Leader's Schedule: Maintaining a God Focused Life

It’s been quite some time since my last blog. I was thinking of what to write, and now I feel like sharing what we’ve discussed in our Leadership Group meeting with my church mates.

As a youth leader, I really find this helpful in my own personal time with God. I need to be more disciplined in handling my time, setting priorities and making the best out of my personal devotion time with God.

We don’t want to live in a disorganized schedule, like saying yes to every event, parties, or any appointments right? Well, if you don’t know your schedule, someone will direct it to you, circumstances may also direct you. We don’t want things to happen that way! As leaders, we need to know how to manage our time; we need to know our priorities so that we won’t be living in a “Go with the flow” mindset. Our time is precious, and God wants us to use it in a productive way.

That being said, what should be the “Leaders’ Schedule”?

1.  We need to take control of our time

• It is important to seek and understand God’s will on a daily basis; we need to ask God for wisdom (Matthew 7:7)
• In my daily walk with God, I am reminding myself that the only thing that I should fear is to miss out His will.
• We must learn how to say “NO”. Saying no takes a lot of security, we need to weigh things out to know when to say YES or NO. When making decision, better ask yourself, “Am I fulfilling what God wants me to do with my current season if I say Yes to this?” It takes a lot of wisdom! Every day, we really need to train our ears to be sensitive with the voice of God.
• We need to cultivate a healthy routine
• We need to delegate our time if needed. We cannot do everything alone.
•  We must use “Focused Concentration” – focus on one task at a time to avoid being jumbled. This is effective and efficient.

2.  We need to make time for the important

•  Prioritize an intimate time with God: "We don’t give God our free time, we have to MAKE time for Him!" We must schedule an “unhurried” time with God. Fight for your relationship with God. We need to do something to nurture it. We need to desire to grow glory to glory with our relationship with God.
• Schedule a quality time with your family: Quality time means something very fruitful more than just physically present with your family. Spend time with them. Nurture the relationship.
• We must manage time for our health: If your lifestyle is compromising your health, better start doing things right. We are stewards of our bodies; we need to live a healthy lifestyle.
• Manage time for people: Spend time with people, building relationship, with a goal of leading them towards Christ.

3.  We must avoid time wasters

      ·   Be disciplined and know your time wasters:

o   Idle conversations – ask yourself, is this wise? Idle conversations have no sense. Every relationship has a purpose, every conversation must be meaningful.

o   Disorganization – If you don’t know how to organize your schedule, it would affect the people around you.

o   Excessive hobbies – check your lifestyle, do you have hobbies which consumes a lot of your time? We’re all called to a balanced life. More than anything else, God is our top priority.

Leaders’ Schedule is important, since the people you lead are looking up to you. We must be representing a good character in accordance to God’s will.  We are Christ’s witnesses; we must be representing His name. (Acts 1:8)

Let us practice a good spiritual discipline. There are lots of distractions every day, sometimes, we’re not too aware that these things catch and consume our time so much. Let us check our lifestyle, check our hearts if there’s anything we need to surrender to God. Every day is a learning experience, we’re all in work in progress J

There's No Greater Love Than This!

I always have the desire to maximize my quality time with my family every weekends, but most of the time, I'm just lying on my bed and taking up very very long sleep. This is very unproductive! ;p

Just recently, I made a conviction not to sleep too much during day time. When they're all having their siesta, I decided to clean my room. While I was trying to organize every layer of my room desk, I saw these stuffs:

1.) My First Personal Bible (given to me by one of the leaders from Victory LB when I was 15)

2.) Yearly Convention ID's 

3.) Usher ID

4.) One 2 One Booklet (The Older Version - 12 Chapters)

5.) LIFE Sim Card

6.) Different Series Invitations

Why did I mention this? This is not to brag that I'm a Christian for several years, but I was just reminded of how God remained faithful to me even though several times, I was so unfaithful to Him.

I've been a Christian since 2005. I was then a 3rd year High School student when me and my classmates were reached out at Victory LB. It was not an overnight process but as they kept investing time with us, God worked in our hearts as well. It was a life changing experience! As young as I was, I had struggles and issues that were not normal at my age. I kept it for myself for I felt like no one's gonna understand me. I had so much bitterness in my heart, so much insecurities and I really don't see any reason to live and enjoy life. I am very thankful that I had an encounter with God at a young age. I had been involved with different ministries, I'd attended yearly conventions from Campus Harvest 2005 and so on. I participated with different discipleship seminars, I am also doing one 2 one. But these things were just external, there's still some doubt in my heart; I've entertained lies from the enemy. After all these things I've mentioned above, I stumbled along the way and gave up with my Christian walk.

What's wrong? I realized I was still then young and vulnerable. But I am so thankful that God is full of mercy and compassion. He is always true to His promises that when He began a good work in you, He's gonna carry it into completion (Philippians 1:6)

One thing I've learned, It doesn't matter how long you've been attending church or how you've been involved with ministry. What matters most is your personal relationship with Christ and how you maintain it. Like usual relationships, love fades if it's not nurtured. God loves us and He wants our full attention:

"My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways" (Proverbs 23:25)

He wants your heart! He's longing for a genuine relationship with you. He doesnt want you to create pride in your heart just because of your past accomplishments. But He wants you to have a HUMBLE heart.

SAY  NO TO PRIDE. GOD WANTS YOUR HUMBLE HEART

I felt like crying on my knees every time I'm reminded of God's love for me. He never gave up on me, He chased me and waited for me. I have broken His heart several times but He chose to forgive me. There's no love greater than this. The battle has been won when Jesus died on the cross for my sins!

The key is that we need to die everyday and live for Him. We need to renew our faith DAILY. We're not supposed to rely on our achievements on the past. He looks at the heart. He doesnt care about your attendance or how active you are in ministry! He wants a real relationship with us every single day!

Anything, Everything, Something :D

I don't know what to blog and I don't know what to say. I am just filled with joy with my new season! :) There's no regret! I don't know where to begin, it's just I was really amazed how God orchestrated everything.

I want to share it into details but I can't formulate the right words to say. All I can say is : God is so Amazing!

:)


By the way, I'm enjoying this Lenten Season much!. I had the opportunity to get along with my HS girlfriends and some leaders from Victory LB. 

Me and my highschool friends were supposed to have dinner together but we ended up with a "Coffee-talk." As we walk around inside uplb we cant find an open restaurant since it was a holiday! Haha.

They are my accountability group and I am very thankful that after all what we've been through, from our childish days up to now, we're still standing firm for Him since the day we experienced His love. After our coffee talk, we went to Pastor Jon Dolor's place (Kuya Jon nalang pala haha), and together with his wife (Ate Trish) and some leaders from Victory LB, we played Dix It board game and Tabboo ipad! It was so fun! :D

Dix It

Tabu (Apps)

 
I spent an overnight with my highschool friends' house (Ariana and Katrina). I really had great bonding night with them.

Lastly, I want to Congratulate LB's new Campus Missionary! Our friend, Liane Silla. :)
Also with Kuya Jon! Congratulations! :D

As a product of Victory-LB's youth, I am really so proud of LB. I am really amazed on what God has been doing with LB. :)

May we have a meaningful Lenten Season: May this season remind us of God's faithfulness, goodness, mercy and love. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free! :D


:)

Staying Dressed For Battle (The Full Armor of God)

One of the most powerful books that I have read was Charles Stanley's "When the Enemy Strikes." As a Christian, each day is a daily battle between good and evil. This book made me realize that in my Spiritual walk with Christ, I must not underestimate the power of enemy and how he works. The truth is that we have a real enemy which is the devil, who has the goal to destroy our lives, to separate us from our love ones, to destroy our relationship with other believers, and ulitamtely to separate us from God's purposes and God's presence. The enemy's main goal is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). The devil is powerful, yes he is! But we dont need to fear, because the good news is: GOD is more powerful. As the enemy strikes, God takes action in greater strength and greater authority. Our role is to open ourselves to receiving all of God's power at work on our behalf for He is always on the winning side. God's desire for us is to experience full and satisfying life on earth and in heaven.

As you seek God in your life through Christ, ask him to:

1. Help you identify the enemy's attack

2. Free you from snares that have entangled you

3. Help you discern as fully as possible the nature of situation

4. Help you understand and see as He sees and understands

5. Help you make godly judgements and right choices

6. Make very clear to you what is good and evil.

(The only source of truth is His Word)

It is also important that we must be aware of the enemy's fiery darts which he uses to attack the people of God: FEAR, GUILT, LUST, ANGER, PRIDE, and any ungodly thoughts.

As the enemy throws these flaming arrows, we must refuse to allow them to lodge in us. Never dwell or fantasize about them and never allow them to be a stronghold in your life. To be able to do this, we must focus our mind on what Jesus did on the cross, that He died for us and that His love is the reason why we are alive in Him today. Be quick to say no to every temptation.

The Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

1.Belt of Truth (Ephesians 6:14) - Truth must be the filter for all perceptions, ideas and dreams (Proclaiming that we have the word of God. We must be intentional about what we choose to see, hear and take into our lives. It is a committment with God; You stand for the truth without compromise.
2.Breastplate of Righteousness (Ephesians 6:14) - Our heart's desire must be to live in a way that is pleasing and honoring to  God. Ask God to create in you a clean heart.

• Righeousness: Stand in the position "I am in Christ, Christ is in me by the power of Holy Spirit"

3.Shoes of Preparation of  the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15) - We are to stand firm, grounded in the fact that we have the peace  of God is our hearts.

• Gospel of peace: good news of Jesus' provision for our peace wiith God.

"Take Up" Armor

1.  Shield of Faith - Our defense to every flaming arrows of the enemy. As the enemy fires thoughts in our minds, our faith quenches those thoughts.

2.  Helmet of Salvation (Eph 6:17) - To take the helmet of salvation means to remind ourselves that JESUS is our Lord and Savior. It reminds us that we were once sinners and that by His grace, we are no longer in bondage of sin. Never doubt or question your salvation.

3.  The Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17) - This is the word of God.

• Sword is geared for both defense and offense ( 2 sides); The sword of the Spirit defends us against the devl and actively forcing the devil to retreat from us.
• The Holy Spirit is the One who reminds us of the Scrptures (John 16:13-14)
• Word of God is very powerful,  it is a weapon that puts the devil on the run; it pushes back the forces od darkness that may seem overwhelming.

How does this work?

• Discipline your mind to memorize these verses; repeat them to yourself frequently.
• When temptation comes your way, respond immediately by saying ALOUD God's word / verse from your arsenal of Scriptures. (Hebrews 4:12)

As Christians, We are soldiers for Christ! :)

"Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 2:3)