Where's the Box?

My box? Most times I prefer being alone and quiet, just staring afar, letting my mind run free. All this while being aware that Jesus is beside me, accompanying me in my spiritual strolling and wandering, and you never get lost while doing it with him. That's my comfort zone, my "box" as it were. I don't want to think outside of it.

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Sometimes, too, I snap out of that and busy myself with things, like doing my blogs, promoting my health and inspirational FB pages, or simply interacting on other pages and groups to improve my algorithm which requires a lot of mental stretches and research. That, too, is my "comfort zone" or my "box." I didn't get out of any box or comfort zone when I switched preferences. I remained in my relaxed zone. It's a big, limitless box.

Think Outside the Box?

Smart Alecks often talk about getting out of the box, or getting out of your comfort zones. You cannot. Because when you get out from one and get inside another, you're in another box. Your new box. Whatever activity you start doing for a change is your new comfort zone in-the-making. You became uncomfortable with a previous comfort zone and transferred to a new one. That change of zones is simply a change of comfort zone. All of us are in some comfort zone as long as we live.

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Whatever your preferences are--good or bad, happy or sad, lackadaisical or enthusiastic, action or inaction, hard work or easy work, stress or relaxation, neutrality or partiality, positive or negative, busyness or "chillaxing," activeness or idleness---they're all done to satisfy something within. For easement or relief.  A comfort zone. Whatever your preference is makes you happy and once deprived of it, you suffer. You lose your comfort. We all have our comfort zones. We all stay in our boxes.

What satisfies becomes a preference.

Those who like working the hard way, hating easy work and shortcuts, and are not content unless they do excruciating work. Once they start doing that and settle there, it becomes their comfort zone. They say a comfort zone is a station in life where you get stuck there and have no progress, but you just stay there anyway. They urge you to get out and try something that gives you better results. Problem is, who are they to decide what's "no progress," and what's "better results" for you? Progress and better results are often subjective. What's progress and better results for you (or for the majority) may mean the exact opposite for another (or for a few). 

De gustibus non disputandum est

The majority is not always right. Often, it just means all the idiots are on the same side. You may have all the progress you think you have and you think I don't, but we're all entitled to our own beliefs and perceptions. In matters of preferences there should be no dispute. Live and let live. Because often, I think all the progress lots of people brag about just stinks. I see them as garbage, and no offense meant. I'm just being honest. I keep it to myself and not urge people to take my views and make it their own. I don't think all my views are right for others. So the best thing here is, mind your own business. Because as far as I'm concerned, we're all just in some stupid box or comfort zones. Don't think yours is better than mine. It isn't. 

1 Corinthians 4.5: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

Even Jesus said that many take the broad way to destruction because they believe numbers determine correctness. When the idea demonizing comfort zones and thinking in boxes became trending, the majority took that route and condemned anyone who opted to remain in their old zones and boxes. So you often heard them say, "Think outside the box," or "get out of your comfort zones."

Sometimes, with the right discernment from the Holy Spirit, true wisdom is when you stay in the usual paths, the ancient mindsets, the old ways established by God and proven timelessly safe and effective---even if their good results are often invisible to the eyes. Right discernment will also tell you when to leave the old ways and transfer to the new. It must be based on right discernment, not trending, smart Aleck mentality.

Jeremiah 6.16: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.'

Those who cannot settle for the same things but move on to look for something new or better. They say they do that to get out of their comfort zones or get out of the box, not realizing the "something new or better" is just another box. It's nothing but another comfort zone. Nothing new under the sun. As long as you think you find something worth living for and fit yourself into it, you've boxed yourself into it. 

When you stay doing anything you like doing, you're boxed in.

All Boxes are Successes

No such thing as getting out of comfort zones or "the box." It's just your limited, narrow imagination that makes you think there is. But here's the good news. Truth is, all our opted boxes or zones afford us freedom and success. They all result to productivity, if you see life correctly. If you've been a sales clerk in a small shop all your life, for instance, and retired with a small retirement pay, you are successful if you're happy, healthy and intimate with the Lord. You stayed in your box or comfort zones and you finished with big succes, though many others may see otherwise. But so what?

If you're a minister and your ministry remained "small" all your life, it doesn't mean staying in your comfort zone was disobedience to God. Stay faithful where God puts you, and be comfortable about it. God is a God of all comfort and no one can tell you that your station in life and ministry is wrong just because you're comfortabe about it and they're not. Fact is, God wants us to be comfortable about where he puts us. To be rested. 

If you don't have peace of mind about where you are and what you're doing now, Jesus says you should "Come to me all who are tired and heavey laden, I will give you rest." What is that if it's not a comfort zone he was talking of? Remaining in Christ means remaining in the comfort zone he provides, for he gives us rest. Many church ministers today are tired and sickly, forfeited of real rest, because they choose what they believe is their "success" box or zone which requires them hard works and quotas, as Pharoah required them of his enslaved Jews. They never learn what Jesus told Martha, how there's only one thing needed, which Mary opted for. And that was simply resting at his feet and listening to him. 

We all have preferences, what we'd rather be doing, and actually keep doing, and these preferences become our chosen lot in life, keeping us settled and comfortable there. Boxed in. What they do in us provides our sense of contentment, giving us meaning, purpose and comfort. We don't want to get out of that box no matter if we claim we're "out of the box." Because as long as we keep doing what we prefer doing, we keep ourselves in a box. 

Reality is that, there's a variety of boxes in life (one for each of us), you have yours and I have mine, (no one is exempt), and "getting out of the box" is just a myth we imagine we do to make ourselves sound and look great and better than others. No wonder, because greatness is also a myth. It's all ego, and garbage, therefore.

Galatians 6.3: If anyone thinks he is important when he really is not, he is only fooling himself. 

You Will Remain in Your Comfort Zone

Now, if your box or comfort zone is relentless hard work or rushing to make things happen, doing new things and pursuing after more achievements, then being in an easy, cool, relaxed, and rested activity will be dormancy for you. Less action or taking shortcuts is going to be hard, and you're going to stay out of it and judge it as a comfort zone fitted for the lazy or unimaginative. You will opt to "get out," and start a "productive path," which is hard work, living life the hard way, tiring yourself until you get very sick. But this only means that hardship, tons of works and unending pursuit of greatness and excellence is really your "comfort zone," which to those who love rest and relaxation, is nothing but "discomfort zone."

If we're intent on getting out of the box, and we're the kind that's addicted to excruciating hard work and great achievements, then we need to change lifestyle and start doing easy work, relaxing most of the time, bothered by nothing, and just quietly doing a few things here and there--limiting yourself to the very basics, what's really needed. If we do this, then we're out of the box and out of our comfort zone.

The New Creation

Like the new creation in Christ. It's just a box, like the old life is a box. The bible says, anyone in Christ has the old life gone, but there's a new one. You get inside that new "box." You cannot say, now that you're in Christ you have no "box" or "zone" because you're free (quoting what Jesus said about whom the Son frees is free indeed). 

But you've got to be comfortable and settled in your new life in Christ (which, like it or not, is a new box or zone), governed by the "law of the Spirit of life." Those who think they can live without any box are the ones who continue enjoying sin, going in and out of it, thinking this to be the freedom in Christ, no limits, box or zone. However, the new life in Christ is a new box from God. It's still a box, but one that frees you totally from sin and the worldly box. 

Romans 6.22: But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

You see the clear box transfer here? The "freedom in Christ" makes you a slave to God. You're boxed. That's the new box. Yes, you are set free indeed by the Son, but that freedom is now under the "LAW" of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there's a "law" that we're still under, not the law of the Old Covenant but the "law" of the Holy Spirit that "frees" us. That's our comfort zone now. 

Romans 8.2: For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Even Jesus was in a box

Jesus was genuinely out of the box, the box all of us love to be in. Because keeping ourselves in our preferred boxes is universal, we persecute and even murder those stay in theirs, especially if they refuse the box that we want for them. The box Jesus should be in was the greatest of all boxes--box for a King--but he opted out. He did everything opposite of what could be found in the comfort zone of a King. Instead of the box of greatness (which we all pursue after), he chose the box for the least, and declared that the least is the greatest, something that the church today still cannot grasp. 

People hated him for it. We all hate the "least" box (this is why we pursue titles and degrees and wealth---we hate being the least---though we claim we're not for the prosperity gospel). Just look at how church denominations outdo each other owning huge properties, facilities and properties. That's the denominational box. Being all sinners, we create our ideal box and want everybody to be in it because we believe it's the only correct box there is.

Jesus boxed himself in the box or zone that the Father boxed himself with: "The Son can do nothing exept what he sees the Father doing." 

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A Disciple's Pursuit

The Disciples’ Pursuit of Greatness in God’s Kingdom

When we look at the disciples of Jesus, one striking observation emerges: their ambition was not directed toward worldly success, wealth, or recognition, but toward greatness in the kingdom of God. They could've asked Jesus other questions most folks inquired of God, like material things and mundane success, but they zeroed in on only one---who was the greatest in the kingdom? 

This focus was shaped by what they saw in Jesus---their close observation of his life, his teachings, standards and his priorities. Though they had not yet received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and had instances when their immaturity got the better of them, their understanding of what truly mattered was already profound.

1. The Disciples’ Value System

The disciples lived in a world where success was often measured by power, possessions, and prestige. Yet, when they followed Jesus, they saw a radically different value system. Jesus Himself had no earthly wealth, no political power, and no social standing. Instead, he embodied humility, service, and obedience to the Father.

• Jesus’ example: He washed the feet of His disciples, healed the marginalized, and spent time with the poor and rejected.
• Jesus’ teaching: He consistently emphasized that the greatest in the kingdom is the one who serves (Matthew 23:11).

The disciples absorbed this. Their debates about who would be greatest in the kingdom (Luke 22:24) were not about who would be richest or most powerful in society, but about who would be closest to God’s favor.

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2. Rejecting Worldly Success

It is remarkable that the disciples did not concern themselves with worldly greatness. They did not ask Jesus how to gain influence in the Roman Empire, how to accumulate wealth, or how to secure positions of honor in society. Instead, their questions revolved around eternal matters.

This shows that they understood—even before Pentecost—that everything in this world is temporary. As Paul would later write, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). The disciples already lived with this perspective: worldly success was garbage compared to eternal greatness.

3. Depth of Their Understanding

Though they were still growing in faith and had not yet received the fullness of the Spirit, their priorities revealed a deep grasp of Jesus’ message. They recognized:

• The kingdom of God is eternal. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but God’s reign endures forever.
• True greatness is spiritual. It is measured not by status but by humility, obedience, and love that often only God can see. Good traits that are readily visible in the world are often nothing in the kingdom.
• Jesus Himself modeled this. His life was a living sermon that greatness comes through sacrifice and emptying the self, not self-promotion.

Their focus on kingdom greatness showed that they were beginning to see life through God’s lens, even if imperfectly.

4. Inspiration for Us Today

This perspective should profoundly inspire how we live today. In a world obsessed with success, fame, and material gain (even in ministry), the disciples remind us that these pursuits are ultimately empty.

• Redefining success: Success is not climbing the corporate ladder or gaining social media followers. True success is living faithfully before God.
• Living with eternal priorities: Just as the disciples sought greatness in the kingdom, we too should prioritize prayer, service, humility, and obedience over worldly recognition.
• Rejecting distractions: The disciples’ single-minded pursuit of kingdom greatness challenges us to let go of pursuits that do not align with God’s eternal purposes.

5. Practical Applications

How can we live inspired by the disciples’ example?

• Choose service over status. Look for ways to serve others, even in small acts of kindness, and keep it private.
• Value eternal rewards. Invest time in prayer, Scripture, and building others up spiritually.
• Resist worldly pressures. When society pushes us to chase wealth or fame, remember that these are fleeting. Even the lure to be recognized for greatness in church circles.
• Follow Jesus’ model. Just as the disciples watched Jesus closely, we too must keep our eyes fixed on Him.

6. Conclusion

The disciples remind us that greatness in God’s kingdom is the only pursuit worth our lives. They were not distracted by worldly ambitions, because they had seen in Jesus a life that redefined greatness. Their example calls us to live with eternal priorities, to reject the lure of worldly success, and to embrace the humble, servant-hearted path that leads to true greatness.

In the end, everything else is garbage compared to the surpassing worth of being counted great in the kingdom of God. Their focus should inspire us to live today with the same clarity: to seek first the kingdom, knowing that all else fades away.

1 John 2.17: "The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever"

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None of Them Received What was Promised: They Got Something Better

What better way to begin any new year than to get the right life perspective that leads to success. Normally, we love to start the year right so we can end right, meaning we get the results that our hard work deserves. We equate hard work to success which we usually see as better financial standing among other things. And rightly so. Only question is our idea of success and better financial standing. What's true sucess, really?

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I remember Naomi and Elimelek in the bible. They left Judah to escape the famine and settled in Moab to work hard there. I imagine they did that to be more successful. They started well off ("went away full") and were positive about the prospects of gaining more in Moab. But that wasn't GOD's idea of success for them. HE wanted them to be successful but not on their terms. Later her husband died, and so did their two sons and she was left with just her two daughters-in-law. 

21 I went away full, but the Lord has 

brought me back empty. [Ruth 1]

Being emptied was GOD's idea of success for them. Noami found herself alone with nothing, totally bankrupt, all their hard work down the drain. And yet, Naomi and her husband and sons were chosen by GOD to be part of HIS great move leading to the coming of the Messiah. Chosen but miserable and poor, feeling punished. This was how she felt while talking to her daughters and later the people in Bethlehem:

13 "It is more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord’s hand has turned against me!” 20 “Don’t call me Naomi (pleasant),” she told them. “Call me Mara (bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. 21 "Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” 

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Perhaps this is how you feel, too--broken, poor, humiliated and punished. You want to start the year blessed but "misfortune" is all the Almighty brings on you. You feel punished, but why? You're puzzled. For what reason has GOD afflicted you? You don't see any reason, but maybe you've been blind to a disobedience in your life? Maybe some hidden sins or an unforgiving spirit? However, even after sincerely repenting of all that, the song stays the same.

Did Naomi and husband start the year wrong? I don't think so. In fact, they started it right. GOD's concept of "right" is different from ours, as HIS concept of "success" is worlds apart from how we see it. Like, success was when Jesus was abandoned by his disciples, rejected by the people he fed and healed, and crucified like a criminal, besides feeling forsaken by the Father. No doubt, if this were to happen to you today, "successful" is the last thing people (even church people) would label you with. Accursed is more likely. 

I don't know, their wrong move may have been leaving Bethlehem during the famine to probably save their wealth for themselves? Didn't they want to share their blessings with needy folks in Bethlehem? Did they go to Moab for selfish reasons and consequently went out of GOD's will and suffered the consequences? But no, they went to Moab "full" because that was GOD's will for them--to leave while blessed. This is what I believe. GOD led them to Moab, lose everything there, take Ruth to Bethlehem to meet Boaz and start a family lineage leading to Jesus' birth. 

Perhaps, being sorely emptied is the only way 

you learn to rely solely on the LORD.

GOD intended them to leave "full" and then lose everything in Moab to suffer the "cross" chosen for them to crush their spirits, humble them, teach them how to have no one and nothing to hang on but GOD alone, and take them back to Bethlehem "empty." Jesus emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. It's powerful when GOD empties you. You're being molded for something big. Perhaps, being sorely emptied is the only way you learn to rely solely on the LORD and see how everything else is useless. This is genuine success.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." [Psalm 51.17]

Hard Work Doesn't Always Lead to Success

What we need to understand is that not all hard works always lead to success--success as the world understands it. You may even look like a loser to the world, unproductive, resultless and fruitless, a total waste, an unfaithful servant, the servant who hid his talent in the ground. But that's how the world sees it. GOD sees differently. HE chooses the weak, rejected, useless, losers and despised, those the world belittles. Some servants GOD commended in the bible looked like losers from start to end:

There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. 39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, [Hebrews 11]

Faithful and yet none of them got what was promised. They looked unsuccessful, defeated and pitiful. The worldly church would never have recognzed their value. Yet, in the heavenlies which the uninitiated barely see and understand, they were "commended for their faith," and received something much better than what the "blessed" on earth got: 

40 "God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect."

These were all commended for their faith, 

yet none of them received what had been promised.

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When Do Blessings Come?

We know that blessings come, even to the unrigrteous, wicked and corrupt. GOD makes the sun shine on them and provides them rain, says the Word. All blessings come from God and even those which people think come from the devil actually originate from God, for everything is owned by HIM. The devil owns nothing and therefore cannot bless anyone. The kingdoms he boasted of to Jesus in the wilderness were all "borrowed" from God.

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"...so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.” [Daniel 4.17]

I need to emphasize this: we have to realize that not just the good and faithful get blessings. Most church folks think that people are blessed because they please God, and if you're poor, it means you don't. Not necessarily. In fact, truly faithful people seem to be unblessed and unfavored, while the wicked get everything they want. 

“Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful? They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren. Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them." [Job 21.7]

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It's settled then, that blessings will come, whether you like it or not. Wag ka na kumontra. But the question is, when do they come? Do they come in times of need, before needs arise or as soon as you pray for needs? Do they come when you least expect them? Or, do they come sometime after praying? After an hour, a few days or weeks? A month? A year maybe? Or, do we have to count years? If we're going by bible standards (in fact, if we really believe the bible) blessings come in three ways--as soon as we pray (or while praying), right after we pray, and before we even pray. Jesus demonstrated and taught all these. 

But in the modern church today, it has become "normal" to get blessings a long time after they pray. They even came up with an enumeration scheme--which is: 

1. God answers now
2. God will answer later (it's not yet time)
3. It's ither yes or no
4. It's his will but you need to satisfy certain conditions
5. It's a no but he has something better

You decide what you think or feel is God's answer. So you hear them say, "God told me it's not yet time, and I must wait for his perfect timing." If you say you believe in instant answers to prayers (or even pre-prayer answers) church people will think you're nuts, too literal with passages, or see everything out of context. You need to go and learn from their seminaries.

Some suggest you'd never know when. Just wait for God, for they that wait shall renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles, and so forth and so on. I believe in Isaiah 40.31 with all my heart, but my point is, why do they resort to waiting when it's about answers to prayer but not when it's about church programs and activities? 

I mean, they just plan anything in church today, see what they think are the needs, pray, and do anything that seems to work. Anything that will increase membership and up church income. They do not wait for the Holy Spirit as bible folks did, like when the Spirit set apart Paul and Barnabas for ministry while they were worshiping and fasting. No more supernatural waiting like that. Modern church thinks waiting is a waste of time. Church needs to make things happen NOW.

But Jesus waited till he was 30 years old before he started ministry (he could've started at 20 or 25 considering the millions of lost souls persishing at the time. But nope, he had to wait for the Father's timing). Anyway, here are some basic helps I think are worth considering if we want to know when blessings are coming:

3 Powerful Signs That Blessings from God Are Coming to You

Have you ever felt like something wonderful is just around the corner? Sometimes, we get subtle hints that God is preparing to shower us with blessings. Here are three powerful signs that divine blessings are on their way to you, your family, and your ministry.

1. A Deep Sense of Inner Peace

One of the most profound signs that God is about to bless you is experiencing a deep sense of inner peace--especially in times of chaos, hardships and trials. This peace transcends understanding and remains steadfast even in the midst of life’s uncertainties. Worries also come, even to the faithful, but your worries seem to dissolve more easily without effort, and you face challenges with a newfound strength and serenity. This tranquility is a clear indication that you are aligned with God’s plan for your life. When your mind and heart are at rest, you’re more receptive to His guidance and blessings. So, if you feel a profound calmness, embrace it. It’s a signal that something greater is on the horizon.

2. Unexplained Joy

Another powerful sign is a sudden, inexplicable joy, again even amid adversities--or especially during adversities. This joy can appear out of nowhere, lifting your spirits even when circumstances remain unchanged. It’s a divine hint that something wonderful is on the horizon. You might find yourself smiling more, feeling lighter, and experiencing a profound sense of happiness that defies logical explanation. This joy can manifest in various ways: 

• Increased Gratitude: You start appreciating the little things around you.
• Positive Outlook: Your perspective shifts, allowing you to see potential and hope in situations that previously seemed bleak. 
• Energy Boost: You suddenly have more energy and enthusiasm for tasks that used to feel burdensome.
• Increased Kindness: You become more compassionate and generous.
• Sense of Purpose: You feel a renewed sense of direction and motivation.

When you experience this kind of joy, it’s a powerful reminder that God is at work in your life. Embrace it, cherish it, and stay open to the blessings that are coming your way.

3. Unexpected Opportunities

Lastly, unexpected opportunities for growth and advancement are clear signs that God is preparing to bless you. These opportunities might come in the form of new job offers, financial gains, or even restored relationships. When doors start opening for you in ways you hadn’t anticipated, it’s a sign that God is positioning you for greater things. Pay attention to these opportunities and be ready to step through the doors that God opens for you. Trust that He is guiding your steps and preparing you for the blessings that are about to be released into your life.

Humbling Situations are Opportunities, Too

But more important than obvious promotions and opportunities that improve your secular life situation are humbling moments that seem to put you in a lower or humble life status. Failures, demotions, defeats, losses, humiliation, and the like are sometimes blessings in disguises that result to a higher promotion recognized only in the spirit realms. Christ's suffering and death are examples which even his own disciples thought were defeat or dead end moments but actually were grand triumphs in the spirit realms. The cross is foolishness to the spiritually ignorant. But true believers preach Christ crucified. 

In conclusion, keep your heart open and your spirit attuned to these signs. Inner peace, unexplained joy, and unexpected opportunities are powerful indicators that God’s blessings are on their way. Stay faithful, stay hopeful, and get ready to receive the abundant blessings that God has in store for you. 🌈✨

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Using Your Weakness for Power

Failures, frustrations, disappointments, fall-shorts, bad looks and even illnesses. Why does God allow them? If I had a sick dog I'd lose no time to take it to the veterinary clinic for a quick remedy. You can't stand seeing your pet suffering there continuously, can you? So why do some "bad lucks" linger and keep you failing at what you do and seem to do so forever? There must be a reason.

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And it should be a valid reason. The good news is, there is. Everything has a purpose, even negative things. Or perhaps I should say, especially negative things. Good things served you on a silver platter is all the reward you'd get. Nothing more will follow. Adversities, however, have bonuses, perks, incentives and residual benefits if you know how to use them. You must learn how to use your weakness for power.

Take advantage of your helplessness, unfitness, powerlessness, indisposition or low station in life. They're put there because God wants you to have power. The bible says "power is made perfect in weakness," and this is why we should feel blessed to be weak, despised, rejected or all of the above. For the bible adds, "When I am weak, then I am strong." No wonder Jesus emphasized how "the least among you is the greatest."

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So much emphasis is on leadership today, so we see leadership seminars left and right and people eagerly grabbing seats. Everyone wants to be a leader because everyone wants position and power. I wonder why there are no followership seminars for leaders when the fact is good leaders should first be good followers.

Anyway, God is serious about his business of making the least the greatest through power in weakness. That's what true success is all about. It's not about advantages, positions, connections, money, possessions, titles or degrees. So if you think you're a loser or failure, you're blessed and favored if you see things as God sees them and act and live accordingly.

Through experience, I'm telling you there's nothing like using your weaknesses for power.

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Just email me at choyscut@gmail.com and get an email back in 20 or 30 seconds with a download link to the e-books, "My Simple Secrets to Fitness" (100 pages) and "Beat Interviewers: 10 Ways" (50 pages) which reveals what really goes on during interviews and shares 10 powerful keys to winning job interviews. They're both FREE! You also get my GCash details in case you decide to donate P40, P50, P100 (or any amount) for the two e-books to help my church ministry (I'm a self-supporting pastor). But with or without donation, the e-books are yours 😄. 

Why Marriage Gets Sweeter in Old Age

It should get sweeter as you both age together. That's how marriage is designed. It should start very sweet and go on being sweeter each day. And I mean each day, through old age and all that, until death do you part. That doesn't mean love ends during death, because it continues in the hereafter. Nope, there's no marriage anymore in heaven, but love and sweetness go on there. Three things will stay after everything's gone, remember? Faith, hope and love.

Photo above by Harli Marten on Unsplash.

And anyway, who says you need to re-marry in heaven when you're already a couple?

When something grows, it's alive and it progresses to something better, by the day. Right? Anything that has life in it behaves that way. Even if a plant dies eventually, it's fruits have seeds to make it go on multiple times. Jesus said, "...but when (the seed) dies it produces many seeds." It continues. Yes, meroong forever. 😉

Dates Get Sweeter

Dates should increase and intensify in sweetness during marriage more than in courtship or engagement or in between. I'm speaking from experience. I and my wife still date at our age and get more excited each time. And I mean each time. It's not some theory or idea or wish, it's what we have each day since June of 1995.

And we don't need anything fancy to have a good time. Kahit Paotsin siomai or Yowell frozen yogurt with lots of blueberries (Php 50 per cup) plus a cup of gulaman lang yan, it's already a special date for us. Or enjoying food at Savory Classic restaurant now and then, pag me time and nasa budget. Sometimes we try street foods like toknene, fish, chicken or squid balls, kwek-kwek, isaw, kalamares and of course, balut and penoy. Sometimes we go for the giant Purefoods hotdog sandwich at the grocery area of Waltermart in Munoz. Yup, though health conscious, we try junks now and then, perhaps once a month or less. 

Minsan lang naman 😁.

I still have a big crush on her! I still see her as a wonderful lady who never fails to amaze me and keeps me in love like a silly teenager. It still gives me pleasure to make her laugh, appreciate all she does, and concoct for her the best mug of coffee in the world each morning. I often cook for her (she loves my cooking) and sometimes wash her clothes. All that as I make some money blogging, selling ebooks and now try my hands on real estate (I hope it works). 

Extreme Intimacy

Intimacy in marriage should get more extreme as you age together. It's bible truth--the two shall become one flesh. ONE FLESH! When God said this HE wasn't joking. I become my wife and she becomes me. Your unique personalities remain intact but you become one. Most importantly, you have one spirit and soul. You're one individual yet separate with your own personalities, preferences and tastes, and ideas and opinions which often also merge, agglutinate and amalgamate. Reminds me of the Trinity because I and my wife are one with Jesus.

When God looks at you, HE sees one person, one flesh. It won't do like what other married couples have when they try to avoid each other's company as they age. They have separate hangouts and companions and just see each other a short moment at home when they're already tired and sleepy. Sometimes, they don't even share the same room or bed. 

It's just like what Jesus and HIS true church have. They're one flesh. Jesus is in them and they're in Christ. It's no longer they who live but Christ lives in them. Intimacy and sweetness should increase as the church is one flesh with Jesus through the years--in ever-increasing glory or from glory to glory. Thus, church gets more excited and in love with Jesus like a silly teenager, younger and sillier in love as the teenager matures. 

It's not the programs or activities that will make people faithfully go to church---not the worship service or worship team or the top-of-the-line musical instruments or good sound system or good preaching. You can take them all away and true, genuine believers will still go to church ecstatic to worship Jesus together with gusto even over some cheap siomai or squid balls and gulaman to share with.

It's because they know they're married to Jesus in spirit and are one flesh with HIM.

So, what's the secret to getting sweeter with your spouse even in old age? Together as one flesh, nurture a sweeter and more intimate relationship with Jesus as you age. Get more in love with HIM like a silly teenager. And this is not of works or your own effort. It's by HIS grace and mercy, if you grab the grace and mercy with all excitement each moment of your lives. 

GET MY FREE EBOOKS! 

Just email me at choyscut@gmail.com and get an email back in 20 or 30 seconds with a download link to the e-books, "My Simple Secrets to Fitness" (100 pages) and "Beat Interviewers: 10 Ways" (50 pages) which reveals what really goes on during interviews and shares 10 powerful keys to winning job interviews. They're both FREE! You also get my GCash details in case you decide to donate P40, P50, P100 (or any amount) for the two e-books to help my church ministry (I'm a self-supporting pastor). But with or without donation, the e-books are yours 😄. 

New Choy's Cuts Blog

Young Professionals of Seattle

I have a new blog which I plan to focus on the next months. It deals with more topics and especially more of my thoughts, interests and discoveries.

I will still add articles on this blog now and then. In fact, I have a lot more new health and fitness information I want to share with you all. I'm stll a health an fitness bluff and will always be (this blog will continue to be important to me), but more of my time will be spent there.

And that blog will be funnier and crazier. So, more exciting.

So, visit the site and visit there regularly.

Here's the link.

To enjoy more of Choy's Cut articles and make sure you get them regularly, just LIKE US on Facebook by clicking this link.

Appreciating NOW

www.pinterest.com

MIND HEALTH. Have you tried standing still for a while, looking out the window and just watching how the rain wets the leaves and plants and the street asphalt, just listening to the peaceful downpour? And then breathing in that fresh, cool air?

I used to watch the rain precariously because I was always hurrying here and there, beating deadlines, aiming to finish some things. And rain just kept in the way of all that. I watched it not because I was appreciating nature but waiting for the rain to stop so I can go ahead with my appointments.

Then one day years ago, after reading about so many deaths in headlines, and watching the images of death, I suddenly realized---you never know when you're going. And once your to time to go comes, you never have enough time to appreciate life and your loved ones.


I think I read somewhere about a couple. The last time they spent with each other was a terrible quarrel and then the guy died suddenly right after. What a way to spend your last moments on earth.

Since then, I decided---I'm going to do a lot of meditation from now on. I'm going spend much time appreciating NOW.

I often stop and stare at how the wind brushes against the leaves and branches of a tree, how ants patiently walk in line and greet and help each other with their task, how spiders patiently weave their webs, how lizards patiently hunt their preys, how birds play and sing gleefully, or how water rushes downhill in the street canal after the rain.

I even watch the lightning and listen to the accompanying thunder.

Then I marvel at God and all his wonders around me. The greatest stress relievers are available around us for FREE! And yet so many people are sick with stress-related ailments. It's because they miss the NOW and puzzle themselves endlessly with their what-ifs.

I realized that the most important time in life is RIGHT NOW. And the greatest achievement is how many of God's free wonders and blessings around you have actually enjoyed watching closely and counted.

So I often listen to my wife and kids telling stories, no matter how trivial or foolish. I so often watch my wife closely as she speaks or laughs or expresses surprise---her eyes, hair, lips, voice, pronunciation, gestures and idiosyncrasies. The same with my two boys and grand kid. I often imagine---this might be my last moment with them.

Then I also realize there is so much to do---so much appreciating and meditating on the goodness of God and his creation and the people around me---to be wasting my time on hurrying up and beating deadlines and worrying and achieving this and that to be admired by people.

Appreciating NOW makes you enjoy a full life few experience and understand.

To enjoy more of Choy's Cut articles and make sure you get them regularly, just LIKE US on Facebook by clicking this link.

The "You" in Three Versions

www.buzzfeed.com

You actually have three awareness in you. Your "you" is in three versions---the spirit you, the soul you and the body you. They're all you.

But sometimes they're all different. So you appear "inconsistent" to people.

They have to be in harmony if you're going to be a healthy and fit person. In fact, the three have to be in unity if you're going to have a sound personality and a good life.

Everything goes wrong the moment the three disagree and act separately. The spirit believes one thing but the soul reinforces another thing. And then the body does something on its own as well.

For instance, your spirit believes the principle that you should avoid softdrinks and sodas because they create belly fat in you. But your soul says something else. Your mind thinks of a tall glass of iced softdrinks, your emotion craves for it and your will is ready to do it.

But then you see a bottle of beer and you change mind and drink it instead (the body triumphs over the mind).

Thus, many times you find yourself raising your hands when someone asks, "Who among you here knows that softdrinks is bad for health?" That's your spirit responding.

But right after, you go to the snack bar and look for soda. That's your soul. And then you order one and actually drink it. That's your body obeying your soul (or your soul succumbing to your body).

Or, your soul tells you it's bad but your body ignores it.

Once this happens daily, it's easy to see why you end up physically unfit and unhealthy. Your "you" is never united. Your "you" is never one.

Spirit, soul and body unity should be a daily thing for life. You should begin to train in this.

Next topic---why this tug of war among the three in you and how to overcome it.

Meanwhile, you may find this video on physical health and your spirit and soul interesting.

To enjoy more of Choy's Cut articles and make sure you get them regularly, just LIKE US on Facebook by clicking this link.

Why Your Body, Soul and Spirit Talk to Each Other and How This Affects Your Health

www.gettyimages.com

Very few people know this, but the body, soul and spirit always talk to each other. And overall health depends on how they can talk effectively.

I'll give you an example. Your spirit believes in something, your soul decides on a course of action and the body obeys. That's how healthy communication goes among the three of them.

Soul, by the way, is intellect, emotion and will. Spirit is strength of character within you. And body is, well, your physical body.

The right thing to happen is for your spirit to direct your soul. And then the soul commands the body. The soul should be submissive to the spirit and the body obedient to the soul. So it's quite important what values system you feed your spirit because it provides the impetus for the soul and body.

Thus, if you have a languid spirit that hates physical exertion, your soul would pick that up. Your intellect would always reject anything that requires physical activity, your body will always feel tired or lazy and your will is to remain idle or dormant all day---lie down on the couch or sit at the PC desk.

Here's a sample conversation among the three:

SPIRIT: I hate discipline.
SOUL: I think no one has the right to tell me what to do or what's good for me. I will do what I want. I hate people who think they know more than I do.
BODY: I'll eat anything I want.

But overall health needs the three to talk somewhat like this:

SPIRIT: I love discipline for health and fitness.
SOUL: I'll do whatever it takes to be fit and healthy. I'm going to listen to health advices and apply what I think fits me. Nothing will stop me from being healthy.
BODY: Come on, let's do it!

However, this is what happens to most people today:

SPIRIT: I like to be fit and healthy.
SOUL: But I don't have the time and money. And anyway, getting healthy means a lot of sacrifices, especially getting rid of what I enjoy so much. I don't know. Should I? Other people don't mind about it and they look okay.
BODY: Yeah, I want to do that. But not now. Maybe tomorrow.

This is what Jesus said about the spirit being willing but the flesh is weak---weakened by a wayward or sometimes even rebellious soul.

The secret to success in any endeavor, specially health, is to have the right spirit and make the soul obedient to it. This is possible with regular training. God designed the spirit, soul and body to be trainable. It's either you train it correctly or erroneously.

The spirit provides direction but it is the soul that determines success. If your soul is weak, it will always succumb to the desires of the body. Or, it will willingly connive with the flesh and defeat the spirit. In this case, the spirit is said to be "dead."

And we know what the body wants---comfort zone.

More on how the spirit, soul and body talk in the coming articles.

You can learn a lot more in this video:

To enjoy more of Choy's Cut articles and make sure you get them regularly, just LIKE US on Facebook by clicking this link.

What You Should Have in 2016--Ever Heard of Supernatural Physical Health?

www.sechaber.com.tr

We all know that "physical" health is what we do with our physical bodies, and we know better than mix the supernatural with the physical. But, are you ready to be a bit adventurous this 2016? How about getting supernatural physical health?

Nope, this is not about some voodoo or occult practice to keep your body invincible to any physical assault. It's about having healthy body organs and systems using safe supernatural powers. But understand that this does not in any way try to eliminate physical workouts and healthy diets and lifestyles. It's supplemental--like a supernatural health supplement.

And it's not something new, actually. It's been around for eons. The problem is, it's been grossly ignored. It's been there written in the bible as a sure health prescription by the greatest Physician--God--but not even most church people seem to believe it.

I mean, just look at how most church clergymen are out of shape and/or sickly.

Look at how it is stated in the bible:

Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, [Exodus 23.25]

That's a powerful promise--that he will take away diseases. The problem is, many in church do not understand that to God, worship, food and health are connected. What you eat says a lot about your reverence for God. If you eat unhealthily, your worship proves nothing. Thus, God said anyone who destroys God's temple (which is our bodies), God will destroy him [1 Corinthians 3.17].

And then there's the stressless life God wants you to have. Negative stress is NOT God's will, so I always wonder why people, even the religious and those in churches, are so addicted to hectic schedules, busy works, and creating crazy deadlines that kill them. They think their achievements are important.

But here's God's supernatural health formula:

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. [Proverbs 17.22]

I've never seen very busy people have cheerful hearts. Crushed spirits are what they're often seen with. Even if this is written in the bible, they still refuse to relax and take life easy.

Finally, the simple fear of the Lord by turning away from evil brings good supernatural physical health.

(The fear of the Lord and turning away from evil) will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. [Proverbs 3.8]

To get my e-book on supernatural physical health and medical science, click here. Or see the "Featured Post" above on the sidebar.

WORDS HAVE WINGS: Action has Jetpacks

blog.psoda.com

If words have wings so that word spreads around and gets to places fast, action moves even faster. And this can either be good or bad news for you. It can work powerfully well for you for advertising or the principle can work against you--one wrong move and the whole community knows about it even before it actually happens.

This morning while taking an easy walk around the neighborhood, people asked me if I teach arnis--or Filipino sticks martial arts. I don't advertise--I just do martial arts regularly as part of a fitness workout--and people see me doing it and assume that I teach. I don't advertise the way other businesses do--heralding banners and claiming my product is better than other products. I just do my own thing around my place--not to show off but to merely train outdoors--and simply talk about it and share some tips on FB.

It's a cliche but it needs stressing here--action speaks louder than words--especially if you're a bit choosy about who buys from your business. Choosy about customers? Well, I will talk about this in another article. It's been my business principle--choosing about who buys from my business--and yes, it doesn't make my businesses that profitable. And I have a good reason for it.

And how action has jetpacks to make it travel faster than words with wings do is a vital principle on choosing your clients well. I choose my clients because I hate getting headaches from stubborn and unreasonably demanding clients. Peace of mind to me is lots better than profits.

ON BEING FOOD DETECTIVE: The Wiser You Become the Less You Eat Just Anything

autismspectrumgps.com

FOOD AND HEALTH. When I was young I ate anything. I thought, anyway, I was a workout-holic (a guy who always works out physically), so anything I ate was neutralized by it. But then with research I found out that it wasn't that simple. Truth is, what you swallow has lasting effects in and on you which workout mostly cannot re-do or improve on.

For instance, all the aspartame you swallow is forever in your system, especially in your bones. What's aspartame? It's the wicked sweetener used in many powdered juices and other beverages in the market today. It's even in most sodas and softdrinks you love. After enough accumulation, it may give you cancer if your immune system is weak. And foods with artificial sugars weaken your immune system.

As you learn these things in your constant search for knowledge (at first I was just an online health researcher. Later, I became a licensed health and wellness consultant of Vital-C) you change your lifestyle and wisen up. And I learned that the wiser you become the lesser you eat just anything. You start finding out the ingredients in food products and carefully look up product contents on labels. Any term you can't understand you look up on Google.

You become a food detective.

Sometimes, you have no choice but to eat junk when you're out of the house. But now your conscience bothers you when you do it--unlike before when you just ate anything and then forgot about them. Now, you sometimes can't stop imagining what the ingredients are doing inside your body after you swallow unhealthy junk food. You do all you can to detox--take alkaline water, do water therapy in the morning, drink kalamansi or other fresh fruit juice, and of course, pray.

Oh, taking apple cider vinegar with water is among the best ways to detox. Costs less, too.

To me, a truly wise person is always after good health--spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, and financial. It's a total waste to know lots of things and then remain willingly unhealthy. You're a fool who learns everything but never see truth.

"..always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." [2 Timothy 3.7]

GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOU FEEL YOUNG AGAIN: Make Sure You Do It on a Regular Basis

asal300.blogfa.com

I'm 55, and I can say I feel so much better than I did at any age of my life. Well, I was so strong as a young man, especially when I was 18 to 27 years old, my peek strength being at 25 when I was active at my friend's gym and my body had muscle bulk.

But at age 18 to 21, I also performed superbly in martial arts. My high kicks were powerful and lightning-fast and my punches were devastating and mostly unseen by the naked eyes. I was very strong in my youth. I even remember having no one else in our neighborhood or school who could do better than I did at push-ups, isometrics and horizontal bar.

Indeed, God has blessed me with physical strength.

But I must say, too, that I feel so much better today. I mean, at age 55, I still move nimbly like a teenager, especially during sparring and martial arts demos. On top of that, despite my age and some aging-related health problems (which I feel are decreasing gradually, all by God's grace), I feel great. So great that I believe, if you take me back to my earlier years with this same health condition I have now (minus the age and the problems it brings), I'd outperform my tiptop strength then!

It's because in my teenage and adolescence years, I wasn't taking any natural health supplements. Not even synthetic ones, because I was scared of their side effects. Sometimes, synthetic supplements gave me trouble so I kept away from them. But in spite of that, I was lots stronger than other young people my age, though I had a medium build.

What if I had taken the natural health supplements I'm taking today? I can only imagine what would happen. If today, taking these supplements makes me feel so young again, what more if I had taken them then?

These are the supplements I'm taking--MX3, apple cider vinegar, and VITAL-C health products, especially Vital-C non acidic Vitamin C.

You'd have to take them regularly to feel the benefits. I used to feel so weak especially after a workout. I really felt the aging effects especially when workouts didn't have the redounding effects anymore right after as they used to. It was because there was no reserved strength to talk of and my immune system didn't have any boost to fight the stress you got after a workout.

After workouts, stress is in your system, though you aren't aware of it. That's when you need to counter it with antioxidants. Your natural antioxidants (which your body naturally produces) reduce as you age, and at 55 you lose your ability a bit to recover fast from exhaustion and stress--unless you take natural supplements high in antioxidants, which is powerfully anti-aging.

Supplementing is not an option or luxury anymore. At past age 25, you start losing more healthy and young cells than losing defective cells. Free radicals also more easily ravage healthy cells. So you need to supplement at age 25 onward--especially if you smoke or drink alcohol.

So, workouts, healthy diet, and natural health supplements--with regularity, they can guarantee that you feel so young again. And don't just be entertained by this article--do it!

HOW YOU SEE SMALL: It's How God Sees You

equalizerpost.com

HISGROUP DISCIPLESHIP. How you see small reveals the size of your heart--and your mind. And I'm talking about both small things and small people. You're right, I'm not supposed to refer to them as "small people" because there's no such thing. But the way most people treat them, they're seen as "small." That's reality. Why are there people of little repute--those looked down by others? And why are there poor folks? 

Well, they're there to serve a great purpose--to reveal hearts. The world may belittle them but in God's eyes they serve a big purpose. In fact, they have a more crucial job than do executives and managers and CEOs and even presidents of countries. A lot of fates both here and the hereafter rely on how people of lowly standing are treated in this life, because how you see small determines where you end up later.

No wonder Christ said "the poor you will always have with you." God doesn't approve of poverty, but he continues to allow the existence of the poor and the small because how people see them is also how they see Christ. If you've been kind or cruel to them, you did the same to Christ. If you've been callous, unconcerned or unresponsive with their situation, you've been callous about God even if you worship good and actively in your church.

He continues to allow the existence of the poor and the small because how people see them is also how they see Christ.

Now, take houses for instance. How do you see a small house that's poorly constructed or old and dilapidated, situated in a crowded, shanty and uncomfortable environment? What do you feel when entering one? Would you enter it as you would a posh mansion in an exclusive subdivision--with respect and politeness? How do you see people living in mansions and those living in squatters?

All these are recorded in God's book. You may be critical of those who haven't made it good in this life--those unrecognized by society and failing its standards--considering them lazy, lacking talent, weak or even accursed, yet extending no compassion on them. Or, if you handout a sum of compassion, you make sure you get every cent in return, enslaving poor people you help or feeling superior to others because of it. Or worse, broadcasting to everyone about your good deed--posting it on FB. It's how you see small that reveals your heart and makes you accountable to God.

Hence, it's better to remain anonymous when you help, being quiet about it all, not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Can you give out help of considerable sum incognito, without making those you help feel obligated to be nice to you? Or, can you give a good sum of money without expecting even a "thank you" from the recipient?

And last, can you sincerely listen to the success stories of small folks of low status and get sincerely interested, while remaining mum about yours? In almost everything about Kingdom values, it's really how you see small that matters. That's Choy's Cut for you.