X-mas sucks!!!

October 16, 2012

Normally during Mondays my wife, Faye, usually do not pack me a lunch to take to my work. So during these days I have to go out of the office and go to my favorite pointy-pointy (turo-turo) and eat there. Just recently on my way back to the office I noticed an advertisement billboard of Christian Bautista for a concert (I guess) entitled Xclass. As I was browsing at the details I noticed that he changed his name (for the particular add only I guess) to X-tian. This lead me to the question “why?” Yes, why would someone want to remove Christ from his name?

A few days back as I was watching one of my favorite shows, The Voice, I noticed that Christina Aguilera opted to write her name at the back of her seat as “X-tina”. I have nothing against Christina. Honestly my wife and I have high respects for her voice and her talent to put-up a show! And now we have a better respect for her since she is also a good voice coach. What I just can’t understand is what is with this replacing “Christ” with “X”?

So I did a little research, and with a little help from my all knowing friend – the internet, to find out what is the story behind this “X” thing. This lead me to learn that the first word that was abbreviated with this was Christmas. It was there that I learned that this replacing the name of “Christ” with “X” goes all the way back to 1485. Apparently, there was no harm intended for the use of this abbreviation as it was the first letter in the Greek word Χριστός or Cristos or Christ. Surprised? I know I was. This was commonly used by early educated Englishmen who knew their Greek (to flaunt their educational background) and for oppressed Christians (to hide their identity). For the most part the use of “X” was an informal way of saying “Christ.”

As a Christian I can’t imagine that something as mediocre as X can replace Christ. You’re probably thinking “Come on! It’s just a play of words. No big deal!” I’m sorry but no, IT IS a big deal – at least for me. Without Christ I am nothing. Without Christ nothing that exist would have existed. If the name has no value then why on earth is everybody celebrating Christmas, both those who believe in the name and those who do not? Picture this; what if one day your family, friends, colleagues, and everyone you know decided to celebrate your birthday, BUT decided that you are not invited to the party. As a matter of fact you are not to be mentioned during the party and everyone will just refer to you as “X” when they want to say something that involves your name in it. How would that feel?

Today we hear of governments decreeing to disallow Christians to speak their faith or else you go to jail, get flogged, or sentenced to death. Even mall guards (anywhere) will pick you up and throw you out if they catch you telling another person about Jesus. In some countries they forbid prayer or reading the Bible. Old family customs teach us to pray to a woman instead of praying to Jesus. We call on God when we have calamities and immediately forget Him when he sends help.

From the words of KJ-52 in the song 5^th Element from the Album Collaborations:

Who am I? See I'm the God that you don't know about
I gave you breath up in your lungs that you can't go without
See you know the facts of My story you been told about
I'm always reaching out for you but you just keep on holding out

Many times I invite you while standing here right besides you
But you walk right past, you ignore My hands here given to guide you
I gave you gifts, I gave you talents that you just used to gain your wealth
But you took my gifts and talents only for you, just to glorify yourself

I was beaten and bruised, crushed now for your iniquity
Stripped naked, I was spit upon just for you to live eternally
Yet you blaspheme Me, you make moves without asking Me
Then you blame Me for your troubles and calamities, you kidding me?

Keep Me first, keep Me in your life, and it's gonna be alright
See I'm Jesus Christ, the Fifth Element up in here tonight

I don’t know about you, but without “Christ” for me X-mas sucks!

small man, BIG GOD

September 12, 2006

a few days ago....

i got the result of my exit interview for the guidance office in the school (it's a crap that graduates have to take, or else...), and i got a low score.

Guidance Councilor: Mr. Chelabian, did you see your score?
Me: what score?
GC: the one you got from the interview
Me: WOW!!! 44! uuhhhmmm....... what's this "L" written in red ink?
GC: well.... you got 44 over 150+ from the test. and the "L" means LOW
Me: aahhhhh.... Does that mean i'm stupid?
GC: (kinda!) No, it means you lack the analytical skills to handle decision making and to further advance in your career.
Me: aahhhhh.... So it does mean i'm stupid.
GC: *sigh* whatever.......
Me: since i'm stupid.... can you please sign my clearance so i can get out of here now?

after that event i could not help myself but to burst into laughter when i got out of the office. imagine, 6 years of college and nothing helped my growth to be a critical thinking engineer! it was then that God showed me that He did not only provided the fund for me to be able to finish college, but he also provided the mental needs that my small brain needed to understand my subjects and to be able to apply it in my profesion.
i saw soooo.... amazed on what God can do, and on what He did.
many times we think that it was because we are good or that we have the skills that is why we are able to accomplish a task or duty, we often times forget that it is God who sustains us. He is the one who provides for everything; skills, talents, wisdom, knowledge, strength, health, and money.

take the time to think, are you really THAT GOOD? or do you have a BIG GOD?

Those Days

September 28, 2006

Do you also experience one of those days where in you are just not yourself?
Me? Yes.

Neutral, that's how I feel during those days that I'm just not me. When a good thing happens to me, I don't react. When someone does me wrong I feel bad about it, but I don't show any emotions. I'm like a zombie, animated yet does not feel anything. Existing yet does not live. i feel my head is like an empty skull. Hollow. Empty. Lost in nothingness. Floating in an empty space. Staring at a never ending horizon. It goes on for the rest of the day! From the time I make my first blink for the day, until I shut it again to retire for the day. Then after I finished my tour into nothingness and out my reward is a painful head ache. (so much for a field trip into the world of none)

Now I understand why Jesus said He would spew out of his mouth anyone who is lukewarm. Because lukewarm is also thermaly neutral. Totally useless. He is worse than a bad person, since: he upholds no justice and does not show partiality; He bears no truth and tells no lie; he speaks no evil and does no good. Utterly useless. NOTHING.

I'm just glad that my God does not have "one of those days". He remains to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I can't imagine a day when God would stop and do nothing, and be neutral just for one day. Brrr......just the thought makes shivers run down my spine and the hair in my nape rise.

What's your "those days"?

Thinking out loud

October 24, 2006

why do i have a feeling that fate is always there to play with you? even during times that you are not in the mood too play along with it. there are things that you would rather not be involved with, not that it is bad but simply because you don't want to, and here comes along fate and includes you in the game.

the more you run the more it chases. the faster you evade the faster it catches up.

sometimes i don't really know the purpose of fate. CORRECTION, "i don't really know the purpose of fate". it confuses me between God's will, Divine intervention, and Satan's sick joke. Because honestly, you can not tell until you see the final destination or what it will cause your life to be in the future. For example: you will meet new people you would never meet during your normal everyday lifestyle; or go places you never even dream to be; or receive things that you really do not deserve; acquire diseases that are remote from your location or is out of season. But for some reason they happen, without your control.

is fate an unchangable destination of our future? or is it the fruit of our present deeds? if it is the byproduct of our present decisions then why are there events that are beyond our actions?

The Venting-out: The Third Sex

November 5, 2006

I spend almost 8 straight hours in the office (depending on my schedule). There are "technically" 8 people in the room, the director, the cashier, and the 6 ......... other people in it (that includes me) that runs the department. The head count was suppose to be (excluding the boss and the cashier) 1 female and 5 male. But guess what, there are only two guys! Me and my officemate who sits adjacent to me. The rest is either a female or a confused male. Why do they grow in numbers? I personally believe that there are over 10 times more third-sexist today than in the past 3 years. (Then again i maybe wrong, there could be more)

Honestly I don't hate the Gay people. It's what they do to themselves that what makes me hate their ways. Some cross-dress or at least fantasized of wearing a ballgown. There is no sure possibility that they can speak without filth coming out of their mouth (i mean sexual filth). Some pretend to be a straight guy in front of other people but when everyone has left the office and there is only the 8 of us in the room their "true color" comes out.

Honest question: why do they confuse themselves to be a woman? All the evidence is already there! They do not have a womb, so i suppose that makes them a man, right? They where born with a male reproductive system, and yet they want those that belong to the female ones. How can a woman be trapped in a man's body? Who placed her there in the first place? Don't they know that they are mocking God with what they are doing? They are actualy saying, "God is stupid! He made me a man when I am suppose to be a woman!" Come on!

The most that I hate is the kind of gays that flirt around with men in public places. Just as soon as they get into an audible distance with the guy they immediately flirt with them! Hoping that the guy will react to their advantage. Often times they use vulgar words that not even a man would dare to speak in front of women. These are the times that I would imagine my self to be wearing a mask (like the one vendeta wears) and carrying a razor sharp Katana and cleanly slicing-off their heads to save them from the shame that they are bringing upon themselves and the family that they represent. Of course kids that is bad.

I pity lesbians more than the gay people. These women are suppose to be loved and cared for but because of stupid men that hurt them and abuse them and the absence of a man that would defend them against all of these. Resulting to them defending themselves by regretting the day that they where born as a woman. By acting like a guy they start to fool themselves that they are actually men, and eventually becoming as rude and as unruly as a the very men that they hated. What really pisses me off is their attitude of pretending to be a "MACHO" guy. They act pretty much like idiots, walking with square movements as if they have a hanger inside their shirt. Trying so hard to keep a low voice tone so that people around them would believe that they are "actually men".

It doesn't really have to take a wise man to know if you are a man or a woman. Right? There are ways to check.

To make things worst the world openly accepts them for what they do! I'm starting to think, who is more stupid, the one that fools himself into believing a lie that he himself made-up or the people around him that approves of his foolery? They say it's "freedom of speach" or "freedom of self belief", but tell me where is the freedom in living in a LIE? It's like living in a jail and telling you cellmates that you are actually a freeman, and the jail warden rides with your imagination.

I'll clarify myself again...........

it is not the gay nor the lesbians that pisses me off or that makes me hate them to the bones, it's their attitude and their belief upon themselves

Proverbs I've learned in life

November 12, 2006


Failure is not an option.

There are only two kinds of people that can catch our attention; those we hold dear and those that we fear.

Strength in numbers is good, but strength in unified numbers is ultimate.

If you want to learn, teach.

Keep your underwear on.

Be the person you want to meet, and you will be the person others would want to meet.

If you have nothing else good to say, SHUT UP!

Good men are not always nice, it's their charater that makes them good.

Blessed is the man who's the first love of a woman, and blessed is a woman who is the last love of a man.

It takes an apple to know an apple.

Smile. Don't take life too seriously, it aint serious with you.

God is faithful to his children, period.

note: this list may still grow depending on the new proverbs in life that i learn or gather.

The Venting-out: Good bye old friend

March 10, 2006

This is Kuya Boyet. To some he is known as Mr. Ramil, Yetboo, boyetski, manong pulis, boss chip!, and many more. If it is still not obvious, he really smiles alot. And many times he doesn't do that on purpose........ I've known Kuya Boyet since (i hope my memory serves my right) i was 12. Every since, he has always been like a big brother to me.

We first met at our church in a sinlges activity. It was my first time to attend such activity and I was the youngest in the group at that time. So even though i was already a teen at that time i was still treated like a sunday school kid (although i loved that kind of attention). During those times it was Kuya Boyet (together with Kuya Albert, Kuya Gello, and Kuya Armand) that asks my mom to allow me to come with them every sunday afternoon. This man taught me to serve the Lord without questions, without complaints, without regrets.

I really liked the way he tries to explain himself everytime he has an idea or scriptural verse to share. It seems that every time he tries to explain the words come out of his mind in jumbled order, and thus he has to take another time to put the words together to make it sensible for others to understand. Funny? Yes. But once he says it all, it's impossible not to be blessed. He is more like my big brother in Christ, so no matter how much he makes a fool of himself i never lost my respect for him. To me he is like a legend.

I am a man who grew up without a father, nor an older brother that will guide me in the way that I should go. But i am thankful to God that He gave me a family in Harvest. I lost one father, and God gave me 6 more. I had no brother, and God gave me 15 brothers. And Kuya Boyet was one of them. I learned so much from him........

Just a few months ago we revived the Singles Ministry at church under the leadership of Kuya Boyet, and to my surprise he took me as his Timothy. I was both honored and flattered.

Kuya Boyet was more like a common man that you meet every day. The face is familiar, the gestures are signatured, the speach is common, but if you take the time to think you will realize that you know very little about him. The more you try to know him, the more mysterious he becomes. I have known things about him that i would not write anymore, for some reasons, but one thing is for sure; when you are in need of help you can always rely on your friendly neighborhood Kuya Boyet.

He passed-on last Nov.30'06. We just found that out the day before he is to be burried. But i have to say, God was so good. He made sure that we (his family in Christ) knew where he is going before it was all too late to even know. He gave Kuya Boyet the ultimate reward that every christian is looking forward to. Now, my longing for being with my maker is stronger, since those that i hold dearest to my heart is there with Him. But then again, i cannot cut my race short just to finish it as i can. I still have to run the path set out for me to complete.


Until then that I have completed my tasks here on earth and achieve perfection for the glory of my God Jesus. Until all is said and done. Until the day the we meet again in the presence of out God's glory........................Good bye old friend.

I am happy for you for I know where you are, but sad for myself since i will miss you so much.

I will always remember
the month of November.
When my old friend parted,
from this land we charted.

He is now everlasting,
with no tears and hurting.
Forever in God's embrace,
Forever singing His praise.


- jerub-baal -

The Ball

March 21, 2007

There was once this little ball. That loved to bounce around. enjoyed the ups and downs of life. As if the only thing that really mattered is that IT was able to bounce back from all the downs. There where times that IT would hit itself hard on the concrete..... and the harder it fell the higher was ITs rebound. IT would sometimes accidentally run over a hard wall and then again it would just rebound. It was because of this hard obstacles that made the ball enjoy its life as a ball. Tossing ITself to and fro reaching greater heights because of its eagerness to return in the air after every fall.

The ball learned that the harder the things are set in its path, the better for ITs self development. Until one day..... the fell into the mud. The ball wondered why IT was not able to rebound from the fall, and became stuck on the slimy mud. The mud covered most of the ball...almost made the ball look like a lump of mud. Then things became gloomy and hopeless for the ball. IT will never again feel the air, nor the sunlight every time it rebounded. IT was its doom. IT should have never ventured out to the muddy road. If only IT knew the fate that will be caused by this venture.

Then again, after some time of hopeless, slimmy, and heavy feeling of guilt, the ball felt ITself again lifting from the ground.To the ball's wonder, IT was almost far from the muddy ground from which it fell. IT was then when the ball met the Hand. Never in the ball's wildest dreams did it thought that someone else will give a damn.

Faithful one

December 26, 2007
I am just so amazed on how God is faithful to His servants (even though His servants are often times unfaithful).

If by chance you are like me, you might get what i'll be saying in this blog entry.

Many times i get in a situation that can compromise my witness and my stand for the truth. But many times God rescues me through them to preserve me and to answer my prayers.

Just a few weeks ago we had our Engineering dept. Christmas party in a private pool. My boss and his coleague were talking of getting a customer to sponsor the party with plenty of booze, clowns (the kinds that roam in the night), and food. It troubled me so much to find out that there will be these things in the party. I wanted to have that bonding moment with my coworkers (as i still have lots to learn from them), but i want to stay away from those things that they are talking about (except for the food part).

The day came and everything was "set" and i was thinking to myself 
Me: i have to come up with a good excuse. come on aria think!
Evil Me: Oh come on! it's just for one night. and no one from the church will know.
Me: But it will ruin my witness...
Evil Me: it's OK, they don't deserve to be saved anyway
Me: i love my God and i don't want to hurt him
Evil Me: so what are you gonna do now? Stand up for your faith and forever be alone? You hate being alone.... YOU FEAR BEING ALONE.

and the battle went on and on...

Then for whatever reason, the customers that was suppose to come to the party where not available that night and begged off to come. Which meant that there will be no Clowns in the party! WHHHEEEWWW!
The only problem now is the booze... i was amazed to find out that my coworkers in that department are not heavy drinkers (most of them do not drink either). I was so blessed to know this. Some of our workers in the plant (who loves to drink their guts out) came to the party, and they where the ones who finished off the barrel of booze.

I was thanking God that night for saving me during my weakest time. It's not always that I am UP and HIGH in my faith, many times I am down in my face and barely crawling my way out of the mud. But my God is faithful and Just to keep my head up in times where the only thing that i can do is bow down.

Weekend with my cuz

April 12, 2008

It's been a long time since i last saw my cousins from my mother's side, particularly those from my uncle Lito. I have to admit that they are my favorite cousins. It's maybe because they are also sisters and brother in Christ.

I can say that they know me, specially dianne (the one with me in this picture) and Jen. They know my secrets, flaws, heart aches, mischiefs, dark sides, and good sides. The same way that i know them and their concerns. I can't explain how i grew this kind of bond with them that simply being with them already blesses me and gives me that indescribable joy. Probably it's because we almost grew up together and learned many things together. Grabe, they are like my real sisters.

It's been 2 years since we last met. They had to transfer to another church and we never saw each other again. God knows that there was never a time that i did not pray for their safety and that God would make a way that we will one day meet again.

God heard my prayer, and I am very thankful for that. My mom and I planned to visit my uncle last month and when we did i got to see my cousins again. It was really a great encouragement for me to see them again. Aaron was already big, he is even taller than me, Eirene is already in high school. Jen is graduating soon in college, and Dianne has a family now. I can't believe that so much can happen in just 2 years! Well, i guess that is where they got the term "time flies".

I hope to see them again soon....


If you are praying for something....be sure to listen to God's answer. If it's YES, thank God for blessing you with what you want and for giving you a heart that is in accord to His will. If it'sNO, thank God that His plans a way better that yours and He is concerned for your safety. If it's WAIT, pray for patience and faith to believe that God will fulfill His promises.

Lost and Found

July 14, 2009

I was surfing the TV one time to look for a show that is worth watching. And since i rarely am able to complete a whole series that is shown on TV i just watch them as they are. When i was surfing for a good show i came across this TV series "LOST". In this episode the Korean woman lost her wedding ring and since she does not know where her husband is at the moment that was the only thing that she was holding on to for hope. She got worried and started to search the side of the island where they where staying to look for it. She even decided to got to the exact places where she has been to for the past hours hoping that somehow she dropped her ring somewhere there. Well the scene is very familiar to me, not that i lost a wedding ring before but rather losing something very important and it drives you crazy just looking for it.

You start to get exhausted, pissed-off, hot tempered, and you start to think that people around you have no consideration of what so ever with your loss. Hey, tough luck! But during these times i am reminded of the lesson "You won't know the value of something until you have lost it".

The funny thing about anything lost is that you usually find them in the weirdest places and during the time that you have given up looking for it. That's where i learned that if you want to find something missing is to stop looking for it, because you mind gives you wild ideas of where to find it but most of it is usually wrong. Let you eyes do the looking and not you mind.
-----------------------------
July 21, 2013

I was going through my old blog posts and this one reminded me of something. Isn't this issue of being lost and found the same with us? We all feel "lost" once in a while. We don't know where our life is directed to. We don't know what will happen tomorrow. We don't know what is there after we die.

It was during these times that I saw how God works in my life. Just like the lost stuff, He found me in the oddest of places. He did not stop looking for me until He found me. And during the times that I feel or think that I don't know what will happen next or what is in store for my future, He rescues me and shows me His plans.

Do you feel lost now? Do you feel that you don't know what is in store for your future? Do you fear the unknown of "what happens after death"? There is an answer to all of these: Jesus. No, I am not trying to be over spiritual with the things of life. I am just being practical. Do you know of any other way? A way that can clearly show you what is in store beyond the unknown, a person that is really concerned about your welfare and future. If you can find one - Go. I haven't seen one who can show me these, and I have no more plans of looking for another one because there is none.

College Poem

January 26, 2009

I was cleaning some of the trash notes that I have in my pile of things just the other day when I came across on one of the poems that I wrote when I was till in college. The funny thing is that I remember writing it on a bus on my way home after doing some project in Marketing (I guess), and I actually wrote down the date on the paper after signing it. So no doubt about it that it is my work. It goes like this:

It's one of those days again
When I am overwhelmed by burden,
Of assignments and quizzes to come
I am sure to cram.

Running to and fro,
like an athlete on the go.
My feet are killing me,
How long still before I'm free?

I'm now like an owl in the night,
Whose sleep has gone out of sight.
Even if I get to close my eyes,
I dream of the Professor which I despise.

It won't be long until I'm finished,
Until I'm complete and fully polished.
People may not see all my effort,
But God is not unjust, He sees my worth.

When I'm in the brink of giving up,
I remember the people that lifted me up.
The sacrifice they have given to get me here,
Someday I'll repay all those i dear.

Dated: March 27, 2003

I think I got too lazy to come up with a title for this poem when I made it.

Just wanted to share...

Because of blood...

March 4, 2009

Last Sunday, March 1, two men in need to give blood and a man in need of blood met little did they know that God had other plans...

My brother and I where talking for some days now on donating blood. We know that if we want to keep our health in top shape we have to keep our blood in its healthy condition. Medical studies have shown that blood letting is actually a great way to keep your circulatory system in good condition, since your body will be producing brand new blood cells to replace the blood that was given out. We had little idea on how to do the procedures on blood donation, since it will be just my second time to do it and my brother's first time. We resorted to just going to the almighty internet to get some information. I happened to land on this website http://www.philippinesbloodregistry.com/. I thought to myself that "at least I could start somewhere rather than keep waiting"

Just a few days after a man named Mon texted me in the middle of the day of my work telling me that he got my number from the internet. He told me that he was in need of blood for his sick brother. He said that his brother is diagnosed with Leukemia (Cancer of the Blood), and that his brother's Chemo-therapy will not begin unless they are able to gather up enough blood to support the therapy. His brother has just turned 20 this Feb and is in his 3rd year in college. Their family came all the way from Palawan, they moved here because there is no blood specialist there.

Then finally we agreed to meet up last Sunday to have our blood tested for fitness and blood type compatibility. The process of testing our blood took alot of time. We stayed in the hospital for more than 6 hours until we are finished with the testing and the extraction.

During the time we where there with Mon the Holy Spirit has been convicting me to share to him about the good news of salvation. Time dragged and I continued to struggle. Thinking of how to start or how to divert our topic to talking about spiritual matters. Then finally, when I could not bear the conviction anymore, I started to ask him about his spiritual beliefs. I asked him what are his ideas about salvation, if he knew the ten commandments, if he knew about his eternal destination, and so on. He was reciprocative to all my questions, and when I saw that he has come to realize that he is in big trouble if he met his creator that day because of his sins I told him about the salvation of Jesus. He started to have teary eyes. I told him that only he could make that decision to receive the forgivenes and payment of Jesus for him. We parted ways with a prayer for him and his brother.

I then realized that God planned everything from the start, i could say that in a way it was a divine set-up. God will make every way possible to make sure that every soul will have the chance to hear the message of salvation. Its the greatest privilage for us Christians if God decides to use us to fulfill his divine plan for a lost soul. Knowing that we ought to be always ready to give out the message...

It was by my brother's and my blood that we met, but it is because of Jesus' blood that he saw his need for a saviour.

Death's Wish

March 4, 2009

My great grandmother lived in San Francisco for quite some time. My grand uncle's (my mom's uncle) family is the one taking care of her. She made a few visits here in the Philippines and stayed with us in Lucban for vacations. She is a devout Catholic and was the one who taught our family the ways of the catholic living. That was when we where not yet Christians. My mom missed her so much and would always tell me stories about her being the favorite granddaoughter of my great grandmother.

My mom told me that ever since my great grandmother, Lola Demi, returned to the states she's been prayer for her that in some way God would send someone to her and tell her about the Good News. Everyday she would include my great grandmother in her prayer in her devotional time. Time passed and we got to receive some news from the states about how they where doing there, the health status of our relatives living there, and what are their plans. Every year was the same thing, Christmas Greeting cards, "Hello" emails, rearely received phonecalls, and delayed news. But my mom kept on praying for her.

Just a few weeks ago I received an email from my grand auntie that my great grand mother was very sick that they had to confine her in a hospital. She asked for my mom's phone umber and my grand mother's number (who happens to be staying with us at the moment). They called up, but the line was very chopy and noisy,  to tell us to pray for my Lola Demi who is in critical condition due to old age. A few days later they called up again to tell us to keep praying for Lola Demi, and to tell us that she is in a coma now. Then last saturday my grand auntie called up again and told my mom to talk to Lola Demi, they said that "maybe she could not pass-on because she still wants to hear someone from the family."

So my mom took the phone, nervous about what to say, and could not say anything but "Lola si Jesus lang po ang makakapagligtas sa inyo..." She said the same thing again and again, until finally the phone was taken by my grand aunt. The next day she died...

My mom's prayer was answered, someone was able to tell my great grandmother the Good News. God chose her, the favorite granddaughter, to tell Lola Demi about the salvation that Jesus has for her. At first she was very disappointed because of the words she was only able to say in the phone. She said that she should have led Lola Demi in a sinner's prayer, but completely forgot about it, but I gave her this verse

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
Isaiah 55:11

Even the simplest "Jesus Loves You" can be used by God to reach the most lost soul. He does not need our eloquence in words, nor our convincing prowess. He wants our most sincere desire to save the lost.

a FRIEND indeed

March 15, 2009

What is a measure of a friend? Availability? Intellectual compatibility? Same interest? Fondness?
I would say that a true friend is the one who is genuinely concerned about your well-being. 

Today I have seen a genuinely true friend, not to me, but to someone else.

A friend of mine named Arvein would always talk to me about his burden, to be able to reach out to his friends. Tell them about the truth of life, judgment, and salvation. He would always ask for tips on how to divert a conversation from something trivial to spiritual. All I could do then was just give tips, he still has to be the one to make the move to tell his friends.

I know that it is far easier to share the gospel to someone you just met, or you have never actually known, than to a friend/a relative/or a loved one. It takes a lot of courage just to come right at them and just share the word. But this friend of mine he had this unquenchable fire in him that his friends must hear the word or else they will go to Hell. He was genuinely concerned, and this amazed me. I started to ask myself, "do I have the same burning passion to reach out to my friends? or am I just another cowardly Christian who is taking my unbelieving friends for granted?"

One Sunday Arvein came to church with one of his friends. He's been dragging this friend of him into church for 3 months (i think). Until one sunday, after our singles' fellowship, Arvein came up to me and asked me to talk to his friend. I asked "about what?". He said, "well, Mark has been going to church with me for sometime, but I have this strong gutt feeling that he is just playing church. And I want him to understand that this is not a game or just another religious thing."
I thought to myself, "how on earth am i to start with that kind of discussion? And besides I'm afraid to speak to him since I barely know the guy!"

Cutting the long story short, I talked to the guy and to my surprise he accepted Christ that day! I was not expecting it! I was blown away by how God speaks to the heart of every man. Mark kept thanking me after we prayed that i took the time to share to him the truth of salvation, but told him that i am the least person he should thank. God set him up for salvation, and his friend Arvein was God's way of reaching out to him. Me, I'm just another tool in the shed, nothing special.

For me Arvein is the truest friend to Mark... That day God taught me about true friendship. I pray that we would be Arveins in our church. A person who loves Jesus so much that he could not keep it to himself, and wants his friends to see what he saw... Grace.

Heart surgery

September 23, 2009

Sin will always sneak up in the Darkest corner of the heart.
It is a plague or a disease that remains hidden until it has fully grown,
to devour and destroy the flesh of the one that nurtured it.

I will forever thank the Lord, for He has saved me numerous times
from every kind of sin that i kept hidden, nurtured, and grew.
It is only by the Lord's abounding grace that I am breathing, walking, and talking.
It is only by the Lord's grace that I was saved from the sin that I inherited, which could have sent me to the depths of Hell.
It is only by the Lord's grace that I was saved from the sins which I have willfully kept in my heart,
which could have caused my destruction and the destruction of everything that I hold dear.

Jesus you are forever faithful to your servants, though your servants are not as faithful.
You never turn a deaf ear on their prayers. 
You always pick them up when they crash themselves to the ground.
You are forever delighted in the smallest things that they do for your glory.

Teach me Lord to be more like you.
Teach me to love others the way you do.
Guide me that I may not lose my way.
Lead me according to your will,
that I may put a smile on your face.

The Door Mat

December 28, 2010

The other day during a Sunday service the pastor made a very beautiful analogy about selflessness. Selflessness is like a Door Mat.

Often times we are taught in the world that in order for you to get what you want you should step up the ladder or success. If needed, step on others before they step on you. This is true in the world. Just look at the advertisements, in order for products to be sold they have to make a bad reputation of the other competitor and comparing that they are better than the other. Look at the campaigns during election periods, as the ''Big day" approaches the competition becomes more and more vicious and they start throwing dirt at one another. Isn't it funny that the very same people that do these things are also the ones that claim to be Believers of the Faith. Yes, even us Christians are guilty of this.

We all know that Jesus taught his disciples that in order to be the greatest in his Kingdom we should be the least (Matt 18:4). He gave the best example of selflessness when He came to earth, took the form of a man, grew up like every one else, went through adolescence like us, worked for his daily food like every one else. Let me throw the question at you; If you had the ability, would you be willing to turn into a cockroach just to warn these insects that the humans have invented Baygon which can kill them in just a spray? No, I don't think so. Because we are proud sinful creatures.

However, if we claim to have Christ in our hearts we should have the same kind of selflessness radiating within us. If you are like me you would be wondering "how on earth can i come close to what Jesus did for me?" He is God! I'm just a man. Yes and yes. But do not forget that Jesus walked this earth depriving himself of the privilege of being a God. He faced everything as a man. Going back to the question...how?

Have you ever taken into consideration the Door Mat in the front of your house main entrance, office lobby door, school entrance, mall entrance? I bet you barely take the time to even notice them. But have you ever heard of a doormat grumble because people step at them, rub the dirt of their shoes in the doormat's face, pass by without thanking them for what they did? No! Because they are set apart for that purpose. Make sure that they are there to clean the feet of the people before they enter into whatever establishment they are entering, as to keep their filth outside. Take note of the word printed in most doormats...."WELCOME". Despite the treatment it receives everyday it still greets the next person and invites them to enter in. Because that is what it is made for.

What does this make of us? We are created to radiate God's glory. We are the doormats in heaven's gate inviting people to come and see what God has in-store for them. Even if that meant people will approach us, step on us, and rub their filth on us. If that is what it will take to get them to enter into His presence then by all means we should let them. I have not understood the meaning of what Jesus said when he taught "when someone hits you in the cheek, give him the other cheek" (Matt 5:39), if you know me and have seen me in person you would agree that i am not the type of person that will let someone hit me and let them get the other cheek as well. I would probably be breaking a bone or two before they even land the first hit. BUT THAT IS NOT RIGHT! If it would mean that getting hit on both cheek would mean leading a person to Christ then so be it. I'm not saying that we all become martyrs and give ourselves to ruin and destruction, what i am trying to point out here is: how far can you swallow your pride in order to reach out to the worst of the people around you?

So the next time we step on that doormat as we enter a building or a house i hope we remember the height of which God stooped down just to reach our level and reach out to us...and hope we do the same for others.

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he pured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him."

John 13:3-5

Trustworthy

April 9, 2011

This morning I was reading my devotion (Zephaniah 2) and I barely understood anything from the scriptural passage, because it talked about doom and other disaster stuff that would fall on other nations for bullying Israel and Judah. But then something caught my eye. At the bottom of the page was a very long foot note for the Amplified Version of verse 6. I was wondering why is the foot note for just one verse this long? And as I studied the foot note and the verse, I saw that this particular passage was one of the prophesies that was given to us regarding Jesus and his visit in Israel. The foot note said that there are about twenty three prophesies made with regards to this event ALONE. There are also other prophesies amounting to twenty or more with regards to the birth, location, life style, suffering, and death in the whole of the old testament. The foot note said that there is only one out of three million chances that all twenty three prophesies will come to pass if it was by chance. This exemplifies the omniscience of the one that wrote the bible. Take note: this is a foot note, not a commentary! No one would dare write an opinion as a foot note, this statement is a fact. This short but very meaningful passage blew me away. Are God's promises trustworthy? YES! Are his words final? YES!

 

This served as an encouragement and warning to me. Encouragement: that his promises for those He love and loves Him as well will come in proper time. Warning: for the penalties of sin done.

The Future

April 27,2011

A month ago I was dead broke. A week after that my online sidelines were failing - sinking. A few days after that my fiancé lost her grandfather. A few weeks ago I gave a ring to the one I love. Just yesterday I got promoted.  Today i am in a business trip in Cebu with all expenses paid and staying in a 5-star hotel. In six months time I will be married to the woman I've been praying for.

The bible speaks that God has prepared great things for those who seek after His kingdom (Matt 6:33). I am blessed and thankful that He has heard my prayers and has lifted my head up from the pit. Sometimes (if not always), God allows us to go through the valley, over rocky roads, in the dessert, through the fire, in raging waters, in the darkest night (yup i got that from an old worship song)…but he never leaves us there alone - better yet, he never leaves us there (Deut 31:8). These places are the most painful places for us to be, but these are the most beautiful places for us to go. Because it is in this places that we are kept in check. Our hearts are tested and refined over and over again. Just as a gold loses its luster and shine overtime, so do we Christians. And since we are too precious in God's eyes a moments loss of shine worries him, just as a jeweler worries over the loss of shine of one of his gems. For this reason, God shines us again and again, gives us a little buff, runs us through the refinery again. If we caught some dust in us or a blemish is seen inside us He works on it immediately. He works on our lives every day until he fulfills his promise "the good work that I began in you I will bring it to completion" (Phil 1:6). 

May we grow to be more and more Christ-like everyday. Keeping in mind that God is more concerned with our character than our comfort.

What does your birth date have to say to you?

Two weeks ago at church, the pastor that gave the sermon was not the usual pastor that was giving the sermon. The head pastor gave way for this pastor to share the lesson as his birthday present to him. The pastor share about Matt.6:11. "Give us this day our daily bread." Coincidentally, the pastor that gave the message is going to celebrate his birthday on June 11 (6:11).  He said "isn't it beautiful that the scheduled message has the same numbers as that of my birthday?" And he went on with the topic. This sparked an idea in my head, "what about July 18? What does my birth date have to say about me?" and this is what I found:

 

"Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression  You do not stay angry forever of the remnant of his inheritance? But delight to show mercy."

Micah 7:18

 

"A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit."

Matt 7:18

 

"…Don't you understand that whatever goes onto a person from the outside cannot defile him?"

Mark 7:18

 

"The person who speaks in his own authority deserves to receive honor for himself; the one who desires the honor of the one who sent him is a man of integrity, and there is no unrighteousness in him."

John 7:18

 

 

How about you?

July 18, 2011

Serve God, not men… even in the workplace

“You cannot serve two masters. You will love one and hate the other. (Matt. 6:24)”

 I have been long torn between being at work and ministering in a church, but I have no choice except to work in a secular company rather than in a ministry because being in the ministry cannot help me support my family. The verse above made me feel like I am serving two masters—work (which equates to money in some sense) and God.

Through the book “A Man’s Guide To Work”  I learned that the Christians who are working in the market place (business field) is as equally called as those who are working full time in the church like pastors, deacons, and ministers. This boosted my morale over what I am doing as I have been long torn between being at work and working in a church. It is through this book that I learned that what ever work a person is given (be it in a secular or Christian environment) it is God who appointed them in that position to be used for His glory.

The book also tackles the biblical truth on how to minister in your workplace ethically. This book broke my belief that as a Christian I should be radical in sharing my faith to my coworkers during office time or while I am in the office, but it is unethical. It is not right to use the time that the company is demanding from me to be able to do my job and use it for something else. Jesus said, “give to Cesar what is Cesar’s and give to God what is God’s.” Do not get me wrong, I’m not saying that as Christians we should not share the word in the work place. What I am trying to say is that we put it in the right place and time. We can share our faith to a co-worker during lunch breaks, coffee breaks, or even after office hours. But not during the time of work. This way, the people around us will have a good impression over Christians in the workplace. Always bear in mind that we are called to be “Good witnesses”, in view of that we must be careful not to soil our witness by being unethical with our actions.

Another point that this book taught me is to always aspire for excellence, Christians must be known in their workplace as someone who is reliable, trust worthy, and disciplined. Paul said in one of his epistles, “Slaves, serve your master as though you are serving God himself.” As an employee (slave) I cannot afford to settle for second best since I am serving not man, but God. My bosses are just figure heads. They are not really the ones that I am striving to do my best for in this workplace. It is God.

I can go on and on sharing what I have learned from that book, but as one pastor would remind us, “It must be every Christian’s desire to know God more and more personally and in an intimate way – Epiginosko”. It’s for others to find out more Biblical truths that “A Man’s Guide to Work” has cited to inspire and encourage them to know God and live for Him… even in the workplace.

“A Man’s Guide to Work” by Patrick Morley is published in the Philippines by  Church Strengthening Ministry, Inc. and is available for P260.

July 26, 2011