relationship with God. Let us not be stubborn and skip our manufacturer's instruction and try to figure out life as we went along. As Dr. Myles Munroe in his book “The Most Important Person on Earth” said, “Do not try to repair yourself. Return to the Manufacturer.”
Happy New Year 2009!
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