A dangerous path

Acts 20:24 NIV
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace

This was Paul's statement to the leaders in ephesus concerning his journey to Jerusalem. Paul was urged by the Holy Spirit to go and preach the good news of God's grace there. He knew he will face hardships and severe trials. So he spoke that statement. Let's take the verse  piece by piece for us to understand the statement he made.

"... I consider my life worth nothing to me..."
SELF-DENIAL
This is quite common to Christians, because Jesus spoke this statement to His disciples "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

The statement is a perfect example of self-denial. Why? Are you willing to go to a place that you know rejection, persecution, or even death will be a consequence of you preaching of that good news? That needs alot of self-denial.

"... my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-..."
LORDSHIP
A key essential to the christian faith. Yet, sometimes this the most ignored and the most hated. Lordship requires 100% submission to Jesus, not 99.99999% but 100%. Lordship is hard because again it needs death to self and giving our desires, dreams, and plans to Him.

Giving Him our desires, dreams, and plans is quite hard but He knows what is best for us. So He will give us much more on what we expect if give Him our desires, dreams, and plans.

"... the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
PURPOSE
Now our purpose here is to submit to God's authority (that requires self-denial) through making disciples.

Are you making disciples?

A Tree in a Play

"I was chosen to be a tree,

I expected a greater role. I wanted to act and express everything that I feel, but they gave me a tree costume. I was asked to stay behind and stretch out my hands/arms as wide as I can. I did but I was not contended. I wanted to act and be the star.

On the rehearsals we always finish late because I was always interrupting everything. I go out of my place and act but no one noticed and they as me to go back to my position. They didn't appreciate me or even noticed me. I asked the director for another role but the only role remaining is to be a tree. I was disappointed.

The day of the play, I didn't 'act' but watched at the back. Then I heard people panicking and saying "Where is the tree?!" they were looking for me! As I was going to show myself at the backstage, suddenly another guy took my place of being a Tree. He was applauded! And was took of notice, I just realized I had the most vital role. Like the Tree of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. I was frustrated and got angry at myself, I regret everything I did. I had a vital role but blew it. I didn't notice how important every role was."

"The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,  so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." -1st Corinthians 12:21-26

The Heart of Correction

Correction!

What is really important with correction? Why do we need correction? WHAT IS CORRECTION?!

Why is correction important? Correction is offered to someone who made a mistake, not because the corrector is perfect but because the corrector has concern and DESIRE to implant his knowledge to give a greater outcome with the things you deeply desire to excel in.

"So what?!" you may say, but give me an eye here (eye me up a sec.) Imagine a world without correction, a world without any transfer of one's knowledge to another a world without correction. What world might that be! We might be stuck in using lamps or we might not have any great things to enjoy today like your iPhone or iPad's.

Why? Because people corrected it, people input an knowledge and gave some idea's to make those things come to reality! So how do we accept correction? It's upon you (in how you understand and how you deeply desire the thing you want to excel in)! So what is correction?
...
..
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Correction is a inmost desire or what you call Love.

"Better is open rebuke than hidden love" -Proverbs 27:5

Without the right purpose

"Without the right purpose, you will always be unsatisfied."

What is the purpose of people in life?
-Here are some friends' answers-

"To have many GF's for the rest of my life" -Richard

"To achieve more in candy crush" -Angel

"To have good grades" -Jake

"... to be successful" -Daniel

"Honor God and Make disciples!!!" -Catrina

"My  purpose is to be a blessing to others..." -Collins

"To glorify God!" -Patricia

"To share God's word!! Make disciples!!! Win souls!!" -Danica

"Live for God....." -Arnel

"To live for Christ who died for me." Elaine 

"To honor and glorify God." -Camille

The real meaning of purpose is in the Greek word Telos (purpose) meaning "an object to aim."

Purpose is something that makes a person or any being strive! But what if you have fulfill your purpose? What now? You'll sit there and wait for your lifetime to pass? A real purpose is ongoing  and it can be passed to the next generation. A purpose must be given, not made. Well-made by the Maker of all things and passed throughout the generations.

How about you what's your purpose? Is that purpose genuine enough to stand and make a change? Can it be passed to the next generation?

"A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance." -Jesus

"Free" Will

Free will comes with responsibility.

I had a discussion with an atheist about free will. His statement was, "Free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion," and I totally agree with it but having no responsibility for the DECISION one made is where I disagree. When I heard him out, he was pointing that people have choices and they have no commitment or responsibility about it. "I have free will, God MUST NOT punish me because of my free will."

Through Jesus Christ you can be free from those bad choices... "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." -John 8:36 

"Though our feelings come and go, God's love for us does not" -C.S. Lewis 

Ignite 2013

Three days of none stop glorification like on Mt.Sinai...
His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. (Mark 9:3, 15 NIV)
Days of showing off God's reflection is coming. Are we showing His glory or we just want to share ours? The days of His harvest are approaching. Are we devoted to harvest or are we on our sheds sleeping?

"Christians needs to radically live out the Christian ethnic, which can't help but challenge ethnical systems." -Charles Colson

Weird

After a great and tiring night from Youth service, connecting people... And a farewell party of a friend of mine... I feel strange and weird... I feel that people won't talk to me... Even they're making an effort to talk to me...
So strange...

"Even in the situation of weirdness, God is still hugging you and saying 'I love you' no matter how weird you are."