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Chapter 1
As the hart panteth after the waters brooks,
Chapter 1 Defining Passion It was during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s when we could still hold some words sacred in our vocabulary. Anyone wouldn’t dare to use words like: “I love you” “I hate” “my friends” “a passion for” “sacrifice” “holy” etc. unless you were sure about what you were saying. Now at days these same words have lost substance and they have become the common language of TV commercials, political propaganda, and a way to get quick results in a very convenient culture. People from different fields are looking for stronger words to get quick results because they don’t want to labor anymore. They have little patience and prefer to get their results as much convenient as possible. This problem didn’t start at our homes but rather in the trends we decided to share as a culture at the marketplace. It seems like whenever a new product needs to be advertised or a political agenda needs to win the majority of votes, promoters are always looking for stronger and more stimulating words they can use to entice costumers to acquire their products or approve their agendas. Unfortunately, this method has been damaging the true meaning of our vocabulary and still is unsatisfying the demands of consumers. There is no stopping now; these promoters are continuing to look for the next strong word available as if they were rising up the notch each time to be more convincing from their previous attempts. We are creatures of our own habits and we don’t want to be left behind during any culture movement so we continue adjusting our vocabulary to their expectations. I cannot close my ears and think as if nothing is happening. We are changing without measuring the consequences. I still hold some words very dear to my heart such as God, Passion, Holy, Awesome, Jesus, Friends, (and some other words alike). If I could make a law, I would like to demand respect to the true meaning of our words. For these obvious reasons there has been a communication problem between generations because the meaning of one word for one generation may not be as important as it could be to the next generation. I am not a writer and the English language is my second language (as you will notice) but I would like to start the first chapter of this book by searching and establishing the true meaning of PASSION and illustrate its etymology to allow every reader appreciate the heavy substance of its meaning. Only thru this basic understanding, we can truly use this word properly in the quest for a more successful life. Once we achieve this first step, we will see how PASSION is born inside us; then we can recognize how we can loose our own PASSION or gain it back; and answer a very common thought: Is PASSION a characteristic of a Leader? (*1.1) The etymology of Passion, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary says:It was first used in century 1175 to depict the “sufferings of Christ on the Cross” from Old French passion, from Late Latin passionem (nominative passio) “suffering, enduring,” from stem of Latin pati “to suffer, endure.” from Proto-Indo-European base *pei- “to hurt” (compare Sanskrit piiati “reviles, scorns,” Greek pema “suffering, misery, woe,” Old English feond “enemy, devil,” Gothic faian “to blame”). Sense extended to sufferings of martyrs, and suffering generally, by the year 1225; meaning “strong emotion, desire” is attested from century 1374, from Late Latin use of passio to render Greek pathos. Replaced Old English bolung (used in glosses to render Latin passio), literally “suffering,” from bolian (verb) “to endure.” Sense of “sexual love” first attested in 1588; that of “strong liking, enthusiasm, predilection” is from 1638. The passion-flower so called from 1633. “The name passionflower – flos passionis – arose from the supposed resemblance of the corona to the crown of thorns, and of the other parts of the flower to the nails, or wounds, while the five sepals and five petals were taken to symbolize the ten apostles – Peter…and Judas.. being left out of the reckoning.” (“Encyclopedia Brittanica,” 1885) (*1.2) The definition of Passion, according to the Random House College Dictionary, copyright 1979 by Random House Inc., is defined as:A noun: 1.- any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate. 2.- a strong amorous feeling or desire; love; ardor. 4.- an instance or experience of strong love or sexual desire. 5.- a person toward whom one feels strong love or sexual desire. 6.- a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything: a passion for music. 7.- the object of such a fondness or desire: Accuracy became a passion with him. 8.- an outburst of strong emotion or feeling: He suddenly broke into a passion of bitter words. 9.- violent anger. 10.- the state of being acted upon or affected by something external, esp. something alien to one’s nature or one’s customary behavior (contrasted with action). 11.- (often initial capital letter) Theology. a) the sufferings of Christ on the cross or His sufferings subsequent to the Last Supper. b) the narrative of Christ’s sufferings as recorded in the Gospels. 12.- Archaic. the sufferings of a martyr. Synonyms: fervor, zeal, ardor, ire, fury, wrath, rage. Antonyms: apathy. After we have read and considered the above brief etymology and definition of this word (Passion); I would like for the reader to reconsider this word as a very intense powerful and violent word that can move any person to the extreme in order to achieve a dream, a desire, or an objective. Unfortunately, we are living in times when every word is free of charge and anyone can express their feelings with any words they are pleased with. Politicians, promoters, and our biggest influence, TV commercials (including every political candidate whenever running for an office), who know how to manipulate such definitions. Our vocabulary has changed throughout the years and we cannot ignore these devastating consequences. People speak of love and hate freely, people abuse the name of God more often, and many people have no more reverence to holiness, friendship, accountability, integrity, authority, etc. Many Christians don’t realize the power of their thoughts and how much influence they have over the world they are creating because they have become part of this cultural tendency. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 NKJV It is time for us to start speaking the things as what they are and not as what the world says they ought to be. We have seen this idea too many times already, whatever we learn to accept as citizens, it can also become a role model or standard that we eventually adapt to and live by. “Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principals which direct them.” Napoleon Bonaparte Passion for these days My fervent prayer is that we begin to see Passion as the way it was first applied into our civilization. It speaks of a suffering, and enduring affliction, to put to misery because of a powerful and compelling emotion and desire. This kind of enduring affliction was first present in our Lord Jesus Christ during the years of His ministry on the earth. (“Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from Him. “Abba, Father,” “He said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark14:32 - NIV). His strong affection and love speaks of a passion that can consume any person to death. He had a single-minded effort that drove commitment to extraordinary levels. This illustrates passion in its true colors. This kind of frame of mind and with the proper energy is set to accomplish one thing in specific which continuously requires hard work, sacrifice, and the resilience to go against the common trend or movement. The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ very much embraced the value of Faith (faith on that object or person you are passionate for) and faith is that proof of a conviction and reality of those things you cannot see but an assurance and certainty of them as you hope for (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified). This is why He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith. He lived with authentic passion so we can also learn and live the life He showed us. I hope we realize at the end of this book, that every one of us needs this kind of Passion, a Passion that puts God in the picture of our dreams. I am speaking of a Passion that has an extraordinary essence as we need an exceptional energy to make our boats (dreams) sail in the unfamiliar waters because every passion will take its captain (dreamer) to unknown territories. Once we come to this reality, everything becomes possible and we begin to abandon ourselves to God as we are willing to loose our own lives for it (a characteristic of Passion that will be explained in future chapters). Passion will move us to this extreme because we have tasted and received a glimpse of the reality that exists at the other side of those unfamiliar waters. The most extraordinary example of a person being driven by Passion is our Lord Jesus Christ. A life that was totally committed to that strong desire regardless of the sacrifice, criticism, false accusations, and feelings of rejection. There has been too many times when people cannot capture the reality of our Lord Jesus Christ to its fullness because they still see Him as a heavenly being. We must see our Lord Jesus Christ as a real human being too, a person just like you and I. Yes, He is God with us, but in order to understand His sufferings, His dreams, His emotions, His commitment, His desires, we must bring His existence to the same level we are on this earth. He lived a life as a human being just like you and I. He was able to taste a revelation of what was on the other side of those hiding truths (the reconciliation between God and man). We must understand that He was fully human and fully divine to comprehend the fullness of His passion. (“Now From the sixth hour [noon] there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour [three o’clock] Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli lama sabachthani? that is, My God, My God, why have You abandoned Me – leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need? {Psalm 22:1} – Matthew 27: 45,46” Amplified). Christopher Columbus is another historical model of what Passion does for people. He received a revelation of a new continent that needed to be discovered; he trusted God for this revelation and abandoned his life in the hands of God to make this possible. A passion starts as a thought, a thought that expresses itself as a word, a word that puts meaning into an idea and an idea that potentially becomes a dream. This is the kind of dream that challenges every previous imagination and conquers all the space in our hearts. Are you getting excited to live your dream? Are you ready to have passion for your dream? That’s why it is important to pay attention to what the bible says about the dreams and thoughts we mediate on. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:5 NIV. People who have changed the world have been people with passion; they have learned to take the word impossible out of their minds so their dreams have every opportunity to come true. This is exactly what the Bible also says: “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23 NIV But I must remind you again and caution you: Everything in this life can begin either by a Passion or by an Obsession. I have been praying continuously and examined my heart for the kind of attitude behind these writings because any written book could have been written with passion or with obsession. It is the same principle with many projects, people running for important leadership positions at church, or at any governmental position. It is the same with relationships, work ethics, and our own dreams. It is very easy to make an obsession believe it as a passion. For this simple reason it is a good advice to always put every thing under fire and see its true colors before we receive it in our hearts. “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NIV
Everything in this life can be originated either by a Passion or by an Obsession. Passion stands firm in its convictions and cannot compromise. Obsession stands firm in its personal ego. Passion has a sensed of destiny that communicates a vision and creates an atmosphere of expectancy among people. (“Now search all of history, from the time God created people on the earth until now, and search from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything as great as this ever been seen or heard before? Has any nation ever heard the voice of God speaking from fire—as you did—and survived? Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes. “He showed you these things so you would know that the Lord is God and there is no other. He let you hear his voice from heaven so he could instruct you. He let you see his great fire here on earth so he could speak to you from it. Because he loved your ancestors, he chose to bless their descendants, and he personally brought you out of Egypt with a great display of power. He drove out nations far greater than you, so he could bring you in and give you their land as your special possession, as it is today. “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other. If you obey all the decrees and commands I am giving you today, all will be well with you and your children. I am giving you these instructions so you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:32-40 / NLT). Passion stays in touch with its source because it receives its meaning for existence. A passion has a sense of balance in every dimension of our lives (family, work, church, friends, relationships, etc). Obsession is only concerned about personal needs and self existence. Obsession is a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling. Passion is not born with the desire to create enemies for we have a seed that wants to influence all aspects of our lives and make a world of difference. Passion will meet its enemies but has no desire to compete, or force others to believe in our dreams. Obsession does look for opportunities to resist and to prove its reason for existence; it has no respect to persons. Obsession is very deceiving while Passion is very transparent. It is vitally important to understand the source of our Passion because whatever Passion we have, it will change our lives and the lives of others. Passion will stay alive with the test of times; obsession can easily go away if it is replaced by another common denominator (by another obsession). Passion requires us to discipline our behavior and our being to do whatever it takes (a living sacrifice). We achieve this because we fall in love with what we are doing, and that’s when we become passionate about it. Obsession doesn’t require any change from us because it was born from our own attitudes and viewpoints. Passion transforms and demands a change in our own lives because it was born from a revelation. Obsession demands a change from others but not from you. I am not holding a PhD degree to speak with such authority about Passion and Obsession. The only confidence that I have to speak with such awareness is my own life experiences while I struggled with different obsessions and the passion to know Him. These life experiences have given me the audacity to challenge every reader to consider this important subject (PASSION) because its true meaning is getting mixed with other common words and we are presently living in times when people with real Passion are (if I can compare them) like endangered species. “If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.” T. Alan Armstrong Passion vs. Obsession We can test Passion and Obsession against the Law of Attraction, Law of Influence, Law of Gestation, Law of Legacy, Law of Navigation, Law of Initiative, Law of Transparency, and Law of Sacrifice and at the end of all the tests, Passion will persist with the same energy and vision. I tested Passion and Obsession using some of these laws that can be found in The Maxwell Leadership Bible (*1.3) and after examining Passion and Obsession in each Law, we can discover that the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ endured each law leaving us the assurance and confidence that He is the best Mentor, the only one who can truly understand everything about us and help us achieve success in life. I also discovered that once we get the right passion for our lives, it doesn’t need to be renewed as we go thru the unfamiliar journey, but we do receive a fresh revelation that moves us from glory to glory, from power to power. We don’t receive a new passion as we grow, for Passion in itself has a life that knows no death. In a future chapter of this book, we will consider the three different kinds of forces that can stimulate, energize, and empower a passion and how they can endure all these tests too, except the law of sacrifice and the law of transparency; only one kind of force or energy can overcome these latter ones (sacrifice and transparency).
Passion and the Law of Attraction There are two common sayings that may speak about “a band of brothers” as you relate to your friends or the way people perceive you and your friends: “A man is known by the company he keeps” and “A man is known by his friends.” This common saying is nothing but how we unconsciously apply the law of attraction in our daily routine. The Law of Attraction is even more inevitable when people notice a passion in our lives. Picture you are cruising on a lonely road and suddenly you notice an unfamiliar object burning with high flames on the side of that road. This burning object will definitely get you attention because you cannot figure out at that instance what is it that is burning and why is it burning; before you notice, more different people stop to observe the fire over that unfamiliar object too. Some people will get close to the flames because they want to feel the heat, others will just stop because of their curiosity. Since that fire is also producing some kind of knowledge, others will get close to the fire so they can receive that knowledge for their journey. I am referring to the knowledge for any concerned traveler thinking if he should be more aware of the road that is ahead. As you imagined how this object in high flames was producing fire and people were stopping to observe such incident, you can illustrate a passion as that same fire too. Passion in our lives will make people stop to observe what we are doing, they will ask themselves why are we doing it, and see if what we know can help them for their road.
Passion attracts. Obsession avoids.
It is possible that people who are different in their values and points of view will not be attracted to you because, at the same time, Passion plays a very significant role in the Law of Solitude. “Certain people” get very uncomfortable when they encounter a person with a passion and that’s when they try to avoid any confrontation. (*1.4) The Maxwell Leadership Bible explains this concern well. The MLB speaks how the law of Magnetism makes people attract by who we are. A Leader attracts leaders; a hard worker attracts hard workers, team player attracts team players, gossip lover attracts gossip lovers, sinner attracts sinners, murder attracts murders, a Life giver attracts life givers. This law of attraction can work in our side or against us; the issue lays down in how we handle it. Take as an example the heart of Joshua; he was first known as “the servant of Moses” (“So Moses rose up with Joshua his attendant; and Moses went up into the mountain of God”. Exodus 24:13 / Amplified). He was an apprentice of Moses and God (“And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Moses returned to the camp, but his minister Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the [temporary prayer] tent”. Exodus 33:11 / Amplified). He gave himself wholeheartedly to whatever Moses instructed him to do. He was known as Moses’ assistant. Joshua saw a passion on Moses that he, in return, became obedient, with a mutual vision, with the same faith and expectations to conquer, and with the same level of commitment. There is so much to say about Joshua; he was a faithful co-worker, a lover of God’s house and God’s presence; a man of zeal, and a man who learned how to wait on God. All of these qualities of his character attracted Caleb too and that’s how a reaction chain was created, the Law of Attraction doesn’t stop with one person; Moses attracted Joshua, and Joshua attracted Caleb whom very soon followed Joshua’s steps. In the end, the people of Israel followed Joshua’s example and did what God asked them – and as a result, they inherited the land God had promised. “Israel served the lord all the days of Joshua” (“Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the works the Lord had done for Israel”. Joshua 24:31 / Amplified).We will never know the consequences of our own potential with the Law of Attraction; we may attract multitudes, or we may attract only one person but that one person may become the greatest hero of one whole nation. People will become attracted to our passion and will follow us because they will believe our passion can take them where they want to go. Our Lord Jesus made a promise that has an unlimited potential: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:38 NIV. I encourage you to believe in His teachings, following Him, depend on Him, and He will make you a stream full of wisdom and knowledge for others to satisfy their thirst. As we learn about this Law of Attraction, it is also in our best interest to pay attention to our followers. There will be always people watching what we are doing (even if we don’t notice it) and it is thru these followers that we will realize how our own vision is much deeper and it becomes more obvious. Each member in the body of Christ (His Church) contributes something to fulfill the other’s expectations. Mentorship Facts: The Passion of our Lord still attracts multitudes! Matthew 4:25; 5:1,2: “And great multitudes followed Him – from Galilee and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan. And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them saying:…..” “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” Harriet Tubman Passion and the Law of Influence It is not easy to influence people anymore. I remember when a strong hand-shake was enough to influence over an agreement between two persons, or even just a spoken promise had the same authority of a written contract. People are more hesitant now at days. The lack of integrity on people has made many to become more hesitant on their choices. But people are still looking for easy ways to influence over many. I have seen too many “Christian logos” on store windows that pretend to declare a solid faith establishment but it is only to lure more customers. I have been financially wounded too many times by people who called themselves Christian friends willing to help but their secreted aim was to satisfy their greedy empty pockets with money and always more money. Can we still influence in a world that has been deeply wounded by people from all levels of society? One of the remarkable characteristics of a leader is his ability to influence. The Bible speaks of many people that were not born to lead or influence others but when a transformation occurred inside their hearts, those circumstances changed in a very extraordinary way. Passion is the energy that we need to change our own ideas and the perception of others. Passion can influence in a positive or a negative way. Passion adds and encourages value, self-esteem, respect, and appreciation to others. Obsession manipulates and destroys affection, favor, and recognition from others (or recognition to others). People with passion are key players in influencing others, they must remain tolerant and full of integrity; the words they speak must remain unchangeable to stand the test of time. It all comes down to a true character and strong convictions. Joseph was a man of God with a strong ability to influence over kings and their government and the entire population. Joseph’s great Law of Influence succeeded in spite of all odds (he was a foreign in the land of Egypt). Joseph’s character influenced over the people that he was with. At an early age, “Israel loved Joseph more than all of his children, because he was the son of his old age (Genesis 37:3). Also he made him a tunic of many colors”. This kind of tunic with long sleeves was to be worn only by the chief and his heir; Joseph’s brothers began to envy and have enmity against Joseph because of his influence over the father. When we carry a passion in our hearts, we will stir people’s heart to act or react. Joseph’s life continued influencing everywhere God took him to: at prison, at the king’s chambers, over a nation, and for his own family’s redemptive plan. For this very reason our Lord Jesus made a comparison of our lives to the salt this world needs: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” Matthew 5:13 It is very easy for me to imagine our Lord Jesus Christ holding a PhD degree on Chemistry, Physics, Human Relationships, Science, etc. because He is Wisdom and all true and perfect knowledge, He knows everything. What we know now and what we can learn with the convenience of searching so many things with the use of internet whenever we don’t understand something was not an advantage the disciples had when our Lord Jesus Christ was teaching the multitudes. If our Lord Jesus Christ declared that we are the salt of the earth, take a brief moment to learn what salt is all about. (*1.5) Salt, according to Wikipedia, an online reference tool, is a dietary mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride that is essential for animal life, including humans, but toxic to most land plants. Salt flavor is one of the basic tastes, an important preservative, and a popular food seasoning. Salt is involved in regulating the water content (fluid balance) of the body. Since at least medieval times, people have used salt as a cleansing agent rubbed on household surfaces, and to disinfect wounds. Salt has been used in many brands of shampoo too. Sodium chloride is also the raw material used to produce chlorine which itself is required for the production of many modern materials including PVC and pesticides. As well as the familiar uses of salt in cooking, salt is used in many applications, from manufacturing pulp and paper, to setting dyes in textiles and fabric, to producing soaps, detergents, and other bath products. It is the major source of industrial chlorine and sodium hydroxide, and used in almost every industry. Sodium is one of the primary electrolytes in the body. All four cationic electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) are available in unrefined salt, as are other vital minerals needed for optimal bodily function. Too much or too little salt in the diet can lead to muscle cramps, dizziness, or even an electrolyte disturbance, which can cause severe, even fatal, neurological problems. Drinking too much water, with insufficient salt intake, puts a person at risk of water intoxication (hyponatremia). Salt is even sometimes used as a health aid, such as in treatment of dysautonimia.The center of my illustration is not a lesson about Chemistry but to highlight what our Lord Jesus Christ thinks about each one of us. If our Lord Jesus Christ compared the meaning of our lives to the value of salt, there is a lot more about our lives and our unlimited potential that we have not discovered yet. The apostle Paul understood the association of salt too and the way we ought to live our lives, “ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”. Colossians 4:6 / NIVIf we make a careful observation on the comparison our Lord Jesus Christ did, we will understand that our lives will impact other lives, inspire many others, stimulate different hearts, encourage many souls, influence and even shape the lives of people. Another great example of a “salty life” and the law of influence was Esther who saved God people when the whole messianic line was at risk. Passion produces a Law of Influence because there is a strong sense of purpose, security, and perspective. Obsession produces insecurity because the big picture is too overwhelming and stimulates stress. Mentorship Facts: The Life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the only life that has influenced over centuries! John11:47, 48 “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. “If we let Him alone like this everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” “It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labour of peace.” Andre Gide
Passion and the Law of Gestation The principle of sowing and reaping is a principle that has been mostly ignored, or mainly misunderstood. Galatians 6:7, 8 says: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Many people only associate the Law of Gestation to financial blessings. I believe this misunderstanding increased in greater numbers after TV preachers and Evangelists took the House of God (House of Prayer) as a tool to gain financial benefits in exchange for the Favor of God and manifested His unlimited love thru miracles by the exchange of monetary gains. The Principles and the Laws of God don’t change, they remain forever and some preachers who learned how to operate in these different laws, specially the principles of sowing and reaping, have taken advantage of God’s Integrity to turn the House of God in a business of selling and buying. God is not a God who changes His will because of His Holy Integrity. Our Lord Jesus answered to these moneychangers: “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’” Matthew 21:13 NKJV Passion does not abuse the principles of God because Passion’s interest is about people. God’s Passion is to give the greatest blessings to people. Financial blessings are good, who doesn’t want them? But what many children in this faith-walk don’t understand is that His presence is better than His presents (another chapter in this book). The Law of Gestation teaches us to be like a farmer. A farmer knows the different seasons to plant a seed, and the different terrains (fertile and unfertile) to plant our seeds. A farmer who plants a seed also knows when to pick the corn because if the farmer does it too early, he will miss out some of the grain. A farmer knows how to wait too, his patience is also paramount to receive a much greater harvest. People with Passion learn to use the Law of Gestation to plant seeds in the hearts of people and cultivate the fruits in due season. A farmer knows when to plow, when to water, when to fertilize, and when to let nature take its course. Our Lord Jesus wants us to operate always in this principle: “He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like, A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4;26-29. Passion doesn’t look for a personal benefit nor manipulates the process for quicker results, but Obsession looks for quicker results and selfish gains. Proverbs 11:18 says: “The wicked man does deceptive work, But to him who sows righteousness will be a sure reward.” I beseech you to learn to sow seeds that last; money comes and goes, but patience, love, righteousness, peace, tolerance, justice, kindness, mercy, etc. these are the seeds that will produce much better crops. Passion is more interested in seeds that last; Obsession is interested in seeds that give quick returns. Many times financial miracles are not the greatest blessings; (I make this comment in case you still want to sow money expecting to reap more money), but the best crop you can ever have is a true revelation of God as your Father (because those are the best jewels you can ever have). Mentorship Facts: Our Lord Jesus Christ put a lot of emphasis to this principle because everything God gives; He gives in the form of a seed Matthew 13:31 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed..” “Passion is the element in which we live; without it, we hardly vegetate.” Lord Byron Passion and the Law of Legacy People with passion leave a legacy to the next generations because they take every day as if it were their last day. People will remember us not by the material things we obtained, or by the adventures we lived. People will remember us by the kind of passion we lived. and to create a legacy, we need to be radical with our passion. Extraordinary is a must if we want to leave a legacy. Everyone is complacent and satisfied being ordinary because it requires no labor and no sacrifice, nor demands high expectations. I truly believe the roots of the problems we are facing in these present times are the deficiency of a sense of inheritance, heritage, or legacy that would have been carried into our present generation. There is no sense (or very little) of personal pride (and I am not referring to arrogance) or having self-respect. We lack sense of worth, and meaning that can speak to our hearts and say: “people need you”; but the attitude is totally opposite because whenever they are being asked to go the extra mile, their first questions that come to mind are: “Is it worth it?” “What’s in for me if I do?” “Do I have to?” “Will they appreciate if I do?” Passion doesn’t entertain with these kinds of thoughts. The Law of Legacy demands for us to give up many things. Passion will give up whatever is necessary to keep the fire burning without compromising the source of its existence. Obsession will compromise whatever it is necessary and try to make its best deal in order to survive. Although The Law of Legacy demands a high price, Passion makes “a high price” the very least of its worries. Obsession dreams about the Law of Legacy but it rarely becomes its reality, it dies in the process. The reason Passion doesn’t think about Legacy is because Legacy requires giving up our lives for it, but Passion has already taken our lives and to give up our lives is no longer an issue. Although The Law of Legacy requires giving up all of our different dreams, there are no more different dreams once we have Passion. Passion has already prevailed over every dream we had ion the past. We become single-minded with Passion. Passion, it is a very beautiful word, very romantic in its resonance, very attractive as its flower, and very appealing as a thought, but it will not break off from being demanding, extraordinary, full of sacrifice, solitary and unfrequented. The principle will never change: “Live a life with passion and you will leave a legacy for life”. This is the reason why we cannot have two kinds of passions in our hearts. Our hearts become totally devoted to just one passion. This one passion in our heart can be the same passion of our Lord Jesus. Our Lord’s passion met the demands of The Law of Legacy and His promise to us is that our passion, if aligned to His word, can also meet the demands of The Law of Legacy: “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” John 8:51 Passion and Legacy work together; they both require us to fight with courage against dream-slayers. The Law of Legacy demands and calls for a mentor to develop and transfer the knowledge, experiences, and wisdom to the next generation. This process takes time and carefully selecting each individual that will accept and carry the burden of the mentor. Read the lives of our Lord Jesus and the 12 disciples; Paul and Timothy; Elijah and Elisha; Moses and Joshua, This process is not tedious or wearisome if Passion is involved. Obsession will not have the wisdom and patience to complete it or mentorship. The Law of Legacy will make each one of us, as the Mentor, to be transparent to the people we are mentoring. Besides passing all the knowledge to them, we must demonstrate our lives are lived according to our teachings. Since everyone learns in a different pace, we need to adjust to their level of apprenticeship; this means being tolerant, and having discernment. Passion can recognize such goals. Obsession cannot succeed in such challenge. Legacy is not just about giving instruction; it requires demonstration and assimilation. It is a sincere task from the heart. Passion is ready to touch and transform the hearts of the disciples; obsession gets short for this goal. Mentorship Facts: Our Lord Jesus Christ personally chose you to carry a legacy! Matthew 11:27 “All things were entrusted and delivered to Me by My Father and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son deliberately will to make Him known.” And John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you….”
Even people with wrong motives can have a passion too and influence others to the point of leaving a legacy “The doom of a nation can be averted only by a storm of flowing passion, but only those who are passionate themselves can arouse passion in others.”Adolfo Hitler
Passion and the Law of Navigation People with Passion have a sense of direction; their vision goes further than an ordinary view. They can see a glimpse of the whole picture. Although the picture is not totally clear, they receive a revelation of their destiny little by little. Christopher Columbus was not sure about the route he had to take, but his confidence over his Passion gave him the compass he needed. He saw the whole map in his mind even before presenting the plan to the Queen of Spain. People with passion understand what they need to obtain in order to be at the other side (the full manifestation of their revelation). They recognize every obstacle and become prepared to overcome each challenge by their own trials and victories. Our Lord Jesus Christ illustrated that example when he was in the boat with his disciples and the storm paralyzed his disciples with fear. Sometimes it is difficult to display confidence and optimism in the middle of the storm and even when we did all the preparation necessary to face the storm; our faith will be tested to see if we can still navigate against the high waves, the strong current, and the turbulent waters. It is much easier to be said than to be done; but the results will reflect if we are effective leaders. Unfortunately, schools, books, and seminars don’t make great leaders. Great leaders are born from misfortunes, adversity and struggles. This idea is very sarcastic at every level of management, and they prefer to avoid it by persisting in promoting people by “who you know” and not by the value of their character after the experienced struggles. I remember the time when I was away from home because of military orders and my wife and daughter were left alone at home. These kinds of events are very common with the families of military members. We get deployed, activated, and sent away from home leaving everything under the leadership of our best helpers. God bless our virtuous wives! Our wives are God’s blessings and the precise, exact, true, and appropriate help we need. God did not join Adam and Steve in matrimony, or any other two people with the same sex. It is written in His word. (“He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one”. Genesis 2:20-24 / NLT). Because of God’s blessings over our marriages, our wives will proceed with diligence and true leadership qualities whenever they face challenging events. This specific event was during a hurricane season and since we are living by the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes are the kinds of storms we have to expect, we have to prepare our minds each year to those surprising events. It was inevitable, after so many years of experiencing no hurricane throughout the entire season, one hurricane decided to show up while I was away from home. It became a time of test for my wife and daughter. It took a good measurement of Confidence, Organization, Planning (for the unforeseen problem and come up with the best possible solution), Trust, Faith, and Being capable to change directions if plan “A” was not visible. These were just some of the tasks they had to face alone. I have used this personal illustration to explain that people who can operate in the Law of Navigation are people of prayer. People with Passion are people of prayer too because their prayer time is their compass. The Maxwell Leadership Bible enlightens this topic very explicit by comparing the life of Nehemiah and the Law of Navigation (*1.6) It is read in the MLB how Nehemiah saw more than what others couldn’t see. He saw the wall needed to be repaired. His uncommon vision showed him the problem and the solution. He was a man of prayer. Nehemiah was able to direct the people through the process. He didn’t waste time and with great certainty, he was able to identify key stake holders to achieve the mission. Our Lord Jesus highlighted the importance to work together with the Law of Navigation in a way that can only be accomplished by aligning your passion with His: “He replied, When evening comes, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red, and in the morning, Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast. You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away.” Matthew 16:2-4. Passion opens up a revelation little by little; one step at a time. Obsession knocks and knocks at doors of opportunities but many times it is by its stubbornness that doors of opportunities are forced open and unfortunately, whatever we force open, we will also receive the struggles that where not meant for us (speaking from many personal experiences).Mentorship Facts: Our Lord went thru everything you can possible face; He is the best guide you need! John 15:20 “Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master – is not superior to him. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecuted you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours.” And John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father.” “Our passions are the winds that propel our vessel. Our reason is the pilot that steers her. Without winds the vessel would not move and without a pilot she would be lost.” Proverb
Passion and the Law of Initiative Many times we don’t learn to listen to our gut feelings because we are afraid to be wrong, especially when we are moving into an unfamiliar territory and we are traveling alone; but deep inside of us that gut feeling is saying that everything will be alright. How many times have we made mistakes because we gambled and went with that gut feeling? Some people may disagree with me but risk takers are good Initiators and God will always be there to help us because He looks at the heart first before letting us walk alone in strange lands. There is something in the heart of initiators or in their guts that triggers their courage to move forward. Is it complacency what drives them crazy? Is it the fear to get staggered? Is it the reflection of unproductive actions? People who are Initiators know what they want. They push themselves to act even if it means to do the job alone. Initiators make more mistakes but they are able to get back up on their two feet and recover from those mistakes. Initiators take more risks than other people and they follow their guts more often. Initiators are decision makers and visionaries that are not afraid to get ridiculed or be wrong. If there is no great courage to win, there will be no great victory A beautiful illustration of a great Initiator is King David. He approached Goliath with a sling and few rocks with the initiative to make a difference. He didn’t have any idea of the outcome but he pushed himself to act on his gut feeling. He took the risk and embraced that struggle because he knew what he wanted. He wanted to bring honor back to His Almighty God. Passion gives us that gut feeling or initiative that only courageous people have. As a military man, I was always taught that if there is no great courage to win, there is no great victory. God is looking for people that understand the Law of Initiative so He can share His Passion and not be afraid of unfamiliar waters because there are more precious scenes on the other side. Another great example of the Law of Initiative during the ministry of our Lord Jesus is when the centurion’s servant got healed. This centurion could have found many good reasons why not to approach our Lord Jesus with such request but the passion to see the best for his servants moved his heart with initiative to seek our Lord for help. The answer of our Lord to this centurion after seeing such initiative was: “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Isreal!” Matthew 8:10. Another person whom we may consider as great initiator is the mother of Jesus when she asked him to change the water into wine. This transformation was the starting event of His ministry. The bible says: “ When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." John 2:3-6 NIV. One more example of great initiators was also the life of a woman whose daughter was demon possessed “Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:21-28 NIV. This woman was considered a stranger and one who could not associate to our Lord’s ethnic background, but her initiative was considered also of great faith. People with Passion release a brave heart to conquer dreams. Passion is the fire we need to bring extraordinary victories. People with Obsession are very limited because their self-motive has a very small picture and “do-it-yourself” task gets exhausted very fast. There are people who could say: “I have never jumped into the water, because I don’t know how to swim!” but if this is our thinking, our Lord is always present and will never leave us. He is just looking for the right attitude of our hearts and witness if we truly want to embark in this adventure. If we have passion, we will also believe He is the Captain and there will be no destruction on the boat as we are sailing on the waters of our destiny. He has done it before! He is an expert in taking people to explorations where people can learn to achieve good results concerning Faith, Trust, and Confidence in the One Who called them.
Mentorship Facts: Our Lord will not ask you for something He did not equip you already for John 6:5,6 “…He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.” And John 8:12 “…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” “We must act out passion before we can feel it.” Jean-Paul Sartre
Passion and the Law of Transparency I truly believe our Lord Jesus Christ loved John so much because his sprit was transparent. The gospel of John is richer in its material. We can’t find some things about the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ in the other gospels but only in the gospel of John. We can see a heart that is simple and more profound in the reading of the gospel of John because of his transparency. This kind of heart gives no struggles and receives the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ as a child, and yet John wrote the most conflicting book in the Bible. I truly think the transparency of John’s heart enabled him to know our Lord in more intimate way. John was able to understand the agony of our Lord Jesus. John was able to capture the immeasurable love of our Savior. John caught a glimpse of a Savior in the most stressful situation, yet displayed more peace than ever before. John understood the Passion of our Lord and he was able to connect himself to that passion. Because of John’s transparency, John was able to reflect on the relationship between the Son and the Father. The apostle John walked closely with the Lord and even witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration. Our Lord Jesus Christ kept His best-kept secrets until the end and decided to reveal those to his dear disciple John. What an honor to receive visions, dreams, revelations, and prophetic perceptions of the end of times; but these are available because of a transparent heart. Adam lost his transparent heart when He taught he could hide from God. In order to have the kind of Passion that will lead us to a more successful life, we must come to Him as we are. Hiding sinful situations will only delay the victory. We need to act and speak always to people knowing that God always makes Himself present wherever we are. We need to speak to God as if people would always be paying attention to what we say to Him. This personal attitude of God to mankind and mankind to God means being transparent at all times. Our Lord Jesus made the same reference when He said: “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5:33-37. A heart that goes after Passion is transparent, truthful, honest, with integrity, reliable, and sincere. Many political leaders have claimed to have passion but unfortunately once they start hiding their personal goals and agendas those attitudes disqualify them as people with passion. Passion and Obsession don’t mix. This is my personal reason to believe that a politician has an authentic passion, only our Lord Jesus Christ can give a politician a heart with a true passion and such politician will not deny the source of his passion. A heart that is full of obsession that goes after an idea or after an aspiration is normally hiding a personal agenda, acting with hypocrisy, deception, and with a fake disposition. Our Lord Jesus Christ loved John so much that, almost at the end, Our Lord made a connection between his mother Mary and John. True Passion cannot be alienated from the Law of Transparency. Passion has everything to do with people and people have longed for too long to see a transparent heart when anyone speaks about passion. I was writing this book during a year of presidential elections and our present country has been crying out for a leader that could bring a change, a leader with a passion to make changes but true passion is only equivalent to real transparency. Mentorship Facts: Our Lord Jesus asked us to be transparent in our works and a reflection of what is inside our hearts Luke 11:33-36 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light. “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness. “If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.” “Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.” Joss Whedon Passion and the Law of Sacrifice Once we understand the whole meaning about Passion, and recognize the difference between Passion and Obsession, we will identify the Law of Sacrifice as a vital part of this revelation. Moses had a passion for the people of God and he cried to God to get them out of slavery. It took a lot of sacrifice from Moses’ part but the higher he climbed, the greater the sacrifice he needed to make. Praises and honor to God Almighty and to our Lord Jesus Christ that the ultimate sacrifice has been paid already; and there is no need to add more to it. Abraham was also tested when he was going to sacrifice his own son; but God wanted Abraham to see if the gift was more important than the Giver of that Gift. Passion will demand constant sacrifice (time in prayer, time in solitude with Him, time to receive instruction, and time to mediate in His word - just to name few). If Passion is part of our lives, what price are we willing to pay in order to move deeper into that revelation? Unfortunately, no one achieves success without sacrifice. Our Lord Jesus stated very clear that we were going to suffer too: “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10 and “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17. Passion gives us a heart willing to sacrifice without growing any resentment, bitterness, or frustration because of unwanted results or disputes. Obsession will grow bitter and resentful towards God when the results are not what they were expected. People with Passion hold no resentment in their lives because it is like a cancer that will eat them alive, but people with Obsession will continue to struggle with resentment and perhaps that resentment is what fuels their own obsession. Passion helps us to learn the good lessons of sacrifice and makes us depend more in God; any old nature dies, any bad habit gets buried, and any flesh desire is reduced to ashes. Passion and the Law of Sacrifice helps us enter in God’s chambers completely naked, with no reputation, no credits, and no personal agenda; but only to spend quiet time alone with Him. Passion and the Law of Sacrifice take us to the cross where we truly see how much God loves us. We no longer think about our needs but about other people’s needs. It is here where we humble ourselves before God and inventory ourselves, admitting our weaknesses. This process of brokenness rips our pride, self-reliance and self-confidence. It is here, at the law of sacrifice where Obsession doesn’t want to meet with us. The Law of Sacrifice takes care of our fears and rejections concerning others and concerning us. We have come to the altar of sacrifice and everything that must be burned, the passion (fire) will scorch all of it completely and we learn simultaneity to place ourselves in the hands of God. Obsession and the law of sacrifice don’t meet together. A clear example of Passion vs. Obsession is the story of the two prostitutes that went to seek counsel to King Solomon (read: 1 Kings 3:16-28). Passion will sacrifice in order to see Life continue because passion is about people. Obsession will only think about self-support and every agenda to self-existence. 1 Kings 3:16-28 / Amplified version: “Then two women who had become mothers out of wedlock came and stood before the king. And one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house .And the third day after I was delivered, this woman also was delivered. And we were together; no stranger was with us, just we two in the house. And this woman's child died in the night because she lay on him. And she arose at midnight and took my son from beside me while your handmaid slept and laid him in her bosom and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose to nurse my child, behold, he was dead. But when I had considered him in the morning, behold, it was not the son I had borne. But the other woman said, No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son! And this one said, No! But the dead son is your son, and the living is my son. Thus they spoke before the king. The king said, One says, This is my son that is alive and yours is the dead one. The other woman says, No! But your son is the dead one and mine is the living one. And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword to the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two and give half to the one and half to the other. Then the mother of the living child said to the king, for she yearned over her son, O my lord, give her the living baby, and by no means slay him. But the other said, Let him not be mine or yours, but divide him. Then the king said, Give her [who pleads for his life] the living baby, and by no means slay him. She is the child's mother. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had made, and they stood in awe of him, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice”.
Mentorship Facts: Our Lord Jesus sacrificed everything just for your success! John 10:11, 15, 18 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” “As the father knows me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” “No one takes if from Me, but I lay it down of Myself I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” “Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. Love others as well as you love yourself.” Jesus Christ
The Passion of Our Lord (our blueprint) It is not easy to discern a person who has Passion and a person who has Obsession because it is an issue from the heart, but we can make a self evaluation of our own hearts and discover the true intentions of our hearts so we can adjust any area in our personal development that needs to be corrected. It is the Holy Spirit the only one who will reveal this “attitude of the heart” to us (as intercessors) so we can pray for them and guard (as a watchman) the unity in the Body of Christ. Unless the Holy Spirit reveals the true intentions (Passion or obsession) of a person, time is the only practical tool that will reveal the true harvest of that seed of passion or that seed of obsession. I have quoted famous quotes from famous people in previous pages because passion is not just for Christ – followers. Passion has influenced every sphere in this world, but true passion has its source in God’s character. Every one needs passion to succeed, but The PASSION of our Lord Jesus Christ is the crystal-clear component that everyone needs to have everlasting promises, and extraordinary results for true success. I will help you evaluate every possible source of energy that will fuel your passion and bring you to an eye-opener that confirms that everything about, for, and with His Passion, is absolutely what will make a difference. What a precious possession, His Passion within us! This word, passion, when we see it from its original meaning, helps us to appreciate and teach us to truly value it for our own lives. Again, I must make an emphasis how we must understand the life of our Lord Jesus Christ as He was during his earthly ministry in order to capture the fullness of his ministry and passion. He was completely a man just like we are. The Bible is not a book of fables or tales, the Bible is true history of a nation that has taken God as their only God. I am speaking of the earthly Israel and the spiritual Israel. The Bible is the inspired and living Word of God but it also speaks of true history. Since I have seen The Bible take out of Institutions and public offices, I have asked myself this question: “Why has it been so difficult for many people to accept the Bible as a book of principles, facts, and laws for mankind?” I truly believe this stubborn lack of wisdom is because they see the Bible only as a spiritual guidance and they fall short in their thinking to realize that everything that is written in the Bible was also part of history and as a divine constitution from our Maker. People have no problem believing in recent or ancient famous (or infamous) people because it is part of our academic history. I will always dare our public school systems to educate people in the rich history of the Bible and we will see a generation that knows God, has respect for God, and learns to live a more successful life so we can transfer a real legacy to other generations. Even Napoleon Bonaparte, a man who history considers one of the best military strategists who ever lived, along with Alexander the Great and Julius Cesar made mention of our Lord Jesus.After Napoleon's death, Henry Parry Liddon asserted that Napoleon, while in exile on St. Helena, compared himself unfavourably to Christ. According to Liddon's sources, Napoleon said to Count Montholon that while he and others such as "Alexander, Caesar and Charlemagne" founded vast empires, their achievements relied on force, while Jesus "founded his empire on love." After further discourse about Christ and His legacy, Napoleon then reputedly said, "It...proves to me quite convincingly the Divinity of Jesus Christ. (*1.7 see: “Napoleon I of France from Wikipedia website”) "Well then, I will tell you. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I myself have founded great empires; but upon what did these creations of our genius depend? Upon force! Jesus alone founded His empire upon love, and to this very day millions will die for Him. . . . I think I understand something of human nature; and I tell you, all these were men, and I am a man; none else is like Him: Jesus Christ was more than a man. . . . I have inspired multitudes with such an enthusiastic devotion that they would have died for me . . . but to do this is, it was necessary that I should be visibly present with the electric influence of my looks, my words, of my voice. When I saw men and spoke to them, I lightened up the flame of self-devotion in their hearts. . . . Christ alone has succeeded in so raising the mind of man toward the unseen, that it becomes insensible to the barriers of time and space. Across a chasm of eighteen hundred years, Jesus Christ makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy; He asks for that which a philosopher may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends, or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart; He will have it entirely to Himself. He demands it unconditionally; and forthwith His demand is granted. Wonderful! In defiance of time and space, the soul of man, with all its powers and faculties, becomes an annexation to the empire of Christ. All who sincerely believe in Him, experience that remarkable, supernatural love toward Him. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man's creative powers. Time, the great destroyer, is powerless to extinguish this sacred flame; time can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range. This is it, which strikes me most; I have often thought of it. This it is which proves to me quite convincingly the Divinity of Jesus Christ."Napoleon Bonaparte If Mr. Napoleon Bonaparte was able to understand those facts, why are we still debating the importance of the Word of God in our lives? Many people who are skeptic and agnostic for the things of God spend so much time searching for the true and exhaust all of their strength seeking valid evidence to believe in something greater than them. They are correct when they realized that there is something much greater that can influence their lives, but they will ignore all the evidence that has been presented already testifying God is true, Jesus is undeniable, and that the things of the Spirit are real (this latter one has been dramatically changing because there has been a more profound and deeper awakening for the spiritual realm in recent times and people are now convinced to search “the spirits” to balance their spirit, soul and body. Unfortunately they are still searching valid questions with wrong answers). The Word of God is the ultimate answer and the Book of His Story, if our schools could at least consider this unquestionable part of history in their every academic textbook, such information would be of tremendous benefit to future generations. Today we can get so much information about anything and everything you want to know with the help of a computer keyboard, yet most people know very little about our Lord Jesus. Our Lord Jesus did not come to start a new religion and still to this date religion is the worst enemy to truly and personally know Him. Religion has driven people away from visiting the church on Sunday mornings. Religion has been the cause of arguments, disputes, and discontent at the church. Religion has many times been the cancer in the Body of Christ. Our Lord Jesus doesn’t speak about religion. Everything that Jesus spoke has changed the course of history because His words have transformed millions of lives; and for more than two thousand years, He has kept His promises. But, what was the real motive behind Jesus’ ministry? On the night before He got arrested, during His suffering prayer at Gethsemane we can see His heart getting consumed to the point of bleeding (please read the whole prayer to appreciate the heart of His ministry John 17:1-26 “…..this is eternal life; that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”). Our Lord Jesus came to this earth to give wisdom, true everlasting life, and present help to our present circumstances. “WHEN JESUS had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify and exalt and honor and magnify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify and extol and honor and magnify You. [Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent. I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed. I have manifested Your Name [I have revealed Your very Self, Your real Self] to the people whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have obeyed and kept Your word. Now [at last] they know and understand that all You have given Me belongs to You [is really and truly Yours]. For the [uttered] words that You gave Me I have given them; and they have received and accepted [them] and have come to know positively and in reality [to believe with absolute assurance] that I came forth from Your presence, and they have believed and are convinced that You did send Me. I am praying for them. I am not praying (requesting) for the world, but for those You have given Me, for they belong to You. All [things that are] Mine are Yours, and all [things that are] Yours belong to Me; and I am glorified in (through) them. [They have done Me honor; in them My glory is achieved.] And [now] I am no more in the world, but these are [still] in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep in Your Name [in the knowledge of Yourself] those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We [are one]. While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your Name [in the knowledge and worship of You]. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition [Judas Iscariot--the one who is now doomed to destruction, destined to be lost], that the Scripture might be fulfilled. And now I am coming to You; I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their own souls, that they may have My gladness within them, filling their hearts]. I have given and delivered to them Your word (message) and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world [do not belong to the world], just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You will take them out of the world, but that You will keep and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world (worldly, belonging to the world), [just] as I am not of the world. Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And so for their sake and on their behalf I sanctify (dedicate, consecrate) Myself, that they also may be sanctified (dedicated, consecrated, made holy) in the Truth. Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You have entrusted to Me [as Your gift to Me] may be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, which You have given Me [Your love gift to Me]; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O just and righteous Father, although the world has not known You and has failed to recognize You and has never acknowledged You, I have known You [continually]; and these men understand and know that You have sent Me. I have made Your Name known to them and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and I will continue to make [You] known, that the love which You have bestowed upon Me may be in them [felt in their hearts] and that I [Myself] may be in them”. John 17:1-26 Amplified He is not only an inspiration to many lives but also an unexplainable and credible answer to many of our own problems. As I was able to illustrate with the previous laws, The PASSION of our Lord was able to stand all the Laws and Precepts, even from the most demanding critic. I included the above comparison Passion vs. Obsession, to show that the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world that needs real answers is our only hope, and he is the only true mentor to achieve a successful life. Our Lord Jesus Christ emptied Himself in every way to show us the way, the truth and the Life we must follow if we honestly want success and not fail. Passion is the first step to achievement. Passion increases your willpower. Passion transforms you. Passion makes the impossible possible. Although Passion will find expression, in either healthy or unhealthy ways, we can make the right choice by knowing where each passion comes from (See Chapter 2 – Stranger fire in the camp). It is our personal decision to select what passion we must follow to lead us to success. It is my prayer that we can see very clear the whole panorama about the right Passion for our lives. The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is not an unconvincing suggestion. He died in an extraordinary death sacrificing everything for our behalf. Picture a King giving up His throne and all of His riches for the sake of His people. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor (to be as a beggar, to become indigent, # 4433 greek), so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9. God delights Himself in a sincere relationship with us. After He made Adam and Eve with that in mind, to have communion with the Father in a regular basis and Adam “turned his back on Him”; God continued to seek a man He could call Friend (James 2:23: “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend.”) This heart to heart relationship and mind to mind communication with God speaks of the awesome love God has for all of us. Even God had to pay the price when he created us in His own image; that price of free will limited God to protect us from our own destruction but He could not break the rules of the game. He wanted sons to enjoy communion with, and not robots. After the fall of man, God, our loving Father, restrained His omnipotent saving hand and cast Adam and Eve out of the paradise. The heart of the Father still weeps for a relationship with His sons because He took pleasure (passion) creating us. His Passion for us is indescribable. Because of His infinite wisdom, He ordained even before creation that the Son should come, suffer, and die for us. Evil was inevitable, the devil was already thrown out of God’s presence and he has been looking for an even kill but God never changes and God’s choice was to give us free will. Again His desire was to have sons and not robots. Restoration, healing, and forgiveness were also available from the beginning but even people had to choose. NOTHING IS AUTOMATIC. Our Heavenly Father would love to straighten up every child’s mess instantly (just like us, parents, with our own children) but His abundant love must give time for us to discover the effects of the law of sowing and reaping. As much as He loves to keep us out of our own destruction (because of the choices we make), He must not intervene, or His sons will never learn. Fingers that are lightly placed in a hot stove by a mother who teaches the children to respect and have healthy boundaries can save those children’s lives from an eternal hell. Forgiveness from a Holy and Pure Father could not be automatic because forgiveness alone cannot create conviction, confession, repentance, and purity of heart. There must be a cry for mercy, justice, and divine love. That horrible sacrifice paid on the cross on our behalf was the extraordinary event that marked history. Right at the cross, that’s when an old history ended and a new history starts. HIS STORY. We all need Passion to stay committed to our success but it is only with the PASSION of the One who already knows the way to victory. I can assure you that He can be our Mentor and help us achieve success in the desires of our hearts.
PRAYER ! Heavenly Father, I thank you for the sacrifice of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is only thru Him that we can approach you and spend precious moments at your presence. Thank you Father God for giving us the privilege of letting us come close to you in a very intimate relationship. We praise you God because you are a personal God who gives us the honor of knowing you personally, even inviting us to feast at your kingdoms’ table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We admit that such privileges are for us because we have recognized the sacrifices of our Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf and we have received Him as our Lord and Savior. We give all the honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ and there is no other name on this earth or in the heavens that can give us a completed and eternal salvation. Dear Jesus, please teaches us everything about your passion. With the help of the Holy Spirit, guides us to discover all your truth. As we continue studying your word, makes of us people of passion. Gives us a zealous heart that goes after your passion and ministry. Shows us the purpose for what we were created. As we read this book, help us to discern your principles and laws according to your Holy Word. Because you are a God of order, bring the secret areas in our hearts that we must deal with so we can, specially in areas that seem mundane. Set our hearts in fire again so we can become successful at the places where you have position us for your kingdom to advance. God, we pray that you will fill us with the spirit of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge so that we will be able to walk this dynamic passion that you have called us to. Because you are in us, with us, and for us, we put our confidence in you, our hope is in you, our success is in you. It would be wrong to put my confidence in whatever’s going on in the job, economy, or in my career even if may be doing good or bad. Don’t let our heart follow into any obsession but guides us to the passion that you have called us to so You can shine through us and be a blessing to others. We are a channel of your love. As we continue studying your Word and learn to put Your Passion before our hearts and before our eyes for we belong to you, we thank you God for the inheritance that you foreordained and that You chose and you appointed for us to walk in. We live for the praise of your glory! Thank you In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen |