Do You Have Any Spare Change?

^36-38Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”

³⁹Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what do you want?”

^40-41When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t wander into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.”

It seems like this past week, God was really trying to get my attention through others.  And this is how…people kept asking me for spare change throughout the week.  Now have you ever had a moment where someone asks you for spare change? But then you have that moment of truth where you either give it to them or you don’t.  As I was reflecting on these encounters…I felt God ask me, “do you have any spare change?” Now when God asked me that, I know he wasn’t asking me for money but he was asking me if I was ready to make some room for some change in my life.  I think that’s exactly what God was doing in Jesus’ life in this passage.  I just want to share three things that God shared with me:

He was Alone

Jesus was about to do something he’d never done before.  And in order to follow through with God’s will, he needed to depend on God.  I feel it’s the same with what God is doing in my life and within Victory Outreach Whittier.  What got us here has been great but if we want to go where God is calling us to be…we need to go to a whole other level.  Jesus was in a place where he needed to hear from God.  And it’s the same with us.  We need to get into a place where we truly depend on him.  We can’t just do things the way we’ve always done it.  Now is not a time to coast…but to step up to the challenges that God is placing before us.  With him…we can do all things.

He was Attacked

I was listening to a message the other day by Craig Groeschel and he said something that really caught my attention.  He said, “When I make a decision to change, Satan gives me excuses to stay the same.”  Isn’t that the truth?  We might say it’s just us.  But it’s not.  God will never birth failure in our hearts.  But since we are people that are going forward…we have to be ready for the attacks that are coming.  We’re in a fight right now…and we have to win because God is on our side.  I don’t know what your attack is.  Maybe you’ve decided to pray more but find your mind wandering when you’re about to hit your knees.  Maybe you’ve decided to be a better spouse but you find yourself jumping to conclusions.  Or it could be that you’ve decided to pay more attention to your family but find yourself working more and more.  I’ll tell you what…you’re being attacked.  Don’t let the enemy hit you while you’re down.  And like Jesus…satan might try to use those closest to you to really hurt you.

He was Able to Adjust

In the end, Jesus adapted to the plans that God had for him.  God has great plans for all of us.  But if we can’t change with the different things that God has for us….how can we fulfill the plans that he has for us.  I just read a story about CHANGE that really stuck with me.  The story was called “Who moved my cheese?” The story is simple.  It involves 4 characters (2 mice and 2 little people) who are stuck in a maze and their whole purpose is to get cheese. [Cheese means something different for everyone].  So they wake up one more, put their running shoes on and go looking for cheese.  They find cheese, they eat cheese and then they go home, sleep and get ready to do it again.  One day they found a huge storehouse of cheese. As time passed, they no longer woke up with an urgency because they knew where to find cheese.  Eventually they moved their home closer to the cheese.  As time passed, the cheese was gone.  The mice decided to leave and look for some more cheese.  But the little people made things complicated.  They thought someone had moved their cheese. They decided to go home, wake up and come back the next day because this had been their routine for so long.  They came back and there was no cheese. They got mad. They really thought someone was messing with them.  By this time the mice had found a storehouse of cheese bigger than the last one.  Finally there came a day when one of the little people decided to make a change.  He said, “we have to leave, there is no more cheese here.”  The other was determined that someone was playing with them.  As one took off and one stayed…their outcomes were both different. One died and one caught up to the mice.  Which character are you in the story? Are you the mice that’s able to adapt quickly to change? Are you the person that sticks around until it makes sense…then finally makes the move right before you’re about to die? Or possibly are you the person that’s stuck in your ways? Be careful because something in you might die.

The Greatest Win is Within

The king acted immediately, assembling all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, and then proceeding to The Temple of God bringing everyone in his train—priests and prophets and people ranging from the least to the greatest. Then he read out publicly everything written in the Book of the Covenant that was found in The Temple of God. The king stood by his pillar and before God solemnly committed himself to the covenant: to follow God believingly and obediently; to follow his instructions, heart and soul, on what to believe and do; to confirm with his life the entire covenant, all that was written in the book.

Then he made everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin commit themselves. And they did it. They committed themselves to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.

Josiah did a thorough job of cleaning up the pollution that had spread throughout Israelite territory and got everyone started fresh again, serving and worshiping their God. All through Josiah’s life the people kept to the straight and narrow, obediently following God, the God of their ancestors. – 2 Chronicles 34:29-33 (The Message)

“The Greatest Win is Within!” I’ve had the privilege to be part of a strong, growing and thriving church for a little over a year now.  And there are a few things that I have learned along the way.  I continue to learn more and more as time goes on.  But one of the first sayings that really stuck with me was the title of this blog. It’s something that Pastor Joe Cotinola (Senior Pastor of Victory Outreach Whittier) says a lot.  At first I thought it was just one of those cool preacher sayings.  But the reality is…this is truer than we think.  Ministry will always be there…but will you? That’s a question that we have to answer everyday.  We can easily be replaced!

Here are a few quick things that Josiah did to set himself up for the future and ultimately win that battle within:

1.  He was Open

Here we have a young man that surrounded himself with so many people.  In the beginning of the verses above it says that he positioned himself around priests, prophets and even people ranging from great to small.  This shows me that he was open to those around them.  Usually people who are closed minded tend to live an isolated life.  He was young and he had a huge task ahead of him.  Instead of pretending to know all the answers, he actually surrounded himself with others and he even went to God.  Are you open to those that God has placed around you?

2.  He was Broken

Continuing on in the scripture it says that he made a covenant with God.  He was a man that knew how to be broken in the presence of God.  He wasn’t emotional.  Why? Because emotional promises don’t last long.  We read on to see that this was actually a promise that became an action and stood the test of time.  When we’re broken, we’re able to hear God’s voice and we’re able to communicate to others what God is telling us.  When we can do that, we’ll make a huge impact.  Josiah was that man.

3.  He was Out-Spoken

Josiah didn’t stay silent about what God told him to do.  He acted on it…and he acted right away.  But it wasn’t just a one time thing.  Vision leaks…so I’m sure that he repeated things more than once.  It actually became a lifestyle for him.  I believe that’s what Pastor Joe was trying to tell me.  That greatest win is something that we have to choose to strive for everyday.  And even though others will take the time to envision us…I’m the one that has to make the final choice! We can be here today and gone tomorrow or we can make the changes to be a man or woman that will stand the test of time!

A Comfortable Silence

Humans, we love to talk about anything and everything,

And sometimes when all is said, we’ll look for another thing.

We go on and on about so many things, from the weather to our feelings,

And it’s weird how a healthy conversation can bring about some inner healing.

I think it’s always funny how we solve our own problems when we talk,

But what about silence while taking a nice walk?

Call it turning the page or doing something new but I experienced silence in a new way.

And for those who know me, something is usually wrong when I have nothing to say.

But in this time, I didn’t feel mad, uncomfortable or even frustrated,

I felt like a little piece of home was created.

I felt like I could be me and it was accepted,

In a way it felt like my heart was open and I didn’t have to protect it.

I felt like relaxing was an invitation I hadn’t received in awhile,

And it felt like my feelings were considered with a smile.

As I sipped a boba and read “Falling in Love for all the Right Reasons.”

I searched my heart for reason after reason.

But sometimes the mind is not always the best judge in matters,

Sometimes it leaves you feeling too judgmental instead of focusing on what matters.

It was a time that felt so different yet familiar all at the same time,

I never thought that people could do what I did and still have a good time.

I’m used to adapting to others, learning them and making sure they’re okay,

I listen intently and make mental notes of what they say.

Being a good friend was a desire I had in my heart when it had cracked,

And sometimes it felt like the friend I was being was being attacked.

But in this moment I felt like I was being me,

Reading a book has had such a profound impact on me.

Some might not understand what I’m talking about but silence is good,

Grab a book, a boba and do what your heart says you should.

Happy Valentines

Well after doing some quick research for this special day,

I realized that many experts really had nothing to say.

There were three different stories but one caught my eye,

It was about a martyr and a jailer’s daughter, a match like no other kind.

On the day of his death, he sent her a card before the end of his time,

He thanked her for their friendship and signed, “from your Valentine.”

St. Valentine and Cupid are two famous figures,

Some wish for this day to pass and others for it to come quicker.

Whatever the case may be, I wish you all the best,

Enjoy this day with someone special and put true love to the test.

I’m a hopeful romantic and for that I’m not ashamed,

Because for years the passion inside of me has constantly remained.

This is a day when many poems, letters and card are sent,

People spend tons of money on presents with money that should of be used to pay their rent.

But when it come to love, money should never be an issue,

Be prepared for those spontaneous moments when you just might need a tissue.

For some it might be a special dinner, for others a blockbuster night,

But for all I think a hug is awesome when it’s a lil tight.

Do you know what you’re going to say when you get the chance,

Just let it be heartfelt for there to be a touch of romance.

People want realness, not every single thing you can buy,

And don’t worry if you make a lil mistake…you’re not going to die.

But make some memories, maybe take a nice lil cruise on a boat,

And if she starts to get cold, be a gentlemen and offer your coat.

Maybe all this might sound corny and a lil crazy,

But what if all this worked? What do you think? Yes, no or maybe?

Take her hand and look her deep in her eyes,

Tell her and mean it, “I love you, (*kiss*), Happy Valentines!”

Change Your Status with God

After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak. But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genesis 32: 23-26)

Just want to share a few quick things:

1. All Alone: The first thing that Jacob did was that he got alone.  When’s the last time you got alone with God?  Can you remember?  There are just some things in life that our friends, our parents and even our significant other can’t help us with.  There are just some things that we need to go to God for.  I know we like crowds…but sometimes we have to make some time for God.  He knew if he wanted change, where and who he had to run to.

2. All Night: Jacob wrestled all night.  That’s right! All night.  Now that’s what I call a real MMA match.  Most matches go no longer than 30 minutes.  But this lasted all night.  That means that some of us are going to have to spend some all nighters with God.  You might say, what am I going to do all night with God?  Well, I’m sure most of you have had some late night phone conversations…and it lasted all night.  If you can talk to a person all night…don’t you think you can do the same with God?  I mean, he is the one that created you.  He knows you like to talk…but sometimes we talk to everybody else but God. Ouch!

3. All Heart: Jacob didn’t give up.  He held on for his blessing.  That’s what we need in this generation.  We can’t have young people that say “I’m not a fighter” (like the above video) but we need young people who will fight.  I remember growing up and seeing a lot of fights.  One fight really stuck in my mind involved my uncle and he kept getting hit until he was almost lifeless.  That reminds me of what the devil wants to do to us.  He wants to get us on the ground and keep hitting us until we’re almost lifeless.  He’ll hit us with daily drama, bad relationships, mind tricks, love games, hurt, backstabbing and the list gets longer by the minute.  Jacob held his ground. Not only did he get his blessing…but he got a new name.  If you don’t want to be known as the same person you were last year…you have to be willing to fight!

Make the change today! Don’t be someone who ALMOST changed:

 

Change Your Status

1.  Change Your Status (w/ Yourself)

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I’d even lived one day. (Psalm 139: 13-16)

Isn’t it crazy how many young people have been attracted to the social networking fad that has swept through our generation?  I feel like i never have their complete attention.  But it’s the same with myself.  Most people will see me on a computer most days or even on my cell phone when I’m hanging out with them.  What can I say? I’m addicted to technology.  That being said, I see that sometimes our generation loves attention and they seek it in different ways.  They might try to post something crazy to get a response, post a picture or change their profile pic just to get some feedback…well, you see where this is going.

Many young people haven’t accepted who God made them but instead they embrace who people want them to be.  I think I was like that growing up.  I was never part of the cool crowd or even had a healthy self image of myself.  Somehow over a few years I became the “friend” that people could turn to.  After a few years I just fell into that role.  People loved me for it so I gave into what people wanted and eventually expected from me.  Have you been there?  Well, from experience, don’t stay here.  Although I love being a great friend, I know God created me for more.  Don’t be too extreme: some young people are way too confident and others beat themselves up.  If you learn to see what God sees in you, you’ll be on your way to fulfilling your destiny and helping others around you.

Remember:

• God created you!
• He birthed you with greatness.  Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.  You can overcome anything with God’s help.
• He knew this day would come! He knew you would be reading this today!

Don’t Take the Discount

Next Jesus was taken into the wild by the Spirit for the Test. The Devil was ready to give it. Jesus prepared for the Test by fasting forty days and forty nights. That left him, of course, in a state of extreme hunger, which the Devil took advantage of in the first test: “Since you are God’s Son, speak the word that will turn these stones into loaves of bread.”

Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy: “It takes more than bread to stay alive. It takes a steady stream of words from God’s mouth.”

For the second test the Devil took him to the Holy City. He sat him on top of the Temple and said, “Since you are God’s Son, jump.” The Devil goaded him by quoting Psalm 91: “He has placed you in the care of angels. They will catch you so that you won’t so much as stub your toe on a stone.”

Jesus countered with another citation from Deuteronomy: “Don’t you dare test the Lord your God.”

For the third test, the Devil took him to the peak of a huge mountain. He gestured expansively, pointing out all the earth’s kingdoms, how glorious they all were. Then he said, “They’re yours—lock, stock, and barrel. Just go down on your knees and worship me, and they’re yours.”

Jesus’ refusal was curt: “Beat it, Satan!” He backed his rebuke with a third quotation from Deuteronomy: “Worship the Lord your God, and only him. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness.”

The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs. (Matthew 4:1-11)

This blog was inspired by Perry Noble’s blog Cheap Spiritual Leaders are an Oymoron.  (Check it out, he’s really good.  I like how he is straight out on a lot of his blogs). I really loved his take on this topic.  It really forced me to look at myself.  I want to share three things about this scripture:

1. I Have to Fight my own Demons: Jesus took 40 days to fast and prepare for his future ministry.  But when that time was over, he went into his first fight of his ministry.  No one else could of fought this for him…he had to do it himself.  It reminds me that whenever we go to another level, we’ll always face a new devil.  To be a spiritual leader…we will all have to fight our own demons to go to another level
2. It’s Not About Me: Jesus modeled from the first temptation with the rocks…that it wasn’t about him.  It wasn’t about his flesh.  He could of fed his flesh…but he decided to take the high road.  He could of fulfilled his destiny (supposedly) by obeying Satan…but he knew it was about the hurting souls that he was called to reach.  To be a spiritual leader…we have to put others before ourselves.
3. I Can’t Take the Discount: Jesus showed us that there is a high price to pay for spiritual leadership.  First he modeled it by separating himself to hear from God.  Second he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.  And lastly, he didn’t take the discount.  He didn’t give in when it mattered most.  He was willing to pay the price.  Like Perry Noble says, “Leaders make investments, not excuses.” To be a spiritual leader…we have to be willing to avoid short cuts and pay the price!

How I Dropped 50 Pounds in 10 Weeks

In the middle of October there were a few factors that really inspired me to drop weight (some are personal).  But I’d say a few of the biggest factors were: I wasn’t fitting into my clothes comfortably, I was always feeling tired and I started to become really afraid that one day I just might have an unexpected heart attack or something.  This blog is just an encouragement for those who are in the same boat.  Here are some things that really helped me in the beginning.

1. CUT FAST FOOD. I cut fast food…and if i would get it…id make sure that it would be early.  I wasn’t eating right.  Many of my meals were on the go.  One thing that I did in the beginning was I would watch Super Size Me once a week to remind me how unhealthy eating fast food really was.  If that movie doesn’t get your attention, I don’t know what else will.  I was tired because I was eating junk.

2. CUT DRINKING SODA. I replaced soda (which i love) with water & juice. This was really hard for me.  But as time went on, I actually wanted to drink more water.  I would put a bottle of water in the freezer every night and then take it with me so I’d have some to drink.  I found that it was easier to eat and drink healthy if it was in my sight and grasp.

3. PLANNED MY MEALS.  I made breakfast a priority and my biggest meal of the day which helped me stop eating big meals late.  I started to think more about what I was going to eat ahead of time.  This helped me fight against the last minute, “I need to eat something” feeling.  This helped me to start eating more often throughout the day and by 6pm…all my meals were done. I tried to eat a lot more chicken, more fiber than I normally would and just generally tried to cut a lot of sugars out of my meals. One spot that I fell in love with for healthy food is Fenix 5-4 in Uptown, Whittier.

4. CARDIO. In June, I had bought a 2 Year Membership to 24 Hour Fitness but didn’t activate it until October.  I started working out with someone that loves to work out (Danny Perez). And even when he couldnt go…i still would. I would try to go as much as possible. My focus was cardio (at least 45 minutes) and steam room (at least 10 minutes).  In the beginning, I did a lot of walking.  Now I do about 3-4 miles every time I go to the gym.

5. CAT-NAPPING: As i worked out i noticed rest was important too. So i really tried to give myself at least 6-7 hours (which was very difficult but worth it).  Sometimes my schedule wouldn’t allow me to get that much rest…so I would take a nap throughout the day.

6. CHEAT: Cheat every now and then. Meaning eat something u shouldnt every now and then. Helped me. I’m not saying that you should indulged every chance you get. But a burrito, an ice cream from cold stone or even something else every now and then is not horrible.

7.  CONSISTENCY. This is key! There are a few days where you won’t be able to go based on your schedule.  But as a rule of thumb for me…I wouldn’t want to go more than two days without going to the gym.  I wanted to keep a consistent track record to see results.

8.  COMPANIONS: I started surrounding myself with encouragers.  As people started to hear about what I was doing, they started to really help me accomplish my goals.  Some people include: Al Valdez, Patrick Sykes and Cathy Guillen.

Those were things that really helped me in the beginning. Ive dropped almost 50 lbs in less than 3 months. Now im trying to mix it up. Still want to drop 50 more. We’ll see how that happens.  This next 50 might take a little while…but I have a whole year to do it.  I’ll keep you posted. Just a little side note, this was done naturally.  I didn’t take any supplements…only vitamins.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,600 times in 2010. That’s about 6 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 33 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 48 posts. There were 65 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 20mb. That’s about a picture per week.

The busiest day of the year was December 1st with 154 views. The most popular post that day was What Would Make Today Better.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, alphainventions.com, twitter.com, en.wordpress.com, and vowhittiergang.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for maturity, the great commission, great commission, kobe bryant finals, and kobe bryant mvp.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

What Would Make Today Better November 2010
1 Like on WordPress.com,

2

What is Maturity? May 2009
2 comments

3

Kobe Can Win W/O Shaq June 2009

4

A Kiss to Build a Dream On December 2010
6 comments and 1 Like on WordPress.com,

5

What’s Your Cause? May 2009
1 comment

A New Year

I’ve been thinking about the importance of this year all week,

There were even a few days when the thoughts I had wouldn’t allow me to sleep.

I’ve been thinking about this past year and all the things that went by,

All the memories; the good times, the bad and the times I kept asking ‘why?’

I thought about how the year started and how I was so full of zeal,

Felt like the only constant thing in my life were my monthly bills.

They just kept on coming month after month in the mail,

Other things would be up and down, but this would never fail.

I was so full of energy in the beginning to accomplish my goals,

I had a few options of where I would live but Whittier is the place I now call home.

Well, it started out great with aspirations to change my perspective,

I set my goals, changed my routine and even expected.

I was doing good in the beginning with a spirit that wouldn’t quit,

But then somewhere along the line, something did it.

I look back and my reaction to many situations was off,

I feel like I should have been more guarded, but I was trying to keep my heart soft.

In the process I left a door open for hurt to come my way,

The reason?  “Unqualified Expectations” is what Dr. Jay Kent Ferraro would say.

So many things drained me, frustrated me and consumed my every thought.

I felt like a piece of fruit just waiting to rot.

I say that because in the beginning I was so full of life and fun,

But then somewhere along the line, I no longer wanted to sit under the sun.

There were times I wish I could change and others that I replay now and then,

I just pray that this year, God does something new deep within.

In the end, God knows why things happen the way they do,

I just know this year is going to be way better for me, what about you?