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I was used!!! Yes… indeed, I was. But this particular phrase is more commonly associated with deception and opportunistic agendas conjured by conniving individuals, right? You hear it time and time again… on television, in the movies, all over… ” I was used!”. In fact, it’s even so common that the phrase sounds so cliche!
Okay, let me elaborate on how I was actually “used”…
We Christians (Catholics and otherwise) believe that God constantly presents opportunities for us to be a blessing to others… we just have to be conscious about these chances.
When you ask something of God, provisions or blessings, the Lord will ask of us to be all the more giving. This is totally opposite from what a worldly person would say. Material thinking would tell your better judgement to hold on to what you have and tighten up the pocket.
Just read the bible… Jesus teaches us all throughout the Gospels to do the opposite… “give in order to receive”… “love your enemies”… “when you’re hit on the left cheek, give your right cheek”… it goes on and on… yet the lot of us still refuse to follow.
Why am I talking about this? What has this got to do with me being used?
Well… on our way home late last night, as I was driving, my wife started speaking to the Lord… I just heard her saying, “I love you, Lord…” like a little girl being sweet to a daddy. I asked her why… she said she was asking for provisions since our wallets were almost running on empty. So, I myself engaged in an informal prayer… more like a simple conversation with God. Remember, this was all happening as I was driving home looking for a place to stop by to have a quick dinner.
We passed by a lot of pretty decent fast food restaurants but somehow weren’t attracted to any of them. We were led to a simple open-air restaurant for no reason… so we parked and went in.
As we were eating… we noticed a couple by the corner of the counter near where we were seated. They were blind and drinking sodas. I realized… “Hey, these are the blind beggars that I always encounter on the same street I pass by whenever I head to my headquarters.
My wife and I were so crushed as we saw them obviously hungry and settling for a soda and water. It was all they could afford. We decided to order food for them… it didn’t matter that they didn’t know who it came from as long as they understood that it was a blessing from the Lord and NOT from us. Then we ordered a plate of beef and rice for them… and it touched us all the more when we saw the beggar give thanks to the Lord and prayed before eating. It dawned on me immediately that we were led to that particular place by the Lord to become channels of blessing from God to these needy individuals. We were used by God to bless others.
Truly, the Lord is great! He blesses those in need and at the same time opens our hearts to Him. We ask for blessings so He asks us to be giving to others… and in that way the Lord blesses us back as well.
By ministering to them, we are ministered back by realizing that whatever little we considered to have is still a whole lot when compared to others who have practically nothing… not even their sights.
“Whatever you did for the least of My brothers and sisters, you did for Me.” - Matthew 25:40
It feels great to be used. Praise be to God forever!
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Earlier this evening, I came from the hospital where my grandfather was admitted. He was in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and was pretty much in bad shape when I came to see him. Most of his immediate family were there to get word on his condition… some offered prayers and made sure the doctors were tending to him competently.
You see, my grandfather has been suffering from Cancer for quite some time now… Cancer… the Big “C” (as some would call it). What’s interesting to note, however, was that my grandfather was still talkative and in high spirits just last week when he was also admitted to the hospital but for a different reason… (hernia surgery).
Now he’s back in the same hospital… but this time, doctors say he might not be able to leave that place anymore. His entire body just isn’t responding to any of the medications that are being given to him anymore. He was given a plasma treatment which he so desperately needs to recover but was ordered by doctors to immediately suspend treatment since his body couldn’t take it any longer and was just damaging his heart all the more. His kidneys have already shut down just yesterday and has completely deteriorated. His dialysis costs roughly P50,000.00 (equivalent to about $1,250.00) per session.
As I entered his ICU room, I could see my grandmother and my mother crying… I touched my grandfather and spoke to him. He heard my voice… nodded… murmured something I couldn’t understand (because of the tubes inserted into his mouth)… and tried to open his eyes to see me.
It crushed me.
I didn’t know what to do. All of a sudden, I heard a voice whisper to me… “Pray now. Pray for your grandfather.” I knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me… compelling me to engage in prayer and to lift up to the Lord my grandfather’s well-being.
And so I did. I prayed over him… I asked the Lord to send forth the Spirit… to give my grandfather the inspiration to pray and seek forgiveness from God for everything that he believes should still be confessed. I prayed for healing… not just for physical healing… but for the healing of hearts and of relationships between him and family members… healing of emotions.
Though I trust that the Lord can heal my grandfather if He so wills it, I trust God all the more with the plan that He has for his life. I have so much faith in my Lord… regardless of the outcome. I praise and glorify His name for His will is divine.
The Big “C” has no power over my Big “G” (God). Though it seems that Cancer has taken its toll on my grandpa’s body… it has no effect over his spirit. His body may be broken, but his soul is made whole by the Lord…
…and that’s all that really matters. Hah! Take THAT, Cancer!
My God wins.
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Yesterday (Saturday), I left around 8:30AM from the Elim Global Headquarters and headed off to Famy, Quezon with some of my Elim friends. We headed there to do an ocular and at the same time shoot a testimonial by a couple who are regular Elim dwellers that live there.
The trip was fun… being that I enjoyed long trips, the travel to our destination was something I was eagerly looking forward to even the day before our departure. On our way there, it was just me, Jayp, Maricar and Sis. Lory Lina (wife of Joey Lina).
We took the Antipolo route… the roads were paved… the path was winding… and the view was just wonderful. Lots of green fields and open space… mountains and vast plains of grass and trees.
We finished the shoot, exchanged pleasantries with other Elimites and had some really tasting “ginataan” (I had 3 servings!) and chicharon before heading to Siniloan.
Lunch was spent eating at a Jollibee branch in the same province with Elim friends as well. We headed back at around 2PM and arrived in Manila at roughly 4:30PM.
It was a pretty long trip but spent fruitfully as everything we did was for the Lord and for His glory.
And though the travel back and forth was pretty tiring… I wouldn’t have traded it for any of my favorite pastimes.
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Having a personal relationship with God is great… it’s probably the best feeling there is… but you shouldn’t think that your life serving God stops there. Praying to the Lord and cultivating a productive and effective prayer time IS NOT enough… remember, it isn’t ever about YOU… it never should be. It’s all about HIM. What does He desire for all of us? It is for us to strive hard to become disciples… followers… to become instruments of blessing and to be fishers of men.
Our mission here on Earth is not just to know God… not just to understand His word… not just to connect with our Creator… it is to be a part of something far far greater than ourselves… to be able to spread the Good News to every corner of the world. To let Christ be known everywhere. In our own little way, we can minister and share God’s love to others… be it your neighbor, your classmate, your friend, officemates, even your enemy.
Has God touched you in a special way? Has he performed miracles in your life? Perhaps, a blessing or provisions that he has showered upon you? If so, don’t keep it to yourself… share your story, chronicle it and testify as to how the Lord has changed your life… let every event in your life serve as a means to glorify God… every event… everything. Yes, everything… including your struggles.
How you may ask?
By overcoming these difficulties through God’s grace and power, people can see how the Lord works in your life… ultimately, it is the Lord who is lifted up and glorified. Through every achievement, every recognition… praise Him. Praise God for everything that comes your way… fade into the shadows and let Him be the one to take center stage.
Serve Him with all your heart. Put Him ahead of everything else… regardless of how important other matters may be to you… nothing but nothing comes first BUT the Lord. Especially when he calls upon you to serve… or to act upon something. You’ll never know when He’ll seek to use you but when He does… we should all be ready to drop everything and respond faithfully. This is where we are tested. Can you actually do it? Really? What if you’re supposed to work on something that client requires which is supposed to merit you a substantial financial gain in return? Can you forego something like that to heed God’s call?
Worldly thinking would consider this to be stupid. What if I desperately need the cash? What if client gets mad? What if my boss doesn’t understand? What if…? What if…?
Don’t expect them to understand… just simply follow the Lord. Blind faith. Total surrender. Godly surrender. Respond.
As the Good News says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all else shall be given you besides”. Nothing… nothing else comes first. Do not allow anyone to tell you otherwise. Individuals inclined to worldly thinking would be quick to disagree… naturally. Worldly ideals… matters and crooked morals that have been embedded into our culture and materialistic way of life would be quick to question how one can sustain a life of true discipleship.
But it IS more than possible. It is life’s best reality. And it is only ultimately comprehended once you actually engage in the practice of this kind of surrender.
The first step is always the hardest… but the Lord asks this of us all.
To blindly surrender all worldly norms… and live under the norms of true Godly spirituality.
The norm under which the Lord intended for all of us to live by.
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Ama… a tagalog word meaning “Father” in English. This was the title of the song I wrote just a few days ago for the Lord and which I performed for my community () just this evening.
It was a Valentine’s celebration for the Lord and the theme of the entire show was “Love for God”. So I composed a song just a few days ago which spoke of my awe and devotion to my Heavenly Father.
I prayed that through my song, God would bless each and everyone seated and listening… that they would feel the lyrics and relate to the emotions conveyed by the music.
The musical work talks about surrender… it speaks of overwhelming love… of following God’s will and his divine plan… of trusting the Father at all times.
I praise the Lord for he has blessed me with the gift of song… that he has entrusted to me a voice that can sing out loud to Him… to glorify, praise and worship Him.
My achievements are not for me… they are a testament to how the Lord works through people and individuals in order to bless others. May the Lord be glorified all the more through my music. For I am merely a willing instrument to be used by my Saviour anytime he so chooses.
Praise be to God forever.
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My faith is being tested. So many trials the past few days… I try not to have it affect me but the “enemy” has a twisted way constantly reminding me of my current predicament.
I take comfort in the fact that I can tell when I am trying to be manipulated by the evil one. And I battle him with a barrage of prayers.
My problems have not gone away yet… but my prayers and my Saviour are much stronger than my struggles. I just thank the Lord for these tests and obstacles for it is in these times that I can fully prove to God how much faith I have in Him to single-handedly help me overcome my worldly troubles.
May the Lord be glorified through my trials and afflictions.
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It’s true that you can’t realize how fortunate you are in spite of all the hardships and trials you go through… UNTIL you see others who are in worse situations than what you’re in.
You think the world has conspired against you… that the walls around you are crumbling… that you cannot bear any more problems than what you are already trying to endure.
I have been recently serving at “Elim Missions”… and Rosario, Cavite has been the location assigned to me. This has been a total eye-opener and an awakening experience.
Let me just tell you… things are pretty bad over there. The conditions that most of our dwellers are living in is just terrible! Each child over there has his/her own story to tell… mostly sad and tragic ones. Elim Rosario dwellers mostly come from “Dreamland”… a huge dumpsite area that also doubles as a home for poverty-stricken families and individuals. As if that wasn’t enough, their area is completely devoid of electricity and clean water.
Over at the church where we hold our services, these kids would usually gather around us and play with us. Try carrying them once and hold them in your arms… you’d soon notice that they literally don’t want to let go. You can tell that they lack a great amount of love and attention from their parents and relatives.
I met this one kid, 13 years old, in the care of the parish priest of that town… he saw his father shot to death in front of him… his mother soon after joined another man… and he’s been maltreated and frequently thrown out the window by his stepfather… totally abandoned and forgotten by his mother.
Seems like a scene right out of a tragic drama movie, right?
Funny how we complain about so many things… petty things most of the time, in fact… no soda, no time for a coffee break, bad airconditioning, a low-end cellphone, soiled clothes, a banged-up car… things like that. And we think that life has conspired against us to put us in the situation we’re in.
We are so caught up with ourselves that we become oblivious to what happens around us. It’s all a matter of perspective…
Look around you… the reason you’re probably able to read this blog entry is because you either have your own computer and Internet connection, surfing in the comforts of your own home… or you’re seated in an Internet cafe and can afford to pay the hourly surfing fee to check your mail. Either way, you’re better off than most of the kids I’ve been meeting during our mission service… way better.
So, if you’re one who loves to sulk in your own private corner, feeling pity on yourself… thinking of how you can’t seem to comprehend life’s “so called” injustices on you… try reevaluating your situation through the eyes of those kids who would do anything just to have a little taste of the life YOU ARE IN.
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This particular Christmas of 2007 was probably one the least spent on in terms of money as far as I could remember. Not by choice but by circumstance… and yet, it was THE best Christmas we, as a family, have ever had!
It gave us an opportunity to truly focus our hearts and minds to the true essence of this season… to reflect on the sole reason why we all celebrate this joyous occasion. We went to our around 6pm and had our Christmas Mass there. Wonderful presentation! The 1st and 2nd “readings” were performed… not just read aloud. The Gospel and all the other parts of the mass were spectacularly executed…! I’ll bet nowhere else in the metro could have probably topped the Christmas mass Elim prepared for us dwellers and family.
It provided for an air of hope and love for the coming of the Savior that evening. The choir (music ministry) and their instruments (complete with timpani, strings… the works!) helped lift the spirits of everyone in the Auditorium… it gave me goosebumps all throughout the event.
And even though we didn’t really have much… it seemed as if there was actually more for all of us! More gifts under the tree… blessings of food… provisions from the Lord who is never late.
Indeed… only when we are truly empty can the Lord our God fill us up entirely. That is what exactly happened this Christmas… everything was made unto good once we surrendered everything to Him.
A little before Christmas eve, we went back to our center since we were invited to celebrate with close friends and dwellers. We had our “Noche Buena” (Midnight Dinner) there and a small program was prepared to the delight of everyone who attended.
Christmas never felt this good. Christmas never had such real and deep meaning to me till this year when I renewed my faith.
I have a whole lot to be thankful for… and it’s all because of the Lord. This new found personal relationship I have with Him has made me truly realize what is and isn’t important in life… what aspects of my life should take a backseat and which He desires that I put more importance to.
We may all know the Nativity story wherein Jesus was born in a manger during this most glorious night… and though I may have celebrated Christmas every single year of my entire existence… only this year has Christmas been truly born in my heart for Christ to rule and reign absolutely over my life.
May you experience the same revelations that the Lord has opened up to me…
May you develop a deep and personal relationship with our God… the kind of relationship that Jesus has so very much longed for from us…
And may everyone realize that the Christmas spirit is experienced not just in December, but each and everyday by those who truly embrace the Lord’s unconditional love.
May Christmas happen in your hearts now and for all eternity.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
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Christmas eve is tonight… we are spending our Christmas with our community which is actually probably the BEST way to celebrate the coming of the Savior.
My prayers for everyone is that they may reflect and remember (and for some, ultimately realize) the true and ONLY meaning of Christmas Day.
It’s isn’t about the shopping, the revelry, the parties, the vacation… none of that really matters. May we all come to know that the greatest gift we could ever continuously receive during this special day is to be constantly reminded that Jesus Christ came down to Earth to save us from sin and to reconcile us with the Lord.
So, rejoice and be glad… Christ has come for you and me. May He be at the center of our lives and the true reason of our celebration during this glorious occasion!
To everyone… A Blessed CHRISTmas and a Christ-filled New Year!
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.
- John 3:16
