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Sunday, February 26, 2006

Simply Grateful

A while ago, we just had the 9th anniversary celebration at Word Community Church. The message uplifted me because our church had beautiful plans this year which involves strengthening the inner core that is to be able to assist each member in developing their "SHAPE". Personally, I felt grateful and thankful for God for because of Him my dreams are coming true. Earlier this year, I remembered an earnest prayer that I will be used by God in his ministry, in the way that I know I can do best, in a way where I felt free and happy, in a way where I can minister people, in a way where I can develop friendship and brotherhood. Right now, being recently installed as one of the regular back-up singer in our church just meant anything to me. I was amazed on how God really brought me to this place and it's just amazing how God works. Better days are still ahead of me and I'm very excited of what God will do - of course bad things will test you on your faithfulness to Him and sometimes they knock you "off course" but just stick to God.

I'm encouraging you my brothers and sisters to entrust yourself to God... don't set anything aside for yourself... entrust your dreams and ambitions to him.
Psalm 37:4 (NIV)
Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Waiting

It has been a month since I arrived here in Metro Manila and I have applied for jobs many many times. The fact that until now, no company has responded to my application is depressong. Sometimes, I am tempted to think that I am no good, that I don't have what it takes to land into a good job. I envy my friends who are doing great at their careers and sometimes I wonder why I can't enjoy what they currently enjoy. In my quiet moments, I would ask God why I can't have a good career. Though in the contrary, I'm doing great in God's ministry. If I were to be compensated for the work I'm doing, I guess I would be having lots and lots of money. But doing God's work is different. It is the source of my great joy and no money can be exchanged for it. God has set aside plans for me working in the industry maybe in the future but for now, I'm doing HIS work and that's what matters. We just learn to trust in Him and wait for his perfect timing. I have just read my daily subscription from Desert Streams and again I was reminded how valuable it is to wait upon the Lord.
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him" (Ps. 37:7).

Have you prayed and prayed and waited and waited, and still there is no manifestation?

Are you tired of seeing nothing move? Are you just at the point of giving it all up? Perhaps you have not waited in the right way? This would take you out of the right place the place where He can meet you.


Waiting is boring
"With patience wait" (Rom. 8:25). Patience takes away worry. He said He would come, and His promise is equal to His presence. Patience takes away your weeping. Why feel sad and despondent? He knows your need better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all. Patience takes away self-works. The work He desires is that you "believe" (John 6:29), and when you believe, you may then know that all is well. Patience takes away all want. Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.

Patience takes away all weakening. Instead of having the delaying time, a time of letting go, know that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too. Patience takes away all wobbling. "Make me stand upon my standing" (Daniel 8:18, margin). God's foundations are steady; and when His patience is within, we are steady while we wait. Patience gives worship. A praiseful patience sometimes "long-suffering with joyfulness" (Col. 1:11) is the best part of it all. "Let (all these phases of) patience have her perfect work" (James 1:4), while you wait, and you will find great enrichment. --C. H. P.
Hold steady when the fires burn,
When inner lessons come to learn,
And from this path there seems no turn
"Let patience have her perfect work."
--L.S.P.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

New Name

I turn 25 today! And things were quite normal. My housemates were asking me, how does it feel to be 25? Personally, nothing has changed much except the stubborn fat around my waist which I try to burn in the gym. Inside, there is and it's quite remarkable how God is working not only me but in each of us. I never thought following God would be as easy as changing a bit of attitude, or do something good. If we were to follow God and grow we have to "let go". We have to let go of everything that we have known. It is inescapable and it is as hard as it may seem, a very painful experience.


All this thinking is quite tiring
All of our lives we had it in our minds what we want ourselves to be: our dreams, our status in the society or what we want to appear as the world sees us. We are excellent in "covering up" the wounds incurred to us, giving out a mask, a false self - created to make us appear strong and infallible as we made our way to the dreams we had in our minds. But what we really are is not the mask we made ourselves to be "successful" by world standards. One by one, God peels each and every layer of mask - each layer that we cling to: layers that serve to have a sense of dignity or of importance, to have a sense of what we want the world to see in us - those layers, God will peel them off and it's just so hard because we love the shell that covers us and we don't want to let them go because we think that without them, we are nothing: without our jobs, we are nothing; if I am not an important person, I am nothing.

Allow God to peel them off. It will make you exposed: you feel so vulnerable... so naked and what is left is your fragile self - full of hurts, full of wounds, full of fears, full of insecurities - you can feel the pains surfacing and literally chilling into your bones. All we can do is to let God attend those wounds - it might be painful just like when you put "agua" in an open wound. Let God robe you with a new self as you become the person he intends you to be:
Revelations 21:5 (NIV)

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Yes, God is making all things new.

Don't be afraid to let God "peel" off your masks as you continue to walk with Him. And in the process He will gave ss a new identity, far different from the identity we desperately create or maintain. He will give us "new names". Remember God, telling Abram to leave his riches in the land of Ur and travel into an unknown and foreign land. He gave him a new name, a new mission, a new destiny - God given destiny. His name become "Abraham", because he is to father a great nation! The nincompoop Jacob became Israel. The church persecutor Saul becomes Paul, God's messenger to the Gentiles. Think how marvelous how God can transform people if they just let Him work in their lives!

Sunday, February 12, 2006

G O D

Compare the size of the Earth with other planets:




Now compare it with Uranus, Neptune and against Jupiter and Saturn.


Earth: 1st row from left under Uranus


Now Earth against the SUN!


Earth: See the where the arrow points


Against Sun, Earth is like a dot.

Think !! Where do you find yourself now??

Now imagine the creator of this universe???

Don't tell God how big your problems are In fact tell your Problems how big God is .

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Tragedy at ULTRA

This is the response to the email my friend sent to me. It happened that she almost joined her aunt to watch "Wowowee Anniversary". Thank God that she did not join and her aunt, though she was there remained unscathed. But the vision and images she saw there will be forever etched in her mind. I hope that what I think of the whole event is something God is importantly and telling us and that you may be able to contemplate on it too.

Hi Leigh,

It was really devastating and tragic... I'm glad that your aunt was okay and I believe that it was God's leading that you did not come. My church brothers and I were discussing it last Saturday and each of us had different interpretation of what God is telling us with this tragedy. One of my brothers was so distressed, he was like almost angry, you know. I agree with him that what happened in Ultra should be an eye-opener to our governement:

THIS IS WHAT POVERTY BRINGS! Poverty at its worst! and all they do now is just politicking again... asking relief goods in the name if this Honorable... blah blah blah blah... Pres. GMA suing ABS-CBN and other politicians who wants to dive into the issue as well just to get publicity.

Poverty is a curse... and it's so sad that because of it, we bend our moral and the very basic values we need enough to live a worthwhile life. Truly, as for me and as what the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all evil."... People will do anything to have money - people become selfish and monstrous as if he only lives for himself... People are hurt (and dead at that!) because of their own selfish montrosity just to have money... I understand they need money but to go to that extreme is unimaginable!

But of course in every fulfillment of our "selfish" desires there are two main factors - the catch and the bait. The people are the catch but who is the bait? It's that big show - Wowowee. They think they are helping people by giving money... They're so proud, making noise everyday and looking so frenzy and happy. I admit the show is entertaining but deep inside me I felt something is wrong. I cringe watching TFC audiences, putting "green" money into baskets in exchange for a "panawagan" (greeting) or so something like it though indirectly, and with Willie fanning several peso/dollar notes over tear-stricken, stomach-hungry, breath-gasping contestants. That show, according to the same brother I mentioned a while ago, is making money a god. And its true that what show is telling the people is that, 'Money... money... money... money will make you happy, money is all you need'... I understand that the show's intention is good, to help poor people, but the method is just so WRONG... It makes people lazy, parasites like clingy "leeches" - it made them think that when you need money you just line outside abs-cbn like beggars and wait for good fortune to come... If they want to help poor people, give them jobs that enables them to live uprightly and decently - in that way they make people feel good about themselves because in a sense, they feel independent that they don't need to be a "leech" to live. This is God's wrath, as another brother was telling us. He had been reading Revelations and he remembered God's bowls of anger ... and now it has fallen on Ultra - to teach us a very important lesson. I grieve for our people who are so unfortunate enough to experience this tragedy but I grieve more to those people who are so apathetic, who doesn't care or blind or pretending to be blind of what this tragedy is teaching to us all, Filipinos...

2 Chronicles 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land...


God Bless...

Saturday, February 04, 2006

The Bookworm

I can still recall the afternoons during my first year high school. When all the students rush towards the gate, can hardly wait to go home, I on the other hand would rush at our school library anticipating an adventure for lifetime. At 4:00 o' clock I went directly to the library (except on days our group were assigned to clean the classroom) and go to the classic section and decide which book to read this time. As I enter the library, I would see teacher Ofelia, our librarian make a funny smirk, as she saw me coming. I know she'll be irritated again with me asking too many questions about which books are good to read or if I were allowed to borrow five books at a time... but I know she's glad at least a boy (and rarely at that) got some interest in reading.

Alice In Wonderland
It's a boring day!
By that time, I got tired reading Bible children stories with pictures so I decided to read more "difficult" books. Difficult means that the story is longer and the words are harder to understand. I decided to "conquer" Alice In Wonderland. Although, the way the story is presented bored me, I did not stop reading. There are times that there are certain words that are hard to understand. I jot them down in a paper and look for its meaning afterwards. There are also times that I could not understand a whole paragraph and had to read it twice or thrice just to get the point. Everyday, I faithfully turn page after page - how Alice followed the white rabbit, how she swam in her own tears, how she met the cheshire cat and the mad hatter and how she bravely faced the queen of cards and consoled the lonely turtle (or was it a tortoise?). It was worth it and from that time on, I can't stop reading every book that my teachers require me to read - science, history, mythology and classics. The first pocketbook I got to finish was "Little Lord Fauntleroy", it's the story of Cedric Errol (I know most of you are a fan of the famous cartoon series) and next was "A Little Princess" (Yeah, it's again the famous Sarah Crewe). In my fourth year, our English teacher (She's my most favorite teacher of all time) had a knack for Greek and Roman Mythology - so we studied Cupid and Psyche (which was a fantastic story of sacrificial love), Perseus, The Gorgons and even Iliad and Odyssey (which we later as a class made into a play).

Later on our teacher (same one) required us to make a short story. I'm so excited because I know I'll be applying the different styles of the stories I have read. I was so much into animé at that time (and who wasn't until now?) so I made a story set in ancient Japan about a young man who's father just died and had to live with a distant uncle who owns a dojo. There he learned the ways of the dojo, have to endure his uncle's detestable temper, and befriend a rather shy and insecure girl and helped her to like her being herself. It was a story of how a young man grew out of his own fears and took risks to touch other's lives despite himself. The mood was quite peaceful, not overly dramatic, with gentle humor and yet very touching. I know my story was very good because I got the highest score in our class! Thanks for all the readings.

The Fountainhead
The Fountainhead by Rand
After that, even if I had graduated from high school, I still continue to read: Engineering books mostly and afterwards, l got to love Humanities: movie-making, architecture, the visual arts and everything. We studied Picasso, Donatello, Michelangelo and da Vinci and their famous Sistine Chapel painting. Later on I got into Philosophy with all its mind-boggling yet eye-opening ideas. Because of it, I got to hate God and felt I don't need him. I admired Ayn Rand, Sarte, Kierkegaard, St. Thomas Aquinas and felt I had to gain all the wisdom in the world. I got so full of myself and felt I'm the wisest reader in the world: I know things that "common" people do not, I despise what I think is "narrow-minded" thinking and refuse to listen with mediocre ideas. But something happend to me and before I know it, I was down and helpless and death was just a half-step lower. I tried to re-condition myself as if mind would win over matter but it did not, I was lost until one day I saw the familiar book I have forgotten many years ago. It still had its torn pages filled with pictures. I got to see the picture and saw a baby lying in a bed of hay. I smiled and the reading continues... and the reading saved me.

I know God gave me this wonderful gift to get to Him and I believe that He is using it to get into you, readers, to get to know Him. You know that "book" - it might be lying on a corner with it's top full of dust, unused for many years. It is waiting for you to open it and explore its adventures worth for an eternity! God Bless Us All!

Afterword: The bookworm currently reads all sorts of books: Christian and Psychological books mostly but he also enjoys mysterious and adventure books and books that require him to think 'till he goes insane (just joking). Books by Neil Gaiman (Stardust, American Gods, Neverwhere), JK Rowling (Harry Potter), CS Lewis (Narnia), Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie, 5 People You Meet in Heaven) are among his many favorites.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Life Ain't Like The Movies

Warning: The following material might offend those who label themselves strongly as members of the third sex ... but to those who think there is a way another way out, this one's for you. May God be with you as you read along.

Brokeback Mountain
Oh! It's gay movie?!
I haven't seen Brokeback Mountain, so I can't tell you it's a bad movie. In fact, if you wanted my best guess, I'd say it's probably a great movie. Everyone in the media has certainly fallen in love with it. No doubt it's a captivating blend of beautifully shot scenery, stirring music, moving characters and touching moments. It's also a work of fiction.

Do you remember Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts's breakout movie? It's always been one of my favorite romances. But, the truth is that it's a total fantasy! Still, millions of Americans (me included) were swooned by this ridiculous story of an infinitely rich man who found the love of his life by picking up a prostitute on the street, who just happened to be healthy, well-adjusted and beautiful.

Movies manipulate us. I'm not saying movies are all bad, far from it. But think about the situation. You are sitting in a dark place, watching a story unfold. The story has no obligation to reality; it is a creation of someone's imagination. Our emotions are tugged at by carefully crafted music, and everything we see and hear is under the director's control. It is a very persuasive medium. This doesn't make it evil, but it can certainly be used for evil. Movies have made people laugh, cry and be filled with wonder and adventure. Other films have tricked audiences across America into believing lies and sympathizing with evil.

Brokeback Mountain is no exception. There is an agenda behind this "love story" that's been evident ever since they started hyping it. Consider the movie's promotional tag line: "Love is a force of nature". There are two messages implied. First, homosexual sex is love. Second, being a force of nature, homosexuality is unchangeable and unavoidable.

From what I know of the plot, the two sheepherders' affair ends in heartbreak and loss. This is an accurate portrayal of what I and many others have experienced in pursuing gay relationships. However, there seems to be an idea people leave the theater with, that these two guys would have lived "happily ever after" if it hadn't been for the inconvenient constraints of their wives and children.

It saddens me to think of how many people - especially young people -- have sat in theaters across the country and been influenced by this movie to think that true love awaits them in the gay lifestyle, and that those of us who've chosen to change are living frustrated, sad lives. I wonder how America would respond to a movie that gave a non-fictional account of the homosexual experience: the promiscuity, the loneliness, the unending quest to try to meet one's own, ever-deepening need. How cool would it be if they could see an honest picture of the freedom that thousands of us are now living in, rather than a deceptive, mocking portrayal of ex-gays on an episode of Will & Grace.

Don't be deceived by fiction, or the glamour of sin. We must all remember the truth, and trust in God, because life is NOT like the movies.

--> Source: Exodus Youth

Afterword: Exodus Youth is a worldwide organization that caters the need and what has to be done for teens struggling with homosexuality and believes that there is a way out of it.