RLCC Podcast

Ever feel like faith is a solo journey? Nope! This month, we're diving into the power of community! Building strong connections with others is key to growing closer to God. Remember, loving your neighbor goes hand-in-hand with loving God [Mark 12:30-31]. Join us as we explore how strong relationships can fuel your spiritual journey! This is Community!

In our final message for the April series "Welcome Home”, we invite you to open your hearts and minds to God as we listen to Him and learn about another important spiritual discipline: WORSHIP. Join our LIVE service today and together, let us experience God as a community as we listen to His word.

Join us this Sunday at Real Life Christian Communities as we delve into the power of prayer and how it can ignite unshakeable confidence. Through 1 John 5:14-21, we'll discover that prayer empowers us with boldness before God.

In spite of our shameful pasts, we should not feel undeserving of receiving eternal life. Jesus came to offer salvation to all, regardless of their sins. Like the Samaritan woman, who was isolated and marginalized, we may feel unworthy of God's grace. However, Jesus does not avoid us; instead, he seeks us out and offers us living water, the source of eternal life. We can draw near to God and believe that Jesus will transform our past into a testimony of his grace and redemption. Jesus came for us because we have needs and because he wants to redeem our stories, making us deserving of eternal life through his sacrifice.

Listen to discover how our salvation continually transforms us. Just as a near-drowning experience can remind us of life's fragility, our salvation prompts ongoing gratitude and a desire to share its impact. Don't miss this message that will strengthen your faith and inspire you to spread hope and healing.

As we begin a new series this month, we are going to learn about Jesus’ encounters with different people in the Bible whose lives were changed because of Him. We hope to be encouraged and inspired to continue seeking Jesus as we follow Him together as one church. To start, we will dive into Luke 5:1-11 as we study Jesus’ encounter with the First Disciples and learn about why Jesus is calling and inviting us to obey Him.

In 1952, John Elliot and his missionary friends embarked on a perilous journey to an Ecuadorain island to spread the gospel among the Houarani Indians. Tragically, they faced hostility and were killed by the tribesmen. This incident raises the question of why some Christians are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the gospel while others remain lukewarm and indifferent. Understanding the gospel's significance is crucial here. Many Christians attend church without fully grasping the need to serve others. Based on Ephesians 2:1-10, we can comprehend our state before salvation and our new life in Christ. Accepting Jesus as our Savior compels us to serve Him and be carriers of His love because salvation is a gift of grace. This realization should motivate us to dedicate ourselves to Him and share His love with those around us.

While browsing TikTok, I discovered a captivating pastor named Cliffe Knechtle from Grace Community Church. He engages in discussions and debates about religion and philosophy at schools and public spaces. While we may not possess his level of knowledge and boldness, we are all called to share God's love. The Bible reminds us that we should speak as God's messengers when we share, but not all are called to preach. Colossians 4:2-6 provides guidance on how to participate in sharing God's love even from a distance. It emphasizes two methods: interceding for others through prayer and engaging in conversations that convey God's grace. By understanding these principles, we can effectively participate in spreading the love of God to our communities.

Through this passage, we will see How we can participate in sharing God's love to others.

Living a life of love requires an intentional decision to follow Christ everyday. He already gave us the power through his Spirit so that we can stop sinning and to live a life that is pleasing to him. This is not an easy task, it is an everyday battle so therefore we should be wise and apply these truths so that we can serve others more effectively.

As believers of Christ, we are summoned to embrace a life characterized by love. Our mission is to embody and spread God’s love. However, following this calling is not an easy thing to do. Various barriers hinder us from fully functioning as conduits of love. We grapple with personal insecurities, fear, and self-condemnation. Additionally, our biases and pride create obstacles. Consequently, extending our hands and hearts to share God’s love with others becomes a struggle.

The challenges associated with becoming channels of God’s love can indeed lead some to choose indifference or inaction. It’s tempting to turn a blind eye to the needs of others and justify our lack of compassion. However, understanding and embracing the reasons behind our role as carriers of God’s love are crucial. Without this understanding, we risk leading a life devoid of sympathy or concern.

Are you sure? There are many promises of God but how can we be sure? Doubts are common even for those who have been Christians for a long time. During periods of doubt and uncertainty, we ask ourselves, "How can I be sure that all these are true? What if I am just trying to convince myself? What if it is just a hoax?" Such doubts can occur temporarily or they can linger on for a long time. The results are the same. We become immobilized by fear, worry, and consequently spiritual defeat. Are there proofs that can help us find our security in our walk of faith? Yes, there are. There are three indisputable proofs that we can trust.

If there is anything that is certain in this life, suffering is one of them. No one is exempted – including Christians. It is difficult to endure suffering especially when you don’t know the ending. It breaks our hearts to see evil around us, endure the pain of chronic or terminal sickness, or witness the death of loved ones. Why is this happening to me? Why do evil people prosper and succeed in their ways? Has God forgotten me? When will this end? The big question is this: How can we persevere and live a life of peace and purpose in the midst of present sufferings? It is by having the right perspective!

Many individuals are currently going through an identity crisis without even realizing it. They are experimenting with various identities, such as altering their physical appearances, exploring different gender preferences, adopting new roles, pursuing alternative career paths, getting into relationships, modifying their behaviors, and accomplishing successes in life. They embark on these quests to discover their true selves and find their place in the world. However, these endeavors often result in more confusion, uncertainty, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of being excluded or isolated because of shifting expectations in the world. In contrast, those who follow Christ can be certain of their true identity through the work of the Holy Spirit in and through them. He does this in three ways.

People have a natural fear of unknown future tragedies that may affect them or their loved ones. The uncertainty and unpredictability of life can create fear and unease as individuals think about the possible difficulties and challenges they may encounter. This fear stems from our innate need for stability and security, as we strive to protect ourselves and ensure our future well-being.

The anticipation of potential tragedies can be overwhelming, causing anxiety and worry about what lies ahead. However, the greatest tragedy of all is the judgment of God both now and in the future. Through Christ, we can be certain that this will not happen to us anymore. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and we can be certain that we are completely safe in God's great universe, even though there are many uncertainties in the future.

There are three reasons why we can be certain that we are safe now and into the future.

Not everyone will be merry this Christmas. There are many reasons for this. It has been said that seasons like this amplify whatever feelings we might have at the moment. If we are sad or anxious, we will experience more of it during the Christmas season. If we are generally happy, we will probably experience a more joyful Christmas.

Although many of us hesitate to admit our desire to be important, we also do not want to be considered insignificant. There is a part of us that instinctively rejects the idea of being marginalized or treated as common. We don't want to be ordinary, and yet that's how we often feel about ourselves. In our passage today, we encounter a girl named Mary, who was likely 12 to 16 years old at the time, being given the extraordinary privilege of becoming the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world!

Have you ever experienced public disapproval? Have you ever felt like an outcast for not meeting people's expectations? We have all faced moments of shame where we felt inadequate and our failures were used against us. A recent study shows that 7 out of 10 people experience shame in their lives. This emotion can negatively impact our self-esteem, relationships, and overall well-being. In today’s sermon, we will learn about Elizabeth, a woman who faced the shame of not being able to have children in a society that highly valued motherhood. But with God's grace, she moved from shame to blessedness. We can learn from her that "God's grace can overcome our disgrace." Are you ready to let go of your shame and embrace the blessings of God's favor on you? Open your hearts, and let us embark on this journey together. There are three stages to this journey.

Have you ever experienced doubt? It can be overwhelming, leaving you uncertain about your beliefs. Doubts are common but often kept in fear of being judged. Some people may even encourage our doubts and skepticism, claiming it's better than having unwavering beliefs. However, a voice inside us urges us not to doubt. How can we deal with our doubts? The story of Zechariah in Luke 1:5-25 teaches us three encouraging truths about doubt that can help us trust in God even though we have doubts.

The fear of the future can be a significant barrier to living a purposeful life that God intended us to have. It is natural to feel anxious about the unknown, but when this fear becomes overwhelming, it can prevent us from taking action and pursuing God's mission. This fear can manifest in various ways, such as procrastination, indecisiveness, or avoidance. But we shouldn't be paralyzed by fear and Jesus taught us why. We will look at the teaching of Jesus and understand the three reasons why we shouldn't be afraid to obey God and fulfill His mission for us.

Imagine yourself ready to start or restart the journey of fulfilling God’s mission for your life. You know God has called you, you believe He has a purpose for you and you’re up for it. Sadly, there are roadblocks in the way of answering that call, and one of them is shame. The shame we carry from our mistakes, sin and other negative experiences from the past can prevent us from moving forward and hinder us from living a life of purpose. We need to overcome the barrier of shame if we want to live a purposeful life. To help us with this issue, we will look into the life of Moses in order to understand the three shame-based issues he struggled with, which we also struggle with, and what the Bible teaches us to overcome it.

Picture this: Abraham, the father of faith, embarking on a journey of purpose, with every step, his divine path was becoming clearer before him. Yet, like all of us, his faith faced the crucible of testing. His experience invites us to explore our own journey of faith, for it's not a question of "if" we'll be tested, but "when". When the test happens, where we focus our attention will determine our success in fulfilling our mission in life.

Sometimes, your mission from God may become clear to you early on in your journey with Him, eliminating the need to wait. This can be a great blessing! However, more often than not, it takes time for things to become clear. You will gradually discover who you are meant to be and what the Lord wants you to do with the life and gifts that He has entrusted to you. While waiting for clarity regarding your mission from God, there is no need to passively wait. God wants you to actively prepare for it by faith by focusing on four areas of your life that will be crucial in fulfilling your mission from God.

As you walk with the Lord by faith, your life’s mission will become clearer. Stay on track and fulfill the mission God lays on your heart through the Holy Spirit. Straying from this mission is like losing your way in life. Be careful not to deviate from your calling. Abraham almost lost his way without God’s faithfulness. Four situations can tempt us to deviate.

Last Sunday, we learned that our mission is much bigger than our occupation. That’s why we cannot just focus on our jobs. We need to discover our mission in life. Our job is what we do to earn a living, but our mission is why we exist in this world. We need to live in view of our mission instead of just living for our occupation. But how do we know our mission? The calling of Abraham gives us a picture or pattern of what a mission from God looks like. Today, we want to look at Genesis 12:1-9 to understand “The Anatomy of A Mission from God.”

Each of us is created by God for a unique purpose in the world. We have a mission from Him: He wants us to represent Him in our uniqueness. This is why we have a unique combination of personality, gifts, talents, preferences, passions, etc.

The purpose of our spiritual revival is not only for our own enjoyment but also for the sake of others. God desires for us to be spiritually alive so that we can extend a helping hand to others, guiding them to know and follow Jesus as we do. Regrettably, many individuals today view spiritual revival as an end in itself. They seek to experience it solely for personal satisfaction or to feel a sense of closeness to God. 

Love is essential to our Christian faith. In Ephesians 4:25-5:2, Paul urges us to love one another. In a world filled with division and selfishness, love becomes even more important and challenging. It is necessary for our souls and a testament to our faith. We must live with truth, let go of anger and bitterness, and imitate God by living a life of love. Today, we want to explore the role of love in our lives and our church. Love drives our spiritual growth. We must recognize the urgent need for love, both individually and as a united body of believers, as it is through love that we truly experience life in Christ.

Spiritual revival is exciting! We want to experience more of it. But will it last without moral purity? No, it cannot last unless the church recovers its calling to live godly lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a challenging task, especially in today’s society. The pressure to conform to the world’s standards is an ever-present temptation. No one is immune to the daily challenge of living pure lives for God’s glory. How can we, as a church, overcome this? How can we live in purity amidst so much depravity?

The heart of our Savior is for Christian unity. Yet, as we see today, we confront the stark reality of disunity and division among Christians. We cannot experience spiritual revival apart from true Christian unity. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:1-16, offers us a roadmap to how we can pursue this. This urgent need for unity is not new; it has persisted throughout the history of the Church. Today, let us look into God's Word and seek answers on how to maintain unity, so that we may shine as a beacon of Christ's love in a fractured world.

In a world clouded by misconceptions about life's purpose, many, regardless of faith, chase personal gains and experiences. Even some who claim to follow Jesus share this mindset, which impacts their choices. Our genuine purpose is clear: reflecting God's image through our lives, bringing Him glory. This sermon unveils the transformative power of aligning with this purpose. Through dedicated application of God's word – our guidebook for righteous living – we radiate His light, illuminating our path to true glory. How can we apply God’s word in our lives and bring glory to God?

We invite you to join us for a transformative experience entitled How to Practice Lectio Divina, led by Pastora Gina Baylon. This ancient contemplative method of engaging with Scripture allows us to go beyond mere reading and invites us to deeply listen, reflect, and encounter the divine presence within the biblical text.

Focusing when reading or meditating on God's word is essential. The Bible has the power to transform our lives and shape our characters. However, this transformative process requires intentional reflection and application of its teachings. Focusing allows us to internalize, contemplate, and align our lives with the principles found in Scripture. The goal is not just reading the word of God but listening to God. How then do we read the word of God in order to hear the Lord?

Daily intake of God’s word is essential for the spiritual growth of Christians. It provides guidance, teaches valuable principles, and deepens their relationship with God. Yet, many Christians neglect this vital practice.

Understanding the importance of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is vital for Christians. It goes beyond mere belief and involves actively following and emulating Jesus’ teachings and example. By prioritizing the word of God in their lives, Christians can deepen their relationship with Jesus, find guidance in decision-making, and fulfill their purpose as disciples.

Addiction is a mental health problem because it involves changes in brain function and behavior, leading to loss of control, cravings, and negative consequences. It affects the brain’s reward system and often co-occurs with other mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related conditions.

Demotivation can be a symptom of various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or burnout. It can negatively impact a person’s overall well-being and functioning. Demotivation can lead to a lack of interest, energy, and motivation to engage in activities, including those that are essential for daily life. It can also affect productivity, relationships, and the overall quality of life. When we’re not motivated or concentrated, everything seems to be two or even three times harder. We need to understand demotivation and how to overcome it. There are three main causes of demotivation, and we can find in the Book of Psalms at least three passages that can help us overcome each of them.

Anger, when chronic, can be a mental health issue that impairs emotional well-being. It can lead to feelings of bitterness, irritability, and hostility and even contribute to conditions like depression and anxiety. In today’s sermon, we will explore the topic of anger using Psalm 37:1–9 as a guide.

Anxiety and depression are both mental health disorders that can often occur together. While they are distinct conditions, there is a strong relationship between the two. Chronic anxiety can often lead to depression. Similarly, individuals with depression may experience anxious thoughts related to their depressive symptoms.

This month we want to delve deeper into mental health issues and look at specific problems. Our primary source of inspiration will be the Book of Psalms. Specifically, we want to investigate and address the most common types of mental health issues that people face today. To start off this series, let us focus on depression – one of the most widespread yet misunderstood mental health challenges.

We all go through various experiences in life, some of which are positive and bring us joy in the Lord. However, there are also times when we face negative experiences that affect us in different ways. Depending on our worldview or belief system, we may react negatively to such circumstances. Even if we try to maintain a positive outlook, negative emotions can linger. It’s important to recognize that this is not solely determined by our choices or willpower; we are not as powerful as we may think. This is why individuals who struggle with mental health issues often feel that nobody truly cares or understands them.

People who experience mental health issues often feel confused and uncertain. They may not understand why they are feeling the way they are, and this can be very frustrating. They may also worry that they are becoming a burden to their loved ones, which can lead to feelings of guilt and shame.

Our worldview affects our thoughts. We need to understand what kind of worldview we have and how it is affecting our responses to events, encounters, and experiences.

Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month. But we all know that a lot of people suffer from some form of mental health problem regardless of the month. It's encouraging that many people today are now aware of it. But what is the nature of their awareness? How do people understand mental health issues?

You can be busy but remain healthy spiritually. Ang susi ay huwag lang maging "hurried" palagi. Kapag hurried kasi, napakahirap maging spiritually healthy. Talagang bibigay tayo. Manghihina tayo spiritually at madali tayo matutukso at malilinlang ng kaaway. Maliligaw tayo ng landas at hindi natin matutupad ang kalooban ng Diyos. Pero paano ba ito? Paano natin mababalanse ang buhay natin para hindi tayo maging hurried palagi? Meron tatlong simpleng hakbang para magawa ito ayon sa Mark 6:30-44.

Pwede ba maging spiritually healthy kahit busy? Of course! Being busy has to do with our schedule based sa ating life situation or calling in life. Pero hindi kinakailangan maging too busy. Kapag too busy, we become driven and hurried. Hurried means laging nagmamadali. Parang lagi may appointment o may hinahabol. Wala kang space o margin to rest in the Lord. Limited ka pero hindi mo ito tinatanggap. Bagkus, dagdag ka lang ng dagdag ng mga pwede mo pang pagka-busy-han. Paano mo malalaman kung busy ka o talagang hurried na?

Lahat tayo ay busy. Ngunit ang mas importante na itanong sa ating sarili ay “Bakit ka busy?” Maraming dahilan kung bakit busy tayo. Pero minsan ang mga dahilan natin ay bunga lamang ng maling pagkaunawa patungkol sa buhay. Hindi masama ang maging busy basta naaayon lamang sa tamang dahilan kung bakit busy tayo.

Encouraging one another in the body of Christ is important. The Bible teaches us that we need to give and receive encouragement often. Encouragement is necessary for our walk of faith and helps us to persevere through difficult times. Let us learn this principle today.

In spite of the proliferation of social media, many today still feel alone and disconnected. People are crying out for someone to listen. The church should be a place where people know how to listen well. Unfortunately, individualism has become the dominant attitude even among Christians. We no longer listen to one another as we should. It is time for us to change this mindset. We must actively listen well to each other so that we can learn how to really love each other as spiritual friends.

Communityship is an exciting journey, except for one problem... you have to do it with imperfect and sinning people! In any community of faith, whether small, medium, or large, people will offend each other one way or the other. There is no way of escaping it unless you choose to fake it! The blessing of communityship comes through the process of constant forgiveness. Often it's hard and challenging, and sometimes even frustrating, because not everyone understands or is willing to cooperate. We must always practice constant forgiveness throughout our journey of communityship together.

We are here today because of an extraordinary event that happened two thousand years ago which was reported to us by eyewitnesses as recorded in the Scriptures, especially in the book of Acts. This is no other than the resurrection of Jesus. We can believe in this testimony even though we were not there when it happened. Unfortunately, today not everyone believes in this testimony about Jesus. For if you truly believe, your whole life purpose and direction will change!

Good Friday is often considered the gloomiest day of Holy Week. This is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. In remembering this day, most of us would imagine the terrible things our Lord suffered. Crucifixion, of course, was considered a most horrific form of execution designed to inflict maximum pain and humiliation.

If you have been around RLCC for quite some time, you may have encountered the word “communityship”. it is the art and method of building communities of faith in various places and among different people groups where the presence, power, and purpose of Christ are being fulfilled in and through each one. This is what we do and this is our vision.

Most Christians are content just to listen to sermons every Sunday. Thank God some are willing to step up to belong to a small group and become more like Christ by going through spiritual formation together with others. However, not many are willing to take the next step, which is to help build the body of Christ. Spiritual formation is not an end in itself. God wants us to be transformed for the sake of others.

The goal of the Christian life is for us to become the kind of persons who can reflect and represent God in the world. For this to happen, Christ must transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit. When this happens, God is glorified, because we are reflecting His image. When this is not happening, for whatever reason, we fail to fulfill the purpose for which God has saved and is saving us in Christ Jesus

Joining a community of faith is an important step for new Christians as it provides a supportive environment for their spiritual growth and development. It can be challenging for new believers to navigate the complexities of their new faith journey alone, and a community of like-minded individuals can provide guidance, support, and accountability for them. But how can this happen? Interestingly, the church plays a very important role in this process.

When we want to take a journey, we usually worry about the logistics first. For example, we think about the cost, where we will stay, how will we travel, etc. But the journey never really begins unless we take the first step toward our destination. This is true also for our journey of faith. There must come a point wherein we will no longer worry about the spiritual logistics. For example, what does it mean to follow Jesus, how will I follow, what if I fail, etc? We will just take a step of faith toward actually believing and following Jesus together with others and leaving all other concerns to God. How do we do this?

There has been a lot of talk about what has happened (or is happening) at the University of Asbury. It is now called the Asbury Revival. According to reports, both official as well as personal anecdotes, Jesus is manifesting His presence there and it has been amazing so far. Thank God for revivals like this! We should pray for spiritual revival everywhere. But, if we are not careful, we might think that the presence of the Lord can only come through extraordinary events like this.

Spiritual failure is something that all of us experience in our lives. It is the feeling of being stuck in a rut, feeling disconnected from God, or feeling like you have let the Lord down. It can be a difficult and overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Through Jesus Christ, we can be restored and experience God again no matter how many times we fail. Jesus came to earth to provide salvation for us and to bring us back into a right relationship with God, not just at the beginning of our relationship with Him, but all throughout our lives. In other words, He promises to restore us daily, especially when we fail.

Renewal is the process of revitalizing or rejuvenating something. The word "renew" means to make something new again, i.e., to restore a former state. While physical renewal is important, there is another more important type of renewal found in the Bible — "spiritual renewal". Overall, the Bible emphasizes the importance of spiritual renewal in starting a new relationship with God, maintaining a strong and vibrant faith, and continuing as a follower of Christ. Jesus is the only One who can bring this kind of renewal into our lives from beginning to end.

Fake news refers to the spread of false information and is a growing concern in today's society. It can cause harm by misinforming the public, creating social and political divisions, and undermining trust in credible sources. In an era where information is easily accessible through social media, it is crucial to verify the accuracy of information before accepting it as truth. This is especially so when it comes to our faith and practice.

Feeling isolated or lonely is a common experience that affects many people at some point in their lives. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as living alone, losing a loved one, or feeling disconnected from others. Unfortunately, these feelings can have serious consequences, such as depression, anxiety, paranoia, and even physical health problems.

Frustration is a common and valid feeling that we all experience at some point in our lives. Whether it's in our personal or professional lives, dealing with frustration can be a challenging task. It's important to know how to handle these negative feelings effectively so that they don't consume us and lead to negative outcomes. Through the example of Jesus, we will explore some guidelines to help us with frustration, and how to turn it into a positive force for growth and change.

Apprehension means fear, worry, anxiety, dread, etc. Have you ever felt those emotions? Jesus did. That's why He knows and understands us. Some of us might think that Jesus never felt those things. We assume He is so brave, so courageous. But the Scriptures would tell us otherwise.

We begin this series by talking about exhaustion. After the holiday season, with all its busyness, and now comes January, it's easy for us to feel exhausted. Now, this is valid. But we can learn something important in our exhaustion. Let's pay attention to Jesus, for He knows and understands what we are going through.

Regardless of what has happened to us or what we have done, Jesus redeems all our stories.

What are you afraid of? For most people, the future makes them afraid. Who knows what will happen?

God has done a lot of wonderful things in our past. We are so thankful for that. But God is not just about the past. His grace is also new every morning. No matter how difficult yesterday was, today is always a new day.

Yes, it is our 25th anniversary! As we remember what has happened to us so far over the past 25 years, it is good to thank God for His grace. We have so many fond memories. But we also have not-so-good memories, events, and experiences, that we may want to forget rather than remember. Can we still give thanks even though they are not so good? How?

Last week, we talked about how you can see God’s dream for you right where you are. You just need to open your eyes and pay attention to God as He lays a burden in your heart. But what do you do when you have the seed of God’s dream or vision in your heart? You need to learn how to serve with a team instead of doing it all by yourself.

Having the correct view of God and success are foundational matters. They prepare you to be a dreamer and a doer. But you cannot be an ordinary dreamer. You cannot just dream about anything and then do it yourself. You need to see God's dream for you and pursue it by faith.

Is it wrong to aim for success in life? Is it wrong to be ambitious? Some people feel guilty about this. Others, of course, couldn't care less. They want to be successful in life no matter what. That's why personal ambitions drive them. But can we aim for success without compromising our faith? Can we be ambitious and still retain our commitment to Christ?

Why is it that some of us are bored? We are barely holding on to each day, hoping we will survive every working day, doing what we can to make our lives a little more interesting every now and then. Sometimes life can be exciting but only for a short while. Soon the realities will come rushing back into our minds and hearts discouraging and boring us once again. "What's the use?" we say to ourselves. "Nothing will change." How can we overcome this perennial doubt in our hearts?

Leadership is all about managing one's credibility to influence others for the common good to the glory of God. We are all uniquely placed by God in various places to influence others. We are all saved to lead. Therefore, all of us have the potential to practice leadership. Unfortunately, not all of us are doing this right now. As a result, we're not doing the good works we're supposed to do to glorify God. The reason for this is simple: Most of us think that leadership is a position or a title. No wonder many of us don't want to become leaders at all.

Some people say that what you don't know won't hurt you. But in the case of the church or the body of Christ, what we don't know will actually hurt us. This is especially true in the area of spiritual matters. Ignorance in this area will greatly affect us. To fulfill God's purpose for us in this world as His people would require spiritual health, growth, and maturity. These things cannot happen without knowing how the Holy Spirit is at work among us and through us based on God's word. One area where we need to be informed properly and adequately is spiritual gifts.

People think and believe by default that their past hurts and pains that resulted in their brokenness are a source of regret, waste, sadness, feeling inferior, less important, and unworthy to be an active part of His church. On the other hand, active members or leaders sometimes see broken people as a liability and an unwanted burden in the church. All Bible characters have their own brokenness story. But God still chose to use them. Since then, God keeps calling broken people to be a part of the Body of Christ, His Church.

Not everyone today considers being a committed member of a local church as something essential in their Christian faith. Many simply view it as something practical, useful, or convenient. They attend a local church because it's near, because the worship is good, because there's adequate parking, because the preaching is relevant and short, because their families or friends are there, etc. In other words, they do not really commit themselves as members of a local church ready to pursue the journey of faith together with others for the long haul. The Bible does not teach this kind of idea. Instead, the Bible teaches a long-term committed membership in a local church that is meant to last for as long as possible.

God chooses various means to pour His grace upon our lives. It is grace alone that can enable us to be the kind of person He wants us to be and to do His will. Without grace, we cannot accomplish anything. This is the reason why we should be intentional in making abundant use of the various means of grace like prayer, bible meditation, and participation in sacred activities. But there is one means that most of us are not using as much as we should: spiritual relationships.

The Christian faith is personal, but it is never individualistic. We are not meant to just follow the Lord on our own, praying and reading the Scriptures, without being connected with others in the body of Christ. God's grace is poured out not just on us individually but also when we gather together as God's people through various sacred activities. In fact, there are four sacred activities where God pours out His grace in special ways only because we are together in the presence of the Lord. To miss these activities is to miss out on the possible special outpouring of God's grace during such times.

Rejection hurts. That's why we don't want to be rejected. But rejection always happens especially for those who sincerely want to obey Christ. We need to know how to handle rejection. Of course, our best example when it comes to handling rejection well is Jesus Christ. He suffered rejection more than anyone else. But He handled it very well each time.

Grace is just a prayer away! This is so true. Yet, many Christians fail to experience grace because they fail to pray. But how can we pray when we are so busy? How do we overcome our busyness? Well, we need God's grace to overcome our busyness! So, we're caught in this perpetual cycle of constantly trying and constantly failing to pray. What is the solution? The solution is to learn how to pray as Jesus and the apostles did. Through their example, we can see three ways that they prayed, which we can also imitate.

God creates us for relationships. But not all relationships are good for us. Some of them are detrimental to our spiritual lives and can harm us or make us ineffective and unproductive. Ironically, the detrimental relationships that the Bible warns us about are not with regard to unbelievers or the people in the world. The apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 5:9-10, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case, you would have to leave this world." The Bible warns us to watch out against certain types of believers within the church that can negatively influence us.

Our ability to desire is basic to our humanity. God gave us this ability so that we will first desire Him and as a result find in Him the fulfillment of all our other desires. The apostle Paul said in Acts 17:26-27, "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." Unfortunately, our desires can also lead us away from God. Satan knows this. He uses our desires to deceive us so that we would be led astray.

We have an invisible enemy working behind our visible reality. That visible reality is called the "world" in the Scriptures. This does not refer to the beautiful world that we live in (e.g. the mountains, the sky, the seas, etc.). It refers to the systems and philosophies of the world. We must understand the nature of "this" world as the Bible describes it so that we can understand also why we struggle in taking care of our souls and the souls of others.

Why is it so hard to practice personal soul care in today's world? We usually complain about not having enough time or being too busy. Sometimes, we blame those around us for not helping us or they are hindering us. Or maybe we are not that motivated or interested in the first place. Whatever the reasons, the bottom line is that the struggle is real. It's never easy to practice personal soul care in today's world even though it is so essential to our spiritual well-being. How do we overcome this?

"Open Doors" are exciting opportunities to experience more of God's presence, power, and purpose. They can also be challenging and sometimes even confusing. That's why you need to seek God's guidance all throughout the experience, from beginning to end. But what if you actually miss an "Open Door" to begin with? What if you actually said "No!" to God? What do you do?

You tested an "Open Door." You sought the guidance of the Lord through prayer and spiritual direction. You're confident it is from the Lord. You now enter it by faith. But, suddenly, in the middle of the process, the situation begins to unravel. Something is wrong. Obstacles begin to arise that cause confusion and doubt in your heart. What do you do? What if an "Open Door" starts to be challenging? How do you respond?

An "Open Door" is an opportunity from God that we must "TEST" or discern. That is the nature of an "Open Door." It is not simply an opportunity that we must grab the moment we see it. Instead, we must take the time to pray and seek guidance from the Lord, especially through the help of spiritual friends or companions. It's not an easy task. We can make mistakes along the way. The choices are not always clear. But why? Why would God give us these "Open Doors" and yet not make them so crystal clear that it is from Him? Why do we have to go through all the trouble of discerning them and thus make possible mistakes along the way?

An "Open Door" is an opportunity given by God to us so that we can experience the presence of Christ, the purpose of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is our foretaste of heaven on earth. But how do we know if an "Open Door" is actually set before us by God? What if we are wrong? How can we be sure? In other words, how do we discern an "Open Door"? The answer? We need to TEST it.

Christians are unaware of what is available to them because of Christ. Consequently, they miss the opportunities that God makes available for them if they will trust in Him. They waste their time and resources dabbling in worldly pursuits or false attachments. Many settle for mediocrity in their Christian lives instead of experiencing the glory of God. What they need is a deep understanding of the concept of "Open Door." What is an "Open Door"?

Traveling the Road to Forever is not a solo sport. You do it together with the person or persons who you want to experience lasting relationships with. All parties must do their part, otherwise, the journey will fail. As we have learned, it takes a Spirit-filled person to navigate the Road to Forever. But, we must add, that it takes two or more Spirit-filled companions to make that journey possible for everyone. Doing it alone will not be enough.

The solution to every problem depends on the nature of that problem. If a problem is medical in nature, we will seek a medical solution. If the problem is financial, we will find ways to come up with financial solutions. When it comes to relationships, we often assume it's a natural problem. So, we look for natural solutions. But this is wrong. The problem, as we have seen, is that relationships involve people who are spiritual beings with a spiritual problem (i.e., the flesh) and spiritual enemies. Therefore, the solution must be spiritual.

The failure of relationships is mainly because of the nature of those who are in those relationships. In other words, the problem is you and me. The road to forever is froth with all kinds of dangers because it involves people. Without God's help, relationships will fail eventually. Whenever relationships do succeed, it is simply because of God's grace and mercy. But, even if we are good people (i.e., with good intentions and good character), there are other enemies of relationships that can undermine our sincere efforts to make our relationships work.

We all want lasting relationships. But very few actually experience it. Why? Sometimes people imagine that their good intentions are sufficient to create the kind of life that they want for themselves and for those they care about. They also assume that good Bible-believing Christians will never fail in fulfilling their good intentions as far as relationships are concerned. If they will just work hard at it, they will experience joy and happiness in their relationships. But, to their surprise, their good intentions are never enough. Failure in relationships is a common experience for everyone. What is the solution? How do we build lasting relationships?

Everything else that we have talked about so far in this series is really about preparing for this last topic. This is really the most important question: How do we pray Transforming Prayers? Prayer is part of the classical disciplines of the Christian church. It is essential to our identity. But not everyone knows how to pray in this way. Often our prayers fall short of actually transforming us, other people, or even the world we live in. In other words, we pray only as needed or when there are emergencies, but not for transformation.

What is our purpose when we pray? Is it simply to ask God for the things that we need? Is it just to intercede for the needs of others? If we don't understand the real purpose of prayer, we will either do it or not do it for the wrong reasons. If we're doing it for the wrong reasons, we will become self-righteous. If we're not doing it for the wrong reasons, we will only feel guilty and ashamed. Either way, we are missing out on the true purpose of prayer.

Even if we overcome all the hindrances to prayer, there is one that almost always discourages people from praying -- unanswered prayers! How do we deal with that problem? Let us assume that someone prays sincerely and fervently, but God does not answer. Or, it takes a long time. Sometimes the answer is even different or it's totally opposite to what he or she prayed for. What then? This experience can be very discouraging and disorienting. No wonder some people stop praying altogether. How can we overcome this problem?

It is not easy to pray. All of us struggle in this area. We know we need to pray but something or someone always hinders us. Sometimes, it's even us! The apostle Peter says, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray." (1 Peter 4:7) It's important to understand these hindrances so that by God's grace we can overcome them.