Professional Documents
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Remember the story of Cain and Abel? Thats a story of envy. And its the story of the entire human race. Its a story that is replayed over and over again in families, in organizations, in churches, in offices, in schools Cain and Abel were brothers. Cain and Abel offered a sacrifice to God and Abels sacrifice was accepted and Cains was not. Result? Cain envied Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4:6-8) The spirit of Cain is the spirit of envyand it continues today. Today, we want to cast out the spirit of Cain from our lives.
But ironically, the very thing that will destroy his group is his own envy. An envy he doesnt know he has. Envy is one of the most destructive things on planet earth. Let me say it again. Envy kills.
Phase 1: Meron Ka, Bakit Wala Ako? (Why dont I have what you have?)
When I was in Grade School, I remember one of my classmates. His name was Ariel. I remember him so well because he had everything I didnt have. For example, his grades were always excellent. One day, our teacher distributed our report cards in class. When she gave Ariels report card to him, she announced, All of Ariels grades are above 90. When she gave my report card to me, one my classmates shouted, All of Bos grades are below 75. (Actually, that was a lie. All my grades were below 78. Hmph!) Ariel was also an incredible athlete. You name itbasketball, baseball, football, runninghe was the star player. One day, Ariel saw us playing marbles. He joined the game and beat all of us, bringing home all our marbles. The next day, he saw a bunch of girls seated playing jackstone. Ariel joined them and beat all of them as well. (He made exhibition tricks with the jackstone that will astound Houdini.) To top it all, he was also handsome. He had a fans club of girls following him. At that time, I didnt know how that felt. (Now I know. J) As a kid, I asked God many times, Lord, why did you make Ariel so gifted? And why did you make me so ungifted? It was a question I asked for a long time.
It wasnt like I had zero gifts. I knew I had at least one gift: I knew how to draw well. One day, our homeroom teacher raffled off our names in class. We picked one classmate and made him a greeting card on the spot. I smiled. I knew I was a pretty good illustrator. So making a greeting card was a cinch. I remember drawing Superman in my greeting card. Finally, when our teacher told us to give our cards to each other, guess who came to me? Ariel. He picked my name. And he handed me his greeting card. When I saw it, my jaw dropped. His card was so beautiful, youd think Hallmark did it. Ariel was ten times better than me in drawing. To this day, I still remember his card. It had a professionally drawn luxury ship. It said, I like blue ships, I like red ships, but most of all, I like friendship. Ariel. Before that day, I wondered if I was the most ungifted person in the entire world. That day, I stopped wondering. I knew without a shadow of a doubt. I was it. I remember asking God, Lord, why do you love Ariel so much? Why dont you love me? Thats what Envy is. It makes you focus on the blessings of the other person. In Phase 1 of Envy, we ask, Meron ka, bakit wala ako? (Why dont I have what you have?) In Phase 1 of Envy, we dont want to kill anyone. I didnt want to harm Ariel. But Phase 1 Envy ends up killing the envier himself.
Many psychotherapists say that almost all mental diseases will have envy in its core. Why does envy kill the envier? Because envy, once nurtured, always comes with shame. And shame always kills the spirit. I should know. I was filled with the spirit of shame for decades. Even to this day, though Im already free, I still feel the scars left by shame in my heart. You feel ashamed of yourself because you dont have what others have. Shame shouts in your ear, Theres something wrong with you! Shame will make you do crazy things, just to get accepted. Let me tell you about Carla. Carla was a manager in a bank. And she became friends with some of her rich clients, all successful businesswomen. Everytime they met, shed see her friends carry Prada and Louis Vuiton bags. But all of these were beyond her small paycheck. She felt envious. To keep up with her friends lifestyle, she used her 3 credit cards. Before she knew it, she was buried in a huge mountain of debts. But if we keep on nurturing Envy, it graduates to Phase 2. And Phase 2 Envy is even more dangerous.
Phase 2: Wala Ako, Dapat Wala Ka Rin! (If I dont have any, you shouldnt have any too)
This is when envy becomes cruel and destructive not only to yourself, but to others. Envy will now kill two peoplethe envier and the one being envied. My analogy: Envy is like a cannibal. But an insane cannibal. He eats others and eats parts of himself as well.
Emily and Pam were both sales agents. But after two years, Pam got promoted as sales manager. Emily was happy for her best friend. Or at least, she pretended to be happy. They even had a little party together to celebrate Pams promotion. But as the weeks went by, problems came up. Pam couldnt believe Emilys transformation. From being her best friend, Emily became her worst enemy. Emily would criticize Pam in front of others. Emily would gossip about her and tell all kinds of lies about her. What was Emilys problem? Phase 2 Envy. Phase 2 Envy is Cains Envy. (Genesis 3:2-8) Cain used a rock and bashed it on his brothers head. We dont use physical rocks but we use something as deadlythe rocks of our words. We may not desire his physical death. But we conspire for some kind of death. What kind? Social death. We want the person we envy to be humiliated. To lose face.
Question 2:
And friend, there is only one thing that can fill your emptiness and heal your fear of worthlessness: Gods Love.
Ahhh. That day, when I went back to my old car, I had a problem. All of a sudden, it wasnt so wonderful anymore. I could feel the bumps on the road that I didnt feel before. I now could hear squeaking sounds that I didnt hear before. And the smellit had that old car smell! (I could smell Tinapa!) Instantly, my gratitude was gone. But when I noticed the lack of gratitude within me, I stopped the car, closed my eyes, placed my hand on my dashboard, and started thanking God for what I had. I began to recount the blessings of having a car. Slowly, feelings of gratitude returned. From my experience, when youre grateful, youre satisfied with what you have. And when youre satisfied with what you have, envy will have a hard time finding a foothold in your heart. When youre grateful for Gods blessings in your life, slowly, youll be grateful for Gods blessings in the lives of others too. I also did something else: I started thanking God for my friends brand new car. I prayed that his job be blessed even more. And that brings us to Step Two.
Pray that your officemates get the promotion, your single friends get married, your siblings get good breaks. When you do this, something magical will happen to your life. Because theres a Law in the universe that states that what you give, youll receive in abundance. (Luke 6:38) Heres what I believe: If you envy the blessings that other people receive, youre driving away those blessings from your life. But if youre genuinely grateful for the blessings other people receive, youll attract those exact same blessings into your life more easily. Once you experience this genuine happiness for others, thats the day you know that youre free from envy. And this is where other peoples success becomes a real inspiration. If he can do it, I can do it too.
Imagine watching a movie with a very large bucket of popcorn. The bucket is so large, its as big as a bathtub. (Okay, slightly smaller, or you wont fit on your seat.) When you pick up the first kernel, it slips through your fingers and falls on the dirty floor of the movie house. Question: Will you pick it up and eat it? I doubt it. Because theres still a gigantic bucket of popcorn in front of you. This is what I mean by having an abundance mindset. When your friends get blessed, it doesnt lessen your chance of being blessed. Because you dont live in a limited universe. In Gods Kingdom, there is no scarcity of blessings. There is only abundance. The universe is a giant bucket of blessings that will never run out. Envy lives in a universe of scarcity. Love lives in a universe of abundance. In fact, Im praying that all of you become wealthy in every area of your life! Be free from envy. And truly love. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
This is Gods big message for you today: God gives seeds, not fruits. When God gives a fruit, Hes really giving the seeds within the fruit.
I now understand why people think that God is a miser.
Because they expect God to keep on giving them fruits. But God doesnt keep on giving fruits. He gives seeds. So that youll always have fruits anytime you want.
One day, we were travelling from Cubao to Alabangan hour-long ride. From the moment we left Cubao to the moment we arrived in Alabang, Francis sang out loud, Tomorrow. It was a loop. The moment he ended the song, hed begin the song again. After we listened to the song 6 or 7 times, I told my 5-year old boy, Thats enough, Francis. But he objected. He said a line that shocked me. He said, But Daddy, thats how Ill get better. Yes, he wants to be better. Thats why he sang that song 28 times in that trip. Why? At 5 years old, he knows the importance of growing Gods blessing.
1. Beggar Mindset
Many religious people have a beggar mindset. They want God to give them fruits. But theyre not interested in planting and growing the seedsso that theyll have a lifetime supply of fruits. Please know that we all start with as beggars. Im sure that when you were born, you didnt come out as a 35-year old guy with a moustache. Or a 42-year old woman with cellulite on her legs. You came out as a baby. If a baby cries because hes hungry, you dont tell him, Look for your own milk! You fat, lazy baby! Or if a baby cries because hes wet, you dont toss a diaper in his direction and say, Change yourself! Babies are beggars. Heres the problem. Some people never grow up! They remain babies for life. The Israelites began in the desert as beggars. When the Israelite slaves escaped Egypt, they had to cross the desert. When they got hungry, Moses prayed to God to feed them. So one morning, when they woke up, they saw white, fluffy stuff hanging from the trees. The Israelites looked at it, picked it up, touched it, smelled it, tasted it, and asked, What is this? That question is the literal meaning of the word, manna. Can you imagine? Thats like waking up one morning, looking out your window, and seeing pan de sal hanging from the trees. Wouldnt that be fun? After a few days, the Israelites began to complain. Wala bang palaman? (Our sandwiches are empty.) So God sent low-flying, slow-moving, foolish birds called quails that said, Catch me, catch me! And the Israelites grabbed the birds, put them in their bread, and ate to their hearts content. Imagine eating food falling from the sky. (My kids and I watched a cartoon movie, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatball. If you watched it, you dont have to imagine.) How can life be better than that? But alas, there are problems.
My Experience As A Beggar
When I had my spiritual conversion 30+ years ago, I remember depending totally on Gods manna. For a time, I didnt even accept my salary as a missionary. I wanted to be totally dependent on God. I remember not having money for transportation.
After preaching at a prayer meeting, Id sometimes be the last person to leave, because I had no money to go home. Id wait for someone to invite me for a ride or to pay for my bus fare. There were days when Id be walking in EDSA, praying that someone would recognize me and give me a ride. Suddenly, a car came by my side. I got excited. Yes, God answered my prayer! The driver lowered his window and asked, Puwede magtanong? Saan ang Aurora Boulevard? (Can I ask a question? Where is Aurora Boulevard?) When I gave him the direction, he thanked me and sped off. I ended up walking a few more kilometers that night. Finally, 13 years ago, a group of friends pooled their money together and gave me a car! Oh yes, being a beggar had its high points. It was thrilling to see manna from heaven, fall from the sky. I had a beggar mindset all the way until I got married. Before I asked for Marowes hand in marriage, I needed an engagement ring. But I had very little money. I went to a Jewelry shop and asked for diamond rings. The kind saleslady showed me a lovely ring. I asked how much it was. When she gave me the amount, I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I asked if she had another ring without the three zeroes behind it. So she showed me another ring. As hard as I looked, I couldnt see a diamond. I asked, Do you have a microscope? But alas, even that, I couldnt afford. A friend heard of my predicament and said, My mother gave me a ring. If you want it, its yours. So on that fateful night, I knelt down before Marowe and asked her, Will you marry me? When she said Yes, she never knew that I was so poor, I was giving her an engagement ring that wasnt mine. Oh yes, being a beggar had its benefits. It was so exciting to see how God provided for me. But in hindsight, I realized that being a beggar had two big problems: Problem 1: Beggars dont grow much. Problem 2: Beggars dont give much.
All they had to do was wait for food to fall from the sky. In other words, they didnt grow in their farming skills, their marketing skills, their teamwork skills, their management skills They never learned how to save, how to invest, how to multiply their resources And more importantly, they also missed out in growing in their charactertheir perseverance, their patience, their ability to do hard work For example, when I had a beggar mindset, I had zero financial literacy. I knew nothing about money management. I knew nothing about savings, investments, or entrepreneurship. But begging has another problem
I remember meeting a friend, a preacher like myself. He asked me one day, Bo, does your car run on faith too? I asked, What do you mean? He told me his story. Usually, I dont have money to buy gas. So every morning, I look at my gas gauge. If I see it pointing to E, I put my hand on the dashboard, close my eyes, and pray. I say, Lord, I now claim in faith that E stands for Enough! And you know what Bo? I drive and arrive at my destination. And in that place, someone will give me money to buy gas He then asked me, Does your car run on faith too?
I said, Yes. Once upon a time, I used to do that too. Id drive into a gasoline station and ask the boy to put in P20 worth of gasoline. But today, God has blessed my small businesses. Now, when I go to the gasoline station, I say, Full Tank please.
God has given me seeds. Ive grown those seeds. Dont just be a Beggar. Learn to be a Farmer.
2. Farmer Mindset
When the Israelites finally left the Desert and entered the Promised Land, the Bible says that the manna stopped falling. The manna stopped falling then, and the Israelites no longer had any. From that time on they ate food grown in Canaan. (Joshua 5:12) Why? Because they can now plant in Gods fertile land. So from beggars, they become farmers. In other words, they just dont receive their blessings. They receive and grow their blessings. And when you grow your blessings, you grow you. You grow in your skills and character. There are 4 Steps In Farming. 1.) Plow 2.) Plant 3.) Persevere 4.) Produce Each step is crucial to having abundance in your life. Beggars want to jump to Step 4. They want to produce and harvest right away. But Steps 1 to 3 are crucial to growing you. Let me share one last tiny story. Twice in my life, I received a cargratis et amore. Without cost, it came in a silver platter. Each time, they were extremely happy moments.
But last month, I bought myself a brand new car with my own moneyearned from my small businesses. And I was equally happy. But it was a different kind of happiness. When I received my car for free, it was the happiness of grace. When I bought my car last month from the sweat of my brow, it was the happiness of growth. Why? The car wasnt just a car. It represented my growth as an entrepreneur. It felt very good.
Lord Disturb Me
I have an announcement to make: Youre a hero. I can hear objections. No Bo! Im not a hero. I understand your objection. Tell me. What is the one thing that is common among Lapu-lapu, Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, and Ninoy Aquino? Answer: All of them are dead. But if my best friend comes to me and says, Bo, I want to be your hero. I want to die for you! Ill tell him, Can you just live for me instead? I want you to be with me! I need living heroes more than dead heroes. I repeat: Youre a hero. Why do I say that? Because at different moments in your life, you cared for someone more than you cared for yourself. My mother is a hero. Today, I poke fun at her strange ways. When were at a restaurant, shell forever read a Menu, not being able to choose her own food. Shell constantly look at the prices, unable to buy anything because everything looks expensive. Finally, she said, I think Ill pick this. Its cheap, pointing to an item thats P50. I groan. Mom, thats extra rice. Or how about this? She points to another item thats P40. I shake my head. Thats extra gravy. Why is she so thrifty? Because all her life, she had to be thrifty. For the longest time, there was very little money in her hand. And her six children had to be fed, clothed, and sent to school.
While I was growing up, I dont remember my mother buying anything for herself. It was always for her kids. No doubt about it. My mother is a hero. My wife is a hero too. Some of you know this fact already. My wife teaches our kids at home. One night, after a severely tiring day, she talked to me. Our kids are wonderful kids. But there are days when they dont act so wonderful. And it was one of those days. With tears in her eyes, she asked me, Can you tell me again why Im doing this? Why am I teaching the kids at home? Why am I not just sending them to school like everyone else? I said, Because once upon a time, you decided that this was the best for our kids. Because you care for them more than you care for yourself. No doubt about it, my wife is a hero. Im Surrounded By Heroes Each week, I lead a large prayer meeting called the Feast. Do you know why our weekly Feast runs smoothly in PICC? Because we have 600 heroes who volunteer at the Feast. (Why so many? 5000+ people attend the Feast.) Without those 600 heroes, this Feast wont happen. 600 ushers, greeters, singers, teachers, intercessors, lay ministers, and more They spend their own money to dress up in their uniforms, come here earlier than everyone else, and go home later than everyone else. And they dont get paid. Our volunteers are happy people. Because they care for others more than they care for themselves. Heres my message: God made you to be a hero. Why does He want you to be a hero? Because He knows that the only way for you to become authentically happy is to become a hero. Theres no other path to happiness!
Unless you care for someone else more than you care for yourself, therell be emptiness in your life. At the end of this series, my goal for you is that you become more available to Gods assignment for your life. Just like Nehemiah
God wants to use you. God wants you to somebodys hero. If you want to become a hero, you need to allow God to disturb you. Specifically, you need to allow God to disturb 4 important things in your life.
Here are the 4 steps on how to become a hero: Step 1: Disturb Your Asking Step 2: Disturb Your Associations Step 3: Disturb Your Affections Step 4: Disturb Your Actions Step One: Disturb Your Asking
We usually pray for our needs. Our problems. Our worries. Our fears. Nothing wrong with that. God wants you to do that. But if you want to become somebodys hero, you need to start praying other kinds of prayers. If you read the prayers of St. Paul in his letters, he rarely prayed for himself. 95% of the time, he prayed for others. Disturb how you pray! Heres my suggestion. Every morning, pray, God, help me to bless somebody today. Believe me, God will answer that prayer. One day, I was in a bookstore. All of a sudden, a lady came up to me and asked me, Are you Bo Sanchez? I said, Yes. And right in front of me, she started crying. She said, I read your blog this morning. And I was so touched. And I asked God, Lord, I want Bo to pray for me. And here you are!
I told her, God answered my prayer too. This morning, I prayed that I meet someone who I can bless today. And right in the middle of that busy bookstore, I laid my hands on her and prayed for her. When I opened my eyes, there was 2 other people in line, wanting to be prayed for. We were going to have a prayer meeting in that bookstore! Disturb your asking. Next
Let me say it again: You think youve got problems? Think again. You dont! When you expose yourself to suffering, you give room in your heart for God to give His assignment. Perhaps He wants you to do something about it.
2.Volunteer in Ministries
Go out of your small world. Volunteer. By serving in ministries, you serve people you dont know. People who wont be able to pay you back.
Where does our apathy come from? Why do we not go out and help? Because something in our brain tells us, Its none of my business. The same voice that spoke to Cain. Once upon a time, there were two brothers, Cain and Abel. Out of envy, Cain killed Abel. And when Cain was running away, God asked Cain, Where is your brother Abel? And Cain answered, Am I my Brothers Keeper? When Catherine was murdered, there were 38 people thinking like Cain. They were asking, Am I my Brothers Keeper? The story of Cain and Abel is found at the third chapter of Genesis, right at the start of the Bible. And its as though the entire Bible is answering that question with a resounding Yes! Friend, God is searching for heroes. Next Step 4: Disturb Your Actions A whole army of psychologists made numerous experiments to find out why those 38 people didnt help Catherine. After years of research, heres what they realized: Those people didnt help because they depended so much on what others were doing. Because no one was helping, the others didnt help too. We practice group-think so much more than we realize. If at least one of those 38 bystanders helped that girl, many of the others would have helped too. But that was the problem. Because no one dared, everyone didnt dare. Thats how most people make their decisions. Most people dont want to lead. Most people like to be safe and just follow. So here lies the importance of at least one person becoming a hero. Friend, can you be that one person?
Can you lead a movement of love? Tell someone beside you, Lead. Start Small Nothing dramatic, mind you. Act small. You dont need mutant powers to be a hero. You dont need to be bitten by a radioactive bug. You dont need to rescue the world from an alien invasion. One day, the husband told his wife, I will do anything for you. I will cross the Pacific Ocean for you! The wife said, Thats nice. But Id rather you carry the garbage from the kitchen to the backdoor every night. Perhaps you can give an encouraging word. Or you can smile at someone. Or you can invite someone for coffee and just listen. Or you can pat someone on the back. Every encounter is an opportunity to be a blessing for that person. God said to Abraham, I will bless you so you can be a blessing. This is the reason why He wants to bless us. So that we can be a blessing to others. This is the reason why He wants to give you a miracle. So that you can be somebodys miracle. Heres what I believe. If you wont share your blessings to others, you wont receive the maximum amount of blessings that God wants for your life. Everyday, God wants you to be a hero to somebody. And its not complicated. Just be kind. As a mother. As a sister. As a cashier. As a saleslady. As a teacher. As a manager. As a nurse.
Dont ever say, Its none of my business. We are indelibly intricately connected with each other. When our brother is in pain, we should be in pain too.
Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas Where storms will show your mastery; Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
ESFJ___Providers take it upon themselves to insure the health and welfare of those in their care, but they are also the most sociable of all the Guardians, and thus are the great nurturers of social institutions such as schools, churches, social clubs, and civic groups. Providers are very likely more than ten percent of the population, and this is fortunate for the rest of us, because friendly social service is a key to their nature. Wherever they go, Providers happily give their time and energy to make sure that the needs of others are met, and that social functions are a success. Highly cooperative themselves, Providers are skilled in maintaining teamwork among their helpers, and are also tireless in their attention to the details of furnishing goods and services. They make excellent chairpersons in charge of dances, banquets, class reunions, charity fundraisers, and the like. They are without peer as masters of ceremonies, able to speak publicly with ease and confidence. And they are outstanding hosts or hostesses, knowing everyone by name, and seemingly aware of what everyone's been doing. Providers love to entertain, and are always concerned about the needs of their guests, wanting to make sure that all are involved and provided for. Friendly, outgoing, neighborly - in a word, Providers are gregarious, so much so that they can become restless when isolated from people. They love to talk with others, and will often strike up a conversation with strangers and chat pleasantly about any topic that comes to mind. Friendships matter a great deal to Providers, and their conversations with friends often touch on good times from years past. Family traditions are also sacred to them, and they carefully observe birthdays and anniversaries. In addition, Providers show a delightful fascination with news of their friends and neighbors. If we wish to know what's been going on in the local community, school, or church, they're happy to fill us in on all the details. Providers are extremely sensitive to the feelings of others, which makes them perhaps the most sympathetic of all the types, but which also leaves them somewhat self-conscious, that is, highly sensitive to what others think of them. Loving and affectionate themselves, they need to be loved
in return. In fact, Providers can be crushed by personal criticism, and are happiest when given ample appreciation both for themselves personally and for the tireless service they give to others. ENFJ---Even more than the other Idealists, Teachers have a natural talent for leading students or trainees toward learning or as Idealists like to think of it, they are capable of calling forth each learner's potentials. Teachers (around two percent of the population) are able - effortlessly, it seems, and almost endlessly-to dream up fascinating learning activities for their students to engage in. In some Teachers, this ability to fire the imagination can amount to a kind of genius which other types find hard to emulate. But perhaps their greatest strength lies in their belief in their students. Teachers look for the best in their students, and communicate clearly that each one has untold potential, and this confidence can inspire their students to grow and develop more than they ever thought possible. In whatever field they choose, Teachers consider people their highest priority, and they instinctively communicate personal concern and a willingness to become involved. Warmly out going, and perhaps the most expressive of all the types, Teachers are remarkably good with language, especially when communicating in speech, face to face. And they do not hesitate to speak out and let their feelings be known. Bubbling with enthusiasm, Teachers will voice their passions with dramatic flourish, and can, with practice, become charismatic public speakers. This verbal ability gives Teachers a good deal of influence in groups, and they are often asked to take a leadership role. Teachers like things settled and organized, and will schedule their work hours and social engagements well ahead of time -- and they are absolutely trustworthy in honoring these commitments. Valuing as they do interpersonal cooperation and harmonious relations, Teachers are extraordinarily tolerant of others, are easy to get along with, and are usually popular wherever they are. Teachers are highly sensitive to others, which is to say their intuition tends to be well developed. Certainly their insight into themselves and others is unparalleled. Without a doubt, they know what is going on inside themselves, and they can read other people with uncanny accuracy. Teachers also identify with others quite easily, and will actually find themselves picking up the characteristics, emotions, and beliefs of those around them. Because they slip almost unconsciously into other people's skin in this way, Teachers feel closely connected with those around them, and thus show a sincere interest in the joys and problems of their employees, colleagues, students, clients, and loved ones.
Idealist women tend to be very romantic. They love to give and receive tokens of affection, such as an original poem, a hand carved box, or an item which reminds them of some shared experience. Men often appreciate their compassion and empathy along with their belief in others. When dating, they hope they'll get to know each other through deep conversation. Bethany is an Idealist Teacher (ENFJ). She was fairly popular in high school and had her pick of young men. Later, she continued to find it easy to find dates. Her real problem was that she just couldn't find what she was looking for. She joked that she was like Goldilocks. Bethany finally realized that she was
holding onto an ideal that no man could match. She began dating an old friend and discovered that a relationship doesn't have to be perfect to be satisfying and fulfilling.
Guardian women look for traditions to start or maintain. They are generally suckers for flowers, cards, chocolates, and the like. They are among the most likely to notice and appreciate signs of status unless these signs are flaunted, such as entrance into an exclusive club and being welcomed by name at a trendy restaurant. Men often appreciate Guardian women who lavishly pamper their partners. Sheryl is a Guardian Provider (ESFJ). In high school, she was fairly popular and had her pick of dates. Now married, she usually greets her husband while wearing one of his favorite outfits. Dinner is almost ready, and the house is immaculate. Thursday night is date night when they go out to eat. At times, Sheryl complains that her husband doesn't really appreciate her. She'd like for him to spontaneously bring home small reminders of his affection and pick up his own socks. The Helper (the Two) Helpers are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs. How to Get Along with Me
Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific. Share fun times with me. Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours. Let me know that I am important and special to you. Be gentle if you decide to criticize me. In Intimate Relationships
Reassure me that I am intersting to you. Reassure me often that you love me. Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.
being able to relate easily to people and to make friends knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better being generous, caring, and warm being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor
not being able to say no having low self-esteem feeling drained from overdoing for others
not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings
are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding are outwardly compliant are popular or try to be popular with other children act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Twos), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Twos)
Twos as Parents
are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't) are often playful with their children wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?" can become fiercely protective
The Peacemaker (the Nine) Peacemakers are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them. How to Get Along with Me
If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure. I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advatage of this. Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit. Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally. Ask me questions to help me get clear. Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery. Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings. I like a good discussion but not a confrontation. Let me know you like what I've done or said. Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life.
being nonjudgmental and accepting caring for and being concerned about others being able to relax and have a good time knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe
being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally being confused about what I really want caring too much about what others will think of me not being listened to or taken seriously
feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant tune out a lot, especially when others argue are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves
Nines as Parents
are supportive, kind, and warm are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective
God. But thats because our army of volunteers do the hard stuffpreparing, practicing, coming early, serving Gods people week after week after week Heres my message: If you want to succeed, youve got to do the hard stuff. Im not discounting Gods power. In fact, Im counting on it. Without God, we wont succeed. But from experience, Gods power works through our commitment.
In a miniscule way, I can relate. When I went to Bangkok, I walked into a cage with a real live, gigantic Siberian Tiger. (Oh, the crazy things we do to get a photo to post on facebook!) Yes, there was a chain around his neck, held firmly by his trainer, and the big cat probably took a couple of sleeping pills. But it was still scary. But Daniel was thrown to a pit with hungry lions. (Plural.) Perhaps there were 10 ferocious beasts that hadnt eaten for a week. But God rescued Daniel. He turned those lions into kittens. He shut their mouths. All of a sudden, they werent hungry. I dont know what Daniel did. Daniel was vegetarian so he probably lectured them on vegetarianism. (That never worked because after a few hours, the lions ate his enemies.) And Daniel was saved. The point? I believe that God honors those who are committed to Him. Today, you may feel as though youre in a pit with huge, hungry lions around you. Youre surrounded by big problems that are ready to eat you alive. You feel you have no hope. But friend, God honors your commitment to Him. God will shut the mouths of lions. God will rescue you. God will see you through. God will deliver you. Youll overcome. Youll win. Remain committed to Him. And youll witness how God will honor your commitment.
Be committed to your dreams. Every success in the world happens because of commitment. Henry Ford is known as one of the richest men in history. But five times in his life, the man failed in business and became totally bankrupt. But Henry Ford didnt stop. He kept doing the hard stuff. Finally, he built the Ford Motor companynow the second biggest carmaker in America. What made Henry Ford succeed? Commitment. Rowland Macy failed in 7 businesses. Can you imagine how depressing that was? But he had commitment. He didnt stop. Finally, he built a store named Macys in New York. The rest is history. Macys is now the largest department store in the world. It has 800 giant stores in America. What made Rowland Macy build his store after failing 7 times? Commitment. Col. Sanders was rejected 1009 times by restaurants who didnt like his fried chicken recipe. He later built KFC, which has 20,000 restaurants all over the world. What made Col. Sanders go knocking on the doors of 1009 restaurants, selling his fried chicken recipe? Commitment. Stephen King submitted his book manuscripts to 30 publishers. All rejected his book. He was so discouraged, he threw away the manuscript in the trashcan. But his wife picked it up and mailed it to another publisher. They accepted it. Today, Stephen King has written 49 books and has sold 350 million copies. What made Stephen King submit his manuscript to 30 publishers? And what made his wife pick up the manuscript from the trash to submit it to one more publisher? Commitment. Friend, its always commitment that will make you succeed. Heres another definition: Commitment is stickability amidst difficulty. What dreams in your life have not yet come true? Do you want to be wealthy? You need to be committed. You cant be wishywashy. You need to be committed to increasing your financial IQ; You need to be committed to living simply, discerning your wants vs. your needs; You need to be committed to investing a part of your income every month for the next 20 years. Do you want to be healthy? You need to be committed to eating fruits and veggies. You need to be committed to exercise. You need to be committed to avoiding useless stress.
Do you want a fantastic family? You need to be committed to spending time together. You need to be committed to communicating from the heart, expressing love in practical ways, and forgiving each other. Do you want to be successful in your spiritual life? Same thing. You need to be committed too.
For many people, God is like the fire extinguisher at the corner of their house. Hes only there for emergencies. When theres a fireor intense problems in their lifeGod becomes the goto guy. He suddenly becomes the most important person in their world. But when theres no fire, God is forgotten. He collects dust. Hes taken for granted.
Today, I invite you to commit to God. God isnt a fire extinguisher. God is water. He just doesnt put off fires. You need water everyday to drink, to bathe, to wash, to nourish the plants Be committed to God. Here are a couple suggestions:
Examples? Because Im a writer, I love writing my journal everyday and writing my thoughts to God. Thats how I pray. My other favorite way of praying is walking around my village and chatting with God, going over my day with Him. One of my friends loves music. He prays by listening to his iPod and singing worship songs. He swears by this way of praying. He simply loves it. My other friend is a quiet person. She loves sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour. In that beautiful silence, her soul is transported. She tells me that she meets God this way, and I dont doubt her. For 60+ years, my parents connected with God by going to Mass every morning. I dont know what your prayer language is. Commit yourself to connect with God daily using your prayer language. I also encourage you that you read Gods Word daily. Nourish your soul. My recommendation is to use a Bible guide, such as Didache, Companion, and Sabbath. I hear that the guy who publishes these devotionals is brilliant, handsome, but prone to delusions. (These are available in all major bookstores around the country. You may also order online at www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph)
Last week, I felt very encouraged. After the Feast, a woman came up to me and said, Bo, I cant thank you enough. Ever since Ive attended the Feast, you cant imagine the blessings Ive received. My family is stronger. My husband loves God. My kids are serving in ministry. Ive been promoted twice in my job. Youve changed our entire lives! I smiled, Im happy for you. But sorry, I didnt do that. You and God did all that. You were committed to come to the Feast. And God honored that commitment. She nodded her head. Bo, do you know that even if theres a storm, Im here. But its funny how my friend doesnt attend just because its drizzling I laughed. I know of someone who doesnt come to the Feast because the air is moist Heres the reality: If you dont want to come, youll find a reason not to come. But if you want to comeand receive Gods Blessingyoull find a reason to come. Be committed. Do the hard stuff.
Here are the 7 things you can do for these 7 people: 1. Pray for them daily Put the card in your wallet or handbag. Pull it out and pray for them everyday. This, by itself, is a huge blessing to them. 2. Serve their needs in practical ways Call them up. Visit them. Meet a need. Give a useful gift. Serve them in a small way. 3. Listen and respond with empathy Sometimes, the best gift we give to people is our presence and our acceptance. Dont speak first. Dont give advice first. Listen to them first, understand them first, and show empathy. 4. Share your experience of Gods Love You have a personal story to tell. Perhaps it was when God became real to you. Or when God answered your prayer. Inspire them. 5. Pray with them Invite the person to pray with you. Dont use big words to impress, such as, Thou art Almighty, transcendent beyond illumination Talk to God instead using the simplest words. Pray for the persons need. 6. Invite them to your spiritual gatherings Dont rush this. But at the right moment, when you feel the person is open to it, invite him to your spiritual events. Because you want to give the person a spiritual family that will help him grow in his faith. 7. Ask them to be a blessing to others too Invite him to pay it forward. Invite him to share Gods Love to others too. In the same way that you blessed him, tell him to bless others as well.
You may fail in your commitment to Him, but Hell never fail in His commitment to you. God isnt a fair-weathered friend. Hes here for the long haul. Hes here for keeps. Hell never give up on you. No matter what. But heres the truth: When were not committed, itll be very difficult for us to receive all His blessings. Well receive some blessings. But not all. Because many of His blessings only come to those who are committed.
Do It Afraid
Today, Id like to talk about courage. If you want to fulfill your dreams, youve got to have courage. Because what stands in between you and your dreams are your fears. Read carefully: Your fears can either be a Wall and a Way. For many people, fear is a Wall. When they smell fear, they run away. They give up their dreams. For some people, fear is a Way. Its a door to a whole new world of abundance and blessing. When they smell fear, they know that abundance is near. All they need to do is walk through the door of their fear.
Unless you do it afraid, youll never achieve any success. Perhaps youve failed in your business. Perhaps youve been rejected by people. Perhaps youve been booted out of your job. So right now, youre afraid of being rejected again. My word to you? Do it afraid. Trust God and go out and try again. And believe that God has something great in store for you. Are you single? Perhaps youve been hurt by a man before. Perhaps he used you, walked out on you, and chose someone else. Right now, youre afraid of being hurt all over again. My word to you? Do it afraid. Learn from your mistakes. But trust in God and open your heart to the new person that He will give you. Once upon a time, there was a woman who did it afraid
God says to you, Be determined and confident. Do not be afraid of them. (Deuteronomy 31:6)
In my preaching ministry, I had to do it afraid many times. The first time I had to talk to 10,000 people at the Araneta Coliseum, I was afraid.
I was 16 years old. While waiting for my name to be called, I was literally shaking in my knees. My heart was pounding in my chest so loudly, I wondered if the people beside me were hearing it. Uh, excuse me, those bongo drums youre hearing is just my heart beating. I was behind the big stage, awed at the massive audience around me. I didnt help that at 16, I looked like a malnourished refugee. I was so thin, if the fan blew in my direction, I had to hold on to something. I asked myself, What am I doing here? What was I thinking saying yes to give a talk to this humongous crowd? For crying out loud, Im 16 years old. I have nothing to tell them! But I remember what I told myself that day. I said, Im here to love them, not impress them. Let them laugh at me. Let them boo me off the stage. Its okay. Im here to love them. My name was called. I stepped on stage. I did it afraid and loved them. Before I knew it, my fear was gone. The secret to courage? Make your love bigger than your fear. Make your dream bigger than your fear. Make your God bigger than your fear. That wasnt the last time I did it afraid. There were many more occasions in my preaching ministry. The first time I spoke to an international audience (it was in Canada), I did it afraid. The first time I gave a talk to a roomful of Executives, I did it afraid. The first time I gave a talk to roomful of Judges, I did it afraid. (They looked so stern. And none of them were laughing at my jokes! It was like they were, uh, judging me.) The first time I gave a talk to a roomful of Bishops and Priests, I did it afraid. I asked myself, What did I know that they didnt know? Whatever Ill tell, they already studied about during their 4 years in Philo and 4 years in Theo! But each time, I stepped on stage and told myself, Yes, Im afraid. But Ill love them. Heres what I noticed. God expanded my ministry to the degree I was willing to do it afraid.
Its the same with all of life. Your life will only grow in direct proportion to your willingness to do it afraid. You cant even follow God if you wont do it afraid.
He said, Im a Catholic. The Boss said, Im Catholic too. But this is our job. Tom said, Im a renewed Catholic. I cant go against my faith. Mark my words, he told Tom sternly, Youll lose your job. Tom said, Watch how God will work. The next day, Tom gave Kerygmamagazine to the Doctors. The next day, DidacheBible Guide. The next day, Companion Bible Journal. He also worked doubly hard. Result? In three months, Tom became the top-selling, top-performing Med Rep in the entire region.
It was the first time I was going to travel, and I was going to travel all by myself for 41 days, visiting 20 cities all over Europe. Obviously, as a 16 years old backpacker, I was scared and excited at the same time. My mother sewed a hidden pouch on my socks and inserted my dollars there. Because they were very few. Her instructions to me, Dont stay in hotels, stay in convents. Dont eat in restaurants, buy your food and eat on park benches. My first stopover was Athens, Greece. I sat in the airport, waiting for my flight to Israel, when a somewhat plumpish woman (okay, really plumpish woman) came walking towards me carrying two huge suitcases. I ran to help out. I said, Madame, can I help carry your things? She didnt understand a word I said. I knew a little Spanish, so I asked, Puedo llevar tus cosas? She also didnt understand. Being charismatic, I was tempted to speak in tongues. But decided against it. Instead, I used the universal language. I held up my hands as though I was carrying two suitcases. Immediately, she understood. She handed me her suitcases, thinking perhaps I was a porter. I then moved my hand like it were a plane, made the whoooo sound, and said, Jerusalem. Her face lit up. She did the hand action of a plane, the whoooo sound of a plane, and said, Jerusalem! We were going to the same place. We walked to the airline counter. I gave my ticket and the kindly gentleman gave me my boarding pass. I was ready to fly. It was the womans turn. She handed her ticket with a smile. The man read her ticket, shook his head, and said, Im sorry Maam, this is an invalid ticket. You cant ride this plane.
They had to get a translator, what language I have no idea, to tell her that she had to buy a new ticket if she wanted to fly. Tearfully, she told them that she had no money. And that this was a stop over for her too, so she was stranded. The man behind the counter raised their hands in surrender, telling her they couldnt do anything about it. She picked up her suitcases from me. She walked to a corner of the airport, sat down, and wept loudly. I watched her from the distance. How could I leave her like this? But what could a 16 year old kid do? So I prayed, Lord, what do you want me to do? I learned that was a very dangerous question to ask. Dont take it flippantly. Because in my heart, I felt God tell me, Buy her a ticket. It was absolutely nuts! Didnt He know that my dollars was in my socks? I walked up to the counter guy and asked, How much is a ticket to Israel? He said, $256. Gulp. But I knew in my heart that I had to do it.
A Miracle Happens
I walked up to the weeping lady. Through sign language, I told her I was going to buy her a ticket. (I tapped my back pocket and did my plane hand action again.) She understood me immediately. She literally jumped for joy and hugged me. I disappeared in her embrace. Gently, I brought her down. I checked for broken bones and found none. We both walked to the counter. Sir, I announced, Im buying a plane ticket for this lady. The man gasped. He asked, Do you know her? No, I dont. I just met her here. He shook his head. Are you rich?
I smiled. No. But my Father is rich! He didnt want to sell me a ticket. He called his big boss. In a few minutes, the man marched in and they both argued our situation. Finally, when our flight was about to go, I thought I heard the big boss sighed in exasperation and said, Okay. Let the lady fly. But dont let this stupid guy pay! I couldnt believe it. They were letting her have a free ride. My dollars remained safely in my socks. Both of us boarded the plane. We even sat beside each other and prayed together. I was sixteen when this happened. All through my life, there have been many times when I did it afraid. I believe its the secret to all of my breakthroughs. My friend, do it afraid. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Your thinking is so important, because whoever wins in the battlefield of your mind will win in the battlefield of your life The Bible says, For as he thinks in his heart, so is he
Quantum Physics says everything is energy. The ground that youre standing on, the chair youre sitting on, the sky above, even your human bodyall these are really bundles of vibrating energy. A solid brick wallin its subatomic levelisnt solid at all, but largely empty space filled with energy. And heres the shocking part. Quantum physics says thoughts are also energy. Scientists say theres really no big difference between a thing and a thought. In one very real sense, thoughts are things. Thats why thoughts are powerful. Today, Ill talk about how your thoughts create your reality; How your thoughts create your destiny. Heres the truth: Youre a product of your thoughts. You are who you are because of the thoughts youve allowed to fill your mind. If you transform your thoughts, you transform your life.
A Shocking Story
Let me tell you a true story. Many years ago, after giving a talk, a Filipina and an American walked up to me. Ill call them David and Bathsheba. (In a minute, youll know why I chose these fictional names.) They acted like they were a couple. But there was something odd about them. Not only because David was American and Bathsheba was Filipina. It was also because David was tall, handsome, and young. (More or less like a writer I know. Ahem.)
But Bathsheba was not so tall, not so young, and not so beautiful. And believe me, Im being very kind when I describe her in this way. If I wasnt kind, then Id describe her as really short, really old, and really ugly. But I wont say that. (Although I already did. But imagine I didnt.) As I looked at them, I was guessing the guy was 26, at most 28, and the woman was 42. Bathsheba was the first to speak. She said, Brother Bo, I love your talk on Gods Love. I can identify. Can I share our story with you? You can imagine I was all ears. We sat down and she started talking. Bathsheeba said, I was a prostitute in Olongapo. I was a prostitute for 20 years. I have two kids from two different fathers. Prostitution was the only way I knew to feed my children. But I was so tired of what I was doing, one day, while I was at home, I knelt down. I prayed, Lord, Im going to ask something that seems impossible. Im ugly. Im a prostitute. Ive got two kids from two different fathers. But I need you to rescue me. Please give me a husband. And if possible, give me an American I wanted to tell her, Lady, youve got guts. Can I continue the story, Sweetheart? David interrupted. Of course, Darling, Bathsheba smiled. At that exact time, David said, I was walking on the street when I noticed a house with an open door. I looked through the doorway, and I saw this woman kneeling down, crying. As I looked at her, I began to cry too. I didnt know why I was crying. I walked through the door. And I noticed, Brother Bo, that the woman was very beautiful I wanted to say, Are we talking of uh, her? Or did your tears, uh you know, block your vision? Obviously, I didnt say that. I just nodded my head, realizing once again there are certain mysteries in the world that we cannot solve. The Bermuda Triangle. The Prophecies of Nostradamus. And why David calls this woman beautiful.
David went on. I introduced myself. We started talking, we started dating, and 6 months later, we got married! Miracles happen, I said. Tomorrow, Bathsheba said, were all going to the States. Hell be introducing me to his parents. I wanted to say, God have mercy on you. My goodness, those parents will need extra-strength grace!
Davids father didnt admire him. His brothers thought he was a pest. But thats because they were looking at him thinking their thoughts. They werent thinking Gods thoughts. Today, people around you may overlook you. People around you may take you for granted. And if people notice you, they only notice if youve done wrong. How youve failed. How youve messed up. How you fell flat on your face. But God thinks about you differently. He doesnt major in your mess. He majors in your magnificence. He doesnt focus on your fumbles, He focuses on your fabulousness. Read the Bible and you see this exact thing happening again and again. God called Gideon a mighty man of valor when he was a coward hiding from his enemies. God called Peter the Rock at a time when Peter was a stumbling, lying, denying fisherman. And God called David King when he was but a boy smelling of sheep poop. Why? Because while youre still wrestling with your history, God is already talking about your destiny. While your thoughts are still mired in the quicksand of your past, Gods thoughts are already constructing your future.
Think about it. God pre-selected your sperm cell. Your sperm cell out-swam the millions of other sperm cells to connect to the egg cell. At the very moment of your conception, you already won. Youre a champion! This ordination, this Divine pre-selection isnt based on the good that youve done, on whether youve been faithful in your prayer time, or whether youve been doing your Bible reading, or whether youve been going to Mass, or whether youve been a good boy or a good girl. Because before you were in the womb of your mother, you werent praying yet. You werent doing any good yet. And yet God already saw something good in you. The Bible says, Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations. God spoke that to Jeremiah but I believe He says the same words to you. Today, God will re-introduce you to who you really are. He will lift the curtain, the veil that separates you and who you really are deep in your soul. People around you will say, Thats not you. Ive seen you before. Youre weak. Youre a failure. Youre a nobody. Youre a wimp. Youre a jerk. Youre a coward. Youre a liar. Youre a hot head Youve got to tell them, Yes, that was me. But let me introduce you to the new me. Your definition of me is based on past information. My definition of me is based on Gods thoughts about who I really am And if you think Gods thoughts, something else will change
shoes. Youre so much bigger! And Bo, youll have more of those tiny problems. Theyre so small, just flick them This wasnt a nice friendly counseling session. He was my Mentor and he had my permission to be brutal with me. His words changed me. That night, I slept like a babe. Because he made me realize I was a giant! Why be bothered by tiny problems? And soon enough, those problems that I thought were gigantic blew away like mist. I troubled myself for nothing. Heres what I learned. The reason why we think our problems are big is because we think were small. But when we change the way we think about ourselves, we change how we think about our problems too. And remember: To God, all your problems are small. The Bible says, Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning And finally, when you think Gods thoughts, you also change one last thing
But believe that each day, God walks into the open door of your life and says youre future is beautiful. He will change everything. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. Just keep that door open. Just never give up. Think Gods thoughts. And youll never be the same again. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
But its not the quantity of words thats important. Its the quality of the words thats important. The quality of your words will determine the quality of your lifeincluding the life of the people around you. Do your words bless or curse? Do your words heal or cause disease? Do your words give life or give death? Do your words nourish or poison? Do your words lift up or lower down? Do your words encourage or discourage? Be careful with your words
3 Kinds Of Bread
You know this alreadyGods Word is like bread. It always nourishes. (Matthew 4:4) But heres something you may not know: God designed your words to also become nourishing bread. But in reality, our words arent always nourishing. In fact, I compare our words to three kinds of bread: wheat bread, white bread, and waste bread. Wheat Bread has all the nourishment intact. It has vitamin B6, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid And fiber. (Thats why its chewy.) Fiber prevents heart attacks and sweeps your intestines clean. White Bread tastes nice and soft and delicious. But it doesnt nourish. It doesnt make you healthy. Because white bread is made of white flour, and its stripped from all vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Waste Bread is bread that is stale. Its already covered with mold and bacteria. It can actually poison you and make you sick. Our words can be like one of these three kinds of bread. Let me explain
1. Wheat Bread
God wants your words to be like Wheat Bread. They nourish you and they nourish others. The bible says that what we say should be good and helpful and encouraging (Ephesians 4:29). If its not good and helpful and encourage, dont say it. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24) One day, I was going through a crisis. Correction. I was going through a transformational experience. It was a time when both my ministries and businesses were going through a tough time. I felt beaten. Defeated. Worn out. I exhausted physically and emotionally. Right after the Feast, a woman came up to me. And she said, Bo, you dont know how you changed my life. Spiritually. Emotionally. Financially. Thank you so much Ive heard those lines before. Many times. But at that particular time, when I felt discouraged, those words healed me. But lets admit it. Many times, our words dont encourage at all
2. White Bread
Many of our words are like White Bread. We speak without purpose. We speak without love. They dont discourage, but they dont encourage too. We speak uselessly. Jesus says, You can be sure that on the Judgment Day you will have to give account of every useless word you have ever spoken. (Matthew 12:36) What is the Bible saying? Dont waste your words. If you have an opportunity to encourage, to inspire, to lift up, and to coach someonedo so. Because people are hungry for nourishment, wisdom, and love. Dont waste your time by speaking empty words. And whats the worst kind of bread of all?
3. Waste Bread
Like Waste Bread, your words can poison. Your mouth is a deadly weapon. Your words can destroy your children and their future. Your words can destroy your families and your friendships. Your words can destroy your world. One day, I was talking to a young man who was messed up. He didnt finish school, he didnt have a job, he was taking drugs. In other words, he was really lost. And then we began talking about his father. That was when his face began to grimace in pain. He said, Brother Bo, Im 23 years old. In all those years, Ive never heard my father say nice things to me. Not once did he say he was happy with me. Everytime he talked to me, it was always to tell me I was wrong. And he kept telling me, Im ashamed that youre my son! Youll never amount to anything! Words killed his future. Because words can be poisonous. Everytime you open your mouth, you can choose: You can cure or you can curse. Its up to you. Let me tell you a true story. There were two altar boys who lived in two different cities serving in two different churches, but both of them wanted to become priests. And both of them had the exact same experience. One altar boy was late for Mass. Because he was in a hurry to do everything he needed to do, he accidentally hit the chalice that contained the wine. After the Mass, the priest called the boy and shouted, Get out of here! Youll never serve as an altar boy! At another church, the other altar boy was also late for Mass. And he too hit the chalice that contained the wine, pouring it onto the red carpet. After the Mass, the priestwho happened to be a Bishopcalled the altar boy and said, Hey,
everybody makes mistakes. Im clumsy too. So you know what? Maybe youll become a priest too and he chuckled. 30 years later, that altar boys became Archbishop Fulton Sheen, one of the most loved religious leaders in America. The other altar boy? He became Joseph Tito, the ruthless dictator of Yugoslavia, and an atheist. Words are powerful. They can heal. They can bless. They can encourage. Or they can also curse. They can destroy. Let me give you four examples.
Complement Or Complain
Admit it. Every child is part monster and part angel. What part will win? It depends on what part you pour attention to Behavior is the plant. Attention is the water. If you tell your son a thousand times, Youre a monster! Youre so disobedient! youre pouring attention into the monster part. And that monster part will grow, pushing out the angel partuntil your child becomes all monster. Instead of complaining, do the opposite: Complement! It sounds nuts. But try it out. For many parents, their preoccupation is to catch their kids doing wrong. Change that. Be preoccupied catching your kids doing good. If he cares for his baby brother, Son, I love the way you take care of your younger brother; Im so proud youre my son; If you find him happy in your family meals, then tell him, Thanks for enjoying our time together as a family; it warms my heart that youve grown up to be a loving boy.; Words like these will change your son. Remember, your words can bring out the best or the worst in others.
It depends on what words you choose. Why? People will treat you the way you treat them. If you keep complaining about their bad behavior, youll get more of that bad behavior. If you complement them about their good behavior, youll get more of that good behavior. Thats just how life works. Heres the principle: Your words create your world. Which brings me to my second example
Correct Or Criticize
Dont get me wrong. You should correct. Thats part of love. You just need to know how to do it. You can correct to love or you can criticize to shame. Love is both the motive and manner of your correction. And always correct within the context of a deep relationship of trust. Dont correct someone when the relationship isnt strong. But sometimes, we go to the other extreme. Even within a close relationship, we dont correct. Because we want to be popular instead of loving. Its true: Like Wheat Bread, correction is difficult to chew. Its not as easy to eat as Wheat Bread. But thats why you have to do it, because its nutritious. Heres a third example
Refresh Or Ridicule
When I was a kid, I was never good in Sports. So I dreaded Physical Education. Whenever I had P.E. class in the afternoon, Id already be wishing Id get sick that day. So that Id have an excuse not to attend P.E. Because almost every class, kids would ridicule me. It didnt matter if it was basketball or volleyball or soccer. I was a klutz.
I couldnt seem to hit or catch the ball. I couldnt understand why I was so uncoordinated. When I was 9-years old, my P.E. was baseball. And I was even more terrified. True enough, at practice, I couldnt catch the balleven if I had that oversized glove. I was so bad at catching, the Teacher assigned me to the farthest spot in the field. And with his booming voice, he told everyone, Try to hit your ball towards that kid over there, pointing to me. Because he wont catch the ball, and youll get a home run! He laughed loudly, slapping his knee many times. And all the kids laughed with him. I pretended to laugh too. But my little heart was crying inside. For the next 15 years, I never joined any sport. When my teacher ridiculed me, something broke within me. Because my Teacher was a person of authority. In my mind, I told myself, He must know what hes talking about. Hes my teacher. He says Im worthless. Im the most worthless kid in the universe. Be careful with ridicule. Be careful with negative humor. Heres my realization: Nothing hurts more than words. The Bible says, The words of the reckless pierce like swords. (Proverbs 12:18) If you punch someone really hard on the jaw, the swelling subsides after some days. If you cut someone with a knife, the cut heals after some weeks. But if you say something deeply hurting, the damage can remain for the rest of your life. Society values humor so much, for the sake of making people laugh, we ridicule other people. (I believe negative humor and poking fun at others has a placebetween very close friends.) But I realize that nothing can be more hurting than humiliation. I wish kids would come with a big sign that says, FragileHandle With Care. So that we wont be careless with our words. Dont ridicule. Dont shame people.
Gossip
When you want to gossip, bite your tongue. It will hurt you, but it wont hurt your friends. Someone asked me, But Im not spreading gossip. Im spreading truth. She really is selfish and rude! But even if youre right, dont do it. People are cruelest when they know they are right. There are people who enjoy pointing out the mistakes of others. Its almost a hobby. It has become second nature. They love sitting down in judgment and telling the world about peoples weaknesses. Hes a good speaker, but hes full of air. Shays pretty but not very bright. My boss is a total jerk. Barry looks like a retard. Are you going to say something nasty? Just stop. And if someone is about to tell you something nasty about someone else, excuse yourself. You can say, I dont want to color my opinion towards that person. If you have no choice but to listen, tell yourself, Im not going to believe this one-sided story. Ill suspend judgment and give the other the benefit of the doubt. Instead of gossiping about the garbage, gossip about the good. Spread the good qualities of the people around you!
So far, Ive been talking about your conversations with others. But remember, the most important conversation youll ever have in your life is the conversation you have with yourself. What you say to yourself matters, because your words are prophetic. Because life is like a restaurant. And the universe is like a waiter, with pen and paper in hand, waiting for your order. What you constantly say, that waiter will deliver to you on a silver platter. I know many people who curse themselves with their words. I know people who put themselves down. They belittle themselves. They shame themselves. Ive heard people say, I cant do it, and Im no good, and Ill never be successful. They dont understand that theyre words are prophetic. Theyre creating their world by their words. Ive heard poor people say, Im poor, and I have no money, many times a day. Their words make their experience permanent. Make a decision today to bless yourself with your words. Complement yourself. Say good things about yourself! Many times a day, announce to the world, Im blessed. Im anointed. Im favored. Im a champion. Im amazing. Im a wonderful person. Im rich in every possible way. Im the beloved of God This truth applies when you speak to others too. Because youre the first listener. If you speak encouraging words to somebody, before you encourage that person, youre actually encouraging yourself. But if you speak discouraging words to somebody, before you discourage that person, youre actually discouraging yourself. Speaking is like holding a knife without a handle. If the knife is sharp, it wounds you first before it wounds others. Let me repeat: The quality of your words will change the quality of your life.
Speak Gods words and change your world! May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
We call our prayer meeting a Feast. Three years ago, there was one Feast. Today, there are 29 Feasts in 21 locations in Metro Manila and suburbs. (Many more around the world.) We make it easy for people to find God. But thats because our army of volunteers do the hard stuffpreparing, practicing, coming early, serving Gods people week after week after week Heres my message: If you want to succeed, youve got to do the hard stuff. Im not discounting Gods power. In fact, Im counting on it. Without God, we wont succeed. But from experience, Gods power works through our commitment.
But when that crazy law was made, praying became hard. But Daniel kept doing the hard stuff. That was commitment. And Daniel was thrown into a lions den. In a miniscule way, I can relate. When I went to Bangkok, I walked into a cage with a real live, gigantic Siberian Tiger. (Oh, the crazy things we do to get a photo to post on facebook!) Yes, there was a chain around his neck, held firmly by his trainer, and the big cat probably took a couple of sleeping pills. But it was still scary. But Daniel was thrown to a pit with hungry lions. (Plural.) Perhaps there were 10 ferocious beasts that hadnt eaten for a week. But God rescued Daniel. He turned those lions into kittens. He shut their mouths. All of a sudden, they werent hungry. I dont know what Daniel did. Daniel was vegetarian so he probably lectured them on vegetarianism. (That never worked because after a few hours, the lions ate his enemies.) And Daniel was saved. The point? I believe that God honors those who are committed to Him. Today, you may feel as though youre in a pit with huge, hungry lions around you. Youre surrounded by big problems that are ready to eat you alive. You feel you have no hope. But friend, God honors your commitment to Him. God will shut the mouths of lions. God will rescue you. God will see you through. God will deliver you. Youll overcome. Youll win. Remain committed to Him. And youll witness how God will honor your commitment.
Mind you, without the sails, the wind can still push the boat. But itll be very slow. Its your commitment that uses the power of God to do great things. God cannot fully use a person who isnt committed. Do you want to do great things? Be committed to your dreams. Every success in the world happens because of commitment. Henry Ford is known as one of the richest men in history. But five times in his life, the man failed in business and became totally bankrupt. But Henry Ford didnt stop. He kept doing the hard stuff. Finally, he built the Ford Motor companynow the second biggest carmaker in America. What made Henry Ford succeed? Commitment. Rowland Macy failed in 7 businesses. Can you imagine how depressing that was? But he had commitment. He didnt stop. Finally, he built a store named Macys in New York. The rest is history. Macys is now the largest department store in the world. It has 800 giant stores in America. What made Rowland Macy build his store after failing 7 times? Commitment. Col. Sanders was rejected 1009 times by restaurants who didnt like his fried chicken recipe. He later built KFC, which has 20,000 restaurants all over the world. What made Col. Sanders go knocking on the doors of 1009 restaurants, selling his fried chicken recipe? Commitment. Stephen King submitted his book manuscripts to 30 publishers. All rejected his book. He was so discouraged, he threw away the manuscript in the trashcan. But his wife picked it up and mailed it to another publisher. They accepted it. Today, Stephen King has written 49 books and has sold 350 million copies. What made Stephen King submit his manuscript to 30 publishers? And what made his wife pick up the manuscript from the trash to submit it to one more publisher? Commitment. Friend, its always commitment that will make you succeed. Heres another definition: Commitment is stickability amidst difficulty. What dreams in your life have not yet come true? Do you want to be wealthy? You need to be committed. You cant be wishywashy. You need to be committed to increasing your financial IQ; You need to be
committed to living simply, discerning your wants vs. your needs; You need to be committed to investing a part of your income every month for the next 20 years. Do you want to be healthy? You need to be committed to eating fruits and veggies. You need to be committed to exercise. You need to be committed to avoiding useless stress. Do you want a fantastic family? You need to be committed to spending time together. You need to be committed to communicating from the heart, expressing love in practical ways, and forgiving each other. Do you want to be successful in your spiritual life? Same thing. You need to be committed too.
For many people, God is like the fire extinguisher at the corner of their house. Hes only there for emergencies.
When theres a fireor intense problems in their lifeGod becomes the goto guy. He suddenly becomes the most important person in their world. But when theres no fire, God is forgotten. He collects dust. Hes taken for granted. Today, I invite you to commit to God. God isnt a fire extinguisher. God is water. He just doesnt put off fires. You need water everyday to drink, to bathe, to wash, to nourish the plants Be committed to God. Here are a couple suggestions:
If someone tells you that theres only one acceptable way of connecting to God, dont believe him. Im convinced God has given you a unique prayer language based on your God-given design. It includes your personality, your preferences, your passions Examples? Because Im a writer, I love writing my journal everyday and writing my thoughts to God. Thats how I pray. My other favorite way of praying is walking around my village and chatting with God, going over my day with Him. One of my friends loves music. He prays by listening to his iPod and singing worship songs. He swears by this way of praying. He simply loves it. My other friend is a quiet person. She loves sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour. In that beautiful silence, her soul is transported. She tells me that she meets God this way, and I dont doubt her. For 60+ years, my parents connected with God by going to Mass every morning. I dont know what your prayer language is. Commit yourself to connect with God daily using your prayer language. I also encourage you that you read Gods Word daily. Nourish your soul. My recommendation is to use a Bible guide, such as Didache, Companion, and Sabbath. I hear that the guy who publishes these devotionals is brilliant, handsome, but prone to delusions. (These are available in all major bookstores around the country. You may also order online at www.shepherdsvoice.com.ph)
For over 30 years now, Ive been part of a Catholic spiritual family called Light of Jesus. Its been my lifesaver. I meet with my friends each week for Worship and Word. Last week, I felt very encouraged. After the Feast, a woman came up to me and said, Bo, I cant thank you enough. Ever since Ive attended the Feast, you cant imagine the blessings Ive received. My family is stronger. My husband loves God. My kids are serving in ministry. Ive been promoted twice in my job. Youve changed our entire lives! I smiled, Im happy for you. But sorry, I didnt do that. You and God did all that. You were committed to come to the Feast. And God honored that commitment. She nodded her head. Bo, do you know that even if theres a storm, Im here. But its funny how my friend doesnt attend just because its drizzling I laughed. I know of someone who doesnt come to the Feast because the air is moist Heres the reality: If you dont want to come, youll find a reason not to come. But if you want to comeand receive Gods Blessingyoull find a reason to come. Be committed. Do the hard stuff.
But you have other God-assignments that arent part of your family. Officemates. Business associates. Gym-mates. Former classmates. Facebook friends. Heres my recommendation: In a small card, write down the names of 7 people whom you believe you can bless and bring closer to God. Here are the 7 things you can do for these 7 people: 1. Pray for them daily Put the card in your wallet or handbag. Pull it out and pray for them everyday. This, by itself, is a huge blessing to them. 2. Serve their needs in practical ways Call them up. Visit them. Meet a need. Give a useful gift. Serve them in a small way. 3. Listen and respond with empathy Sometimes, the best gift we give to people is our presence and our acceptance. Dont speak first. Dont give advice first. Listen to them first, understand them first, and show empathy. 4. Share your experience of Gods Love You have a personal story to tell. Perhaps it was when God became real to you. Or when God answered your prayer. Inspire them. 5. Pray with them Invite the person to pray with you. Dont use big words to impress, such as, Thou art Almighty, transcendent beyond illumination Talk to God instead using the simplest words. Pray for the persons need. 6. Invite them to your spiritual gatherings Dont rush this. But at the right moment, when you feel the person is open to it, invite him to your spiritual events. Because you want to give the person a spiritual family that will help him grow in his faith. 7. Ask them to be a blessing to others too Invite him to pay it forward. Invite him to share Gods Love to others too. In the same way that you blessed him, tell him to bless others as well.
Bo Sanchez
Loving Someone by Mitsui Sometimes, in our relentless efforts to find the person we love we fail to recognize and appreciate the people who love us. We miss out on so many Beautiful things and simply because we allow ourselves to be enslaved by our own selfish concerns. Go for the man of deeds and not for the man of words for you will find rewarding happiness not with the man you love but the man who loves you more. The best lovers are those who are capable of loving from a distance, far enough to allow the other person to grow, but never too far to feel the love deep within your being. to let go of someone doesn't mean you have to stop loving, it only means that you allow that person to find his own HAPPINESS without expecting him/her to come back. Letting go is not just setting the other person free, but it is also setting yourself free from all fears, bitterness, hatred, and anger that you keep in your heart. Do not let the bitterness pare away your strength and weaken your faith, and never allow pain to dishearten you, but rather let you grow with wisdom in bearing it. You may have found peace in just loving someone from a distance not expecting anything in return. But be careful, for this can sustain life but can never give enough room for us to grow. We can all survive with just beautiful memories of the past but real peace and happiness come only with open acceptance of what reality is today. There comes a time in our lives when we chance upon someone so nice and we just find ourselves getting so intensely attracted to that person. This feeling soon become a part of our everyday lives and eventually consumes our thoughts and actions. The sad part of it is when we begin to realize that this person feels nothing more for us than just friendship, or the feelings he might have for u is just too far from how you love him. We start our desperate attempt to get noticed and be closer but in the end our efforts are still unrewarded and we end up being sorry for ourselves. You don't have to be bitter on love. What you need to learn is how to accept the verdict of reality without being bitter or sorry for yourself. Believe me, you would be better off giving that dedication and love to someone more deserving. Don't let your heart run your life, be sensible and let your mind speak for itself. Listen not only to your feelings but to reason as well. Always remember that if you lose someone today, it means that someone better is coming tomorrow: If you lose love that doesn't mean that you failed in love. Cry, if you have to, but make it sure that the tears wash away the hurt and the bitterness that the past has left with you. Let go of yesterday and love will find its way back to you. And when it does, pray that it may be the love that will stay and last a lifetime. "When you lose someone... and you think you were the one who loved most, between the two of you... he/she lost more. For someday you can love someone the way that you loved her/him...But he will never be loved again the way that you did"
The father pointed to the couch and said, Sienta. Tomas said again, Si. Magdalenas father then asked the young man, Que quieres comer? (Meaning: What do you want to eat?). Tomas didnt understand a thing he was saying. So he just smiled and muttered, Pastillas de Leche. The older man wondered why Tomas was so specific about what he wanted to eat. He then asked him, Que quieres beber? (Meaning: What do you want to drink?). Tomas was again totally lost. He blurted out the second word he knew. Agua Oxenada. Magdalenas father scratched his head, wondering what kind of bafoon he was talking to. He asked, Donde vives? (Meaning: Where do you live?) Of course, he had to say the last word he had in his vocabulary. Poso Negro. Im exaggerating. What really happened was Magdalenas parents told her, Tomas isnt one of us. From now on, Tomas cannot enter into this house ever again. During that time, a parents word was the final word. Poor Tomas. Broken-hearted, he went to Hongkong to work in a PNB branch there. He wanted to forget the pain of losing Magdalena forever.
But soon, Magdalena woke up to a very harsh reality. She discovered that her husband Pablo was a hopeless womanizer. He would have many, many affairs. His infidelities would wound her heart again and again. And after 13 years of a very painful marriage, tragedy struck. One day, Pablo was in his clinic. And a man barged into the door. In his hand was a long knife. And he screamed, I will kill you! Pablo recognized the man. He was the husband of one of his patientsa woman he was courting. Pablo ran to the streets. But he wasnt fast enough. In a busy intersection in Manila, Pablo was stabbed to death. This crime appeared in the newspapers at that time
Tomas smiled and said, Magdalena There in front of her, on her doorsteps, was a man she once loved many, many years ago. But for Tomas, it was very different. He had never stopped loving her. So he courted her again and serenaded her again. And he won her heart. One year after, they got married. They only had one child. And they named her Pilar. Pilar grew up, got married and had 6 children. And named the 6th child, Bo.
How many times have you rejected God? (I know Ive rejected his call many times.) How many times did you choose someone or something else? Sin? Materialism? Pride? Addiction? Yet God doesnt walk out on you. He doesnt abandon you. He never says, If you dont like me, I dont like you too. Instead, God waits. And He wont stop waiting. He waits until you allow Him to love you. He waits until we allow Him to become a Hero for us.
a green frog, and a female pig. (I repeat: Any similarity to actual characters is purely coincidental.) They have the same external situation. But Ernie and Bert have very different internal dispositions. Ernie has lots of happitude. Bert lacks it. Why? Because of their personal rules to happiness. Perhaps these are Berts rules to happiness: Ill be happy only if the temperature is exactly 78.26 degrees Fahrenheit. Ill be happy only if my fried egg for breakfast is half-cooked in the middle but is brown and crisp on the outside. Ill be happy only if I marry a woman whose vital statistics is 36-24-36, has won an international beauty contest, is a gourmet cook, is a multimillionaire, speaks French, has the singing voice of Celine Dion, and is insane enough to fall in love with me. Berts rules make it very difficult for him to be happy. Why? Because he set up very complicated rules to happiness. Perhaps these are Ernies rules of happiness. Ill be happy if I laugh with my friends over pizza. Ill be happy if I pray. Ill be happy if Im able to take a walk on the street and chat with a furry monster addicted to cookies. Ill be happy if I watch a movie. Ill be happy if I can get a good nights sleep. A little side note: I always call the Feast, our weekly spiritual gathering, The happiest place on earth. Why? One major reason: Because the people who go there are happy people. Even before they step into the Feast, theyre already happy. They brought the happiness with them. The preaching, the music, the worshipthese are all a bonus. Just by the mere fact that theyre there already makes them very happy. Thats what you call a happitude! Nothing has to happen for them to be happy. Theyve chosen to be happy, period. Dont get me wrong. I always teach you to have big dreams. But even before you reach your dreams, youre already happy. In fact, Ive realized that if you wont be happy before you reach your dreams, youll never be happy after you reach them. Let me ask you a question. What are your rules to happiness?
Create simple rules for you to be happy! Set them up in such a way that its easy for you to be happy and difficult for you to be unhappy. Dont complicate your rules to happiness. Friend, the choice is yours. Allow yourself to be happier more frequently. In the next 4 weeks, well go through 4 powerful Happytudes based on the Beatitudes of Jesus: Be open, be hopeful, be pure, and be peaceful. Apply these attitudes into your life and your life will never be the same again. Heres the first Happitude.
1. Mr. Proud
Mr. Proud was a boastful man. He acted as though he had everything. (He didnt know that he was the most insecure fellow in town.) Mr. Proud had a favorite posture. He always stood with arms crossed in front of his chest. Always tight. Always stiff. Always closed. So when it began raining P1000 paper bills all around him, he just looked. Im not poor. And Im definitely not a beggar. Why will I get that money? Maybe its dirty. Maybe its counterfeit. So he kept his arms folded across his chest looking smug and didnt catch a single paper bill. There are people like that. I say this often, but let me say it again: Theres no shortage of Gods blessings. There is only a shortage of readiness to receive Gods blessings. Recently, I was talking to a friend who was asking for prayers for his son. Hes been jobless for a year, he said. No job offers? I asked him. The problem isnt the job market. There are many jobs out there. The problem is my son. Hes too proud. He wants to start as a manager! Oh no. And he doesnt want to work too far from the house. Because he doesnt want to be seen riding the bus. He said if I want him to work far away, I should give him a car. I shook my head. In other words, your son isnt desperate. And only desperate people become great successes. Hmm, I wonder. Are you still feeding him, housing him, and giving him a nice monthly allowance? With a loud sigh, my friend said, Yeah.
Hes too comfortable. The only way for your son to go out there and eat humble pie is if he becomes desperate. I explained, Desperate people do desperate things. Desperate people work as a janitor if necessary. Desperate people work two hours away. And desperate people ride the bus! The Bible says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6) I dont believe God actively opposes the proud. Pride has its natural consequences, and I believe He passively allows the natural consequences of pride to catch up with the proud person. In reality, its the proud person who opposes the blessings that are meant for his life.
2. Mr. Pitiful
The second person under that very unique rain was Mr. Pitiful. Mr. Pitiful always felt sorry for himself. His mind was obsessed with the problems in his life. What was his posture? His eyes were cast downward. His hands were limp on the side. Because of his posture, Mr. Pitiful doesnt catch any money falling from the sky. In fact, he was so absorbed thinking of his own miseries, he didnt even see money falling from the sky. Recently, I met another jobless person. He told me, God doesnt love me. Nothing is happening in my life. He said so many things were going against him. He said that he didnt finish college. And he was already 46 years old. And he was also sickly. I asked, Have you ever tried applying for a sales job? He said, I dont know how to sell. I dont think I can sell. Have you tried applying in a Call Center? I heard some companies accept people your age. He shook his head. Ill feel out of place. Everyone there is very young. How about starting a small business? Ill probably fail. Oh, you will fail. No question about it. Thats entrepreneurship. But you just have to start again. I cant take failure. I give up too quickly. It was impossible to talk to him. He didnt like solutions. He just wanted someone to pity him. Friend, get rid of self-pity from your life. See the blessings that you already have and the blessings that are coming your way. Take on a grateful heart. And youll receive even more blessings! And now the third posture
3. Mr. Prepared
Mr. Prepared was a man who liked looking up.
When he saw the money falling from the sky, he opened his arms really wide, catching a lot of money. Do you believe that Gods blessings are falling on you every day? Do you wake up every morning believing theres abundance everywhere? If youre desperate for God, youre open to receive more! One day, someone came up to me and said, Bo, I believe God plays favorites. Why do you say that? I asked. He said, Take yourself, for instance. Youre spiritual life is strong; your ministry is growing; your family life is tight; your businesses are expanding. It only means one thing. God plays favorites and youre one of them. I told him, I dont believe that God plays favorites. The Bible says that the sun shines on both the bad and the good and the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). God doesnt play favorites. We play favorites. I dont get it. I explained. One of my earliest spiritual mentors was a nun by the name of Sr. Angelina Lim. When I was 13 years old, she taught me that Gods love is like rain that falls from the sky. Some go out into the rain bringing a cup and get a cup full of rain. Some bring out a pitcher and get a pitcher full of rain. Some bring out a pail and get a pail full of rain. Some bring out a drum and get a drum full of rain. Some bring out a swimming pool and get a swimming pool of rain! The container represents the opening of your heart to God. I get it, my friend said. But Bo, I still think youre lucky. Yes Im lucky. But I define luck in a different way. My friend Dean Pax Lapid says, Luck consists of Preparedness and Opportunity. I see the opportunity because Im prepared. Most of my financial mentors started poor. They went through a lot of pain and humiliation. But they became wealthy because the pain and humiliation made them desperate. And desperate people do desperate things. One of my mentors told me a story. He said, When I was a young man, Id go door-to-door selling window blinds. In one of my sales calls, I visited a businessman, and gave him my proposal written in a letter. The businessman looked at my letter, smirked, and threw it on the floor. Thats terrible, I said. He didnt have the decency to simply return the letter to him. The man threw it on the floor just to insult me. It was so painful. Do you know what I did? What?
I picked it up and said, Thank you, Sir. I walked out and knocked on another door. And another door. And another door. I ate humiliation for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Today, 32 years later, my mentors companywhich still sells window blindsnow sells over a billion pesos each year. How come? Because once upon a time, my mentor was desperate. He explained to me why. Bo, when I started, I had no choice. I was kicked out of college. My grades were very bad. So having a job and climbing the corporate ladder wasnt an option for me. The only way open to me was to build my business. I love this passage: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) Be humble before God. And you too will receive the blessings of God like a downpour. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Im not just a preacher. Im also an entrepreneur. And I teach people how to be entrepreneurs. Heres what I noticed. I have yet to meet a successful entrepreneur whose is a pessimist. Honest! All the successful people I know are optimists. They have bushels of hope in their hearts. Why? Because you wont start a business, or sell a product, or give jobs to people, or do all that hard work, if you dont have hope that youll succeed. Especially when trials come
He explained that 16-year old child, not even in college yet, said the most dreaded words any parent of a teenager would want to hear. She said, Im pregnant. Bo, shes just a baby! the father cried. How can my baby be having a baby? She still has Barbie dolls in her room. Brother Bo, its the end of the world for me. I told Marlon, No, its not the end of your world. Bo, tell me what to do Go back to your daughter. No scolding. No shouting. Just love her. Forgive her. Put your arms around her. Cry with her. And tell her youll accept her baby. Mark my words. This isnt the end of the world. Youll overcome this. Eight years have passed since that trial happened in Marlons family. And true enough, the trial transformed them in an amazing way. Today, theyre 10 times closer with each other. They love each other profoundly. Their daughter has matured too. Shes doing well in her career; She has a new boyfriend who loves her and her child. And the baby? The very cause of all their hurt and anger and fears? The child is now the star of the family. The biggest source of joy for the grandparents! If youre grieving now, I want you to have hope. Your storm will pass. Your pain will disappear. And your trial will turn into triumph. In each Trial, youll find these 3 treasures
1.Comfort
This is the first treasure. When you go through your trial, God will comfort you. Thats His promise. And He never breaks a promise. Everytime I go through a trial, I wait for Gods comfort. Because thats what He promised. And without fail, His comfort comes. A few years ago, I was in the middle of a huge storm. I was in a lot of emotional pain. My closest friends, upon knowing what I was going through, surrounded me with love. My friends were Gods comfort to me. That day, I thanked God that because of my problem, I learned I had the greatest friends in the world. Im a truly rich man because of my friends! The second treasure
2. Character
Last week, I met a man with cancer. But he was very different from many sick people I know. He told me, I live each day with passion! He said, I wake up looking at each morning as Gods precious gift to me. I now sing more often, embrace more often, laugh more often, play more often, and pray more often. I never did this before I had cancerbecause I was too busy making a living, I forgot about making a life. Yes, I lost my health. But I now treasure life itself. Wow! Because of him, I now believe that trials have a way of making us grow in the most important part of who we areour character. And the third treasure
3. Compassion
This is important: A trial may give birth to a ministry. The Bible says, Blessed bethe God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them who are in any trouble, by the comfort that we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) One day, I met a young, beautiful woman after one prayer meeting. She had this beautiful smile on her face, and it was like peace was oozing out of her. Can I tell you my story? she said. Sure, I said. We sat down and she started talking. I was raped by my parish priest, she told me. She recounted her story, how it happened, and how she hated God, abandoned the Church, and stopped praying. Her heart was filled with rage. But she also told me how God reached out to her, how He touched her, and how He healed her Honestly, I thought these things happened only in Noli Me Tangere with the likes of Padre Damaso. What are you doing now? I asked. Im a prayer group leader, she said. I minister to many other broken women. I know what theyre going through. I can help them in a way that only a broken woman can The third treasure in your trial is a deeper compassion for people who are going through the same pain you went through.
Well, if you include Heaven in the equation, your life is an epic movie that will have a happy ending. And they lived happily ever after isnt just for fairy tales. Its your story. So if youre going through a great trial now, remember: One day, every problem in your life will be solved. Every sickness will be healed. Every tear will be dried up. Never give up. Discover your treasure in your trials. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Munching on pasta with white sauce and gorgeous vegetables, we relaxed and chatted the night away. And for dessert, I ate the best homecooked chocolate chip oatmeal cookies Ive ever tasted in the world (and Ive been around the world), baked by their 10-year old daughter, Sunday. Chewy, soft, yummy. Yes, they have five kids. Sunday (10), Honor (8), Kennon (6), Ada (4), and Eli, a 6-week old baby. For a moment there, I wondered if they were Filipino and Catholic. But all of them had blond or brownish hair, so Filipino was out. Though Derek impressed with the heavyweight Tagalog words he knew like karimaldimal and kagilalagilalas. And he mentioned that he already passed the test of being Filipino by eating balut through the power of the Holy Spirit. Theyre actually Baptist, but they dont talk about doctrines or denominations. They simply want to encourage young people to live pure livesto give them the message that True Love Waits. (Their website has an incredibly cool name: www.wagmuna.com) Hes worked in Catholic and Non-Catholic schools, teaching young people to remain pure. We already invited them to speak to our youth group, and our kids loved it. As I said, Derek and Amanda blessed me by their character: They were incredibly grateful, affirming, and positive. They kept praising their co-workers (who were not even present) again and again and again. They spoke about how fantastic the people around them aretheir helpers at home, the friends they meet, the young people they work with With glowing terms, they spoke of the Filipino people and the Philippines. They talked about their life and raved about how God blessed them with overwhelming blessings. I was waiting for the usual complaints about life. About the heat of the Philippines. The traffic of Manila. The corrupt government. The irresponsible young people. But none came. Instead, praise was on their lips. They spoke of how blessed they were. They shared their small and big blessings from God. Oh sure, they have problems: They wiped out their entire savings to come to the Philippines. They had immigration hurdles for their staff. And they have the usual insane days of raising five kids
But that wasnt their focus. They focused on the blessingswhich to them was out of this world. And that was the reason why they were grateful, positive, and affirming. Gosh, it was so refreshing to speak to people like that. For example, one of Dereks questions to me was, So Bo, what do you do for fun? He was concerned that workers of God dont have fun. He said, Its not all about studying your Bible all the time. God also wants us to have fun. I have dates with my wife, I answered. (Which is true. One of the happiest things I ever do is being with her.) His questions led me to be grateful for what I have. The 5 kids were replicas of their parents. Fun. Happy. Wonderfully pleasant. And this is what I found out: They dont watch TV in their home. (They watch pre-selected videos.) Ive been to a few (very few!) homes where kids dont watch TV. And Ive observed that the kids in these homes are more pleasant than kids inundated with TV. I dont see the typical angst, disrespect, or negativity in them. Amanda said, Ive noticed that among kids who are homeschooled. Amanda homeschools all her kids. When we learned about this, my wife and I could only stare at her with our jaws hitting the floor. Wow, and I have my hands full on homeschooling one boy, my wife said. Amanda said, Im reading a book now written by a mother of ten kids. And she homeschooled them all. I went home with my spirit refreshed. Grateful, positive, and affirming people energize you in that way. Can I ask you a question? What kind of effect do you have on the people you meet? Do they leave your presence refreshed and energized? Inspired and lifted up? Or do they leave your presence discouraged and despondent, wanting to meditate on their petty trials (in lotus position and saying Owwww) Lord, help me to be more grateful, positive, and affirming. Help me to bless the world.
When Bad Things Happen To Good People How To Turn Your Good Friday To Your Easter Sunday
Are you a good person? If you are, do you wonder why bad things still happen to you? Harold Kushner wrote a book with this same title and it became an instant bestseller. Because people want to know the answer. Sorry, Im not going to give you an answer. (Nobody can.) Because the problem of suffering will always remain a mystery. Instead, Im going to tell you what to do. I will tell you what to do in the midst of your sufferingso that you can overcome your suffering. How you can turn your Good Friday into your Easter Sunday! Are you ready? Let me share with you a powerful story
Michelangelo saw the trap. He knew it was a ploy by his enemy to destroy him. At first, he declined. But the Pope insisted, and not wanting to deny his Holiness, he agreed. The project was indeed time-consuming. It took Michelangelo 4 years to finish, and he almost lost his eyesight because of it Im sure you know the project by now: The Sistine Chapel. The grandest masterpiece of Michelangelo. More than anything, it made him one of the greatest painters of all time. What was meant to curse him turned out to be his greatest blessing. Good Friday was supposed to be the greatest curse. Yet it also turned out to be the greatest blessing.
No Matter What Trials Come, Keep Doing The Good Youre Supposed To Do
I reflect on this story and look at my own life. Ive been serving God for that past 27 years, and I do get my share of little Bramantes scattered here and there. But without them, I would have missed my greatest blessings: spiritual growth, opportunities to serve, and the impact I have on peoples lives. My biggest Bramantes were the two men who molested me as a child. Because of these indescribable painful experiences, Ive been able to heal so many people who have the same inner wounds. (You can read more about this in two of my books, Your Past Does Not Define Your Future, and 7 Secrets To Real Freedom.) I could also think of my other trials in life Oh, why do bad things happen to good people? Heres my great theological answer: I dont know. But this I know. No matter what trials come, Ill do the good that Im supposed to do. And at the end of the day, I will win. Friend, remain faithful to God in good times and in bad times. And youll see how all things work for good to those who love Him. And youll see how your Good Friday will turn to Easter Sunday. Dont ever give up! May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
It was Jesus idea. The disciples didnt say, Jesus, lets go to the other side of the lake! Jesus was the one who told them to do that. I find this remarkable. You see, a lot of people think that because God is guiding them, He will make us avoid all storms. Thats not true. Heres the truth: Sometimes, God will lead you into a storm. Because storms are good. Storms shake you. And shaking is good. Shaking takes away your pride. (These were seasoned fishermen. Theyve been through rough weather. But on this day, these fishermen shouted, Help! Were about to die!) Shaking takes away your complacency. Shaking forces you to grow. So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they took him with them. Other boats were there too. Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the waves began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water. Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. (Mark 4:36-37) The inner world will always control the outer world. In the inner world of Jesus, there was no storm. There was quiet. Dont be afraid of storms around you. Be afraid of the storms inside you. The stress. The tension. The worry. I urge you to surrender all that to the Lord. The disciples woke him up and said, Teacher, dont you care that we are about to die? Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, Be quiet! and he said to the waves, Be still! The wind died down, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:38-39) I like to focus on the word, commanded.
Words have power. Words created this universe. In Psalms 33:6, it says, The Lord created the heavens by his command, the sun, moon, and stars by his spoken word. Everything started with the Word. The Bible says, In the beginning was the word. In the same way, your words have creative power.
Exactly like this man, a lot of people say terrible things about themselves, about their future, about their lives, they order these terrible things!
If the wind is pushing the sailboat towards where it wants to go, thats great. But what if the wind is going the opposite direction? I learned that sailboats, by a maneuver called tacking, can adjust its sails and move in zigzag fashion, moving towards the wind. Youre the sailboat. The circumstances happening around you are the wind. And your words are your sails. You cant control the wind. In the same way, you also cant control your circumstances. You cant control the economy. You cant control your boss. You cant control your husband. You cant control President Noynoys lovelife. You cant control what Kris Aquino is thinking. And you cant control your mother-in-law. But this is what you can control: You can control your words. And just like adjusting the sails of a sailboat, by the power of your words, you can still move against the wind.
But Ive learned this a long time ago: Unsuccessful people use their words to describe their situation; Successful people use your words to direct their situation. I could have said, Im tired; Im drained; Im exhausted Instead, I said, Im strong. Im healthy. Im equipped. Im anointed. Im blessed beyond measure. The strength of the Lord is flowing into my body. In a few minutes, I felt so good! Dont talk about how you are; Talk about how you want to be. Dont talk about where you are; talk about where you want to go! Dont just talk about your problems; Talk about your purpose. Because problems weigh you down. But purpose lifts you up. And Ive learned that if you pursue your purpose, many of your problems get solved along the way. So dont dwell on your difficulties. Dwell on your dreams! If you dont have money, dont confess, Im poor. I have no money. Oh woe is me If you dont have money, say Im temporarily broke; If youre poor, dont say, Im poor. If youre poor, say, Im getting ready to be rich!
Dont Be Realistic
Some people will tell me, But Bo, if I say that, its not realistic Let me shock you. Sometimes, the worst advice you can give to someone is be realistic. If someone advised the Wright brothers, Be realistic! and they followed that advice, we wouldnt be able to fly in planes today (and go to Beijing for P1,999!) If someone advised Thomas Alba Edison, Be realistic and he followed that advice, we wont be able to enter a room, flick a switch, and turn night into day. If someone advised to Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Be realistic, and they followed that advice, we wont be able to google a word and get 437 million results in 0.29 seconds! Listen carefully: Being realistic is the roadway to mediocrity. If I became realistic, we wouldnt be holding the Feast (our weekly prayer gathering) at the Philippine International Convention Centerone of the most beautiful conference venues in all of Asia. If I became realistic, we wouldnt aim to have 1000 Feasts all over the world. (Speaking about that goal, something great happened last Friday. My friend Obet Cabrillas launched a second session in SM Manila where 400 people attended. On that same day, Alvin Barcelona launched a new weekly Feast in his school, Barcelona Academy, in Marilao Bulacan. And 500 people came.)
Im getting better and stronger everyday. Gods power of health and healing are flowing through my body, my mind, and my spirit. With long life, I will serve the Lord, in Jesus name. 3. Bless Your Loved Ones: My loved one is growing closer to God. Deep inside, the Holy Spirit is busy working, changing, and transforming this person. This child of God is set free from all addictions. Gods purpose will be fulfilled in this persons life. I declare that as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord, in Jesus name. 4. Bless Your Relationships: God is blessing my relationships. Love is increasing. Service for one another is growing. Forgiveness, humility, and understanding flow like a river in my relationships. Old wounds are being healed. Bonds between us are getting stronger and deeper, in Jesus name. 5. Bless Your Decisions: The steps of the good person are ordered by the Lord. God directs my steps. God helps me to distinguish what is right from wrong. God shows me the paths to abundance, in Jesus name. 6. Bless Your Problems: All things will work for good to those who love God. This difficulty that I face now shall bless me in a very big way. What was intended for my harm, God will transform and turn into my benefit, in Jesus name. 7. Bless Your Finances: Im rich and getting richer. Im generous and getting more generous. Gods abundance is supplying my every need. Everything I touch prospers and succeeds. New doors will open before me. The right people will walk into my life. God will prosper the work of my hands. As I use my core gifts to serve others, I will be richly rewarded. Money is flowing to me in great abundance. I can earn any amount of money I choose, in Jesus name. Go ahead. Create your miracles by your words. May your dreams come true,
I want you to watch this crazy short video. Its less than one minute. Its really funny. But its lesson is incredibly profound. watch video (click back to return to my blog) Insane, right? But youll be surprised that a lot of people do the exact same thing when bad things happen to them. They freeze. They get stuck. They just stay there. They complain. They complain to the world. Friend, has a bad thing happened to you? Dont get stuck. Dont complain. Its useless. Stand up. Instead of complaining, do something. If you cant run, walk. If you cant walk, limp. If you cant limp, crawl. Stumble your way to greatness. Why? Because God never said that no bad thing will ever happen to you. But heres His big promise: That every time a bad thing will happen to you, good things will come out of it. Every time! Because Romans 8:28 says that all things will work for good to those who love Him.
One day, a young woman came to her grandfather and cried on his shoulder. She told him of her many problems. She felt so overwhelmed by them. It seemed like everything in her life was going wrong. After she wept many tears, the old man told her, Lets go to the kitchen. I have something to show you. In the kitchen, the grandfather prepared three pots of water on the cooking range. On the first pot, he placed carrots. On the second pot, he placed eggs. On the third pot, he placed coffee beans. And he lit the fire beneath each of them. For twenty minutes, they sat in silence as the fire heated the pots. After twenty minutes, the grandfather said, If you notice, the fire underneath the pots are the same. Same heat. Same temperature. Yet youll notice how different things react to the fire. He fished out the carrots and placed it in a bowl. He made his granddaughter touch it. Its soft, she said. He got an egg, broke it, and gave it to her. Hard boiled, she said. Finally, he opened the coffee potits fragrance filling the room. He poured a cup for her. She took a sip. Thats nice, she said, thanks, grandpa. But what does this all mean? He said, Child, youre going through fire. Youre going through trials. Everybody does. But how are you reacting? Are you like the carrot who thought it was hard and strong, but when the fire came, it became weak and lost all its strength? Or are you like the egg that had a malleable spirit and a tender heart, but when trials came, hardened its heart? Or are you like the coffee bean? The fire released its flavor and aroma. Your trials can release your gifts and dreams. Your trials can set you free. So tell me, are you a carrot, an egg, or coffee beans?
Did your boyfriend leave you for another girl? Youre now free to find a better man wholl be faithful to you. Were you laid off at work? Youre now free to get a better job at a better company or become an entrepreneur. Are you sick right now? This is a wake up call. Your body is telling you, Its high time to care for me. Youre now free to become the healthiest person you can become. Eleven years ago, my friend had cancer of the breast. But that cancer set her free. Because of that cancer, she served God more, she loved her family more, and she took care of her health more. She started eating more fruits and vegetables. Eleven years later, shes a healthier person, shes a more loving person, and shes a more spiritual person. Her cancer set her free. Did your business fail? Youre now free to start all over again and make it better. Thats what happened to me.
Hey, I still dont like it. Fire is fire. It hurts. It burns. But when I go out of the fire, Im a better person. Like coffee beans, my aroma and flavor is released. Im free to impact the world even more.
From being on top of the world, he was now at the bottom. Did Rudy sulk? Did he simply give up and hang up his gloves? Did he get depressed that the hand that fed him suddenly disappeared? Far from it. Because Rudy had another love: Farming. He kept working, kept acting, kept making mistakes. From being an executive, hes now a farmer. He doesnt actually run a farm. But he works with lots of small independent farmersand he teaches them organic farming. And then helps them sell their products. For years, he met with guys in suits, ties, and briefcases. Now, he meets guys in torn shirts, straw hats and muddy boots. And in dealing with small farmers and other poor people, he grew in his passion of helping the poor. Thus, he joined Alay Buhay (If you want to vote for them for your party list organization, theyre #66!) that helps small entrepreneurs across the country. His tragedy turned into triumphnot only for him but also for many other people.
Along the way, four men met them. They were carrying long knives. They told her uncle to face down on the ground. And they hacked him on the neck and killed him. Maricel was in total shock. Especially that the men were their neighbors. She tried to escape, but the men ran after her. She cried, Kuya, wag po, wag nyo akong tagain! Maawa po kayo sa akin! (Dont kill me! Have mercy on me!) But they werent listening. With a long knife, a man slashed her on the neck too. Maricel fell to the ground and lost consciousness. When she woke up, she saw a lot of blood. She also saw the feet of the men around her, but she pretended to be dead. When they walked away, Maricel ran back home.
But for 5 hours, they operated on her. It took 25 stitches to stitch together the long knife wound in her neck and back. Maricel barely survived. And she lost both of her hands. Ironically, the next day was Maricels birthday. She was 12 years old. But alas, tragedy didnt end there.
In 2008, she graduated from a course in Hotel and Restaurant Management. She even received a Gold medal for Arts and Crafts. Today, at 21 years old, Maricel is studying to be a Chef. Yes, a Chef without hands. Nothing can stop this young lady from reaching her dream.
Lose Hope
Stop focusing on your problems. Right now, you may be undergoing fire. Perhaps your marriage is being torn apart. Perhaps youre buried in a mountain of debt. Perhaps the doctor said youre never going to get well. Perhaps your child is far from God. Friend, dont lose hope. Dont give up. You will win the race. You will win the prize! In the fire, dont be a carrot or an egg. Dont weaken or harden. Rather, be a coffee bean and let the fire set you free for action! This fire will make you better. This fire will make you grow. This fire will make you succeed even more! So focus on the finish line. Focus on your dream. Focus on the prize before you. Stand up and keep running! May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Its Building Heaven On Planet Earth! Warning: What Ill say next will be hard to swallow. So chew on it. This is definitely not milk for those starting in the spiritual journey, but solid food for the mature. Ive met Christians whose only goal in life is to go to Heaven. Their only concern is to guarantee a Heavenly visa. To them, this is what salvation is all about. Nothing else. Friend, I want you to outgrow that attitude. Because I dont believe this is the point of Christianity. Think with me: Today, there are 25,000 children who die every single day because of poverty and hungerand all we can think of is our personal Heaven? Today, there are many people around us who are starving for Gods loveand all we can think of is our personal Heaven? Jesus didnt call you to be His disciple just so you can go to Heaven only. Jesus called you to be His disciple so that you can bring Heaven down to earth, specifically to those who are in hell right now because of their material, emotional, and spiritual poverty. Jesus called you to be His disciple to love the way He did. Jesus died on the Cross so that you too can die for others. So what am I saying? Everytime youre generous because of love, you transfer your wealth to a particular Heaven that starts now, right here on planet earth. And its not a personal Heaven, but a Heaven for others. Ive got one last thing to say Among These 5, Who Are You? When it comes to managing money, there are five kinds of people in this world. Who are you? #1: Gloria Gastadora: Gloria Gastadora lives on 100% of her income. Sometimes, when she borrows money, she lives on 120% of her income. Shes never absent during Midnight Sales. Her credit cards are faded due to overuse. Even if she wants to give to God or invest in her future, she cannot. Obviously, after all is spent, she has nothing to give to God except her loose change. In Church, Gloria Gastadora isnt a tither, but a tipper. #2: Kunat Kuripot: Kunat is a frugal and fearful fellow. He lives on 80% of his income, because he saves 20% or more for his future. He lives in fear. He feels safe only when he knows hes got lots of money in the bank. It really seems safe, except that he doesnt know that putting his life savings in the bank isnt such a wise idea at all. When he retires, Kunat will realize that his savings isnt enough. And like
Gloria Gastadora, Kunat Kuripot can only give his spare change to Godbecause hes always afraid of his future. #3: Bertong Bulag: As a kid, Berto was a financial whiz. Upon graduating from college, he already opened a mutual fund. He also started investing in a blue chip company in the stock market, putting small amounts of money every month. He also started a business, and it has done very well. Berto has become wealthy. The problem is that he still cannot give to God, because he sees it as an expense, like it was a luxury he cant afford. He doesnt realize that giving to God is also an investmentthe most secure and long-term investment of them all. #4: Wally Waldas: Wally has no problem giving to others. He is very generous to others, but he isnt generous to himself. Because he doesnt invest for the future. Wally just likes giving his money away to people who end up abusing him. His close friends tell him that his giving is no longer helping others, because they have become parasites. But hes blinded by his need for their attention. Wally, in the long run, cannot even give to God, because his money will be long gone. #5: Manny Mapagmahal: Manny gives to God, gives to others, and gives to himself. After receiving his income, the first thing he does is set aside 10% to God. The second thing he does is to set aside 20% to put in investment vehiclessuch as funds, stocks, businesses, and real estate. He also has set aside an Emergency Fund3 to 6 months of his salary in the bank. The third thing he does is to limit his expenses to 70% of his income. Today, Manny is prosperous. He now gives 20% to God, invests 30%, and lives on 50% of his income. In his old age, hell continue to be even more generous. (If youre interested to become like Manny Mapagmahal, join my TrulyRich Club and get trained in the principles of spiritual and material abundance. Among these 5 people, who are you? May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
3. Be Flexible
Let me tell you one of my most favorite quotes. Its from St. Augustine, written some 1600 years ago. He said, In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
I love that quote. If you follow it, youll avoid many unnecessary conflicts. There are two kinds of conflicts: (1) Conflicts of Principle and (2) Conflicts of Preference. Ive realized that most of our Conflicts are Conflicts of Preference, pretending to be Conflicts of Principle. Its just our self-centeredness and pride thats causing the conflict. Think about it. Why fight over preferences and non-essentials that dont matter after 6 months? Or after 1 year? Or after 5 years? Be flexible when it comes to your preferences.
Believe me, many women are frustrated because their men dont know how to lead. Heres a typical conversation women complain about. Guy: Where do you want to eat tonight? Girl: You havent planned for it yet? Guy: No, I want to go where you want to go. Girl: You decide. Guy: No, you decide. Girl: Its up to you (Repeat 86 times.) Guys, youve got to lead. Heres a better scenario. Express your preferences. Be a leader. Guy: I know you like Italian, so Im bringing you to this nice Italian restaurant I found in Makati that serves the best pasta. Youll love their Aglio e Olio. Girl: Okay. Lets try it. Guy: After that, lets watch a movie. The actor that looks exactly like me has a new movie out now Girl: And who is that? (raising her eyebrow) Guy: John Lloyd. Im a little bit hurt that you had to ask. Isnt it obvious? (fake hurt look) But lets say after he says Italian, she says Girl: Im not in the mood for Italian. Can we go Japanese instead? The answer should be Guy: Theres this great Japanese restaurant Id like to show you too in Makati. Its sushi is to die for, and the Miso soup is the best Ive ever tasted In Courtship, we give up our Preferences. In marriage, the courtship shouldnt stop. Husbands and wives, you should still be wooing each other everyday, trying to win each others hearts.
After 13 years of marriage, heres one of my most important goals: I wake up every morning and ask myself, How can I make my wife happy? If thats my goal, why fight over Preference?
4. Be Foolish
Jesus said, If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.(Matthew 5:39) This is one of the hardest Bible passages to interpret. Its nuanced meaning is lost, because we dont know the culture of that particular time and place. Dr. Walter Wink, a Bible Scholar, explains it in this way: In ancient middleeastern culture, being slapped on the right cheek is very different from being slapped on the left cheek. First, the left hand cannot be used for slapping, because it was used for unclean tasks. (I wont have to expound on this one. Use your imagination.) Only the right hand was used for slapping. To slap you on the right cheek, one has to use a backhand slap. And a backhand slap meant something very specific to the Jew; A backhand slap was how a master slaps a slave, or how a Roman slaps a Jew. The right cheek slap meant, Youre beneath me! I shame you. I humiliate you. When Jesus said, Give your left cheek, it meant something totally different. If Ill slap you on the left cheek, I cant use the back of my right hand. Ill have to slap you with a fist or the front of my hand. Which had a totally
different meaning to them. In their culture, it meant, Were equals. Youve reclaimed your dignity and refuse to be humiliated. Whats the point? When someone abuses you, God wants you to defend yourself. Not allow yourself to be humiliated. But He wants you to do something utterly foolish:When people hurt you, dont slap back. Dont strike back. Dont seek revenge. Dont punish. Dont get even. Instead, do good. Hopefully, your goodness will shame them, and their conscience will move them to change their lives. St. Paul says the same thing. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (Romans 12:14) Conflicts are vicious cycles. Conflicts perpetuate forever and last for 500 years because no one disrupts the cycle. Someone has to step in and say, I wont retaliate. Be foolish and show kindness when someone showed meanness. Finally, I promised a Bonus strategy for avoiding unnecessary conflicts. Here it is
5. Be Funny
Dont take yourself too seriously. Heres the truth: Nobody does. (Ha ha!) People who take themselves too seriously end up with a lot of conflicts. Why? Because they get easily offended. Their pride gets easily pricked. Heres my advice. Dont take it too seriously when people disagree with you. Or when people offend you. Or when people criticize you. At the end of the day, they dont matter. When a driver cuts in front of my car, I dont get mad. I just smile and say, He must be in a hurry to get to the toilet. I dont take it personally. That driver has problems, not me. Dont make people with problems ruin your day. Why expend energy getting angry? Its not worth it. For example, I used to be bothered by people who criticize me. One day, someone told me to read a blog of a Christian leader. He told me, Bo, that guy said some nasty things about you. When I looked at it, it was true. In his blog, he was lambasting me for being a false propheta prophet of the devil. He criticized me for teaching people how to become rich. He said I was dragging people to hell because I was teaching materialism. (He also called other preachers false prophets: Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, T.J. Jakes. Wow, Im in good company!) I could have retaliated in anger. I could have answered him point by point and debated with him online. But I decided it was useless.
Instead, I prayed for him and his family. I blessed him. I read his other blog entries And there, I discovered he was financially hard up. He was active in ministry, but the lack of money for his family was a burden. He had no stable job. His wife had no job too. Honestly, my heart went out to them. I wanted to donate money (anonymously) to his ministry. Heres what I realized from that experience. Most often, people criticize you because they have personal problems that have nothing to do with you. When people dont like you, its not about you. Its about them. So why be affected by them? I repeat: Dont let people with problems ruin your day. Do you get affected by people who dont like you? Dont be. Instead of retaliating, do the foolish thing and pray for them. Show kindness. And then live your own life to the full. Smile. Laugh. Have fun! You only live once. Dont let the grumblers steal your joy.
Are you carrying a heavy burden right now? Ive got a very important message for you. You dont have to carry that burden. Thats why many people are getting sick today. Thats why many people are getting depressed. Thats why many people have anxiety disorders. Because God didnt design you to carry extremely heavy burdens for an extended period of time. Because God designed you to give your burdens to Him. Aside from the 90/10 Principle, Covey also talked about the difference between your Circle of Control and your Circle of Concern. Mix up these two and you get into a lot of useless stress! A lot of people confuse the twothats where our anxiety comes from. Let me ask you a question: Does your Job belong to your Circle of Control or your Circle of Concern? Heres the answer. There are certain parts of your Job that are found within your Circle of Control. For example, your attitude and performance are stuff you can control. But everything else is in your Circle of Concern. You cant control your boss. You cant control the other departments. You cant control the economy of the world. You cant control the laws that affect your company. For example, some wives have this crazy hallucination that their husband is in their Circle of Control. Ive got news for you: Hes not, no matter what you think. A woman came up to me and said, Bo, please preach about smoking. So my husband will stop this terrible vice. Ive been nagging him to stop, but he hasnt I told her, You cant control his smoking. And nagging doesnt work. It never has. The only thing you can do is pray for him and surrender. I believe we will go insane if we dont know how to surrender. Because there are many things that you cant control. Are you a parent? Believe me, youll go insane if you wont trust God for your kids. Because there are many things you cant control about your kids. Yes, you can control how you relate to them. How you train them. How you mentor them. How you love them. But the rest? Surrender. You cant guarantee how theyll make their choices. Whether your kids will be successful in their jobs or businesses. Whether your kids will choose the right spouse. Whether theyll raise up their own kids well. So what should you do with your Circle of your Concern?
Do what you can do about that financial problem, or physical sickness, or relationship problem. But after youve done everything that you can do, surrender. And finally
Gratitude Is A Magnet
Heres my message today: If you want to receive more blessings in 2012, you need to be more thankful for blessings you received in 2011. Because gratitude is a magnet. Let me ask you a few questions. Did you have food on your table last year? Thank God. (From the way I see you, you had too much food.) Did you have clothes to wear last year? Thank God. Did you sleep well at night last year? Thank God. Did you have work last year? Thank God. Did you earn money last year? Thank God. Did you have friends last year? Thank God. Did you serve God last year? Thank God. Open your eyes to see that you were swimming in an ocean of blessings last year. I looked back at last year and couldnt help but say, Wow. I cant say anything else. Because when I think of the year, I feel overwhelmed at what God has done in my life.
Let me tell you one major reason: They followed the grumbling path instead of the grateful path. And the grumbling path is much longer than the grateful path. 40 years longer Think about it. They were rescued from 400 years of slavery. But they werent grateful. They saw 10 mind-boggling miracles, from water turning into blood, and a staff turning into a snake, and frogs leaping out of the lake But they werent grateful. They crossed the red sea on dry land. But they werent grateful. A pillar of fire accompanied them by night and a pillar of smoke accompanied them by day. But they werent grateful. I dont know about you, but I want to enter the promised land quickly. And the way to do that is to learn to be grateful. What do you have that you did not receive? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! (1 Corinthians 4:7-8)
Some people say, Ill be grateful if I win the Lotto Or Ill be grateful if I get promoted Or Ill be very grateful if I have a baby Or Ill be grateful if I marry someone like Brad Pitt, or John Lloyd, or Bo Sanchez (I apologize for my hallucinations.) Dont wait to be grateful. Be grateful now! Why? Because both grumbling and gratitude are a magnet. Grateful people get more of what theyre grateful for. If theyre grateful for happiness and love and friendships, theyll have more happiness and love and friendships. If theyre grateful for financial blessings, theyll have more financial blessings. In the same way, grumbling people get more of what they grumble about. If you grumble about your problems, youll have more problems. If you grumble about lack, you have more lack in your life. Be grateful. And receive more blessings this 2012. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Be Grateful Even When Its Difficult Once upon a time, in one of the islands of the Philippines, there was a young tree. It was the only tree in that island. This lovely tree had long branches with leaves too many to count. It was a happy tree. It liked looking at the green plains below and the blue sea surrounding the island. But one day, the tree noticed that one of its leaves was turning brown. What was going on? This was the first time it happened. It never experienced it before. The tree began to panic. Soon, more leaves became brown. And then the impossible happened: One brown leaf snapped off its twig and fell to the ground. The horrors! Soon, more leaves fell. He counted them. Gasp! He couldnt believe it. In one day, 6 leaves fell off from his branches. The next day, another 9 fell. The day after that, 12 more fell. On and on they kept falling. He was losing so many leaves each day, he blurted out, Im dying! Everyday, with great anxiety, he stared on the growing mound of brown leaves gathering around His roots. He began to lose hope and wanted to end his life. That was when a bird flew by
here. My dear friend, what youre experiencing is something that every other tree in the world experiences. Huh? The bird smiled and said, I want to give you three messages today. Im listening, the tree answered.
The bird said, Heres my second message. I want you to look at your branches. Specifically, at the empty space where your leaves fell from. Do you see them? Yes. Are they really empty. Yes, theyre empty. A leaf was there before Look closer, said the bird, because its not really empty That was when the tree said, Well, I see tiny leaves sprouting in the same place where my old leaves fell from. The bird nodded, If your old leaves didnt fall, there wouldnt have been space for new leaves to sprout in your branches. If you want better things to happen in your life, some older things will have to go first. I now understand, the tree smiled. Let me interrupt this story again and tell you that this is how life works. Thank God for empty spaces in your life. Perhaps a relationship ended this year. Perhaps a boyfriend left you. Thank God and believe that someone new, someone better, will be walking into your life. Perhaps you lost your job this year. Perhaps your company folded up. Perhaps you were retrenched. Thank God and believe that youll get a better job and company very soon! I remember two women whose husbands left them. Both of their husbands found another woman and walked out of their lives. Both were devastated. But both had a very different attitude. One followed the grumbling path and the other followed the grateful path. One woman cried, My husband left me. My life is now over. But the other woman said, My husband left me. My life is just beginning
Like this woman, dont ever give up. Dont say, My life is over. Say instead, My life is about to begin. Because new growth happens only if there are empty spaces in your life.
1. Emotional
Psychology will tell us that we make most of our decisions based on emotional reasons. But once we make them, we look for logical reasons to justify our decisions. This fact corresponds to our brain anatomy. The newest part of our brain is called the neocortex. Its responsible for analytical and rational thought. The deeper part of your brain is called the limbic brain. Thats where all your feelings residehappiness, sadness, love, fear, trust Guess what: This part of your brain is responsible for most of your human behavior. And most of your decision-making.
Problem: It has no capacity for language. Because the limbic brain cant explain itself, it will rely on your neocortex to explain why you did what you did. Let me give you an example
Slowly, a very vivid picture grew in his mind. He saw himself walking down a Church aisle, beside his daughter, now a beautiful young woman, and giving her away to a well-dressed monster waiting at the altar He also realized how he needed to live a long life. Because who will protect his little girl from unscrupulous suitors? In his mind, he devised a plan: The moment a suitorany suitorknocked on the door, hed open it, and without any warning, simply punch the punk on the solar plexus. As the punk crumples on the ground, curling in pain, hed say in a low growling voice, You havent done anything wrong yet. Wait till you do The next morning, Danny went out to walk. And the next day, he walked again. And the day after. And two years later, he still runs every morning. So far, hes lost 30 pounds. Logic didnt change him. But he found an emotional reason big enough to make him change.
2. Enormous
Youve got to find a big enough Why. The reason why people dont changeeven if they want to changeis because their Whys are small. Heres a clue: It cant just be about you. Its got to be bigger than you. When you do it for someone you love, it gets bigger. Danny always wanted to run because he was concerned about his health. But when he was doing it just for himself, it wasnt big enough. The moment he decided it was no longer about him, but about his daughter, the reason became gigantic in his mind. But to make it even bigger, dont just do it for your family. Do it for people for your bigger familyyour city, your church, your country.
TV Had To Go
When I was kid, I loved TV. I was a walking TV Guide. My sister would ask me, Whats showing on Tuesdays, 8:30pm, at channel 7? and without batting an eyelash, Id say, Charlies Angels.
But when I was 13 years old, I felt God wanted me to replace TV with reading. Why? So I could learn more and have something to say as a Preacher. So I gave TV up. I stopped cold turkey. For a 13-year-old kid, thats almost impossible. But my why was gigantic: God wanted to use me to bless the world. Let me share with you another story from my life
To overhaul your life, find your emotional and enormous reason Talk, walk, eat, and sleep with that dream everyday. When the Why is clear, the How will come to you. And your life will change. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
When I was doing ministry work in a slum area, Id ask the people there, What do you want in life? and theyre most common answer was, Makakain lang ako ng tatlong beses sa isang araw, okay na (If I can eat three times today, Ill be okay) But successful people always think long-term. And the longer their timeframe, the more successful they are. Successful people think about the next five years. Or the next ten years. Or the next twenty years. (Spiritual people are the most successful because we think really long term. We think of Heaven!) Let me tell you why its important to plan
Your Life Will Either Come From Your Memory Or Your Imagination
Your life is a manifestation of your most dominant thinking. In other words, your mind is the computerand your life is the printout. Thats why its important to plan. Because there are two kinds of thoughts: Your memory and your imagination. If you dont plan, your life will be based on your memoriesand thats tragic. Because your future will simply duplicate your past. And thats why an addict remains an addict. Thats why a depressed person remains depressed. Thats why a fearful person remains fearful. Thats why an unsuccessful person remains unsuccessful. But if you plan, your life will be based on your imagination. Thats why Albert Einstein said, Imagination is more important than knowledge. Let me go back to my computer analogy. Some people print out the old files and old data stored in their computer memory. If you do that, youll have the exact same printouts again and again. Nothing will change in your life. It doesnt have to be that way. You can write new files. You can create new documents. And you can have new printouts!
People ask me, So Bo, how do I plan? In three words, Ill tell you how to plan. Are you ready? Here it is: Make it up! Manufacture the plan from your imagination. Planning is creating a nonexistent, future reality in your mind.
1. Be Positive
If youre not positive, you wont even bother to plan. Before 1954, no one planned on running a mile below 4 minutes. Because in their minds, this was humanly impossible. No human being was able to do it. But one day in 1954, Roger Banister ran one mile for 3 min 59.4 seconds. When news went around about Banisters feat, do you know what happened next? So many other runners broke the 4-minute mile! (Today, high school kids regularly do it.) Why? Because people no longer think its impossible. Are you positive that you can fulfill your dreams? Or control your temper? Or stop your smoking? Or change your finances? Many of us arent positive, because we have a problem
But heres the sad fact of life: Weve allowed that stranger to enter our home, enthrone him at the central place of the living room, and even made him enter our bedrooms. Im talking of some TV shows that dont deserve to be in your home. Im not saying throw the TV. (Goodness, I have a show on TV.) TV is a wonderful invention. You just have to choose the shows you watch. Choose what you receive everyday. When you watch TV or read the papers, it tells you of corrupt politicians, wars between nations, road accidents, philandering husbands, betraying friends Thats the garbage you fill your minds. How do you clean your minds? I actually demonstrated this before 6000 people. I got a glass of dirty water and showed it to the crowd. I then got a large pitcher of clean water. I then poured clean water onto the glass of brownish water until it overflowed. And in a few seconds, the polluted water was displaced. A few seconds more, the glass was now filled with pure fresh water. In the same way, if you consistently pour powerful, positive, inspiring thoughts into your mind, soon, youll drive out all polluted thinking from your life. Im happy youre reading Soulfood. Do this every week. And I believe your thinking will change.
Joining our weekly Feast is one of the best things you can do to become positive. Read the best books. (Shameless plug: I just launched a new book, How To Prosper. Find it in bookstores.) Listen to the best music. Watch the most inspiring movies. And hang out with wisest people you can find. But alas, for complicated changes, being positive isnt enough.
2. Be Proficient
Imagine if I wanted to build a new house. So I sketched on a napkin how I wanted my house to look like. I then asked my neighbor, Neighbor, can you help me build my house? Ive got the plans right here holding up the napkin. My neighbor scratches his head and said, Gee Bo, thats a bit way off my turf. Im an orthodontist. You have no faith! I scold him. Just believe. Be positive! Do you think well build a great house? I dont think so. No matter how much positive thinking I have. No matter how many times I say, I can build my house! I can build my house! it wont work. Let me give you an example in real life
I love entrepreneurship. I teach it to others. But Ive seen thousands of failed businesses. Why? The #1 reason why businesses fail: They launched their business on positive thinking, not proficient thinking. There was no business plan. Or if there was a business plan, the business plan wasnt shown to business mentors. Which is insane.
Listen. Your business isnt unique. Its been done in some way or form already by someone more proficient than you. Consult. Seek help. Get guidance. Let me tell you a story. One day, someone came up to me and asked if I wanted to be part-owner of his business. He gave me the financial statements of his little company and I liked the profits of his business. After a week of studying them, I showed the financial statement to my Business Mentor. Heres the amazing part of this story: My Mentor looked at it for 12 seconds and he told me, This isnt a good business. The margins are too small. That financial statement was with me for a week and I didnt see what he saw. But he saw the flaw in 12 seconds. Thats proficiency. My Business Mentor saved me from a lot of misery and pain and heartache. I repeat: Planning requires proficiency. If you dont have it, get others who have the proficiency. How do you grow in proficiency?
Be An Eternal Student
Heres some sad statistics. According to surveys, young people spend 8 hours a day for entertainment. Watching TV. Surfing the net. Video games. Facebook. 8 hours! Suggestion? Cut it into half. Spend 4 hours in entertainment and 4 hours in education. Increase your skills. Develop new ones. Get training. Acquire expertise. Gain proficiency. Ask yourself. What skills and habits do you need to accomplish your dream? Perhaps the ability to write. Or the ability to sell. Or the ability to invest. Or the ability to speak. Imagine if you read one hour a day. That means youll be able to read one book a week. In one year, you would have read 52 books. Imagine how proficient youd become. But Bo, Im not a reader! some will tell me. Thats fine. Then listen to audio talks, attend seminars, join workshops.
Create your future today. Today is new. A new slate. A new start. A new beginning. Imagine your success now. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Let No One Fool You: The Real Key To Success Is (Drumroll Please)
Ive been helping people change their lives for 30+ years. And Ive realized that one of the most common reasons why people dont change is because they wait for the perfect condition to change. But thats a recipe for staying the same. One November morning, an overweight guy told me, I really want to get healthy. I want to start walking one solid hour every morning. Great, I told him, When will you start? I just need to buy a new pair of rubber shoes, he beamed, and Im good to go. I want to walk with those hi-tech rubber shoes with air cushions in their soles. Once I buy that, Im ready to conquer the streets. Boy, am I excited! When I checked him out in December, he said, Oh Bo, its the Christmas season. Im just super busy now. You know, with all the shopping and late-night parties. But I promise you Bo, when Christmas is over, Ill really get to it. Nothing is going to stop me from my morning exercise! In the middle of January, I bumped into him. He said, Ive not been able to start yet. Gosh, theres a huge backlog in the office. Let me clear that off first. And Ill jump into my exercise program right away When I talked to him in April, he said, Summer is crazy, Bo. My kids taking painting classes and music classes, and I have to drive them to all these classes every day. After the insanity of summer is over, Im really going to start
walking every morning. You just wait. Ill be burning the road. Ill be sweating like a horse. Ill be losing pounds. When June rolled in, he said, The kids are back in school. Let me just settle them, buy their books, their uniform, their notebooks, and Ill reeeeeeeeally start my exercise program in the morning. I mean, I cant wait to walk on the road. The moment I start, I wont stop. Thats me. Thats my personality. I dont want to start anything half-baked When I checked on him in October, he said, Oh Bo, Christmas season is starting early this year. Let me let Christmas season pass by and Ill reeeeeeeeeally get started on my morning walk This man will never start. Do you want to know if youll succeed in life or not? Simply ask this question: Will you excuse or execute
Just Do It
Let me ask you: What change have you been postponing in your life? What new move have you been delaying, because the conditions arent perfect? Perhaps you want to change your spiritual life. Or you want to change your financial life. Or you want to change your family life. I urge you: Start now! Just do it wasnt invented by Nike. 2000 years age, Jesus said the same thing. He said, What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, Son, go and work today in the vineyard. I will not, he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, I will, sir, but he did not go. Which of the two did what his father wanted? (Matthew 21:28-31) At the end of the day, intentions mean nothing without execution.
1. Start Now
One day, I was walking in a mall when a man approached me. He said, Bo, Im a big fan. I read your books. I watch your TV show. What I really want to do is attend the Feast. I said, Youre very welcome. Come! He said, Even when the Feast was at Camp Aguinaldo, I already wanted to attend it. (Note: Thats what we call our weekly spiritual gathering.) Huh? We were in Camp Aguinaldo centuries ago. During the stone age, before the ice age made the dinosaurs extinct. He said, And when you moved to Valle Verde, I wanted to attend there. And then you moved to PICC, I wanted to join there too. But I never was able to attend Why not? I asked. Im just fixing something in my life, Brother Bo. Theres something Im repairing in my life. Once thats fixed, Ill start joining you every Sunday. I told him, Dont fix it on your own. Just come to the Feast as you are, and let you and God fix what needs to be fixed together. Dont wait for a perfect condition before you execute.
My Awful Book
I remember the first book I ever wrote in my life. I was 20 years old. The book was entitled, When My Brook Runs Dry. Honestly, it was awful. When I read it now, I cringe. I feel so ashamed. I want to dig a hole in the ground and hide my head. My grammar was shameful. My use of adjectives and adverbs was utterly deplorable. I never reprinted it.
Oh, there have been attempts. Some of my friends insisted that I republish the book, telling me that theyll even pay for its reprinting. I want you to know theyre no longer my friends. Just kidding. But no matter how terrible that book is, that was how my writing ministry started. Today, I have written 25 bestselling books. And I wouldnt be writing my 26th book now if I didnt write my first awful book. Its the same with Kerygma magazine. In 1990, we launched Kerygma. Do you know what topic I wrote for our first issue? Hell. It was very reader-friendly. But because of that crazy start, we have 8 magazines todayblessing the world with Gods Love. And Kerygma remains the widest read inspirational magazine in the country. Do you see a pattern? First things can be awful. But they open the path for the future.
Just start.
2. Start Small
In other words, catch small fish before big fish. I know of a man who everyone calls Mr. Billionaire. Not because hes a billionaire. But because he always talks about the billion peso deals hes making. One day, he tells me, Bo, Im talking with some Japanese billionaires. Theyre selling a prime property of 200 hectares for a malunggay factory. Wow. On another day, he tells me, Im brokering a deal with the Koreans. They want to invest 100 billion to start a herbal company. Amazing. On another day, he tells me, Im talking with the people of Ramon Ang of San Miguel for a possible power plant in Mindanao. Theyre very impressive projects. And after each conversation, hell always tell me, Brother Bo, once this deal is finished, Ill donate 25 million to your ministry.
But sadly, Ive been talking to the guy for 13 years, and not a single deal has been done. In the meantime, his friends tell me, Brother Bo, can you pray for our pal? Hes always broke. Hes renting a rundown apartment and he cant even pay for it. Whats wrong with him? Hes not starting small. Hes trying to catch big fish before small fish. Before Steven Spielberg made E.T, Jaws, and Jurassic Park, he started as a 12-year-old kid making amateur movies about their familys camping trip. Before Manny Paquiao fought De la Hoya and Marquez, he fought struggling boxers like himselfand lost many times. Start small. Heres why: When you start, youll always make many mistakes. If you start small, you make small mistakes. But if you start big, youll make big mistakes. Thats very costly and painful. This even applies in ministry. Jesus said, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) God will use you in Jerusalem first. Later, Hell expand your impact to the entire province of Judea and Samaria. After that, the entire world. Finally
3. Start Again
I heard this inspiring story from Les Brown. One day, two guys were retrenched. And these men went looking for new jobsbut the economy was so bad, there were no job openings. One guy got discouraged, watched TV, drank beer, became toxic with his wife, and talked negative with his other negative unemployed friends, with topics such as How the economy is going to the dogs.
How the rich are robbing us blind. How politicians are destroying the country. But the second guy kept applying. But no matter what he did, he was still rejected. The most common reason they told him was, Youre overqualified for the job. But he never gave up. He kept knocking on doors. One day, in desperation, he said to the one of the bosses he was talking to, Look, you dont have to pay me. I just want to be useful. The boss said, Okay, but dont expect me to pay you. He came to work everyday. He was the first guy to come in and the last guy to leave. Even if he wasnt paid. Four weeks later, the top manager quit. The owners looked for a replacement. And they remembered that they had this volunteer working in their office. They hired himand that man now runs the company. Heres the key to success: Dont stop moving. When you start and fail, start again. The old formula for success was Ready, Aim, Fire. Today, were realizing that the real formula for success is Ready, Aim, Fire, Aim, Fire, Aim, Fire In other words, dont aim for perfect execution but persistent execution.
Because people didnt execute. Remember our passage above? Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.(Ecclesiastes 9:10) Friend, dont let your dreams die with you. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Okay, no more jokes. If you have sinned against God, then keep reading. Because your preacher is the greatest sinner. Name a sin, and 99% of the time, Ive done it. (I havent killed anyone. At least, I dont remember.) So today, I speak to you as one fellow-sinner to another fellow-sinner. I share with you today the lessons Ive learned while I was stuck in the muck of sin. Yes, your preacher is bruised, broken, and bandagedbut still blessed by the mercy of God. Heres the big thing I realized. When I find myself trapped in my habitual sins, its because I was fighting in the wrong arena. I was fighting outside me when the battle was inside me. No wonder I was losing! We think temptation is as an external problem. Its not. Its an internal problem. Because all these external temptations are almost powerless if it didnt have allies working within me. Heres my big message for you today: Victory is an inside job. By the way, failure is an inside job too
The Trojans brought the horse into their city as a trophy of war. They didnt know that the Greeks just pretended to sail away. And that inside the wooden horse were Greek soldiers hiding. That night, when the Trojans were asleep, the Greek soldiers came out of hiding and opened the gates of the citywelcoming the returning Greek soldiers. They marched in and destroyed the city of Troy. Read carefully: You fall not because of the strong temptation outside you but because of the weak situation inside you. The temptation shouldnt have been powerful. But someone opened the gate. Who is that someone? Your Trojan Horse. This Trojan Horse is the greatest, most powerful, most potent, most deadly weapon of the devil.
ignoramuses. Because our greatest weapon is and he clenched his fist in the air, Pride! The entire hall thundered with applause. He screamed, Every war in the history of mankind was caused by pride! Finally, the last Speaker of the Conference stood up. And when they saw him, the room became deathly quiet. Because everyone knew who he was. He was the devil that brought the most number of souls away from God. He wore a simple black robe. He spoke quietly. He said, There is something more powerful than lust and greed and pride. In fact, I compare lust, greed, and pride to wooden toy slingshots. And I compare our greatest weapon to a nuclear bomb. Because with our greatest weapon, you can multiply the power of lust, greed, and pride by a million times By this time, all the devils in the hall were shouting to the top of their lungs, What is it? What is our greatest weapon? He waved his hand to quiet the crowd. And he whispered, Our greatest weapon is self-rejection.
I still fell into sin. Repeatedly. I still was trapped as ever. I told myself, Hey, I doubled my prayer time. Why did I fall? Gosh, there must be really something wrong with me! Heres why these activities failed: Because all these good advices was telling me to focus on the fight outside me. Add spiritual activities, like adding ammunition, and youll win. Soon, their advices added to my frustrationwhich made me sin even more. How? First of all, I already hated myself for falling into sin again and again. And now, I had a brand new reason to hate myself. Because I promised to pray more and memorize the Bible moreand I failed to do them too! This vicious cycle of self-rejection led to more sin.
Love Is Expensive
In many streets of Metro Manila, youll see rugby boys. Its a heart-wrenching sight. I cry whenever I see them. Little boysas young as six years oldsniffing rugby on the sidewalk, looking at the world with glazed eyes. These kids are hungry for food. But because food is expensive and rugby is cheap, they go for the drug. To forget their hunger, they sniff the brain-shrinking, neuron-burning chemical adhesive. But people who have habitual sins are in the exact same boat. Were hungry for love. But love is expensive and sin is cheap. So we go for our habitual sin to deaden the inner pain of our hunger for love. I repeat: Love is expensive. Believe me. Its not easy to love yourself. To value yourself. To forgive yourself. To accept yourself. Its easier to sin than to do the hard work of loving yourself the way God loves you.
Next week, Ill teach you how to heal the Trojan Horse of Self-Rejection. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez
Without this why, you wont bother going to battle. Youre in a battle too. There are temptations around you that want to destroy your life. Your marriage. Your finances. Your health. Your inner peace. Will you fight this temptation? Heres the truth: You will only fight temptation to the degree that you value yourself. If you dont value yourself, you wont fight. This is why I said that the greatest weapon of the devil isnt lust, or greed, or pride, but self-rejection. This is the Trojan Horse that opens the gate of our souls to temptation. To get rid of Self-Rejection, you need Self-Acceptance. To explain this, let me tell you the love story of Brad and Angelina (Note: any similarities to actual persons or events is purely coincidental).
Brad cleared his throat and announced, Sir, Id like to ask for the hand of your daughter Angelina in marriage. The father nodded his head and said, Yes, I give you my blessing. The entire family applauded and cheered. And Angelina gave a shy smile as her sisters gave her a squeeze. The young man then asked the next big question, Sir, can we talk about dowry It is here that I wish to give you a little background. Angelina was kind and loving and sweet and intelligent. But she wasnt physically beautiful. Her eyes were too large. Her mouth was too wide. Her lips were too thick. (I repeat: Any similarities to actual persons, events, or circumstances is purely coincidental.) Because of this, the women of the clanthe grandmother, the mother, and all the auntiesalready agreed that Angelina was worth one cow. This consensus was arrived by the women of the clan not on that day, not even weeks or months before, but years agoas Angelina was growing up as a little girl among them. So back to the story. The father said, All I ask is that you give me one cow for my daughter. Nods of agreement spread across the room. Brad frowned. He couldnt hide the dismay on his face. He shook his head and with a firm voice said, Sir, with due respect, I shall not give you one cow for your daughter. She isnt worthy of one cow. There was a collective loud gasp in the room. Angelina covered her mouth. Everyone was in shock
The father didnt know what to say as well. For a moment, he spoke gibberish. I I uh, but but how should I say this young man, this is tradition. Arent you paying too much? Brad smiled, Sir, Angelina isnt only beautiful. She is the definition of beauty. Angelina is worth more than the highest price a man can ever pay. Brad then stood up, knelt in front of Angelina, and sang, Beautiful girl, wherever you are A few days later, the ten cows were given. And the wedding took place. And the happy couple walked to their new home. And as the years passed, something magical happened to Angelina. Her physical appearance changed. Her face became more radiant. More alluring. More lovely. Soon, she became the most beautiful woman in the village. Let me tell you how this happened
A lot of people try to change their lives by changing behavior. Generally, it doesnt work. Because they think the battle is on the outside. Its not. Victory and Failure is an inside job. Heres the truth: You dont change your life by changing behavior. You change your life by changing your beliefs. Once you change your beliefs, you change your behavior. Because behavior flows from beliefs. But where does belief come from?
We need to be re-parented. In my vocabulary, this is discipleship. (This is what were trying to do in my spiritual community, Light of Jesus Family.)
God is like my second religion teacher. When I failed, Hed come up to me with a big smile on his face and say, I believe in you. You can do better. Take the exam again. God is the God of the second chance. And the third chance. And the fourth chance Condemned people act in a condemned way. But forgiven people act in a forgiven way. Slowly, I saw myself differently. I saw myself the way God saw me. And I changed. Allow God to love you today. May your dreams come true, Bo Sanchez