Search For Silver, Search For Wisdom January 2, 2011
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Mining for precious metals and gold is a tedious task. It requires a lot of digging and going through dirt to find the valuable ore.
You literally go through tons of dirt before arriving at the precious ore.
And digging is not enough. You have to fortify the tunnels that you just dug – building support beams to hold the earth so you don’t get buried and laying down rails so you can go deep into the mines quickly and haul out the precious metal on the way out.
Mining for wisdom is similar in many respects.
You get advice both from fools and wise men. You get bombarded by messages from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, books, seminars, billboards, facebook, twitter, email, etc…
You have to sift through all the trash to get the wisdom. Like mining for treasure.
And you have to work a lot on building support systems so that you don’t fall back and get buried into the dirt.
Fortunately, a time will come when you will find the vein of ore and just haul out tons and tons of the precious metal, day after day. Then, you will realize that all the dirt and digging was worth it.
Have a great day!
Proverbs 2:4-5
4 and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
Start The Year Wisely January 1, 2011
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My inbox was flooded recently by offers and messages recently that basically say I should start the year right.
There is only one way I know on how to start the year right and that is to rely on God’s wisdom.
Let this year be the year that I focus on growing in God’s wisdom.
My different roles in life call for wisdom – being a husband, father, son, brother, investor, coach and consultant all require me to be wise. In making choices and giving out suggestions, wisdom is always required.
I have not always been wise in my choices in the past.
It really is foolish of me to rely only on my own knowledge, which was never sufficient, in making choices in the past. Fortunately, God’s grace is infinite and forgiving of fools like me!
May I grow in God’s wisdom this year. I pray that you also have the same desire.
Proverbs 1:1-3
1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:
2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
When Kings Meet December 5, 2010
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A meeting of kings is always an event. Most of the time, it features lavish feasts, extravagant parties and exotic gifts. Unless, the kings are enemies.
A meeting of enemy kingdoms is a different matter. There is scheming, distrust and possibly hostility.
When King Herod met the magi looking for the King of the Jews, Herod became troubled. You can just imagine the insecurity of Herod. Here he was, the current king of Israel being asked by foreigners the location of the future King of the Jews. Such audacity!
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.” (Mt 2:1-6)
Not only Herod was troubled, but the whole of Israel as well. Honestly, I don’t understand why Israel would be troubled with Herod. They should rejoice because the Messiah is coming!
But such was the state of Israel’s relationship with God that they could not rejoice at his coming.
This bible story is a mirror of our own encounters with God. Many who would encounter him for the first time would be troubled, fearful and hostile. But many others would rejoice that the savior is here. I pray your meeting with the King is one that is filled with rejoicing.
The Danger Of Spurning Discipline December 5, 2010
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Who likes discipline?
When I was young, I did not like being disciplined or corrected for what I did. Whenever I did something wrong and my mother was about to spank me with the stick, I would run become very afraid. No, I did not look forward to discipline and never liked it.
Even now, when I do something wrong and somebody points it out, I still feel bad about it. But these verses are changing my mind about it.
Proverbs 5:1-2
My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
Proverbs 5 starts with a fatherly plea to heed instruction. This whole chapter is a warning against adultery yet the verses apply not just to adultery but to any foolish action. You see this is what happens to a person who does not heed instruction.
Proverbs 5:12-13
You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors. And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”
Anyone who hates discipline gets into trouble! I can relate to that. I sure can point out the many troubles I’ve been in just because I hated discipline.
One recent instance is the discipline of going on time to an event. Going home from Singapore, we were late getting to the airport and we missed the flight. Ouch! That mistake spanked my credit card because we had to rebook our flight. It was an unnecessary expense that could have been avoided by discipline!
Oh how I love discipline now.
But it gets better in this verse.
Proverbs 5: 21
For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths.
The knowledge that God is everywhere causes me to love discipline all the more. I realize that in the times that there is no one who could see me, no one who could discipline or correct me, I can be sure that God is watching me. I can also be sure that God will correct me and that is something that I’d rather not wait for.
Instead, I pray that I love his commands and keep them in my heart. Let me love wisdom and discipline! I hope you do as well.
Faith Without Works Is Dead November 16, 2010
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Do you believe God can do the impossible?
Do you believe God can do the impossible in Your life?
It’s easy to be amazed by how God works in other people’s lives but sometimes we can struggle with believing that God can do the same impossible things in our life.
Throughout biblical history, God has always delivered – He parted seas, He defeated whole armies, He gives sight to the blind and even raised the dead! Nothing is impossible for Him.
The good news for us is, the God who performed all these miracles is the same God that will perform miracles in our lives.
For us to truly believe in this statement it must show in our actions. Our actions highlight our faith more than our words. As the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.”
In Chinkee Tan’s book, Rich God, Poor God, he makes a point that God is moved not by need but by faith and obedience.
He did not perform the miracles in Egypt because the Israelites needed it but because Moses obeyed his commands. God even had to prevail on Moses to face Pharaoh, Moses had little faith but he obeyed anyway! The rest they say is history.
Gideon had little faith and was full of self-doubt. Again, God had to prevail on Gideon but when the man of little faith obeyed, God moved greatly in his life. He defeated armies bigger than his own.
Abraham, while going up the mountain, was full of faith that God will provide for the sacrifice even though God asked that he sacrifice his only son Isaac. He obeyed without question because God has moved in his life time and time again.
Abraham exercised his faith on every occasion and is proof that when we exercise faith, it grows.
My personal prayer is that I grow in faith. I’m a lot like Gideon – full of self-doubt even when God has already moved in my life. I really need to exercise that faith often.
I hope your faith shows in your actions as well and that you grow in faith every day. Have a blessed day.
Pursue Purpose, Provision Follows November 14, 2010
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If you pursue purpose, provision will follow.
This was the main idea that I got from Pastor Steve Murrell yesterday, as he talked about the Importance of Purpose, which is the 2nd part in a series entitled Overflow.
I used to struggle with my own purpose. I didn’t know what to do with my life. I worked and changed jobs without spending a lot of time for my overall career. I was just concerned with getting a higher-paying job.
I also struggled with money for most of my life and because I struggled, I held on to it whenever I had it. I am not one you would think of as generous – “kuripot” was a more apt term for me. 
I thought purpose and generosity were two different things and disconnected from each other. Pastor Steve showed me the connection through 2 verses in 2 Corinthians.
Verse 8 says, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
And verse 11 says, “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
The first verse talks about being empowered and equipped all the time with the grace to do every good deed. Whatever specific purpose God set out for me, I’ll be able to do it well because I have everything I need! What an encouraging thought.
Notice how the word “all” is repeated 4 times. That means all – not sometimes, not often but all the time.
I have now discovered my purpose and God will make sure that I have everything I need to fulfill that purpose.
And as I pursue my purpose, provision will follow, which leads to the 2nd verse.
Pastor Steve highlights the words “made rich” as opposed to pursuing riches. We are made rich as we pursue our purpose. It is a consequence of living a life a purpose.
And we are made rich not just in finances but “in every way” – in our family, our friends, our relationships, our health, everything. Some rich people just have a lot of money but have broken relationships – where’s the fun in that?
And there is a purpose for us being made rich “so that” we may be generous on every occasion.
I believe generosity is the ultimate purpose of provision. We are meant to be generous not for our own glory but to give thanksgiving to God and that others through our generosity may also give thanks to God. It all goes back to him.
Pastor shared encouraging stories of generosity that led them to stay here and continue their mission work. Had it not been for those generous acts, they probably would have left. You can listen to the stories in the podcast.
That is the purpose of provision. We get an overflow of provision so that we may be a channel and not a container of blessings. We were meant to bless others as we are blessed.
Have a blessed week!
The 2 Cycles of Money – And What You Should Do In Each September 6, 2010
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The Proverbs for this day is rich in wisdom. There’s just a lot to choose from but just for this post, I’ll dwell on the cycles of money and every businessman knows this – Boom and Bust. All markets experience this and everyone experiences this. But not everyone follows the rules of each cycle. There is however one lowly creature in nature that has mastered the Boom and Bust cycle – the Ant.
Proverbs 6:6-8
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
During summer, when food is plentiful and it is safe for the ant to look for provision, it goes without and stores provision without need of a boss or a commander. In summer, when food is plentiful, the ant stores provision and doesn’t stop. Most people act in the complete opposite manner.
Most people, me included, when we have plenty of money, the tendency is to spend, spend, spend! I really have to make a conscious effort to be like the ant and save up money in my storehouse. I must understand that money has 2 seasons and during the Boom season, I must save and invest a part of it always. Like the ant, it must be a discipline – it must be automatic.
When the Bust season comes, as it always does, in any country, any market and any person, I will be ready to take from my storehouse and tide me over until the next Boom season comes and it is time to repeat the cycle again.
5 Tips From A Very Wise Man September 5, 2010
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Haven’t updated this in a long while. Got sidetracked with many projects as is often the case. Anyhow, as I read my Bible, I’ll just post my learnings here so I won’t lose them in the countless notebooks that I write on.
One of the things I found out about the book of Proverbs is it has 31 verses so it’s good for daily reading. Read 1 chapter every month corresponding to the day of the month. So for today, I read Proverbs 4 and found 5 points to apply in my life as I build a storm-proof life.
Listen to instruction from a wise man who loves you.
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
I was blessed with a wise mother who loved me but I did not develop the habit of listening. Instead, for much of my life, I listened to my own tune and lost the benefit of wisdom from the ages. I know that had I listened to the wisdom of my mother and every one else who gave me advice, I probably would have reached success sooner.
Fortunately, I have time to listen to my heavenly Father and still make my life mean something. So now, I’m here to pay attention to his words and gain understanding.
Wisdom is not new. It has been tried, tested and passed on through many generations.
3 When I was a boy in my father’s house,
still tender, and an only child of my mother,
4 he taught me and said,
“Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands and you will live.
Many of the success literature we find today is based on many ancient texts including the Bible. You could say that nothing new has really been invented. The wisdom that we need in any endeavor is already available. I simply need to listen to wise people, people who have gone ahead of me and succeeded.
This is a personal struggle because I have a high IQ and have trouble listening because I also have my own ideas. I guess wisdom comes to those who also have humility. Note to self – be humble.
Love wisdom and it will reward you.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head
and present you with a crown of splendor.”
I have met a lot of men of wisdom who have been rewarded greatly in their lives. I also met a lot of foolish men who have lost a great many things for ignoring wise advice. Seeing both sides of the story, makes seeking wisdom an elementary decision. I don’t have to think about it or dwell on it. I just need to follow the wise thing to do.
And of course, the wisest thing to do in this life it to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That decision will save me in this life and the next. Literally.
Avoid Wickedness, If I Want To Have A Good Sleep
16 For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.
Ah, peace of mind. Every wants to have it. I want to have it. But only the wise and righteous truly have it. Anyone who does a wicked deed the first time loses sleep for fear of being discovered. I believe any fugitive of the law cannot afford too sleep too deeply for fear of getting caught by the authorities or retribution from his enemies.
But the righteous sleep well because they have nothing to fear or hide.
Do things the right way
26 Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.
I believe level paths in this case refer to proven paths that have been taken by wise men before us. As I said earlier, wisdom has already been passed through the generations. The right way to success, wisdom and peace of mind is already available. A number of successful people through the ages have already walked down that path to make it level and firm. There is no more uncertainty and therefore nothing to fear.
Take the level path to wisdom and success.
Birth of an Idea October 2, 2009
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Yesterday, I shared with you what a disastrous day, September 26, 2009 is for me. I also promised that today I would share with you a decision that will alter the course of my life – a decision that you can make as well.
September 30, 2009 is the date this decision was made. This is the day, I decided to storm-proof my business and finances and really my life. Never again will a storm or a flood or any disaster sweep away my hopes and dreams for the future. Never again will I worry about failed business decisions or failed business ventures. I vowed to never again be poor – be poor in money, in mind and in spirit.
You see, even though I have a good salary, even though I’ve made some profits in real estate, even though I’ve bought millions of pesos in real estate using little of my own money, even though I’m making double-digit returns in stocks, I’m still poor in mind and spirit. How can I say that? Well one crummy day brought fear and worry to my mind that I almost gave up on business again!
So, I made a decision on September 30, 2009 to be so strong in mind and spirit that I will never again be overcome with fear and worry.
I believe this is one of the most important decisions any entrepreneur can make – and for that matter any person who endeavours to do something great. This decision has to be made because there will be many more “disasters” coming, that I’m sure of. As of this writing, a Category 5 Super Typhoon is about to make landfall on the Philippines, a few days after Tropical Storm Ondoy. It could also be another a flood, an earthquake, a tsunami, an airplane crash, a ferry shrinking, a recession, a depression, a bubble bursting, or any other disaster you could think of. It could be one of those days that an idea gets killed in the office, or I fall flat on my face on a presentation, or I bungle a real estate deal, or I pick a downward spiraling stock.
Once I made that decision, it became clear to me to take actual steps to be storm proof. This idea of storm proofing my life and my business has been brewing since September 30, 2009. And over the next few days, I will be formulating my Storm Proof Plan.
If you think having your own storm proof plan makes a whole lot of sense, bookmark my blog and let me know what you think in the comments section. See you around.
One Floody Day September 30, 2009
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One Floody Day
September 26, 2009 is a date that will be burned to my mind. This is the date that I will always look back to because it made me decide to look seriously at all my options, drop the non-essentials and focus totally on succeeding in business.
September 26, 2009 is the day Typhoon Ondoy brought floodwaters inside my home, scared the living daylights out of me and threatened the safety of my family. You see, I live in Greenland Subd., Bgy. Nangka, Marikina City, Philippines. Our subdivision has not seen a flood for a long time. Yet, here we were staring at knee-deep waters inside my house. The water rose quickly that I was not able to move my car, which was parked outside. I drive a Hyundai i10 and it would be flooded easily if I moved it to street level which was already at waist-deep. And we were the lucky ones.
The area called Balubad had houses submerged two stories high. It was a densely populated area with low-income families. Wooden houses did not stand a chance, easily swept away by the flood leaving hundreds of families homeless. Barangay Tumana, another heavily-populated area with low-income families, suffered the same fate. Located beside the Marikina River, houses did not stand a chance when the floodwaters inundated the river. People and families who did not move quickly unfortunately did not stand a chance. Banaba, Bayabas, Paraiso, Maly, Dulong-Bayan, Guitnang-Bayan – all barangays in San Mateo, Rizal, all suffered similar fates.
Disaster, a great equalizer, did not just target the poor. Even the rich were not spared – Provident Village, Town and Country Executive Village and Corinthian Gardens to name just a few. The magnitude of the disaster was so widespread that it did not care how much money you made. Everyone was fair game.
Listening to the stories of people affected by the flood, all had a common thread – the disaster struck so fast and so unexpectedly that it caught everyone by surprise. And it showed in the aftermath. Houses, cars and furniture were covered in water, mud and trash.
Not only houses, even businesses were not spared. Merchandise lay strewn in the streets wet and covered with mud – basically worth nothing. Rice, bread, furniture, motorcycles and even cars did not stand a chance. Our real estate brokerage was not spared. We did not have inventory but buyers who were about to make down payments did not hesitate to cancel. Needless to say, my wife and me were devastated.
I’m especially saddened for my wife. She does 90% of the work on our business because I work full-time as a technical consultant for Oracle. If you’re in any way involved in the real estate business, you know the numbers and the amount of work that goes into a real estate sale. Now, all of that was swept away in one day – September 26, 2009 – one raining, flooded, disastrous day.
Tomorrow, I’ll share with you a decision that will alter the course of my life – a decision that you can make as well.
