WAKE-UP CALL

                Yesterday, I received a text from an unknown sender. It was an urgent call among the children of God to pray for our brethren in United States as they will be suffering a great tribulation because Obama implemented the law of receiving the chips on their right hand which is considered as the marks of the beast. It is stated in “…..”

                I was scared for my brothers and sisters. But all the more I am scared for my relatives living in US and they don’t know anything about it. They are not aware that the chips they will receive are Satan’s deceiving plan to put them in eternal doom. I felt so useless and helpless that I didn’t do anything to warn them. All I can do is to pray that somebody close to them will give them a warning about receiving it. I emailed the online missionary named Frank in Florida and ask him how should I tell those things to my relatives but he didn’t say anything. He suggested they should be a believer of Christ before I can share what’s behind with the chip.

                I felt so useless. And I know I am accountable for their blood. I should have tried even if I will be ridiculed but I just can’t do it! I am soooooooooooo afraid. I don’t know what to say and how to start. I hate to know it’s too late for me.

                In desperation, I cried out to God last night. I asked forgiveness to God that I am sooooo focused with my job and leaving it. I am soooooooooooo worried of other things that I lose my focus and failed to pray for other things. I am soooooooooooooo focused with my personal agenda that I failed to pray for the needs of other people most especially those who need my intercession. I was soooo focused with myself that I failed to realize that there are other people who are experiencing greater trouble than me. I am so focused on worldly things, on things that I need to accomplish – I need to accumulate… Now I lost the time for prayer, for reading the bible, and sharing the gospel.

                I failed God a thousand times now. But I don’t have anyone except Him. I prayed to Him to redeem the time that I lost for praying the lost people and the people who are experiencing the dangers of end times. I’m not ready. But I need to. I have to.

                I know it was a wake-up call for me. I need to get things right with God. I need to become victorious with all the temptations that are coming my way. I am already victorious. I just need to take my positions and stand firm knowing that the battle is not mine but the Lord’s.

                It was a wake-up call for me to stay focused on the track no matter what kind of distractions life may throw at me. I should keep my eyes fixed with the Lord Jesus. The thought about having the marks of the beast scares the hell out of me. But focusing my mind and heart on Jesus vanishes away my fears. I was reminded by what He said in His word “Do not worry because such things must happen”. 

REST IS OVER…BACK TO WORK!

                I’m supposed to go to sleep but I can’t find a way to close my eyes and set my brain in a deep slumber. It feels my rest is not yet enough but I know I really need to get back to work. I just spend my time writing journals and watching some movies. I get a chance to watch the podcast of the conference I attended last May 18. It was the Unstoppable faith of Nic Vujicic (pronounced like Vuyijich). I want to abandon my job and find another work but I just cannot do that.

                Out of desperation, I really wanted to take place of my teammate who was kicked out in a company for not following the process, leading to the customer’s death. I don’t want end my job that way. I wish I can just run away but I know God will not be pleased. I need to follow the process and finish my responsibility. I know I’m really really tired but with God’s strength He will let me finish what I started. I have to follow the process of rendering 30 days before I walk away from my blasted work.

                I am really stressed out and I wanted to find a job that I will surely love, even if it’s stressful. After 20 days of work, I will finally be free.

                No matter what, I will always be grateful that I have the chance to become a call center agent. It’s never an easy job. You are just sitting but receiving a lot of shouts and bad words coming from your customers. Even if you don’t take personally, in the end it’s still draining. I still thank God that this job help me support my family. This job helps me buy my laptop through SSS loan. Well, without this job, where will I get my contribution that will help me qualify for a loan?

                But seriously, I need to move on. I will never forget all the things I’ve learned from being a call centre agent. I will always be thankful that it helped me support my family most especially my sister’s tuition fee. And mostly, this job was used by God to glorify Him in giving tithes. This was the job that He used for molding me the way He wanted me to be. This was the job that He used to help me to be more patient, humble, and helps to endure and suffer long. It was painful but in the end, it was worth it knowing that those humbling experience will bear the fruits of righteousness.

                So just like a Christmas vacation, I am now counting my days before I filed my resignation letter this coming June 21 and render 30 days. 

OPPRESSION CEASED

                A couple of months ago, I cried out to God because I am more suffering with the drastic changes happening at work. As a call centre agent, I need to pass all the metrics needed so I can get an incentive. I just hit it once & never got the change to pass all of them ever since. Am trying my best to hit all of them but to no avail. I was just darn de-motivated.

                Our qualitative analysis (QA) on our calls changed the standards with the same monetary value of incentive. Our after call work or ACW is just allowed only for 30 seconds. When I was just starting in my job, our ACW is just two minutes. Later, I became a minute. Until it became 30 seconds which I really find it hard to hit it.

                I am really suffering in stress. But all I can do is to cry out to God. My devotion that time is on Exodus. It was the time when the Israelites are under the oppression of cruelty in Egypt. God heard the groans of His people & He sent Moses to deliver them. I cry out to Him like a child praying that we are under oppression. I asked God for wisdom & strength to endure all of these things happening at my work. I am really suffering. I am at rebellious stage that time & I realized that God is not pleased with this. So I just keep on praying to God to help me submit & obey. Some of my colleagues disagreed in panic disgust but they don’t have a choice but to obey anyway. Some are even running for 19 seconds only! Wow! I wondered if that is still a quality customer service. 

                I keep on praying to God to hit it but I just can’t make it. He didn’t answer my prayers because He had a plan which is a lot better than my prayers. Last week before I get absent, I attended the town hall and all the things about ACW was discussed. There was one from Vodafone who conducted a research on how they can speed up customer service. To make the long story short, ACW was dismissed! We are no longer required to put the customer on hold and do all the stuff that we need to finish while on ACW. This means that this is no longer required to hit it since our main target is to speed up our service & shorten the time the customer needs to spend on the phone.

                I know it was God who answered my prayer.. Hmmm not completely because that is not what I prayer for. He knew there’s no way I can do it so He removed it for me. Wow! What an awesome miracle! Our oppression finally ceased after having this. But of course, I will still need to manage my handling time over the phone. I’m just glad that God is moving. I have a mighty God who is answering my prayers & hearing my complaints & dissatisfactions at work. I have an incredible Father is heaven who is willing to accept me when I messed up & willing me bring me back on His righteousness  when I get lost. 

FAITH TESTED IN TITHING

                I’m running out of budget. I need to buy medicines & I still got few days left before my salary. I am tempted to spend my tithes for my personal needs & I know it’s really urgent. But my tithes were badly needed by our church to pay the monthly house rent. In spite of this, I stand in faith that God will meet my needs not only with my medicines but with my food as well. I just wanted to experience how God will work in my life knowing that I have nothing in my pocket. Few coins are left. It’s not even enough to help me buy food & medicine until Thursday.

                Before me & Adrian departed, we prayed and present our needs to God as our response to Philippians 4:6. It say, “Do not be anxious in everything, but in everything in prayer & supplication with thanksgiving, present your requests to God”. I am bound to get depressed again yesterday because I am so worried but I stop myself from worrying because I know it will not help me at all. I gave the tithe that is really for God and I just trust Him that He will provide everything that I need.

                Last night, I really don’t have plans to eat at night. 5 pieces of Kikiam is enough for me & I opened my laptop to play games. Later, Ate Grace approached me & asked if I have eaten my dinner. I just shook my head as a sign of “not yet”. And she said she had extra pork sinigang she was not able to consume & wanted to give it to me. I had enough. Just bought a half cup of rice & I can’t believe I am enjoying a great dinner knowing it was God who moved for me.

                And just today, my board mate Aileen bought rice for me. We ate lunch together & I was able to share her meal. She gave me the excess rice, excess ulam, and she gave me the suman that was given to her by our other board mate. Now, I don’t need to worry about my food until tonight. It was really more than what I expected. I remember last time at the office; I don’t have anything to eat. Ate Sy & Ate Helen invited me for lunch. I am soooooooo full I’ve eaten all the excess. Hahahahhaha! Micah, my roommate came a while ago. I was able to borrow money from her to buy medicines.

                I tested Him. And I trust Him that He will provide everything that I need that I presented to Him in my prayers yesterday. I hope Adrian was able to eat as well. I gave the tithe that is due Him and He’s taking care of my everyday needs.

Faith & Patience

It is easier to choose doing overwhelming task than to wait. What if God is says you need to wait & have faith that all you desire according to His plan will come to pass?

God’s clock is not the same as ours, nor will His timeframe synchronize ours. When we can no longer wait and our patience runs weary, it is our usual inclination to do things on our own and forgot that God has a better plan. He is a builder, not a magician. And He cannot compromise His own timing just because His child can no longer wait.

We have different desires and most of us would like to have them as fast as high speed internet. We might realize that we have waited long enough for the person we wish to marry, or a job or position we wish to have in a company, or might be a simple gadget like ipod or laptop--- but God is insisting it’s not yet the right time. What we will do? Are we going to force things on our own way and neglect God’s message?

Remember when God teaches us to do something; it is not for Him but for us. Everything He does or anything He allows to happen has a purpose. God does not have a business of explaining why he’s doing that. We just cannot question God why he’s doing that. He is all-knowing and no amount of human reasons would ever …

It’s not easy to wait. We humans are naturally impatient. But let’s take the examples of great names of the Bible who waited in patience & trust in God and they were greatly blessed. Abraham waited for 15 years before God gave him Isaac only to be commanded God would need Isaac as his offering. David waited for many years too before he became a great king.

Are we on the stages of waiting right now? We all do... How long? We cannot determine how long we have been waiting. God waited 33 years before he allowed Jesus to minister & fulfil His mission. But we need to wait and trust God that whatever happens, God will execute and finish His plans.