CONCEIVE. BELIEVE. ACHIEVE.

Defeatism never accomplished anything lasting or worthwhile. But optimism, borne out of faith, has accomplished tremendous feats.

Surprising as it is to some people, optimism borne of faith has its roots in God's Word, the Bible. Consider statements such as these: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23.

Men have been challenged with concepts of goals that others have said were impossible or unattainable. But they refused to believe them. With God's help they reached them.

There is a limit to what you can do naturally, but there is absolutely no limit to what can be accomplished in faith, through God's power.

Do not listen to the voice of pessimism, which says, "You are trapped --- you cannot do it. You might as well quit, for it cannot be done." Quietly resolve in your heart, "with God's help I'll do what He wants me to do," and you will discover that what your mind can conceive, with God's help, you can achieve. You will... When you believe.

We do not claim that capable of doing anything by ourselves. The capacity comes from God. (2 Cor. 3:5) Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. (Eph 6:10).

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13

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CONFLICT

Re-Post from Multiplier savedbyhisgrace] http://savedbyhisgrace.multiply.com/journal/item/48/Conflict

MIND:
Rom 7:23 But in every part of me I discover something fighting against my mind, and it makes me a prisoner of sin that controls everything I do.

Pro 3:21 My child, use common sense and sound judgment! Always keep them in mind.

Pro 12:20 An evil mind is deceitful, but gentle thoughts bring happiness.

Pro 23:33 You will see weird things, and your mind will play tricks on you.

Pro 24:12 Don't say, "I didn't know it!" God can read your mind. He watches each of us and knows our thoughts. And God will pay us back for what we do.

HEART:
Psa 25:21 I obey you with all my heart, and I trust you, knowing that you will save me.

Psa 27:8 My heart tells me to pray. I am eager to see your face,
Psa 27:9 so don't hide from me. I am your servant, and you have helped me. Don't turn from me in anger. You alone keep me safe. Don't reject or desert me.

Psa 37:4 Do what the LORD wants, and he will give you your heart's desire.

Psa 42:2 In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the living God. When will I see your face?

Psa 50:23 The sacrifice that honors me is a thankful heart. Obey me, and I, your God, will show my power to save.

Psa 84:2 Deep in my heart I long for your temple, and with all that I am I sing joyful songs to you.

Psa 111:1 Shout praises to the LORD! With all my heart I will thank the LORD when his people meet.
Luk 12:34 Your heart will always be where your treasure is.

Today I write as a conflict wages war within me. Today I write as a conflict wages war in the hearts and minds of all believers. Today I write as a conflict wages war between the flesh and the spirit. Today I write as a conflict wages war in the world between believers and non-believers. God never said that serving Him would be easy but He did say that He is with us always even unto the end of the earth.

There is a constant conflict between the desires of a worldly mind living in a sinful world and a heart saved by the precious blood of the Lamb. No one can understand the heart of a believer except the heart of another believer or God himself. We live in a world that fears those that are different, so much so that they will turn against them, rise up against them, to try and eliminate that fear. This conflict rages on to this day and will continue to the day we are all called home to be with God.

This conflict is worldwide and is as old as the earth itself. To understand the conflict that rages on between your mind and your heart as a Christian we can look at the even bigger picture for an answer. The conflict between mind and heart, flesh and spirit, believer and non-believer all stem from the same source. That source is the lack of or presence of God. Where God is there is light, love, understanding, encouragement, inspiration, and acceptance. Where God is not there is darkness, selfishness, greed, bitterness, destruction, turmoil, and rejection.

We are all made of flesh and live in a fleshly world. We are bombarded daily by all of the darkness, selfishness, greed, bitterness, destruction, turmoil, and rejection. This cannot help but take a toll on the heart of a believer. It is so easy, to give into the desires of our own fleshly mind especially when we are constantly beaten down by the world. We tell ourselves that WE DESERVE this sinful thing in our life. But, let me tell you that sin in your life no matter how small it may seem to you is like a cancer and will grow until it destroys your heart and your relationship with God.

The mind of a believer is a battlefield where Satan the great deceiver is constantly waging his war against your heart. We have to be armed with the full armor of God to stand a chance at all.

Eph 6:13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

Let’s just step back and take a look at your odds of survival in this war. Let’s just say you are a Christian you are saved and you love the Lord with all your heart. Now lets factor in that you live in a sinful world that is constantly bombarding you with all of its sinful treasures. You say, well I can handle that. OK, lets now factor in that Satan the great deceiver one who is very powerful sets his sights on you. To destroy you he begins to make this war even more personal by trying to get you to turn away from God through the circumstances in your life. It may be by taking the life of your dearest loved one, or infidelity in your marriage, or just by taking advantage of your biggest weakness. Now, I think you would agree with me that we stand no chance at all being made of flesh, living in a fleshly world, and being targeted by the great deceiver. The only chance we have in this world is by taking on the full armor of God and being separate from the world. Let not your mind dwell on un-pure thoughts, not even for a moment. Think on things that are pure and Holy in His sight.

Eze 36:26 I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts,
Eze 36:27 because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings.

As a Christian putting on the full armor of God are we still at risk? Yes, we will always be at risk. There will always be those times when we let our guard down and the great deceiver will always be there to take advantage of your weakness. But, PRAISE GOD, the war has already been won and Satan knows this. Satan can take you down but he cannot take you. For you belong to God and He will never let you go.

If the war has already been won then why do we still need to fight? First off, we fight because God tells us too and that alone is enough. We fight as God tells us that if we live our life for Him and be separate from the world that He will bless our lives but if we live our lives for ourselves He WILL PUNISH US. Would you not punish your own children if they disobeyed you? God loves you and knows what is best for you and His commandments are here to protect us, give us a better life, and lead us into His precious arms for all eternity.

Dear Lord,

I come before you now with a humble heart, praising your Holy Name. I thank you so much for the love and guidance you provide us. Lord you know us better than we know ourselves. You know our weaknesses and you know the odds we stand against in a sinful fleshly world. I call upon you gifts of strength, power, love, and faith. Dear Lord grant us with these gifts this day and each day to come. Don us with the full armor of God that we would be protected from all this world has in store. I praise you father for sending your son that we might have everlasting life through Him. We are all soldiers for Christ. Help us to stand brave and faithful for you Lord. May our hearts overpower our minds and may we always think on those things that are pure and Holy in your sight Lord. For I ask all these things in the name of Jesus.

Amen!

Now just sit back relax and enjoy one of my favorite artists MercyMe playing the song Where The Streets Have No Name. Lift your hands High and Praise HIM!!! For HE IS GOD!!! I so remember this song in concert!!! Wow!!! If ever there was a time to take it to a higher level that time is now! Step it up Christians for your world, your country, your state, your city, your family, and even you need this at this time. Praise God!!!!!

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This above article was originally posted by a fellow-Multiplier named Bob , from Dallas, Texas, USA [Multiply ID: http://savedbyhisgrace.multiply.com]

GOD GRANTS THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." [Psalms 37:4]


This verse sounds too good to be true. The Lord will give us whatever we want?

But God is not a heavenly Santa Claus who always delivers everything on our wish list. Neither is He an indulgent grandparent who lives to spoil the grandkids by giving all we want. Nor is God a weak parent who, annoyed by whining and tears, gives in to us to keep the peace.

So what does this verse mean? God will give you the desires of your heart, but the prerequisite is setting your heart to delight His ways. Are you able to do that, to rejoice in the things that give God joy? Is your heart broken by agonies in the world, by the very things that break God's heart? Is regular time with your Lord nourishment for your soul? Do you love being in His presence in times of worship, both corporate and private?

As you delight yourself in the Lord in these and other ways, God adjusts your heart to be n tune with His. Then the longings that grow in your hearts --- the seeds of which are sown during your time with your heavenly Father --- will be His desires for you. And of course He will satisfy that godly hunger.

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Praying For Grace, Mercy, and Peace For Your Loved Ones

To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Timothy 1:2)

How you pray for your family members and friends is important. There is no better way to pray for someone you love than by following the example found in Scripture. Paul often asked for specific gifts from God for those He cared about. On Timothy’s behalf, Paul requested grace, mercy, and peace.

Grace is the unearned gifts the Father bestows on His children. The Lord relates to us only by His grace. His grace provided salvation though we deserved destruction (Eph. 2:8). His grace blesses us with the riches of heaven. His grace brings us peace in troublesome times. His grace brings us good things every day (1 Tim. 1:14).

Mercy is God withholding the punishment we deserve because of our sinfulness. The consequences of our sin is death, yet Jesus paid this penalty for us (Rom. 6:23). God is long-suffering and will delay giving us our just punishment in order for us to have every opportunity to repent and to receive His gift of salvation (2 Pet. 3:9).

Peace is the state of mind and heart we experience when we are confident of God’s grace and mercy toward us. Peace comes in knowing that God’s grace will sustain us, even in our most difficult crises (Phil. 4:7). God assures us that even when we fail miserably in our commitments to Him, He will show mercy upon us. This assurance gives us peace.

The peace God gives is fundamentally different from the peace the world offers (John 14:27). The world seeks to sedate us from the problems we face through counseling or drugs or temporary pleasures. The peace that God gives goes right to the soul, relieving the heart and mind.

How are you praying for your loved ones?

There could be no better request than asking the Lord to give them an abundance of His grace, His mercy, and His peace.

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BE THE SPARK

Let us consider one another . . . , not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. -- Hebrews 10:24-25


Churchgoing has fallen on difficult times lately. For some Christians it is a weak substitute for a picnic on a rainy Sunday. Excuses are as plentiful as quarters in the collection plate. The fact is, many professing Christians don't think church is all that important. They think they can be perfectly good Christians without being part of a local congregation.

The author of Hebrews disagreed! For one thing, our own spiritual welfare is not to be our only concern. We go to church not just to get but to give—to spur on other Christians to "love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). If we stay away, we may give them an excuse to be careless.

On the other hand, if we attend with enthusiasm, we encourage other believers in their ambition to draw near to Christ. If we are faithful in meeting together with them, we will honor the Lord, grow in our faith, and give a strong witness to the world.

The Christian faith allows no room for rugged individualists. To have a fire, you need more than one coal. You also need a spark and a draft of air. One humble, open, involved individual—perhaps you—set on fire by Christ, can be the spark. And the Holy Spirit, the breath of God, may blow on that spark and set a congregation ablaze.

If we are honest, we must say
'Our hearts are sometimes cold';
But fellowship can kindle warmth
And make our witness bold.

Fellowship builds us up and binds us together.

Scriptural reading
Hebrews 10:19-25

Encouraging Those Who are In Need of Upliftment

Brothers, rejoice. Perfect yourselves; encourage yourselves; mind the same thing; be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. [2Cor 13:11]

Julie Leslie belongs to the Victory Christian Fellowship in India. I've known her as "julie for jesus" at Multiply. Julie is connected to many prayer groups intercessors from different countries via the internet. Many people send daily prayer requests to Julie: Hindus, Moslems, Americans, Europeans and Asians. This compiling, sending out, praying for them is a commitment. Many people are requesting for prayer and encouragement. There was one specific request reached Julie after she spent a short vacation. Julie got back, she found out that during a brief absence an urgent encouragement was needed for Natalie who lived in New Jersey, USA. Natalie was almost on the verge of suicide. Julie emailed us to pray for Natalie and requested if we could send some nice words of encouragement. Days later Julie said that Natalie was feeling a little better, though continued encouragement was still needed.

Some people know just what to say and do to encourage others who are going through difficult times. Their words give strength to those who are discouraged and comfort to those who are grieving. These people are sensitive to God’s voice. They are not self-centered or unaware of the struggles of those around them. They are the ones we immediately seek when we enter a crisis. They are welcome visitors when we are in distress, for their presence sustains us.

Scripture testifies of many whom God enabled to encourage others. When Moses was overwhelmed by his work, Jethro went to him and encouraged him. Jethro gave Moses wise counsel that eased his strain (Exod. 18:1–27). When Paul was imprisoned far from those who loved him, Epaphroditus risked his health and safety in order to go to Paul and minister to him (Phil. 2:25–30). Later, Paul urged Timothy to come and visit him, for Paul found strength and encouragement in Timothy (2 Tim. 4:9; Phil. 2:19–20). Paul asked Timothy to bring Mark also. Mark was the kind of friend Paul needed when he was enduring hardship (2 Tim. 4:11; Philem. 24). Paul also relied on Luke for encouragement. When everyone else was absent or preoccupied, Luke could be found with Paul (2 Tim. 4:11). Paul experienced trials throughout his life, but God sustained him by placing godly friends around him who provided support in practical and sacrificial ways.

God wants to develop you into the kind of friend who can strengthen others. Some people may be going through emotional stress brought about by problems with friends or family, or maybe some financial difficulties, or any sadness. The words you share and the things you do can bring comfort and encouragement to your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. As Christians, let us be sensitive to people around us. We can be a light to a darkened world, or a salt that would add taste to a bitter life. As needed, let us strengthen believers and unbelievers. We can demonstrate the image of Christ and become what we are... Christians.

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Reminiscing the 1998 June 12 Centennial

It was exactly 10 years ago when the National Historic Institute and the Department when the pioneers of the Magna Kultura Foundation to do something in line with the celebration the Philippine Independence Day. Back in 1998, both government agencies submitted a recommendation to the Philippine Centennial Commission which was then chaired by headed by the late Salvador "Doy" Laurel, for our team to be tapped as the Marketing Directorate of the June 12 Parade. It was not just any other Centennial event that would happen anywhere in the country --- as there were numerous events in Bulacan, Cavite, or even in Pampanga where they had that big Centennial Expo project --- they tapped us for the "D-Day" event, none other than the June 12 Parade at the Luneta. While many event organizers and civic groups had many Centennial related event, we had the honor of organizing for the parade at the Quirino Grandstand and Roxas Boulevard on June 12, 1998.

ARTWORK SKETCH OF THE RIZAL FLOAT BY THE LATE LEANDRO LOCSIN

Back then, our task had to do with the production and marketing of the parade floats, each representing important periods or events in Philippine history. You wouldn't believe the actual cost for producing each parade float --- each of the 56 floats were mounted on flat-bed trucks and produced anywhere from P 800,000 to the more magnificent ones which cost about P1.8 million --- it was like constructing a house. Add to the cost the technicals, like the built-in sounds and lighting system; plus the theatre and movie celebrities that would stand as actors --- there was Joel Torre at the Rizal Float, Charlene Gonzales at the Freedom Float, Bong Revilla (who was Governor of Cavite at that time) played the role of Emilio Aguinaldo [parading on a white horse with comrades], and many theatre actors and artists from the Cultural Center of the Philippines, from PETA, U.P Repertory --- name it, all the illustrious actors, artists, production designers and even well-known architects of the country were there to do the once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the 100th year anniversary of our country's freedom. It was a "Cecil B. DeMille" production so to speak.


Like I said, our task was to oversee the production, and the marketing --- meaning, looking for corporate sponsors and NGOs who would like to "own" the float. I kidding-ly mused during those days that "my task is to sell the country". I even vividly remember that 1 week before the June 12, then Tourism Secretary Gabor asked me to take her place in presenting the whole plan for June 12 to President Fidel Ramos and his Cabinet! When she said that, I remember shaking on my feet and arrogantly exclaimed, "Hindi kayo data yun, ma'm???", to which the charming Mina Gabor simply responded, "Ikaw na, maganda naman lagi ang barong e..." The rest is history. I stood at an august assembly of cabinet ministers with his Excellency at the head table. Funny, but I recall during that presentation, to refrain any of the ministers or the President to stop and ask detailed questions, I backed up my Powerpoint slides with a majestic movie scoring that left them quietly watching and inspired, as I mouthed fully vernacular Filipino spiels. After the scoring and the slides, when it was over, in a dignified AM radio announce-like extro-spiel, I said "At ngayon, para sa mga detalyeng katanungan hinggil sa makasaysayang celebrasyon ng Araw ng ating Kalayaan, narito po ang Kagalang-galang na ministro, Secretary Mina Gabor". Gabor who was quietly enjoying the presentation, dropped her jaw to the unexpected turn-over of scene, but nevertheless stood up --- and in a dignified way, I scurried out of the conference room. Those were the light moments during those days. I actually enjoyed working with Secretary Gabor and her staff. To me she was one of the best Tourism Secretary our country ever had.


It was a biggest event our country ever had --- it was unparalleled, not like any other June 12 celebration before or even after. The parade day in 1998 attracted over 6 million Filipinos, flocking the Luneta and the entire stretch of Roxas Boulevard up to the Cultural Center Complex. The Western Police District of Manila and the MMDA has to block all roads leading to Roxas Boulevard --- and re-route all vehicles traffic starting from Taft Avenue. The millions of had to walk, and when they arrived, you couldn't even drop a needle --- from 7 a.m. to p.m. (I remember one of my corporate sponsors, with all fleets of sales delivery trucks, ran out of mineral water supply by 5 p.m. and the parade and fireworks was not finished yet --- it was a mass draught at the Roxas Boulevard) It was all historic. And we, the pioneers of Magna Kultura Foundation, had the honor of being part of that once-in-a-lifetime historic celebration. It was not not just any other June 12 event--- not the 99th, not the 101st, or the 110th --- neither was it just any other Centennial event in any part of the country --- but the historic 100th year anniversary celebration right at the Quirino Grandstand, the "D-Day" --- the 1998 June 12 Independence Parade, the centerpiece of the Centennial celebration.


When Director Romulo Delos Reyes of the Department of Tourism called me on the 4th week of May this year, he asked if Magna Kultura Foundation could join in the 2008 Independence Day celebration, and specifically requested if we could bring the foundation's current project that was popularly being conducted in Metro-Manila barangays --- the Larong Pinoy Sports Clinic. "Puede n'yo bang dalhin ang mga laro ng ating lahi sa Luneta sa celebrasyon ng Araw ng ating Kalayaan", he mused over the telephone in Tagalog knowing the tagalog-speaking patriot that I was back then. I quietly listened to his persuasion, but I was actually exuberant about the proposal since it has been ten years since I last worked on the June 12 parade and with the Department of Tourism. Personally, I am a conscious with numbers and sate, being a Biblical Hebrew "numerologist", and to me the Number 10 is a fascinating "call slip".

So, as I posted in a blog post at our multiply site (http://luckymelarongpinoy.multiply.com/journal/item/13/LARONG_PINOY_SA_ARAW_NG_KALAYAAN ),Magna Kultura will be taking the Larong Pinoy Eskwe-Laro sports training and mini-palaro at the Rizal park. The Larong Pinoy is a program advocating the revival of the the Filipino Street Games, especially among the new generation of Filipino kids. Eskwe-Laro outreach activities have been rolled out many barangays this summer of 2008 during school vacation. It has revived the Pinoy games of our heritage, and has made communities alive again with kids playing Tumbang Preso, Patintero, Trumpo, Holen, Piko, Luksong Tinik and many more. Amidst all the modern high-tech games, the revival of the indigenous street games are indeed timely, most especially that children from public schools and depressed areas don't own expensive gadgets or even have computers at home. The revival of the games among the young generation also instills Filipino pride, and yet more important, it brings a heartwarming bonding among families and relatives --- from the the lolo's and lola's, nanay and tatay, talking about the games they are familiar with among the their children. This is our advocacy. On June 12, 2008, Larong Pinoy will be at the Rizal Park. We are proud to part of the Independence Day Celebration.


Amidst the crisis dilemma that this nation is experiencing, Magna Kultura moves on to promote love of country and pride in the Filipino Heritage. Our country will rise again, and the youth of today will take the reigns of the future. Moving forward, let us not just build the future of our country, but Let us all make conscious efforts Build the Youth of our Nation For The Future.