I am re-posting a blog from Pastor Steve Murrell:

Every Nation’s Yoda of church planting, Kevin York, is conducting a three-day “Coaching 101” seminar at our Asian Pastors Equipping Conference (APEC’09) in Singapore with 160 Asian leaders from 26 nations.

Here are some quick coaching quotes from Kevin:

1- Stats show that church-planters with a coach, build churches double the size of those without a coach in the first four years.

2- There are smart people everywhere who have all the answers, but the great need is for wisdom.

3- Smart people are known by their answers. Wise people are known by their questions.

4- Coaching is not about giving the right answers, but about asking the right questions.

5- Asking good questions forces people to think and come up with their own solutions, and it forces them to own those solutions.

6- People with all the answers are often frozen, indecisive and do nothing.

7- There were five frogs on a log. Four decided to jump off. How many were left? Five, because deciding and doing are two different things.

8- Coaching provides the accountability that helps put good decisions into action. Coaching gets the frog off the log.

9- Silence is NOT the same as listening.

10- Some silent people are not listening, but quietly plotting their response, ready to win the argument as soon as their opponent shuts up.

Steve Murrell is a missionary, pastor, and the author of “The Reluctant Leader” and “The Accidental Missionary.”

Hebrews 12 says, everything that can be shaken will be shaken so that what cannot be shaken will remain.

But during times of calamity, where can we run to? Or a better question is , who do we run to?

Is. 54:9 “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.  So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.

Is. 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Is. 54:11 “O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires.

We can always trust in God that He will not leave us not forsake us.

1.  GOD’S PROMISE IS SURE.

Is. 54:9 “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth.  So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.

DAYS OF NOAH –

Gen 6:11-13 – The earth was corrupt in God’s sight and full of violence.

- “I am going to put an end to all people for the earth is full of violence because of them.”

- God started all over again and chose Noah to whom he will establish covenant with.

Insight: We just had one day of rain and it flooded all over. Imagine having rain 40 days and 40 nights.

God’s promise:

Gen. 9:11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”

- The promise was that the earth will not be destroyed by flood again. Not that storms won’t come anymore. Storms will still be part of our life. But earth destruction via a flood is not God-initiated. He said it in His word and I believe Him.

- If it did not come from God, then could it be man-made. Could it be brought about by illegal logging, deforestation, irresponsible land use, carbon emission, etc?

2.  GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL.

Is. 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

-  Everything else will fail us – parents, friends, government, our spouse, our children, the church may even fail us. There is only one who cannot fail us. GOD. His love is unfailing. It is never-ending. Some people call it a stubborn love.

Psa. 13:5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psa. 21:7 For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

3.  GOD IS OUR SURE FOUNDATION.

Is. 54:11 “O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires.

-  Cleansing before foundations can be laid.

Is. 54:14 In righteousness you will be established:  Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear.  Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you.

Philippine Daily Inquirer – News Headline October 3, 2009

Pag-asa tip: Seek refuge in strongest building.

- I believe we know who we can seek refuge from. Someone who is strong enough to defend us and fight our battles.

Psa. 9:9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Q. Where do you put your trust?

ILL: During the flood, expensive cars and homes were not spared. The flood will not distinguish between village homes or squatters. People who trusted in wealth suddenly realize that having a lot of “stuff” cannot save them. In fact, it may be a burden during the flood because you have to find a safe place for them where they can’t get wet.

- When you talk of shaking, it’s not just a minor problem like: losing your parking slot, or you woke up late or you failed in an exam. Some shaking is a matter of life and death.

- Shaking can bring grief due to loss of personal property or even worse a loved one.

- We need not despair when loved ones die or situations take a tragic turn. God will turn tragedies into triumph, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory and our defeat to victory.

MAINPOINT:  PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD.

Psa. 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

IN A WEEK’S BATTLE WITH the devastation brought about by typhoon Ondoy and the threatening attack of  “Parma” (international codename) in a few hours time, here are suggested no-no’s to shy-away from:

1.) A non-stop playing with ‘Mafia’ and ‘Farmville’ games in Facebook, as if 90% of your city has not been flooded. A little sensitivity to our fellow men’s predicament would be greatly appreciated.

2.) Uncalled for comments that say’s that God’s judgment is upon the nation because of the people’s sins. The victims who have been on their roof for almost 24 hours want to be rescued not verbally condemned.

3.) Doing vain, empty, and constant photo ops during relief efforts to show to the world how benevolent you are is sickening. (Though I understand the need for proper documentations for reports and further appeal for support.)

4.) Too much concern about your own political party/organization/corporate’s PR. Too much image consciousness makes other people nauseated. This might not be the time to try to gain “pogi” points.

5.) Impatience with the poor and the victims. It may not be a sign of ingratitude per se. Give them the elbowroom to spill out their initial sentiments. It may just be a sound of cries due to seemingly unbearable misery. Remember, even the prophet Jeremiah spat it out too (Jer. 20:7 KJv “O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.”)

6.) Non-stop political infomercials on media in the midst of disaster is an unwise thing to do.

7.) Being a conduit of FEAR and PANIC, rather than FAITH and PRAISE. Look at how we disseminate info’s via the Internet? Are we propagating more panic or tid-bits of wisdom and tips?

8.) Credit grabbing. As long as the relief efforts are given peacefully and generously to the proper recipients, it’s enough already. We all can rejoice together for the efforts.

9.) Using foreign donations given for the disaster management efforts to gain tax exemption of a certain company is criminal.

10.) Price hike of commodities in times of disaster is the height of greed.

One thing I can say…God knows.

And…”in times of disaster the blameless will not wither.” (Ps 37.19)

What about you? What’s you contri?

Specifically, the following Victory Centers are currently open to receive donations, whether in cash or kind:

• Victory Alabang (+63 (2) 771 1212)
• Victory Fort Bonifacio (+63 (2) 8171212)
• Victory Greenhills (+63 (2) 584 1212)
• Victory Malate (+63 (2) 522 1212)
• Victory Ortigas (+63 (2) 631 1212)
• Victory Pioneer (+63 (2) 687 1212)
• Victory Quezon City (+63 (2) 426 7031)
• Victory U-Belt (+63 (2) 736 0752)
• Victory Malolos (09228424403)
• Victory Los Baños (+63 (49) 536 8201)
• Victory Sta. Rosa (09228424403)

The following items are considered priority goods to be donated:

Clothes
Bottled water
Baby milk formula
Canned Goods
Bread
Medicine (Biogesic, Neozep, Diatabs, Alaxan, etc)

For donations in kind, Victory is receiving cash and check donations at the centers stated above.

For those interested in making bank donations, please follow the following instructions:

PESO ACCOUNT
Account name: Victory Christian Fellowship
Account no: Current acct no. 0821-0298-13
Bank name:  Bank of the Philippine Islands
Bank address: Fort Serendra Branch Ground Floor Serendra Retail Area Bonifacio Global City. Taguig City

DOLLAR ACCOUNT
Account Name: Victory Christian Fellowship
Account Number:  Dollar savings account no. 0824-0542-58
Swift code: BOPIPHMM
Bank Name: Bank of the Philippine Islands
Bank Address: Fort Serendra Branch Ground Floor Serendra Retail Area Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Please email carol.almadin@everynation.org.ph with the following information so that we can confirm your deposit:

Your name
The Victory church you’re a member of (if applicable)
The Name of the Organization on behalf of whom you’re giving the donation (if applicable)
The dollar or peso amount deposited
Date deposited
Bank branch

THROUGH CREDIT CARD
Philippine-based donors may call 8171212 (9:00am to 5:00pm Philippine time) and inform the operator you would like to make a credit card donation to Every Nation Ministries for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. You will be connected to a representative who will take down your information.

International donors (persons based outside the Philippines) may process their credit card donations through the Every Nation Ministries donation gateway.

You may also go to http://tinyurl.com/victorydonate.

Thank you very much and please do continue to pray for those who are affected by Typhoon Ondoy.

Today, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos paid tribute to a great President, the nation’s 11^th Commander-in-chief, an icon of democracy, a peace advocate, a wife of an assassinated hero and a loving mother. There are yellow ribbons everywhere. The color yellow became a national symbol for peace and democracy. From the funeral mass held at the Manila Cathedral to the procession that led to her final resting place in Manila Memorial Park Paranaque, one can’t help but notice the gratitude and devotion of the people to their well-loved president.

I was 18 years old in February 1986 when we marched along EDSA and eventually saw a nation transform from dictatorship to democracy through peaceful means. The whole world was amazed on how a people can achieve such a feat. I remember flashing the “L” sign with my hands (which during that time means “laban” or fight and not the modern popular symbol among the youth which is “loser”).

President Cory helped unite the Filipinos and led the country with her integrity and strength of character. She faced a lot of challenges as the president but overcame. She was unprepared for a world of politics because she was content to serve as a housewife and mother.  After turning over the leadership to her successor Pres. Ramos, she continued to serve the nation as a civilian protecting democracy.

Thank you for your example of humble and gracious leadership. I saw in her that leading is not all about intelligence and eloquence but moral ascendancy and strength of character. She’s not a perfect leader but she had a heart to serve the people. In her agenda and decisions as president, the Filipino is #1.

Thank you for sparking in my heart a deeper love for this nation. May it not just be a matter of talk. But may each one contribute towards nation building even if he thinks that what he can give may seem insignificant.

Thank you for laying down a foundation where the future generations can build on. May our children and children’s children see the fulfillment of the dreams and vision that you and Ninoy had for the Philippines.

Goodbye and thank you, beloved President.