Greatest Temptations : Topic 3: "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin"

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. - I Timothy 6:10

It is a human thing to desire. I believed that there's nothing wrong with that.
Even God has a future plan for us, that is to prosper:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:11-13

What's wrong is that we never get satisfied and often desire to have more, up to the extent that we let our faith to be compromised.

This is already present in us as it was said in Genesis 8:21:

...even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood...

That evil inclination in our heart is the one that Satan’s tickles every now and then until we commit sin.

Yes, we need money typically to sustain our basic needs.
Even so, does it stop there? I don't think so. The more we have, the more we want and the more we want the more we pursue. It's vanity. It's endless.

It is not good to eat much honey: So for men to search out their own glory is grievous. -Proverbs 25:27 

Richness, power, fame, prestige, glamour, etc. many people have died and dying for these things. Ignoring the fact that wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony are some results of these wicked desires.

I just remember Al Pacino (John Milton), wherein vanity is his favorite sin (from the movie Devil's Advocate).

Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves), a defense attorney in  Gainesville  ,  Florida  , has never lost a case. He defends a schoolteacher, Mr. Gettys (Chris Bauer), against a charge of child molestation. During the trial, Kevin realizes that his client is guilty, and a reporter tells him that a guilty verdict is all but inevitable. However, through a harsh cross-examination Kevin destroys the credibility of the victim (Heather Matarazzo) and secures another not guilty verdict.
...
Kevin wakes up during the recess of the Gettys trial. After embracing Mary Ann (Charlize Theron), Kevin announces that he can no longer represent his client, despite the threat of being disbarred. A reporter follows Kevin and Mary Ann, pleading for an interview and promising to make Kevin a star. After some prodding from Mary Ann, Kevin reluctantly agrees. After Kevin and Mary Ann leave, the reporter shapeshifts into a grinning Milton (Al Pacino). Breaking the fourth wall, he says, "Vanity, definitely my favorite sin." - Wiki
It's a good movie by the way. :)

Vanity doesn't choose what kind person you are or what's your status in life as long as you’re in vain or have a tendency of becoming one, that’s everything Satan needs to know.

Temptation through richness and wealth are not new to us. I believed it is one of the most effective temptations that Satan used to human to fall into sin. This is the same strategy that the devil used to Jesus in the wilderness. When the devil tries to fool Jesus by deceiving Him; To give Jesus everything just to worship him (the devil).

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. And he said to him, "I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me." -Matthew 4:8-9

Then Jesus said to him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: 'You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.'" Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs. -Matthew 4:10-11

This might be the greatest temptation, but we can overcome it just like Jesus did. We only need to know how respond to the temptation. We need to be rooted to the Word of God.  

As Christian, we know that our wealth is not here on Earth but in heaven.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matthew 6:19-21

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you? you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.- Matthew 6:25-34

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. -Matthew 6:24

"Read your Bible, pray everyday, And you'll grow, grow, grow"

To God be the glory. God bless...

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Dedication or Baptism?

I was baptized under Roman Catholic months after I was born.
I was confirmed as a Methodist during my adolescent.
Recently, I was born again.

When I was growing, I haven't heard of "child dedication" not until I became a godfather of my friend's son who was dedicated.

"Why dedication and not baptism? Is there any difference?"

 
I thought about these questions for a while then tried to answer it for myself; However, at back of my mind, what's the big deal they're both offered to God?

When my wife became pregnant, the question about dedication and baptism cross my mind again. It was then I started to seek for an answer and pray that God will lead me. 

Along with wife's pregnancy, we already thought of considering dedication. However, we're continuously praying for the discernment because we still regard our families of what may they say or how will they react; unlike baptism, most religious organization does not practice child dedication.

Sharing to you are some of my simple findings:

Religious Affiliation

We're not technically a member of the church that we're attending but this church helped us in our spiritual life grow and still growing.

I consulted a friend of mine who has been connected with the church for sometime now, and she told me that its church policy that they do not baptize child younger than 7 years old. Since Kiel is just three month old, he will not be baptized.

My personal study

Since I'm now reading my Bible from Genesis to Revelation and currently in the Book of Judges, I still haven't read about baptism.

I could/may be wrong  but as far as my knowledge about baptism, it was only introduced by John (the Baptist) in the new testament. 

Below are some of verses that I may relate to dedication:

Consecration of the Firstborn 
- Exodus 13

Others
- Exodus 22:29
- Exodus 34:18-20

Redeeming What Is the LORD’s
- Leviticus 27 

The Birth of Samson
- Judges 13

Hannah Dedicates Samuel
- I Samuel 1:21-28

I did research on the internet and found many websites about dedication and baptism. I just selected two websites having simple but understandable explanation that may help you as an added reference in the future. 

Dedication or Baptism (click either of the two)

Since our child can't decide for himself, it is our responsibility as parents to decide for whatever best we think for him.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 
- Proverbs 22:6

"Read your Bible, pray everyday, And you'll grow, grow, grow"

To God be the glory. God bless...

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Greatest Temptations : Topic 2 : Reality vs. Faith

A young lady (Rose) is having difficulty deciding which of her two suitors (James and Phil) will be going to be her first boyfriend. She prayed and asked God for a sign;

"Dear God, please help me decide who will I choose between James and Phil. If it rains tomorrow I'll choose James, if not I'll choose Phil."

The next day it did not rain so it should be Phil. However, she's already into James, so she decided to choose James.

Have you ever experienced something that kind of story, wherein you're in a situation that you can't decide what will you do? "Should I say yes or No? Should I do this or not?" then you asked God for a sign that will help you  (somehow) decide on the situation you are into. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Yes, we acknowledged God since we asked him for a sign, but the sign we asked is still according to our perspective. Sometimes it works but most of the time we end up disappointed or with regret to the decision we made because it did go according to what we expected.

The devil knows also about the Word, and he tries to deceive Jesus if He understands it. The devil put Jesus to a situation that He needs to prove that God's angels will save Him if He threw himself down: 

and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written,
'He will command his angels concerning you' and 'with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Once again it is written: 'You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.'" -Matthew 4:6-7

Often times we are in this situation. We rely on God, but we are not doing our part. If something not good happens, we blame God and compromised our faith.

Truly, there is a big difference between knowing and understanding the Word.

For unbelievers, it is always "to see is to believe" but for us "believe, and you will see." There is always something good you look for.

It's like two trial lawyers (Jesus and the devil) both defending their clients (Good and Evil), and it is up to us (the judge) which side are we.

Do we give-in to the unbeliever who will asked us "prove to me that God exists?" or rather you ask them "prove to me that He doesn't?"

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” - John 20:27-29

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? -John 11:40

To God Be The Glory..

Happy Sunday. :)

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Greatest Temptations : Topic 1 : Food : How well fed are you?

Food is very essential to us because it is one of the basic needs for us to live.

There was a saying that "If you don't eat, you die. You die, because you don't eat." Absolutely, death will be the outcome if let ourselves not to eat.


As I observed myself whenever I skipped meals: I get easily irritated, my body weakens and I can't think properly, causing some bad decision. Sometimes the brain can no longer control the hunger of the stomach that if we let it that way it may lead to undesirable results.

Literally, hunger has been the driving force to survive even the time of Moses.
For several times, the Israelites blame Moses for their condition, even though they know that God is with them and fulfilling His covenant.

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”  -Exodus 16:2-3 (Read more of the story)

Because of this hunger, many people were led to their destruction.
Led by the devil, taking opportunity to compromise their faith just to satisfy their hungry stomach.

Yet, it is not too late, let us not compromise our faith and know the know the KEY on how to overcome it.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” - Matthew 4:1-3

If we could be in Jesus's situation, we might easily give-in to the devil's temptation, but Jesus knows the KEY for Him not to sin...

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:1-3
 

We sometimes justify ourselves that it is enough already for us to be healthy (physically) and not hurting someone in anyway. Most of us can settle to that reasoning.

However, as Christians, we should know that word of God is much more we need than the food that satisfies our hungry stomach.

Jesus has already set an example and all we have to do is to follow Him. He's the only way to our salvation and eternal life.

So, next time you feel the hunger you might consider the following questions:
1.) Am I compromising my well-being and most especially my faith?
2.) Am I receiving the proper nutrition that my soul and body need?

Be not satisfied to chicken, pizza and pasta but hunger and thirst to the word that can fill our emptiness.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.  - 1 Peter 2:2-3

To God Be The Glory.

Happy Sunday. God bless. :)

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Inspired by Herbert (The Snail)

I want to go home early.
I miss my son Kiel and my wife Rhea.
I want to have dinner with my family.

Yet, I'm still here in the office waiting for my build to be released. I'm quite frustrated because I have already prepared and packaged this build since last week but with some reasons it was delayed and it didn't go as I have planned it. :(



I got frustrated since my build was rejected for several times.
Inside of me, I was so disappointed and started to blame others.  
All negative thoughts are coming into me that all I want to do is to shout just to release.
However, I remain still, calm and quiet, containing myself until I feel Ok.

Thank God, I remember the song that I always play for my son Kiel.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any lyrics in the internet, so I listened and put the lyrics here:

Have Patience - Psalty Kid's Praise 

There was a snail called Herbert, who was a very slow.
He caused a lot of traffic jams wherever he would go
The ants were always getting mad and the beetles they would fume
But Herbert spoke along and sing this little tune.

"Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient, you only start to worry.
Remember, remember, that God is patient too
and think of all the times when others had to wait for you.

"When Herbert was much younger, he often got in trouble
For getting that he was a snail, he did things on a double.
He'd crush to every spider web and with ????? he'd collide
So one-day Herbert father took his mini son a/his side

"Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient, you only start to worry.
Remember, remember, that God is patient too
and think of all the times when others had to wait for you." 

As you can well imagine there's a moral to this tale.,
Some of you may find yourself behind a creepy snail
So if you get impatient, and you're easily disturbed
Think about this little song and take a tip from Herb.

"Have patience, have patience, don't be in such a hurry.
When you get impatient, you only start to worry.
Remember, remember, that God is patient too
and think of all the times when others had to wait for you."

I repeatedly listened to this song until I the negative thoughts went away and realized that God is patient for me too and think of all the times when others had to wait for me. Amen!

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. -Psalm 37:7-9

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. -Proverbs 15:18

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus. -Romans 15:4-5

Praise God! (Upon publishing this post) My build is already released. :)

To God be the glory!

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog: What are your plans for today?

Planning play's very crucial part of our everyday life. Most of the time we don't notice that we are already doing it or done it.

It is the line that connects the problem and solution -- a process in resolving a problem. A perspective of what you want to do in the future. Initial planning is done personally but most of the time it is subject to change due to the third party involve.

What would be your reaction if what happened didn't go according to your plan?

Before Rhea and I got married, we already had flights booked to Vigan-Laoag, Ilocos, Cebu and Boracay but when we learned that Rhea was pregnant, with no regrets, we canceled all these flights and focus to her pregnancy.  :)

During her pregnancy, Rhea and I agreed that when she gave birth will be living temporarily to her parents until such time that we're ready to move-in to our house. We asked our parents about it, and both have no problem. Praise God!

Finally, all were set. We have prepared everything, but a sudden change of plans on the 3rd week after Kiel (our son) was born.

Rhea felt the loneliness of being alone taking care of Kiel. I don't know if this part of her post par-tum stage, but I started to worry when she always cried to me every time I arrived home from work.  Her situation was understandably tough. She could only wish that everyday is a holiday so that everybody is with her in the house. :-(

One afternoon we sat and talked about situation then gave her a suggestion. We will stay in my parents for awhile then eventually decide if we'll go back to her parents. Every night we prayed for it until she decided to agree to my suggestion. So we packed and transferred everything to my parent's house.

Almost a week now we're with my parents and Rhea is doing better. Praise God! :)

I always use the phrase "Only God knows" every time I talked about the future. Your present may be the pattern of your future but still "Only God knows." People sometimes tend to guess or foresee what's God plan is but as in the movie, theirs always a twists. 

The unbeliever became His apostle. Acts 9:1-31  

...For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." And all who heard him were amazed and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?" But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. Acts 9:19-22 

You can run but can never hide. Jonah 1 Jonah 2 Jonah 3 

The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Jonah 1:1-3 
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”  Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah 3:1-4

We can really never know about His plan, just as He did to Joseph...

He was betrayed by his brothers and sold him to Midianite then sold again in Egypt.
A tough life came to Joseph in his youth age because of how his brothers treated him.
Still, he didn't hold any grudges against his brothers, in spite of what they did to him.Instead when he became the governor of Egypt, he offered them food and shelter and told them that everything happened, was according to Gods plan. 

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.Genesis 45:4-7

Nothing is impossible with God that He can turn mourning into dancing, for it is according to His plan. There was a saying "Plan ahead for the storm may come." Indeed, plan is very important to our lives for this plan God will direct us.

I'm a person who always plan. Some unavoidable circumstances that this plan may change and as an initial reaction I really feel bad but eventually realizing that what happened is better than what I've planned.

Therefore, if what happened didn't go according to our plan; don't be mad and blue, remember that you're a Christian. There is it always light at the end of the tunnel. Trust God.

God's plan is the best plan. So, whatever your plans are, God has a plan for you? :)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Happy Sunday.

To God be the glory... 

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

When the Earth open its mouth...

Rebellion is becoming a popular happenings nowadays.
Just recently Libyan rebels took over their country and ousted their leader Muammar Gaddafi. The same thing happened in Egypt, when President Hosni Mubarak stepped down after an 18-day angry protest against his leadership. 

In the Philippines, we have the famous EDSA-People Power 1, wherein Filipinos united and successfully exiled the former dictator Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to Hawaii in 1986.  EDSA I was only the beginning. In 2001, EDSA People Power 2 was called, overthrowing Pres. Joseph Estrada. A peaceful revolution compared with the other countries.

Rebellion can be a simple as disobedience to your parents or could be as extreme as forcing a president of a country to step down from his position. To rebel is to go against the authority -- can be a person who has the authority or the law itself.

I do believe that every person has a rebellious inclination in his heart, it's just a matter how he controls or expresses it. This rebellious inclination may have come from different forms, it may be power (to take control), pride, vengeance, selfishness, disappointments, freedom or love.

For whatever our reason is that we may rebel to anyone or anything in this world, but we cannot rebel against God or His chosen one; for we may face the consequence that Korah, Dathan, Abiram and others suffered.

Numbers 16 (click me to read the story)

I usually see this kind of story in Movies, Cartoons or TV series. People swallowed by the Earth alive. Truly, all things are possible with God.

Numbers 16:31-33
As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions. They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.

Rebellion can be rewarding or disgrace. It will be determined by its outcome. 

Numbers 14:18

‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’

Proverbs 29:2
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."

To God be the glory.

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog: A Tribute To Grandparents

Disclaimer:
The old man in the picture is not my grandfather, but he does look like my grandfather, just remove the turban, extend his ear a bit longer and all white hair. 

~ 0 ~

People sometimes neglect parents and grandparents.
I remember an interview with a granny. She was brought to home of the aged by her son because she's already a burden to his life. I feel bad whenever I hear or read a story somewhat like this.

Instead of disregard or mistreat them let's value and recognized them, give them more attention, love and understanding as they were to us during our childhood. You'll never know when realization come to you but it's already late that you cannot bring them back.

I was born in this world never had a chance to experience the hugs and kisses of my biological grandmother (as they're now with our Creator).  However, I was able to meet my grandfather's.
 
I grew up in the city while both of my grandfathers were in the province which is why I never had a chance to grow up with them, I just see them once in a blue moon. If I would recall, I don't have any memories that I played with them -- maybe because they were already old when I was growing.

How I wish I could experience their love and affection as there was a saying, the grandparents love their grandchildren more than their sons and daughters. I guess most of my cousins can testify to that. :)  I came to know them more and discover their lives through stories of my parents and relatives. I wish I had a chance to bond with them, ask for an advice and learn personally from their experiences.

Their lives were very interesting. I just recently learned that the father of my mother is one of the best swordsman in their town during WWII. My uncle told us how he was able to learned his father's story and confirmed by some of our relatives. It was the first time for a long time he told the story.

My grandfather was very humble in his own way. He never brags about his strengths or his stories, he just smiled. Maybe he's already too old already, he's just happy to see us. Most of his amazing stories were told by his old friends that his family never had any knowledge about it.

Whenever I think of my grandfather, a picture of a funny old man with his walking stick sitting on a chair with his annoying great grandchildren always asked him if he knows them. He already had difficulty in seeing and hearing so whenever we talk to him, we always adjust the tone of our voice a little louder.

I'm the youngest of his grandchildren, and surprisingly he recalls me. Since I just see him once every two years. Whenever I asked him if he knew me, he'll just touch my face and asked who is my mother, then he'll say my name.

I'm always fascinated with my grandfather because behind his old age, weakness, poor eyesight, deaf and wrinkled skins are his amazing stories yet to be told. (1896-2002)

When I was a child, I want to be a teenager wherein I can experience the colorful life of high school.
When I was in high school, I want to finish my studies in college and to experience having a girlfriend. When I got my degree and had my girlfriend, I want to have a career, be married and have a family. Praise God! for He granted my requests. Now I have a wife, a son, a family that I love. I feel fulfilled. I'm now experiencing what my parents experienced. I can now feel the love as father to a son whom they provided to me.

Now my parents are grandparents to my son. They're in their 70s while my son is almost a month old. I guess they're more fulfilled than me because they could hold and caress their grandson to their youngest son. I pray that God will bless them longer life that they may be able to see my 6 more children...soon... :)

If God will bless me a longer life, I want to experience to be a grandfather someday and share my stories to my grandchildren and to prove to myself if the saying is true. :)

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life." - Proverbs 16:31

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers." - Proverbs 17:6 

Happy Grandparents Day.

To God be the glory.

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

My unread message for my son

In Rhea's (my  wife) eight month of pregnancy, her colleagues held a baby shower for her. They had financial contributions for food and gifts. It was fun, and we're so thankful all the effort they exerted. 

Three hours before they started. Her supervisor sent a SMS to me that if I could prepare a short message for my wife as well with my son? So I did prepare a message for them then I sent my message via email but due to unavoidable and unpredictable circumstances, my email was not able to get to the recipient, thus my message was not read during the baby shower.

Izaiah Kiel is already more than two weeks now, and I'm devoted father to him.

I'm sharing this message hoping someday he'll read this blog to let him know how I/We really love him:

(Translated in English)
To Kiel, did you know that all of us are excited for you? Especially your mom, but I told her just wait for the right time. Every night, I always tell your mom about God's miracle how you were formed. From a microscopic thing to a frisky baby you are now inside your mom's womb. 

You know from the moment your mom told me that she's pregnant. I already thought of your future. I made plans in my mind for you for the next 20 years (Hahaha). That's how excited I'm to you. Praying to God, one at a time He will lead us to my plans in His time. 

Son, it was said in the Bible that all the first born male is dedicated for God. You are blessed because we believe in God, and you are our first born male, thus we already dedicated you for Him even though you're still in your mom's womb.

As your parents, we'll do our best for your well-being and hope you remember all things I've said and will be saying whenever I talk to you. As you grow old, you'll encounter many issues in life and try to find a solution on your own. Praying that you'll be open to us and discuss those issues and will be there always for you. We can talk about anything under the sun, even the most complicated question we'll try to answer because we want you to learn everything from us with God's guidance.

Below is my first Bible verse for you:

    "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. - Proverbs 1:7"  
 
Will teach you more Bible verses as you grow old.

Wow! I just felt that I'm already a father, technically not yet because you're not born yet . We love you Kiel so much, and we are very excited to welcome you in this world.
With so many things I said in this message but only one word can describe these. I just want you to gain WISDOM.

I Love You Son.

To God be the glory.

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog : Who was Seth?

Many people know the story about the original sin. Adam and Eve, when Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. They had two sons Cain and Abel, when God vanished them from the Garden of Eden. But did you know that they had a third son?

I'd like to attribute this blog to Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve.

Seth had no famous story as his brothers Cain and Abel but he carries the marked of a significant characteristic of our Christian life. In his time, people began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD. - Genesis 4:25-26

Thursday when I was drafting this Sunday blog when the name Seth popped into my mind.
It was the day when my son, my eldest Izaiah Kiel was born (kudos to my wife for a job well done I Love You So Much).

I was reminded about Seth's story when I was praying for God's deliverance for Ea, from the moment Rhea was admitted to the hospital for delivery, up to the moment she was brought to recovery room. When the doctor told me the good news that both Rhea and Kiel are safe and ok, I praise and thank God for He granted me to be a father after 31 years of my life.

I called upon the name of the LORD in every aspect of my life, regardless the situation. A simple as uttering "Thank God", "Thank You Lord!", "Praise God!", just giving reverence to Him.

So whenever we call upon the name of the LORD, remember that it was the time of Seth started it.


To God be the glory.

Happy Sunday..

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog : The Journey Inside Of Me

I love to walk and I used to be a mountaineer.
I used to have an active lifestyle wherein exercise is not a problem.

After I've got my college degree and pursue my career in Insurance and IT industry; alcohol, stress, overtime, comfort food, excessive coffee, lack of sleep, no exercise, etc.. became my major problem. Now, my cholesterol level is high. I'm 20 lbs over of my ideal weight and having a hard to time to reduce my weight.

I've been praying hard and doing my best not to eat more but eat less and healthy as possible.
Every Sunday I see to it that I walk at least 45mins to an hour.

Last Sunday, I went out for a walk and I passed by at NBP (New Bilibid Prison), with a 15mins walk from entrance to exit.  It was my first time to passed by at NBP, however, it was my unforgettable and one of a kind 15mins experience walk of my life.

My journey started the moment I have read the sign on the gate that  says "No business, No Entry." Technically, I have no business inside but since I saw some joggers and passers by, I pursue my intention just to simply pass by.

As I enter premises of NBP towards the exit. I was looking around pretending to be normal outside but inside of me are mixed emotions want to get out. These are the recent unnecessary emotions that almost took over me.

I had been through a very stressful experienced just several months ago. My patients have been stretch to the point that it almost cut off the goodness inside of me. Praise God! Through Him, deliverance came upon me.

I don't know why but I feel afraid while inside the NBP compound, maybe because I'm just passer by that shouldn't be there in the first place. I had an absurd feeling that while inside the premises, I feel imprisoned behind bars as people inside the NBP building. I was reflecting on the prisoners inside the NBP building the reasons they are there. Comparing their actions to the struggles I had been, which kept me praising God for He never left me.

Different reasons why people (if guilty in the eyes of God) are behind bars, but they have one reason in common. It is the result of their action in the past.
I can only guess that some or most of them regretted what they've done in the past that they need to face the consequences that freedom was taken from them. Walking towards the exit, contemplating in the almost could cause insanity of my actions months ago. I want to stop, sit for awhile and cry for the anger and hatred nearly controlled me.

Finally, the first step outside the exit gate. I was mesmerized by God's deliverance.
Praise God! Thank God! Once again, God has set me free. I was able to overcome the trials that never thought would happen to me.

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. - Genesis 4:7

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. - James 1:12-15

Praise God! To God Be The Glory!!

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Reward and Punishment

A gentle reminder for everyone...

Leviticus 26

Reward for Obedience
1 “‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.

2 “‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

3 “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, 4 I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. 5 Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

6 “‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. 7 You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

9 “‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. 11 I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

Punishment for Disobedience
14 “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, 15 and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, 16 then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. 17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

18 “‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. 19 I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. 20 Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit.

21 “‘If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. 22 I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.

23 “‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, 24 I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. 25 And I will bring the sword on you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. 26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

27 “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. 29 You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. 30 I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. 31 I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. 32 I myself will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. 33 I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. 34 Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. 35 All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

36 “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. 37 They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. 38 You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. 39 Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’ sins they will waste away.

40 “‘But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors?their unfaithfulness and their hostility toward me, 41 which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies?then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, 42 I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. 43 For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. 44 Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. 45 But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.’”

46 These are the decrees, the laws and the regulations that the LORD established at Mount Sinai between himself and the Israelites through Moses.

To God be the glory..

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog : FB's "On This Day God Wants You To Know"

Not just a need to do, it's more like a personal commitment why I blog.
I'm not forcing myself that I need to blog and say anything what I want, but it's kind of feeling that I was commanded to accomplish my tasks.

For a week, I was wondering what would be the topic of my Sunday Blog, until just this morning I had a revelation. I remembered our (Rhea and I) yesterday's conversation. I told my wife that "It's already Saturday yet I don't have a blog topic for tomorrow." She replied "Just wait, God will reveal it to you." :)

I opened my FB (Facebook) account, and I noticed that I no longer check the application "On This Day God Wants You To Know."
It's an application in FB that tells you that what Gods want you to know is this and that... Even though its just a computer application sometimes it does make sense helping people realized things and reminded that there is God that loves them so much.

So on this day God wants me to know
...that you are commanded to love everyone, not condemn those who don't agree with you. Your opinions are just that, - opinions, regardless of where you got them from. They are tiny, a speck compared to the immensity of God. You cannot possibly have even the faintest idea of what God commands to other people, to other lifeforms. Your only possible intelligent choice is to continuously open in love and acceptance. Today more than yesterday.

Praise God!!!

I was praying before on how can I share God's word to my workplace specially with my immediate team wherein I won't make them feel awkward. They know as a religious person maybe because I used to send them biblical text messages every Sunday, I still really don't know their reason, but they regard me as a man of faith.

I have a teammate who always asked me what does the Bible say about this and that... And I (with my own personal experienced and discovery) always answered him biblically and follow through with a say "try to discover it personally also." I'd like to encourage him to read the Bible, so he can personally discover what I'm telling him is a fact and really from the Bible.

I'm very careful not to answer him with my own opinion because the more I'd like to help him maybe will give him more confusion. So, whenever he asked about a certain topic and don't know the answer I simply tell him "I don't know, I haven't read it yet." I don't make a wild guess just to satisfy an answer he's expecting.

I have also a teammate who listens to me whenever I feel blessed or down, and I need immediate someone to hear what I want to say, he always there to listen.
Maybe because he has no choice, he seats beside me. :)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. -Proverbs 12:15

My team mates are my office lunch buddies. Every lunch we talked about anything under the sun.

I think it was Monday, a topic was opened "Do you believe in aliens (UFO, ET, and alike)?" Everyone was asked and given a chance to reason out why. Two of my buddies believed that UFO may exist, another is confused (he really doesn't know what to believe) then I was asked "if non-biblically speaking would I believed?" I replied "Yes."

The conversation became deeper until the topic was changed to "Veracity of the Bible and God's existence". Some had gnostically reasoning. One still confused and as for me, and I stand for what I believed in. I ended our conversation because the lunch break is finished so I said my final piece...


"Do you believe in life after death? (I do). Do you believe in heaven and hell? (I do). Through salvation, I can go to heaven and only Jesus Christ can give me that. If you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, everything will follow."

Then we went back to work. :)

I've felt that my faith was challenged again in a way that somebody will tell me that there is something/someone (not God) is responsible in everything in this world. Thank God, again I realized that His ways are really mysterious. He answered prayers sometimes in a complicated situation but full of wisdom.

I believed that opinion is a privilege given to a person when the situation asked to. It must be done exclusively in the presence of the people involve in the conversation. It can be painful sometimes specially if people disagree on your opinion, but its normal as long as you respect each others opinion. It must be objective and not subjective. A personal point of view of a given subject or topic that does not require other peoples approvals.

You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. -Ecclesiastes 11:9

To God be the Glory...

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog (Series 2) : Is your leader compromised?

If our leader was compromised, what will happen to us?

I just wish that the Israelites had already known the answer.

Exodus 32:21-23

He (Moses) said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?

“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil. They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.

Aaron tried to justify to Moses what he has done. Well, he only gave what the people want.

I remember the movie "Bruce almighty". Bruce (a TV reporter) was given a chance to be a God, however, he took advantage of His' powers.

One particular was, when he was hearing all the people's prayer and it was annoying for hum, so he commanded to have a computer that will receive all the prayers and will automatically answers them with Yes as default. In the movie, the result was chaos.

To make the story short, Bruce realized that he doesn't want to be God because of the unimaginable tasks that He opted to do.

It was a good movie, by the way, especially for those people who always complain . :)

I believed that life is a cycle. To complete a cycle, you have to go through stages, and every stage contains patterns or paths that determine where you are. We can't easily agree to what majority wants, and most of the time what majority wants are not included with God's design.

A judge can't give a quick decision to the accused until he is proven guilty. One mistake can destroy everything.

Exodus 32:26-35
So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. - Proverbs 11:14

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. - Proverbs 11:14

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Expect the unexpected

I have planned that...
This blog should only take one day of my time, but it turned out six days.
The title of this blog was "Almost, but not yet" but it turned out "Expect the unexpected."
This blog should only talk about what happened last Monday, but it turned out until today (Saturday).
This blog should only talk about what we've felt after learning the reasons behind the sudden changed in my schedule.

Praise God!!! Again, His will be done.

As I start this blog, I haven't changed any my original thoughts.

This is my second time I will have to use this blog title ("Almost, but not yet.").
The first time I used this blog title was in Multiply.com (when the original website was still up and running). It was about my module in my previous project as IT Professional.

I was new then in our team when I was given a tasks which kind of difficult for me; The framework is not familiar so as the business process, etc. everything was completely different.
To make to story short, I was able to complete tasks and promoted to production. I was very excited that finally I can now move to another task/module, only I've learned there will be  a new change request that I need to re-code everything from my previous tasks.

It may sounds weird but I titled my multiply blog "Almost, but not yet", thinking that I could move to my new tasks, however, because of the new requirements, I need to re-code everything. :/

Our (my wife and I) Monday could have been a perfect day.
We woke up early, had our breakfast then went to the office -- we're not late. Praise God!

Currently, I'm handling production support for our project in Korea.
I'm glad because:
 - No major and urgent issues raised.
 - Some of our counter part Business Associates in Korea were on leave.
 - We'll have a bonding time with my team
 - It seems a very relaxing day for me.

Ea (my wife) is eight months pregnant  and will delivery soon and her office is preparing a baby shower

I got an email from my wife, just letting me know that everything is set for the baby shower that coming Friday. The schedule, food, gifts, attendees, etc. everything is perfectly Ok. Thank God.
But when I'm about to reply to her email and tell her how excited I am, I received another email from her informing me to disregard the previous email. Something came up and everything changes.

Unfortunately not all are into her baby shower. The only thing that will proceed was the schedule day.

Friday came. Scheduled lunch-out with my team while Ea will attend her short baby shower during lunch break.
About 9.30am when I received a text message from her teammate, asking me if I can create a surprise message for Ea and for our baby will then be presented for the baby shower. So I drafted my message and later on I sent as email then went out for lunch.

After lunch, when we came back to the office and checked my email, to my surprise, the email that I sent was blocked by our company email due to the attachment I included. The attachment was a text file containing my simple message for my wife and my baby.

I guess it not intended to be sent that time and be read to the whole group.

So I called Ea, she told me that she was overwhelmed and very thankful to her friends in the office because of the time, money and efforts that they exerted to have the baby shower successfully organized.

Then I told her about what happened to my message that I sent which was not sent. :)

Finally, after office we went out and bought things our baby. Now, we're just waiting for him to be born.

Praise God and thanks to her friends in her office for the gifts. :)

I remember the story of Joseph (Joseph The Dreamer. Exodus 37 - 45.)
Joseph was hated by his brothers because their father loved him more than any of his sons. He had a dream about ruling over his brothers. That's why they hated him more.
In spite of what his brothers have done to him and what happened to him along the way, he became more than what he had dreamed of.

Truly, God's plan is beyond our knowledge and comprehension. We can't even percepts the slightest clue of what He's thinking. That is because He is God, and we are not. His wisdom is beyond ours.


The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. —Proverbs 16:9
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. —Proverbs 19:21
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. —Jeremiah 29:11

Praise God and God bless..

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

Sunday Blog (Series 1) : Is your leader compromised?

I believed that rules and regulations are very important in life because without it, the world is in chaos. Violating these rules has a certain punishment depending on the severity it causes, or it may cause. A punishment can be as simple as a reprimand or as extreme as death.

These rules, regulations, laws, commandments, etc. were given to us to have an orderly manner way of living.

We may no longer need for a traffic enforcer if we have already followed the traffic lights, jails and prisons if we know how to control ourselves, cure if we know how to prevent, etc. but that doesn't work in our society nowadays or since the fall of man.

Leaders amend their laws by giving in what the society demands. Majority wins.

I remember a passage in Ecclesiastes, particularly Eccl. 1:9-10:

"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say,“Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."

Just like what happened to the Aaron in Exodus 32: 1-6.

"When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry."
This happened when Aaron and the elders took in command of Israelites while Moses left to speak to the Lord in Mt. Sinai.

When Israelites were brought out of Egypt, God already given them commandments for them not to sin against Him, but they, however showed two faces. They are loyal but with lack of faith and obedient but impatient.

Their lack of faith and impatient drove them to get tired of waiting for Moses to come back from Mt. Sinai. They gather themselves and asked their leader(Aaron) to make them gods who will go before them.

The sad part, Aaron the brother Moses who have experienced God, didn't hesitate or object to the Israelites. Aaron knew that Israelites will be committing a sin against God if he gives in to them, but still, he agreed and lead them to the wrong path. He leads them to have an idol made of gold and having a calf shape. He made an altar in front of the calf and held a festival to the Lord.

Exodus 20: 3 - You shall have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20: 4 - You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
Exodus 34:14 - For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

It may be very difficult to lead such a huge number of people as Israelites but its a part of being a leader, to govern his people.
A leader and his people is bound by law from God and man. They should respect it.
A leader should not be compromised, for his people may disgrace him.

Is your leader compromised?
Is he against the flow of the society?
Is he for people or for God?

I encourage you to pray for our leaders, whether in school, office, government, organizations, etc. May God bless them with wisdom and strength for them not to be compromised in any means.

God bless...

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

My Guide

What? How? Why?
These were the questions I was seeking for an answer when I was having my spiritual crisis, I would say. I was completely lost that time. My mind was clouded by uncertainties and blaming other people for what happened to me.


Feeling of I want something new and different. I bought my very first Bible (NIV). Not that I don't have a Bible but this is technically different because I spent time, effort and money to have it. I bought my Bible January 8, 2010 gift for myself since my birthday is January 11. Since then started reading it. (To be honest, whenever I see my Bible something's telling me that I need to read it.)

Before whenever I read the Bible, I read only the topic/story I want but since I want something new and different I started reading from the beginning (Genesis).

As I read my Bible, I thought I already know much about the it; the stories, teachings, wisdom, commandments, miracles, etc. but it proved me wrong, what I know were just a very tiny part of it and sadly, some of them contain incorrect information. Like for example in the story of Noah's Ark, I thought that there was a part that when the water started to rise, people were shouting and begging Noah to open the Ark for they can enter and be saved from the flood, but unfortunately that didn't happen:

The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah. Then the LORD shut him in.

For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than fifteen cubits. Every living thing that moved on land perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; people and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. - Genesis 7:16-23

So I came to realize that I have so much more to learn from this book, and I challenged myself to prove that everything I've learned from the past is true.

I finally found my guide, not will just answer my questions and rescue me from any uncertainties in life but will lead me for my eternal life.

You may or may not believe me but one thing for sure if you read your Bible you'll understand what I'm saying.

It really feels good if you personally experienced and discovered things missing from the puzzle. Just like in the Bible you don't know what your leader is teaching you is true until you read and understand it. When you read your Bible you gain wisdom.

I personally recommend that you have your own Bible, whether you bought it or was given to you. Read, study and learn everything you can for it is the best guide to your salvation.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. - Proverbs 1:7

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

God bless..

A Little Christian Humor

I got this from my blog at multiply...

A Little Christian Humor

This is one of the best clean jokes I've seen in a while!



Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.'

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused.

They faxed.

They e-mailed.

They e-mailed with attachments.

They downloaded.

They did spreadsheets!

They wrote reports.

They created labels and cards.

They created charts and graphs.

They did some genealogy reports .

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off.

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power went out!'
Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.
Satan observed this and became irate.
'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?'
God just shrugged and said,








JESUS SAVES....

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.

...that there are two sets of ten commandments, the one we know is the original (first) and the second can be found in Exodus 34.

... that in the Old Testament that the new-born baby boy should be circumcised on the eight day after he was born. See Leviticus 12:3.

...that during the time of Moses bitter water was used to determine if wife is guilty of adultery. See Numbers 5:11-31.

...that aside from the serpent, a donkey also had a chance to speak. See Numbers 22:21-39.

...that at the end of every seven years, the creditor must cancel debts? See
Deuteronomy 15:1-6.

... that not all nations that God promised to Israel were not given to them? See Judges 2:20 - 3:1-5

 ...that even though Sodom and Gomorrah were already destroyed, a same scenario happened among Israelites? See Judges 19:20-23

... why we say Grace/Pray before meal? See 1 Samuel 9:13

... that Saul (King of Israel) used a Medium to communicate with Samuel? See 1 Samuel 28:3-20

...that there was already a man who had twelve fingers and twelve toes? See 2 Samuel 21:20

...that Solomon had a total of 1000 relationships? See 1 Kings 11:3

... that aside from Moses, Elijah and Elisha also divided the water and crossed over on dry ground? See 2 Kings 2:1-15

... that a man came to life by unintentionally touching Elisha's bones?  2 Kings 13:21

... that during the time of David, there was a ministry of prophesying?  1 Chronicles 25:1
  
... that  7 year old who reigned in Jerusalem for 40 years?  2 Chronicles 24:1  

... that sometimes elders are not wise?  Job 32:6-9

... that God speak to us but we don't recognize it??  Job 33:14-30  

... that God is just in every way?  Job 34:10-37

... Did you know the people who are oppressed;  they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful than his Maker? Job 35:9-15

... that based on hierarchy, humans are lower than the angels?  Psalms 8:3-5


... that whoever does these things will never be shaken? Psalms 15


... that the song Better Is One Day is a verse found in the Bible ? Psalms 84:10

... why our calendar months are according to the Moon while Sun is just an ordinary day?  Psalms 104:19


... the Israelite who killed 600 Philistines using only an Oxgoad? Judges 3:31

To start with...

Let me tell you, why?

I grew up and almost devoted my Christian life to a Methodist community, a community that gave way for me to seek Him.

When I was a kid, I used to be part of a children choir. I used to attend VCS (Vacation Church School)- a church summer activity wherein children ages 3-16 can learn more about their faith while having fun; this activity may last one to two weeks. I used to attend Sunday schools, which was held at back of our church and have attended many children activities inside and outside the church.

As time goes by, I become very active in the church.
My week is not complete if I will not go to church. I even sacrifice some of my personal commitments just to attend church activities.
That's how I love the church.

then I became...
... a member of the chancel choir
... a teacher of VCS
... an officer, even president of the youth organization
... a praise and worship team guitar player
... the head of the praise and worship team
... an officer the church council
... a speaker of a celebration activity
... a teacher of Sunday school for children, youth and adults
... an organizer of a fund raising projects
... a church leader who plans a spiritual growth in the church by all means
... an ordinary church goer
... a Christian with full of enthusiasm, hopes and dreams

Until my cup became empty. I felt tired, drained and exhausted. I hunger and thirst for Him and its pushing me to edge of what I believed in...(it may seem that I have many accomplishments but believe me not a single one from the above list helped me fill my cup again...) I told myself, I want to stay. I'm strong. I can handle this.

With no strength and very weak and the food, I'm receiving can't sustain me. I force myself to leave the home I grew up with... It was hard and sad for me leaving what you love to do and the people you care about. I can only guess that maybe I have already done and served enough this community, and it's time for me to be born again.

In Christianity, born again refers to a "spiritual rebirth" (regeneration) of the human soul or spirit, contrasted with the physical birth everyone experiences. The origin of the term "born again" is the New Testament: "Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born again.'"[Jn 3:3 TNIV][1] It is a term associated with salvation in Christianity. Wikipedia

A friend of mine referred a church wherein I can attend Bible study every Tuesday and Thursday. Accessible to my place of work, I tried and did attend. Sometimes I attend with my wife (she was my girlfriend then) whenever she has time but most of the time I go alone.

We became regular attendees of Tuesday service. As the day goes by, I felt the nourishment, removing the dead cells of my spirituality and replacing it with strong cells equipped with vitamins from A-Z (complete). Gradually, it quenches the hunger and thirst, and finally. It was Sept. 16 of the last year (2010) my wife didn't know that we became twins that day. Praise God!

It was the altar call that we went in front of the stage. The front left side are for the non-Protestants and the front right side are for Christians, who wants to renew their faith. Together with some member's congregation, my wife went in front and placed herself to the left while I on the right. Different reason but have common need. It was the Holy Spirit moved us and made us surrender our lives to God through Jesus Christ.

I was cleansed, forgiven and renewed. I experienced Jesus Christ and only Him can fill my cup.

So blessed, I can't contain it...
So much, I've got to give it away,
Your love taught me to live now...
You are more than enough for me.
- excerpt from Hillsong - One day lyrics.

That's exactly what I feel up to this moment you're reading this.

That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it, you spread His love to everyone;
You want to pass it on.
- excerpt from Pass It On lyrics.

Praise God!

 ~ If this post somehow helped or inspire you, please share your thoughts in the comment section ~

Thank You and God bless.