How does it feel to be “increasingly intense”?! Am I worthy of the Lord’s promise? Should I deserve God's relentless love? Will the Lord forgive me despite my imperfections and sins? or will God embrace me for who I am?These questions keeps running in my head and haunting me in the past. Restless nights, tensions and pressure attacks, stressful work environment, pleasing other people, and a series of negativity, depression, or even spiritual dryness are the triggering factors that the other side is working to pull you down.
Perhaps our problem lies in our twisted notion that consistency is good and inconsistency is bad. Maybe, somewhere along the way, we bought into the myth that following Christ means being as perfect as He is and that stumbling is a reminder that we are nothing but sinful misfits.
Maybe we do not think we deserve God's relentless love. Perhaps we subconsciously compare ourselves to God, feeling how relentlessly He loves us despite our faults and imperfections. We should consider the possibility that our version of that relentless love entails looking beyond our faults to heed the pain of others. Sitting in our imperfections entails obsessing with ourselves. Loving despite our imperfections demands that we put God and others first. Is it really a matter of answering inconsistency with acceptance and love rather than with shame and pointless self-criticism.
Here are some of the highlights of 17th SFC NatCon which was held at Ras Al Khaima St. Anthony de Padua Church on 11th May 2018 which marks the celebration of SFC 25th fruitful anniversary.
The teaching consist of 4 talk sessions first speaker was Sis. Jen Umpad a Full time pastoral worker from Philippines for the First session which is “Rekindle” she talk about the importance of faith and value of different ministries in the community.
For the Session 2: our Speaker was Bro. Jojerry Mercado who talked about “Rejoice”. He believes we rejoice because we have reasons to rejoice with the Lord and there is nothing we receive that is not through the gracious hand of our Lord. He also discussed that sometimes we tend to lose our joy and forgetting our gifts because of the following:
* I can do all things (messianic complex) – I have all the gifts
* Seemingly good (altruistic evil) – I make my self look good but am I really?
* There's nothing I can do (false humility) – not seeing your gifts' worth
* I have done lot ( diffused service) – this gifts has cost us much of my time, talent and treasure
*I am entitled to this ( self-entitlements) – I deserve gifts in return
⦁ Entitled to answers
⦁ Entitled to blessings
⦁ Entitled to a position and the treatment and perks that come with it
⦁ Entitled to a title and respect
⦁ Entitled to forgiveness
Session 3 speaker was Sis. Lanie Montaos who talked about “Relentless” which was about the importance of inner peace and how to bring peace to our inner soul. She said that we should see the goodness in the world and be a witness - convince, reprimand, encourage, and indeed that God will use you to reach those people who needs you. She also spoke about being hopeful for the future that lies ahead.
For Session 4 and the day's last speaker was Bro. Noli Manuel who talked about “Fulfill your Ministry” - how should we be grateful, thankful, hopeful, inclusive, all embracing and loving but not compromising.
I've been attending National conferences several times but this one really made me cry during the entire praise fest. I couldn’t contain my emotion that time, I am not crying because I’m sad I am crying because I cannot help it and it feels like my joyful heart will burst anytime, my heart is filled with gladness and joy in which I spent my time having a deep conversation with the Lord and I am not ashamed to cry out loud because this is the only way that the Lord would like to impart a very good mission, service, and role for me just to share and give back to others.
May God Be Praised!
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