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Stay on your own lane

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  Stay on your own lane and don't hate those in other lanes.  Malungkot mang isiping kahit sa ministry ay mayroong inggitan at pabidahan. Sa halip na matuwa sa ministry ng iba, ikinasasama ng loob ang tagumpay na sa kaniyang palagay ay dapat sa kaniya.  But the ministry is not a competition. Bawat isa sa atin ay may sariling linya. As long as you stay in your own lane and be faithful running it, you are a success, malaki man o maliit ang iyong ministry. Tingnan ninyo si Jeremias . Sa haba ng kaniyang ministry sa Juda , tinalikuran pa rin ng kaniyang bayan ang Diyos. Iisipin nating siya ay bigo, wala siyang impact sa kaniyang generation. But the truth is he is God's man for that time. Siya ang ilaw na nagpapakita ng liwanag ng katotohanan. Just because the others decide to reject the light, it doesn't mean he is a failure. He is a success. Judah is a failure.  If we just focuse on our own ministry, and let others work on theirs, I suspect that mas magiging harmonious ...

Unfortunately marami ring believers don't get it

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  Don't argue with unbelievers. They don't have the Holy Spirit and they won't get what you're sharing. Rather than be sidetracked into unprofitable debate, focus on the message of life. If they reject it, leave. Unbelievers, due to amoeba of unbelief, will reject your message and accommodate it to his existing worldview. He will accept that Jesus died for his sins, was buried and resurrected and that by faith in Him you have eternal life , and then on the next breath insists you need works to go to heaven. Unless the Holy Spirit convicted them of sin, righteousness and judgement, you're wasting your breath.  Our job is not to convert people. Our job is to share the message and let the Holy Spirit convict them. If they reject the conviction of the Spirit, no skill in communication will make them believe.  Without the Spirit, they won't get it.  Unfortunately, many believers don't get it either. Yes they believe in Jesus for eternal life. Yes they believe i...

Sa mga walang palalabs ngayong Valentine's, God loves you

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  It's Valentine's and marahil makungkot ka dahil wala kang palalabs. Don't despair. There is Someone who loves you and His name is Jesus .  Jesus loves you so much ( Ephesians 5:2 ) that He gave Himself as a propitiation for your sins . He died for your sins so sin will not be a barrier between you and God. All you need to do is believe in Him for eternal life .  You don't need to work for eternal life because Jesus did the work on the Cross . All you need to do is receive eternal life by believing in Jesus. This is true love. John 3:16 [16]"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Romans 5:8 [8]But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. You probably think you're unloved. But the truth is you're very much loved.  Maybe the love you're looking for is found in Jesus. Stop looking for love in all the wrong...

Walang nagpapahalaga sa iyo? Try mo kay God

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  Feeling mo walang nagpapahalaga sa iyo? Don't be surprised. Karamihan sa mga tao ay pahahalagahan ka lang as long as may use ka sa kanila. The moment nakuha na nila ang kanilang gusto o wala na silang mahihita sa iyo o naglagay ka ng boundaries, they will ditch you gaya ng laspag na laruan. You probably think that is very dark. But if we are honest sooner or later we'll meet people who will use us. Kung ang sense of worth mo ay nakadepende sa aprubal ng mga taong ito, I pity you.  Before I continue, kung may mga tao sa paligid mo na pinahahalagahan ka no matter what, yung hindi ka iniwan sa ere o tinalikuran sa madilim na yugto ng iyong buhay, please lang, do the right thing: huwag mo silang hayaang mawala. Rare is a friend who will go with you through thick or thin.  Kahit hindi laging sang-ayon ang mga taong ito sa iyong decision, they will love you. Yes, pagsasabihan ka nila why they think you're wrong, and I hope you consider what they say before you decide, but no...

Everything I have, I owe to God

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  Deuteronomy 8:18 [18]But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. I thank the Lord my God for whatever we are enjoying now. Yes our life is not as grand as others but I sincerely can say that I won’t trade this life for any other’s. First I’m thankful that I believe in Jesus for eternal life, John 3:16 . I am thankful that my entire family are also believers in Jesus, Acts 16:31 . I’m triple blessed that I marry to a family where my father- and mother-in-laws are believers and models of grace. On that count alone, I am blessed. Secondly, I thank God that I am in a relatively good health. Sure I have a serious lung disease years ago, and I occasionally battle stomach pains and phlegms, but overall I am healthy enough to find a good living. Thirdly, I thank God that I have a profession that is respected by the community and earns relatively well...

Should a Christian celebrate Valentine's? Why not?

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  The Bible did not mention Valentine’s Day . So strictly speaking the Bible has nothing to say about observance or nonobservance of Valentine’s. This falls within the gray areas of Christian freedom. I chose to celebrate Valentine’s. But first let me explain the objections. The first objection by many evangelicals is that it is not mentioned in the Bible. The Bible mentioned observance of Lord’s Supper and baptism but never Valentine’s so the argument says we shouldn’t. But people forget that neither did the Bible forbid observance of it. Further, we have an example of a feast observance that is not mandated by the Law. In John 10:22, there is a Feast of Dedication being observed by the Jews and Jesus was among them. The Law never mentioned it, in fact it originated during the Maccabean period when the Maccabean rededicate the temple after years of being trampled by the Gentiles. Another objection is it has pagan origin. It is ironic that this objection is done by people who...

Not really alone

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   I have always been a loner. Even when I am in a group, I have the special ability to be alone. Whether that is because others find me intimidating o talagang repulsive lang ang ugali ko, I will leave it to you to decide. I guarantee na wala akong pakialam. After all a lion does not listen to the opinion of the sheep. But if there is one thing I learned from being a loner is you are never truly alone. Jesus promised to be with His disciples until the end of the age. The Book of Hebrews says He will never leave us or forsake us. For me that is very encouraging. Sometimes when I made decisions, people raise their eyebrows because my priorities are not the same as theirs. It is easy to feel lonely and neglected when others are in vacation spree while you’re inside the church , serving. There are things other people can do that you can’t because of the ministry. Early in life I have decided that my relationship to God will be a priority over every thing else. It doesn’t mea...

An encourager or a critic

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  Proverbs 18:21 [21]Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. We can’t resist it. Someone tells a story and we comment. And I will bet my bottom dollar that the comment is most likely a criticism rather than an encouragement. Isa sa mga katangiang hindi maalis-alis ng tao ay ang hilig na pumuna. Hindi sapat ang kasipahan ng isa kaya pupunahin. Mali ang desisyon ng isa at ang desisyon mo ay superior kaya pupunahin. Nagkamali ang isa at dapat mo siyang itama. Bakit hindi tayo masiyahang ang iba ay may desisyong iba sa atin. As long as the decision is not a crime or not unbiblical , we should let a fellow believers decides what he thinks is right for himself. God gives as volition and honors its decisions even if sometimes they are against His will. After all decisions have consequences. We’ll reap what we saw. If God honors human volition, we should do the same. Makuntento tayong magsaya na ang isang kapatid ay nagdedesisyon ng sa ...

Like fathers, like sons

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  Like fathers, like sons. If fathers are godly, they will raise godly sons.  I know there are exceptions. Even in the family we have examples of godly parents having ungodly children. But that is the point, they are exceptions.  Children learn godliness best if it is being demonstrated. More than the sermons, a solid role-modelling teaches children that godliness comes first.  You can talk all you want but if the children did not see the walk, they will reject the faith. Our words should match our works.  When children see us attend Bible studies even if it is uncomfortable or the weather is stormy, we are telling them that Bible studies are important. When they see us pray on our knees, we show them that prayer works. When they see us not panic in the middle of problems, we show them that doctrine works. But if they see us running around in panic, we're showing them that even if we proclaim God is in control, we actually deny it in our practice.  Let ...

Good marriage doesn't fall from heaven, you have to work for it

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  Good marriage doesn't fall from heaven. You have to work for it.  Narinig ninyo na ang kwento ng lalaking nag-pray para sa rescue nang siya ay maipit sa baha. He prayed, "Lord save me." Thrice may dumating na rescuers pero tinanggihan niya ang mga ito dahil sa kaniyang paniniwalang ang Diyos ang magliligtas. Pagdating sa langit, tinanong niya ang Diyos, "Ama bakit hindi mo ako niligtas?" Sumagot ang Diyos, "Thrice akong nagpadala ng rescue pero tinanggihan mo." Same thing happens to marriage. We pray and pray that God bless our marriage. But we refuse God-given ways to bless our marriages. I hate to tell this to you: Good marriages don't fall from Heaven.  Yes we pray. Yes we ask God to bless our marriages. But we need to do something about it. We can't have good marriages by simply praying for it.  God has already given His opinion on marriage in the Bible . Our job is to mine the Bible for the principles that govern good marriage. Good marr...