Filed under: , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Last night, as I was watching television (the evening news to be exact)… I saw a segment that featured tips on how to welcome the Chinese new year. And since I was just surfing the channels, I decided to stop for a moment and see what makes this portion “newsworthy”.
Feng shui experts started giving their advice on how to bring in “good luck” and how to fend off negative vibes. Rolling fruits on the floor just before the stroke of midnight and writing your wishes on paper and tucking them inside a small chest (container) wrapped in aluminum foil… posting good luck stickers on doors and displaying a particular type of buddha figurine.
Ok, so maybe the Chinese have a bunch of beliefs in order to attract fortune and prosperity… but what I saw on television were Filipinos… Catholics and renewed Christians alike listening to feng shui experts!
The most common phrase I heard from most of these “so-called” practicing Christians when asked why they follow these Chinese feng shui rituals: “Wala namang mawawala eh” (in english, “There’s nothing to lose”).
On the contrary, MUCH is to be lost! Haven’t they read the Ten Commandments? They need not go through the entire list to figure out that what they’re doing is an abomination to the Lord. The first part of the list states:
Do not have any other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.
Now tell me, how does believing in superstition, in other religions and beliefs (such as feng shui) and all the rituals that go along with it not equate to idolatry? Doesn’t that clearly violate what God so clearly commands of us Christians?
To put things in perspective… let’s pretend you’re married to someone (assuming you still aren’t)… what you clearly expect from your spouse is that he/she be faithful to you… to not falter or waver but to be steadfast. Then one day you learn that your spouse has started to “play the field” so to speak… and starts dating other people… her reason being that he/she needs a fallback in case you fall short or aren’t able to deliver on your promises. How would that make you feel? Then he/she ultimately justifies it by saying “Wala namang mawawala, eh” (”There’s nothing to lose”)…
Tell me… is there really nothing to lose?
The Lord never said, “Do not have any other gods before me… but just to play it safe, it’s ok to also put your faith on good luck ornaments, crystals, figurines, coins and mystic advice in case I fail to deliver.”
God delivers. Indeed, He most certainly does… to those who are faithful and obedient. You see, His love is unconditional… but His promises aren’t.
You can be the most generous person during offertory… even the most consistent tither, but without obedience… it is all for naught. Without absolute obedience, sacrifice is empty.
In 1 Samuel 15:22 it reads:
“Does the LORD so delight in holocausts and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams.”
Total surrender to our Heavenly Father is not just something that is said… it isn’t just something that comes out of your mouth… it is an everyday decision… a continuous and conscious effort… a daily act that you must carry out every minute of your life.
Remember, we (Christians) aren’t called the “bride” of Christ for nothing. The Lord expects nothing less than absolute and unconditional faithfulness to Him.
To be recognized as a Christian is not simply in being tagged or labeled as one… it is in how you live your life.
There is no such thing as a pseudo-Christian… or a semi-Christian. Either we’re Christians or we aren’t. There is NO middle ground. No compromise. No “playing it safe”
Try as they may, there is no possible justification to these acts. Nothing. Only complete and total repentance.
Because if they, as Christians, believe in life everlasting…
…there is EVERYTHING to lose.
Filed under: , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
…Even if life brings me pain
I remain forever true
I’ll accept it just the same
If it brings glory to You…
An excerpt from a song I wrote for our community’s music ministry entitled, “My Prayer (A Love Song)”.
Filed under: , , , , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Whoa! What better place to celebrate Pentecost Revival than in Baguio City, an area known for its wonderful ambience and refreshing atmosphere… ! The overwhelming success of bringing revival to the Summer Capital of the Philippines last May 10, 2008, and how it was embraced by the crowd there is something that we can only credit to the Holy Spirit and the power He has poured forth to the droves and droves who came to the venue to open-heartedly receive.
Praise God…! Revival has arrived to Baguio City!
We could already feel the Spirit during rehearsals in the venue… it was unmistakable! Praise and worship run-throughs were already powerful and the entire production crew could already feel the intense atmosphere during setup and preparations.
Though we only had the chance to stay for about 3 days… the climb up was well worth it. May revival spread all over northern Luzon because of this empowerment by the Lord.
But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” -Acts 1:8
Filed under: , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
There are times when the Lord leads you to do things which you just have to obediently follow and obey…
He pulls you away from one direction and leads you to another… and you just have to trust that He has your best interest at heart.
Earlier this afternoon, things have unraveled so fast that I kind of got lost in the flurry of how my life was turned upside down and inside out by the Lord… and only this evening have things started to sink in…
It kind of popped up in my mind already much earlier today but I kind of brushed it off during that moment… but it was once again triggered as I was talking with my wife over dinner.
I hurriedly sought advice and guidance which I badly needed to help me get over the depression that was building up inside of me… and the answer was clear: To rejoice and delight in God’s will… no matter what.
So now, though extremely saddened to part with people whom I have grown to love and care for, I faithfully submit to my Lord’s divine will as he opens a new chapter in my life.
I just praise and thank Him for the wonderful opportunity He has given me to serve in an area which has opened my eyes, my heart and soul… a place which will always be close to my heart… and for giving me the chance to meet people and kids whose strength and resilience through faith have greatly ministered back to me.
I look forward to the day when I shall once again be reunited with them.
To my Rosario family… I already miss all of you. You guys will always be in my heart and in my prayers.
Filed under: , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
It’s such a pity to see people enslaved by their own insatiable love for money… the end all and be all of a good number of people I know.
I, myself, was brought up in an environment that believed that “money is king”… my old life was an endless pursuit of worldly wealth. It was all that mattered. It was everything to anyone I ever met within my own sphere. My lifestyle revolved around this vicious cycle of work-pay-splurge-work. It seemed great… or so I thought.
Looking back now, I realize that even though a huge part of my youth believed that money could fill the void inside me, the emptiness was just too much to satisfy. It was merely temporary comfort for the vast vacuum in my life.
It’s true… what you gain materially pales in comparison with what can be obtained through spiritual sustenance. An individual who truly knows God, loves God. And a person that loves God, needs nothing else but God.
And needing nothing else but the Lord leads to less disappointments, and loosens one’s grip on worldly expectations. Letting go of worldly expectations detaches you from the material…
Greed is “lust”… lust for money… and lust is never satisfied. That being the case, how can a person filled with greed, which is never content with anything, ever be happy?
You can acquire all the riches in the world and still feel empty. Your life will never be truly filled until you have surrendered everything to the Lord…
Ironic isn’t it? To be filled, you have to surrender everything… to empty yourself. The same way the Lord teaches that in order to be forgiven, you yourself have to forgive… that you should love your enemies, not just your friends. But it’s true. These are God’s divine ways… and His ways never fail nor do they ever disappoint.
All you have to do is to trust, believe and have faith that the Lord is ALL you need. Receive Him and let Him do wonders in your life… wonders that money and wealth can never be able to buy or measure up to.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? -Mark 8:36
Filed under: , , , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
My wife recently had old friends over to the house to celebrate the birthday of an old classmate of theirs. Back in the day, they were a close knit band of rowdy friends hanging out not just in campus but around town as well… They’d go to bars, restaurants, regular hang-outs just to chit-chat the night away while drinking alcohol coupled with a handful (to put it mildly) of cigarettes on the side.
This was their old life. Mine didn’t differ too much from theirs… sans the smoking and drinking of course. I never was the drinking type… nor was I hooked on nicotine and tobacco. But that doesn’t mean my old life was more righteous in any sense… it was just as regretful.
Though I didn’t participate in booze sessions within the confines of smoke filled bars and restaurants with friends, I did engage in conversations with them which promoted distasteful humor and gossip and reveled in others misfortunes just to name a few. Who hasn’t at one time or another?
But now that my wife and I have entered and renewed our personal relationship with the Lord, it has totally transformed us and completely overhauled our way of life. It has changed the way we act, the way we speak, even the way we think.
But just as we get more and more comfortable being around folks who share the same zeal and faith in God, more and more also do we get uncomfortable with individuals who engage in immoral and ungodly activities which we once considered to be “okay”.
I remember when, a few months back, I was invited to go to an event out of community wherein it would expose me to the old crowd that I used to hang out with… I was, at first, eager to touch base with them and catch up on old times… but as soon as I was in the same room with them, everything seemed so different… it felt really weird… in front of me were people whom I used to be very very close with and yet it was as if the way we were conversing was that of one stranger talking to another… shooting the breeze, so to speak, took so much effort on my part… in fact, the usual gossiping and worldly humor that could be seen (and heard) in every corner of the room made me want to bolt out and go home.
It was apparent that I have significantly detached myself from these worldly and unnecessary practices.
But I realized soon after that it wasn’t enough for me to just be satisfied with being in and around community and to simply keep off the “outside” world and its false promises which I have so quickly grown out of. In as much as I’d like to avoid being away from the company of people in community, so too must I be immersed in situations wherein I am put in the midst of individuals who are caught up in worldly matters.
It is our mission to bring the word of God to people who have not fully realized the impact it has in their lives. The Word is not something to be kept only within yourself… The Word was meant to be shared in order to save everyone from eternal damnation. We have the Word within us… and by being in the presence of those who have yet to encounter Christ in a more personal manner, it is through us and our witnessing that they may be able to gain knowledge and ultimately salvation.
The salt has to be in the soup, in a manner of speaking.
“You are the salt of the Earth…”, says Matthew 5:13… “salt”, the ingredient which effects preservation and prevents corruption…
Salt are we who have heard the Good News and incorporate it in our daily life. Salt are those who have learned of Christ and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.
Not the apostles, not ministers only; but all of us who are thus holy, are the salt of the earth - are to season others.
Now, whenever I find myself in situations wherein I am in the company of those who aren’t part of community, I rejoice and give thanks. I do so knowing for a fact that the Lord has given me another opportunity to spread the Good News… a new opportunity to testify and to witness to others…
…to truly live the life of one who is called a disciple of Christ…
…one who is a “fisher of men”.
Filed under: , , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Last Wednesday… we headed back to Rosario, Cavite to resume our regular weekly Team Revival Nights. We didn’t hold one the previous Wednesday since it was Holy Week.
Well, I’m glad (and relieved) to see that a good amount of kids have started coming back to attend service. Seems like the “body organ snatching syndicate” (for lack of a better name) have died down a bit. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t around… they just probably wanted to lay low for the moment.
The syndicate have not been caught yet… but how could they if the authorities themselves are the ones who are first to ignore the cries of the helpless victims? The police and government agencies have quickly dismissed the issue as rumors and make believe.
I have already delved on that issue “in depth” on one of my previous posts so I won’t go another round at it for now… my story is about the kids who have come back.
It was like a breath of fresh air… seeing the little children playing all around the Marian Hall before the start of service. The noise that we were used to… the laughter and tiny happy shrieks of boys and girls all around the venue gave renewed hope to the dwellers of our that love ever abounds and that the Lord always triumphs over evil.
We pray that the horrible incidents of the past weeks are now over and behind us. And though some people may say that since our authorities have discounted these reports as nonsense… there is nothing we can do, I would be quick to disagree.
There is something we can do. Pray. True and effective prayer. In fact, it is the only effective means of battling and overcoming every form of affliction and adversity. It is something most people have taken for granted… a way of life that has now been degraded to some sort of ritual… a personal relationship with our Almighty God that has been traded for a life of uncertainty.
This is our wake up call. God is our first resort… not our last. If he isn’t first in your lives… then a reevaluation is in order.
Be like the kids in Rosario… learn from them… See their faith. Feel their faith.
It is what brings them back to service… back to the Lord… again and again. No matter what the cost…
…even their lives.
“The best place any Christian can ever be in is to be totally destitute and totally dependent upon God, and know it.” - Alan Redpath
Filed under: , , , , , , , | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Can’t imagine that another year has passed… it seemed just like yesterday when my wife and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary.
All of a sudden it’s March 24 again and we’re chalking up another year of togetherness with all the ups and downs that come with it. But this particular anniversary is extra special for us, because we are not just simply celebrating our life together as husband and wife as we always do every year… this is the first anniversary we are observing with the Lord at the center of our relationship!
Though it’s been 7 years now, our marriage seems to have been jump-started anew ever since we entered … because only now have we really engaged in a relationship with God taking the driver’s seat.
Happy Anniversary, honey! This day is more meaningful to me because our Lord takes the lead and we simply follow in faith. Our marriage is not in our hands anymore, but in His. Tests and trials are to be expected as usual but I know that this time each hurdle brings us closer to God and further strengthens our bond with one another.
Praise God for you… for us… and for the anniversaries that are yet to come. I love you very much. Hamwah!
Filed under: , , , | Tags: , , , , , ,
Hallelujah! The Lord is Risen!!!
The tomb is empty… go and spread the news!
HAPPY EASTER!!!
Filed under: , , , , , | Tags: , , , ,
I came from a recollection earlier today held at our Catholic community’s headquarters… and coming out of it was just refreshing! What better way to spend Good Friday than to spend it on a short retreat.
So, likewise I share this to you… something to think about for the rest of the Holy Week…
We can only fully comprehend how much God loved us when we learn of His passion.
May we all reflect on Christ’s sufferings… as he was mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns, beaten and bloodied and ultimately crucified. May we realize that Jesus not only took on our sins and infirmities but also all our sufferings.
Glory to the Lord… Creator of the Universe… the Alpha and Omega… Ruler of everything seen and unseen.
