2013: God's Sovereignty and Answered Prayers

Habakkuk 2:2

Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.

I remember someone telling me about this verse. There is nothing mystical about it. It's just plain and simple. Write it down so that we won't forget to pray for it and at the same to remind us of God's faithfulness and sovereignty. Answered or not, I hold on to this truth: 

Isaiah 55:9

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Answered Prayers:

Healing for my friend Levine (after falling from a platform (?))

Guidance in Levine's Thesis

Healing for Cesca

Successful Himigsikan 2013

Favour in Rehearsals (Himigsikan 2013)

Favour in Weather (Himigsikan 2013)

Favour in Papers (Himigsikan 2013)

Fresh Encounter/Rest during our Retreat

Go to Kyrgyzstan this October 2013

Patrick Bugarin to win as President in TPSF

Success in our Pol. Dynamics reporting

Win in Theater Arts

Favour from Professors this Senior Year

Provision for ABSC Projects

Favour from Sponsors

Kuya Jeffrouie and Ate Carmen to get married

Open doors to minister to AB Admin.

Venue for AB Leadership Training Seminar 2013

Attend Ignite 2013

Ptr. Dan Monterde to preach in Ignite 2013 (Guidance, Provisions, Blessing, Anointing)

Transportation for our Batangas Gig

Invite 15 to 20 NGOs for AB NGO Fair

Safe trip for Papa last May 2013

Kuya Nate to pass the Entrance Exam for UST Law

Healing for Eboy Siongco and their Dad from Dengue

Charger for my Dell Laptop

Win the ABSC Election 2013

Miyuki Morishita to win as President in UST-CSC

Ma'am Faye to decide whether she will take PhD or not

Hannah Barrantes to win as President of San Beda Student Council

Safe trip for Mama going back from Leyte

Success in Faculty Show

Healing for Jeff tinsay

Healing for my Throat

Successful Bacc. Mass

Successful Graduation

Success for AB LTS 2013

Speakers to be available on AB LTS 2013

Smooth flow of AB LTS

Kristi Banks to win in her contest outside UST

Urbandub to play in Himigsikan 2013

Healing for Kuya Gerald Pasion's skin

Reconciliation between Jenz, Kae, Kat, MJ

Guidance in our Theater Arts Finals

Healing for my right foot

Healing for Tots and for him to join us in our meeting

Provision for Kristi

Have Chinkee Tan as one of our speakers in our Leadership Training Seminar 2013

Fresh Encounter with God on Ignite 2013

Successful Campaign Week

CM to win as auditor

Good grades in my subjects

Mikee Argel and Alex Beltran to have a good grade on LRT, TOP and Labor Standards

Edmir Capuno to win in Karatulastasan 2013

Success for the CommDev Projects this September

Provision for WYAAPELC

Successful GA for DEKADA

Successful preaching on Sunday

Successful operation for Tita Carol

Smooth labor for Ate Iris

Provision for their baby, Emilio

Habagat to stop

Favourable weather on Himigsikan August 29, 2013

Safe trip for Ma'am Yanga

Favour in IMC

Get 1pm to 5pm reservation in Med Audi

Healing for Emilio

Healing for Mam Yanga

Success for Leanne's Class for their Thesis

Provision for overtime of venues (Himigsikan) 

CommDev of Eco to Push through

Raise support needed for Kyrgyzstan Mission trip in 2 weeks

Healing for Edmir

Healing for Cesca

Favourable Weather for Ma'am Leah's Wedding

Ardy Danganan to pass the ADMU Exam

DEKADA to be recognized this year

Healing for Joan Arenas, guidance in Dubai

Healing for Froilan

Healing for Yen, Third and CP from Chicken Pox

Healing for Alex Beltran

Healing for AJ Mercado

Healing for Abby Reynes

Favor on Monday 

Grace for IMC

Healing for Kat Ismail

Reconciliation beween Kristi and her father

Meeting with ABSC officers with complete attendance

AB NGO Fair 2013

Ceasefire in Zamboanga

UST to win against NU Bulldogs

Healing for Cesca delos Santos' Father

Healing for Cesca delos Santos' Mother

Successful operation for her parents

Healing for Rianne

Ate Ayen Legazpi to be in a relationship

Success in Leanne's thesis presentation

Success in Commdev Exhibit

UST Tigers to win today's game

My whole class passed in IMC

Provision for Ram Meria

No more exam tomorrow in IMC and no more presentations

Healing for Krisiti

Favour for Janica and Milcah's Studies

Healing for Sasha

Provision and sponsors for Insignia

Success in Advocacy Concert

Provision for Ate Che and Kuya Jerry's wedding

Smooth delivery if Ate Shalom's Baby

Algai to pass licensure exam

Favourable weather on Insignia's Runway Finale

Provision for Ate Rachel and Kuya Jonathan's wedding

Continuous provision for our family

I am sure that there are answered prayers that I am not aware. Answered prayers are God's reminder to us that He is faithful even though we are not. He is gracious and loving even though we do not deserve it. Let's leave 2013 with thanksgiving. 

What are your answered prayers? 

Proverbs 4:18

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day

Anti-"I don't feel Christmas" Blog.

DISCLAIMER: This is not a hater post. This entry is for everyone. Whether you're having a "bad", a "good", a "great", a "sad", or an “incomplete" Christmas - this post is for all of us. 

I have been hearing from people that they do not really "feel" the Christmas Season this year. I am also guilty of this. After all that we have been through: Typhoon Maring, PDAF Scam, MNLF standoff, 7.2 earthquake in Bohol and of course, Super Typhoon Yolanda. Not to mention our personal struggles, our work issues, heartbreaks, loss of a family member (or complete loss of the entire family), financial lack, worries, insecurities, etc.

We ask ourselves:

Is Christmas still worth celebrating? 

If your answer is a cold, stiff "NO", I hope that after reading this I would be able to convince you that Christmas is still worth celebrating for. If your answer is a doubtful and hesitant "YES", I hope these insights will convince you that there is no reason for you to doubt and hesitate. 

We all know the origin of Christmas. A Saviour being born. God sent His Son. A virgin became His mother and was fathered by a carpenter named Joseph. He was then visited by the Magi or the Wise Men (take note, not kings but wise men - they're not even three). Jesus' birth was witnessed by Angels, shepherds, random town people and animals. Jesus' first crib was a manger. 

I wanted to remember what happened during the first Christmas celebration so I went to read some texts and took note of some of the details. Here are the things that I found:

1.) Giving is an act to celebrate Christmas but giving is not the main cause of Christmas - This is not contradictory to what we believe. Yes, God gave His Son to us but it was intentional and deliberate. God has a clear purpose in His mind why He gave Jesus to us. Yes, this is to teach us how to give but God's goal is not merely to teach us how to give but to save us from our sins. Anyone can teach us how to give but only Jesus can save us from our sins. God wants to save us first before teaching us because He knew that when we are saved - we can learn the real importance of giving. Knowing the reason why Jesus came is essential in enjoying Christmas Day. 

Matthew 1:21

New International Version (NIV)

21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[a] because he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 2:38

New International Version (NIV)

38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

2.) There are people who fought for the First Christmas Celebration. - When I used the word "fought" I am referring to all efforts of defending and fighting back whether by physical, mental, emotional or spiritual means. 

Magi - according to Matthew 2:12, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. The Magi knew that their lives were on the line. They were faced with the decision whether to go back and report to Herod and return to their country with their heads on or go back to their country in a different route still having their heads on but being included on Herod's "To Kill List". The Magi fought for Christmas by choosing not to go back to Herod and return to their country in a different route. 

Mary - according to Bible scholars, Mary was about 12, 13 or 14 years old when she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Just imagine all kinds of pressure she went through while having Jesus in her tummy. The culture during their time dictated that women were second rate citizens. Just imagine if society would know that you got pregnant before getting married and the person you are engaged to (Joseph) is not even the father of the child you are carrying. There they were. Expecting a child but there was no inn to stay to wait for the baby. You heard stories of babies being born in a car, house, bahay-kubo, etc. but nothing is more dramatic than a baby being placed in a manger with shepherds, Magi and animals as your company to celebrate with you. Mary could have quitted along the way. She could have complained to God: If He is the King of Kings and the Saviour of Mankind then why would you allow Him to be born in a manger? But she refused to quit and chose to fight for the First Christmas. Scriptures says that she treasured all these in her heart (Luke 2:19). She treasured all these. 

This Christmas, what do you treasure the most? 

Joseph - the Son of David, a carpenter who released the Son of God into the fallen world. Not much has been said about Joseph but we are sure that he is a righteous man (Matthew 1:19) and he has King David's blood running through his veins (Matthew 1:20). So how did he fight for the First Christmas? Simple, by choosing to be the father of God's only Son. I was joking when I said "Simple" but I was serious when I said "by choosing to be the father of God's only Son". The Scriptures did not record any words that he spoke but whenever the Scriptures would describe Joseph, he was always in action or in the act of obeying what God wanted him to do. From deciding to take Mary as his wife, to their escape to Egypt and bringing them to Nazareth - no words were recorded but a lot of actions were seen. He fought for the First Christmas by obeying what God wanted him to do. Probably he had other issues. Like Mary, maybe he also had doubts about what is going on. He could have questioned God about what is happening. Lies may have started to creep towards his heart. Doubts may have started to rise when he cannot find a decent room or place for God's Son to be born. This moment could have been a slap to his face as a father. We do not know what was in his heart but we are sure after their hide and seek with Herod, he decided to stay and be the earthly father of Jesus (Luke 2:51)

Are you fighting for Christmas or you just allow your troubles, problems and emotions get the best of you? 

3.) Christmas is not about us. - This is my personal favourite because it reminds me of my place when I stand before God and at the same time, this truth frees me from the mindset brought by a commercialized Christmas. Every Christmas season we have our own Christmas wishes. There is nothing wrong with that but when that particular wish of ours becomes that standard of a memorable Christmas celebration, something is wrong. When this happens, we replace "Christ" in Christmas with "I"."Imas". Let me use it in a sentence.

Imas go to _______ this Christmas

Imas have this _____ this Christmas

Our hearts always forget that Christ must be the center of Christmas. 

When we start to drift away from the mindset that Christmas is about us, it will be uncomfortable because we are so used to celebrating it for our own personal reasons. This truth frees us from the idea that in order for our Christmas celebration to be perfect we must receive something that we are hoping for or experience something that we are longing for. We always say that Jesus is the reason for the season but when Christmas season starts, what is the first thing that goes into our minds? 

The wonderful thing about Christmas is that even if it is about Jesus and Him saving us from our sins - He made it for us. Christmas is for us but it is not about us. 

Celebrating Christmas is very important because it reminds us that there is still hope and there are infinite reasons why we should celebrate. This year has been rough for all of us but it will only get rougher if there is no Christmas. Christmas is a reminder that amidst all the corruptions, anomalies, catastrophes, devastation, lost lives, shattered homes - there is Someone up there who gave His all for us and never gave up on us. 

Merry Christmas!

Seeing Things Differently: When Delays are not equivalent to Denials.

It has been a while since I have written a new entry on the series "Seeing Things Differently". This series of blog entries aim to view things the way Jesus views them; view people not on their past and present situation but on their eternal destination. 

There are many things that make me worry and one of them is "delay". I hate delays, being delayed and being the cause of delay. We rely on technology in order to avoid possible delays. We plan, we write on a paper, we do our weekly meetings and annual planning in order to see (if there is any) the possible chances of delay so we can avoid it. For some, being delayed by traffic is annoying and for others, being delayed due to long lines is tiring - but still the same, we try our best not to be delayed.

But delay in these aspects are still shallow compared to a student who is waiting for the money in order to take the prelim exams; a mother who is anxious because she has no money on her hands to meet present needs or waiting for a text confirmation just to know that her children are safe; a father who is banking on the next payday to provide for the hospital bills and medicine that his baby needs; a friend suffering in depression, hoping for that encouragement to come; a family waiting for rescue during the storm; an addict, waiting for that moment to be freed from his own addictions; a sinner, waiting for that moment of salvation.

There was a time when Jesus, in the midst of a very important need, responded with delay. Yes, you read it right: Jesus responded with Delay. You can read the whole account of this in John 11.

When Lazarus was suffering in sickness, his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus about their brother. When He learned about this, he said that this sickness will not end in death and stayed in the place where He was for 2 days. His response showed no urgency to His disciples, considering that this is already a matter of life and death. When Jesus decided to come and "wake" Lazarus up, His disciples said that it is better for him to sleep in order to get well but Jesus said plainly to them that Lazarus is dead and that He is glad that He is not there in order that they may believe. When Jesus arrived in the scene,  Lazarus was already inside the tomb enclosed by a boulder for 4 days. Mary told Jesus if he was there, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus went to see where they have placed Lazarus. Jesus told the people to take away the stone but Martha was concerned with the odor of the body. Jesus threw a rhetorical question at Martha (and possibly, to everyone there): Did I not tell that if you believe, you will see the glory of God? They took the stone away and Jesus, after uttering a short prayer, commanded Lazarus to come out and he was resurrected from the dead.

We cringe during delays. When the answer that we have been waiting for does not come on time - we doubt. We result to fear instead of faith because most of the times it is convenient to immerse ourselves in worry and doubt instead of rising up in faith and conviction. We believe God for great things but when these great things do not come on time - we no longer call them great, we abandon the idea or even worse - we abandon Him. We question Him: Are you even listening, God? When the God of the universe, the God that we are praying to, all of a sudden responds with delay - we question Him. We are humans, yes and we doubt but we both know that we never want to live in doubt forever.

While I was studying the account of Lazarus' Resurrection, I was surprised with what I have found out. I learned that God was really, now I know this will sound cliché, totally in control. 

Jesus came when Lazarus was already in the tomb for 4 days. There was a Jewish superstition that the soul stays near the grave only for 3 days, hoping to return to the body. This means that on the 4th day, there will be no hope of resuscitation. We may not believe in such superstitions when we offer our prayers, but sometimes we rely on a "formula" on how God answers prayers. We pray hesitantly, meaning we say what we need, how badly we need it - but we want our prayers to be answered on our way. The people during Jesus' time probably relied on this superstition but Jesus boldly demolished this by coming on the 4th day and still being able to resurrect Lazarus. God's Will for us is not merely for us to enjoy the answer to our prayers, He also wants us to enjoy life the way He originally designed it and that life is not based on traditions nor superstitions but on the Truth. The Truth that Eternal Life is found in Him.

Martha's knowledge about Jesus and the Resurrection. When Martha told Jesus about the possible outcome if He was there a bit earlier, He replied with: Your brother will rise again. Martha responded by saying that she knows about the resurrection at the last day. But Jesus was not after her intellectual assent, He was after her belief regarding who He is and what He can do, that is why He asked Martha: Do you believe this? We do believe that Jesus is our Savior King. He is our great provider, healer, deliverer - you name it! But all our beliefs are tested when delays happen. We may know that Jesus is our provider but do we believe that He will provide? Or do we believe that He is still in control when there is delay? What we have on our heads must come down to our hearts. Holding on to the promises of God is not always a head issue but also a heart issue.

Jesus' anger towards death. If you will read the account, you will encounter verses 33 and 35 which showed Jesus anger and indignation - not towards those who doubted but to the greatest enemy of man which is death. What is the connection of doubt and death? In the beginning, just before the fall of Man, Eve fell into the temptation of eating the forbidden fruit. She did this because she believed what the Devil said and doubted what God commanded them, causing sin to enter the world and death ruled mankind  - but not for long. We may not experience physical death every day, but every time, every moment we choose to doubt - we choose to die. Not instantly but gradually. Not (yet) physically, but spiritually. If you will remember, Jesus will always say that those who believe in Him will not die, meaning those who do not - will die. This is because God knows that our spirit thrives when we trust or when properly stated: Our spirit thrives when we trust in Him. Doubting is dying and believing is living. Every time we experience delay - it is always an opportunity to believe - an opportunity to live. 

Jesus' goal is not just answered prayers but the display of His Glory. Let me tell you straight: THIS LIFE IS NOT ABOUT YOU. God answers our prayers not because we deserve it or because we read a couple of chapters from the Bible or a complete church attendance - He answers our prayers because He wants to show His Glory. Jesus is capable of performing the miracle apart from the belief of Mary, Martha and all the people combined - but it will be their loss. Jesus' arrival on the 4th day, His demand for Martha to believe in Him and his anger towards death are for the greater showcase of His glory and not a result of our "righteousness" or devotion. This may not make sense to us at first because we are selfish (you can doubt it if you want but it's better if you just believe it) but really, all these are for God's Glory. Our response during the delays we experience is not to show-off our character or our sound mind - it is to show God's Glory.

After all these, I have come to realize that His Delays were not Denials rather, they would bring greater Glory to God. If there is one thing that we should remember, it is that the next delay we encounter may be the next opportunity to see God's Glory. After all, He has all the time in the world.

Don't be afraid, see delays differently. See things Differently.

Seeing Things Differently: When Waste is for a Good cause.

When I was still a child, my aunts would always tell me to finish my food. They would always tell me to never waste anything by not having leftovers on my plate. Anything that was left on my plate after I ate was considered WASTED. 

WASTE. Big word. So they say. In Filipino, "sayang". We say that something (money, clothes, food, water, electricity) is "wasted" when we see a greater purpose for that something to be used for. We say that money spent on expensive clothes is wasted just because we know we can buy the similar set of clothes on a cheaper price. We say that clothes are wasted when they are not being used because we believe that they should be put to a better use by giving them away. We say that food is wasted when there are leftovers because a lot of people are being starved to death. We say that water is wasted when there's too much consumption. In our house, we say that electricity is wasted whenever there are too many lights turned on. 

We say that something is wasted when we think that there could have been a better purpose or that something could have been put to a better use than how it is presently used. At times, we say that something is wasted when there is too much. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that we should (or must) use excessively whatever resources we have (even Jesus has something to say on leftovers). I believe in electricity and water conservation. I believe that one should be wise in handling money. I believe that you should only get the food that you can finish. But it is not the same with how we treat our relationship with Jesus. Sometimes, we treat our devotion to Jesus in the same way we treat these things. I sense that in some people, they feel like there is "too much of Jesus" in everything we do. We only give to Jesus the amount that is comfortable to us. We quantify His Lordship over our lives. No, we don't call this "waste" we just say "it's too much". We dare ask boldly from God and yet we cowardly give to Him what we have. Our definition of total surrender is just "hands lifted up" not "hearts emptied out". We make a checklist on the things that we surrender to God and the things that we hold on to. There was a similar case during the time of Jesus, when people accused a woman of being wasteful. You can read the whole text in Luke Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-10. Let me summarize it. 

A woman came inside Simon's house. She anointed Jesus by pouring expensive perfume on His head. A lot of people were indignant of what the woman did to Jesus (one of them was Judas Iscariot), they said that the perfume is worth a year's wage and that this perfume should have been sold so that the money would have been given to the poor. They "rebuked her harshly". But Jesus told them to leave her alone because she has done a beautiful thing to Him. They can always have the poor with them but they cannot always have Jesus with them. 

This woman was a classic example of being "wasteful" for Jesus. People saw that her efforts to glorify Jesus were a waste - because they thought that the perfume could have been sold for charity (not that Jesus is not for it). The disciples of Jesus only saw the temporary (selling the perfume to have something for the poor) and failed to see what is eternal (giving Jesus the Glory) because they were looking at the price of the perfume not at the price of a human's life. 

A lot of times, even though we "know" Jesus, we still fail to give our all to Jesus. He deserves nothing less than your all. Why? Because He gave His all to you. The purpose of God in our lives can only be enjoyed eternally and not temporarily that is why He wants our all - because it is not only a part of us that will go to Heaven (or Hell) - it is our all. 

What happens when we "waste" ourselves for Jesus? 

Mark 14:9 "Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

Or in one word: Honor. God honors the faith of those who honor Him. 

When we acknowledge how deserving Jesus is - we come to a realization that any effort not given, not dedicated, not devoted to Him is wasted. When we learn how to see things differently, Nothing is a waste when Jesus is praised. 

The Epic Conlusion to my Internship

Last week, May 24, 2013 Friday 6:40PM - my internship in Primer - KIDC ended. It was my last day to go to their office as an intern. I would have loved to extend but there are commitments (particularly ABSC and Ignite Conference 2013) that I cannot miss. I wish I started a little earlier but I know I started at the best time. I entitled this as an "Epic Conclusion" because of what we did on my last day but before that, let me share a couple of things that I learned and the principles that I have seen its application.

1.) Team work is VERY (very, very, very) important - I like groupworks, group studies, etc but I would always prefer working alone (not working lonely). Primarily because when I weigh my decisions, it would not take so much time on consulting everyone and waiting for their comments/suggestions but don't get me wrong, I like being in a team. One of my bosses, Ms. Tiff, is a great team player. She would always strive to get your insight regarding a particular plan or idea. I noticed this when I was in a meeting with her, she would always, ALWAYS ask for almost everyone's opinion and allow everyone to speak up. But this does not only apply on a meeting. Whenever one member of the team would do store rounds or would go on a meeting and forgets something to do before he/she leaves (normally emailing a file or a store person), people who are left at the back office would have the initiative to do that person a favour. You may say "It's just an email" but in the world of marketing wherein almost everything is done through email - "an email and its content" are very important and this importance is also conveyed through their team work.

2.) A good sense of work ethics will attract a good set of friends - People in the team that I belong to have a great sense of work ethics (yes there were delays but they always know where they stand and when they have given their best) and what I find amazing is that they are also good friends. More than the style of humor - I think their good set of work ethics is also a factor that strengthens their relationship with one another.

3.) There will always be an issue of Integrity - The context of the word "issue" does not connote negativity in this statement. What I mean is that in any workplace, there will always be an issue about Integrity - reimbursements, trips, meetings, etc. regardless if its commendable or not.

4.) Character is more important than skill - I have heard this in church a dozen times. With all due respect, sometimes it's easier to apply this in church than in workplace because there will be more people to understand you in church but despite the difficulty - it's still possible and I saw it first hand. There was a time wherein we had a meeting with a client and we felt like this person is too demanding and is full of himself. At the end of the meeting, my boss asked for my opinion and I said: "He is too demanding." I felt like he doesn't see this as a privilege to work with our company. He is a talented person but his character was not in the same level as his skill. A person who has a great talent might find it difficult to develop a great attitude but a person of great character can bring his talent to a higher level.


Before I left the office, Mr. Arian Zaragoza and Ms. Soleil Sanchez, had a meeting with me. They asked for the things that I learned. They told me that they don't want me to leave their office without me learning about the job that I applied for and I saw it on the first day of my internship up to the last. Yes, they made me photocopy some papers but the difference is, they made me realize how important that particular paper is. Yes, they asked me to go and deliver products for sponsorships but they also told me what it is for and why I should do it. Yes, there was coffee - but unlike other companies - it was my bosses who offered me. Yes, I  carried big and heavy boxes but if I was not there - my bosses would do it. They were deliberate to teach me the things that I need to know and I was deliberate in observing it. The last thing that they wanted me to do is to have a mock interview. Yes. They interviewed me as if I was really applying for a REAL job. They wanted to make sure that they get to see how I communicate with the interviewer.

To Kuya Arian, Ate Soleil, Ms. Tiff, Ms. Joanna, Ms. Malyn and Ms. Eleoni,

Thank you so much. I have learned so many things.Thank you for teaching me how to work with people than merely working with data. It is a great privilege to learn from you. Thank you for making me feel that you were grateful to have me because you know the feeling of working every day without getting paid. I really appreciate that. I would try my best to bring the values I learned to wherever I may be. Glad to had worked with you. I hope to see you guys again even if I will not be led to work in your company. God bless!

Because it's Mothers' Day.

When I was born in this world,

It was your warmth that I felt

Before I was born in this world,

I know, to Heaven, you knelt

When I was born in this world,

It was your strength that I took

Before I was born in this world,

You chose my name from the Book

When my heart was about to die,

you decided to say "No"

Believing that God cannot lie,

You saw that I will live and grow

You saw me walk my first steps,

You saw me walk when I fell

You saw me rise after the fall

You saw me respond to God's Call

We waited for the sunrise together,

showed me the beauty of hope

Taught me to love God forever,

and to lead others to the Blessed Hope

Happy Birthday, Ma! I love you always and I will never get tired of honoring you. 

Seeing Things Differently: How Jesus views Lack.

It took me some time to follow up on my first blog (Seeing Things Differently: An Eternity's Perspective) because I was thinking about how to start this entry in order to get the reader's attention. No story emerged from my head. No creative illustration. No flashy introduction. Just this truth: EVERYONE EXPERIENCES LACK. Whether it is material or immaterial - all of us experience lack. Whether you're a student, a young professional, a businessman, a housewife, a retired CEO, professor, teacher, preacher - you name it. A student experiences financial lack or lack of experience. A leader experiences lack in skills or character. A young professional experiences lack of clarity in direction for the next season. A retired CEO experiences lack - maybe in attention - family attention. In whatever status of life we are in, we always experience lack. 

While thinking of what to write about this, God made me realize that ultimately it is not the lack that we fear - it is what this lack can do to us. It is the possibility that this lack can become something more. A student who lacks in financial support may cause him his future. A leader who lacks in skills and character may cause him his people or even his people's welfare. A young professional who lacks in clarity of direction may cause him his long term goal in life. We fear not just the lack - but what this lack can do to us. We fear that this lack may result to a loss. The good thing is, lack is not a new thing - meaning people in the past had experienced it, particularly people during the time of Jesus. Another good thing is this: If lack has already been experienced for a long time in the past - the Word of God stands Eternal - older than the past and from this, we learn how Jesus views lack. 

In the New Testament, Matthew wrote the account of Jesus feeding the 5,000. This is a famous story in the Bible mainly because it is one of the stories that everyone can relate to (and of course the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish). You can read the story in Matthew 14:13-21 but let me do a quick rundown After John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus went to a solitary place but because his fame  has already spread to many places, crowds followed him (v.13) and had compassion on them (v.14) so He healed the sick. Since it was going late, the disciples said to Jesus to send the crowd away (v.15) (sometimes we tend to be like that to Jesus - we impose our will) but Jesus replied to test them by saying "You give them something to eat." The disciples only had 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish but Jesus gave thanks and multiplied it and fed the 5,000 and still had leftovers. 

The lesson here is simple: give what you have to Jesus and he'll multiply it. But there's something more to this. Remember the way Jesus responded when the disciples said that they only have 5 loaves and 2 fish? He said, "You give them something to eat." What do you do when the Son of God tells you that? What will you do when you're experiencing financial lack then God says, "Give your tithes."? What will you do when you're leadership is in the brink of not improving then God says, "Surrender this."? What will you do when you're experiencing lack of attention when God says, "It's okay, give it to them."? What will you do when you are in the verge of losing your source of validation then God says, "Let it go."? 

Bible scholars said that Jesus' statement served as a test to His disciples and it really is but I would like to see it as an Invitation. Jesus' statement was an invitation to See things differently. The disciples saw 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and they saw it as a lack but Jesus saw it differently. A student who experiences financial lack has an opportunity to experience God's overflowing provision. A leader who experiences lack in skill and character has an opportunity to improve. A person who experiences lack in validation and security has an opportunity to experience the completion of God's Work in His life. Anyone who experiences lack has an opportunity to be changed - to never be the same again. While we saw it as a lack, he saw it as an opportunity to provide - an opportunity to display God's glory.

The next time we see lack, let's see it as an opportunity to see God's Provision - let's see it as an opportunity to see God's Glory. See Things Differently. 

Seeing Things Differently: An Eternity's Perspective

I remember joining a film contest back in 2012. It was one of the most unforgettable experiences I had during my 2nd year in college mainly for three things:

1. It was my first time to take part in making a film.
2. I had fun with my friends while making this film.
3. I learned a lot. 

Focusing on the third reason, I really learned a lot from my classmates. I learned how crucial it is to get the shot right and so one of the lessons that I will not forget is the importance of camera angles. I am not a film expert but this is what I usually observe whenever I watch movies or what I hear during our pre-production meetings. It is so important, it could sway the focus of your story by putting less emphasis on the object or it can tire the audience from overemphasising it or it can show a different aspect of a character (it can weaken or it can strengthen) - in other words, camera angles affect the way how your audience perceive your film or respond towards the film. 

The same is quite true when we face situations in life. One of the basic instincts of man is to act according to what is seen or what is present before him. How we see things affect how we act towards things. You may argue, Matt, how about the things that we see? Don't they affect how we act? My answer would be: Yes, they do. But sometimes, they don't. Most of the women I know are scared of the life-threatening presence of a cockroach. I am not bothered or scared seeing a cockroach BUT when this cockroach takes flight in mid-air then I suddenly realize that this insect might have a plan to land on my face - that's when things change. I don't get scared - I get bothered. The sight of a cockroach is nothing to me but the idea of this cockroach landing on my face bothers me.

The appearance of the problems that we face does not scare us or shake us - it is the idea of what these problems can do to us. We know that we will face trials along the way but what scares us the most is what these problems can do to the things that we value most. You may ask: How about those who can only see the darkness in everything? First, there may be darkness in everything but darkness is not everything. Second, he may have chosen to see that - he is contented to only see the dark side of things, leaving no room for hope to thrive.

That is why seeing things differently is very important in order to act differently or respond differently. This is where the Bible comes in - where Jesus comes in. If there is a person who has a "valid" view on everything, it is none other than Jesus. Why? He is the only person who came from Eternity. He is the only person who saw what Eternity looks like and when things are seen in the light of Eternity -  everything changes, including us. You may ask again: Why should I see things differently? Well, if you are contented with the things that are happening in your "life" - you are more than welcome to stop in this section of this entry but if you want to experience something different - I suggest, with all humility, to read and discover with me how the view of Eternity would change our view of life.

This serves as introduction to next entries that I would be writing about. The time when we saw lack but Jesus saw provision. When we saw disgrace, He saw honour. When we saw corruption, He saw redemption. When we saw denial, He saw affirmation. When we saw death, He saw life. When we saw the end - for Him it was only the beginning.

This is also an invitation for both of us, to see things differently.

No Neutral Ground

In this life, there is no place called "in between". It's either you "you die as a hero or you live long enough to become the villain." You cannot fight for both sides. You cannot have both sides of the coin. It's either you are in HIS story or you're history. I know you felt it. Maybe you're asking, "what's with the words matt?". To be honest, I'm in a war. Everyday.. and guess what.. SO ARE YOU. In a war, there is no surrender. We win or we die trying. Losing is just a stepping stone. In a war, you begin to die when you fail to prepare. fail to anticipate. fail to expect. Even Jesus said it Himself, 

Luke 11:23 
(New International Version)
"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters."

Which side are you? I'm asking this coz maybe you are telling God you are His but the flesh is fighting against your decision. Do not worry, for in times like this, we "stand still" because He said "I will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14). We stand firm, like the wise builder. We rely on God's Grace. He never fails to come through. We make efforts to be rooted on His Word and on His Word only. We submit to God not just because there are things that we can't do but because HE is Lord. We don't make God as an option or a plan B. There is no plan B! There is only God's plan and other plans would be nothing. Dead. In our daily lives, we face small decisions and most of the times we forget that these decisions will either result to bigger problems/opportunities/trials/breakthroughs etc. Like these decisions, we choose what decision will honor God and remove us from the picture. Yes. A decision that is not about us. Ironic? It is. You might think that there is "free will" and yes there is but we also pray that "Let YOUR WILL BE DONE". Choose. Your Will or God's Will? Choosing "your will" should not be an option. Trash it. If you claim and know that you live for God then..

Matthew 22:21
(New International Version)
"Caesar's," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

Give what is due to God. The difference between taxes and our worship offering to God is that we are not paying God. We can never pay God (that's why Jesus came!).If we are living for Him then might as well die for Him. Give Him the start and the end. God does NOT need what we will give Him (coz He is the one who allowed us to give). God is God without Man but Man without God is nothing. Be a Man of God or be nothing. 

Revelation 3:16 (New International Version)

16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Given that we are in a war. Might as well fight. If we choose to fight, then might as well fight for what is right. Fight for the One who is worth fighting for. Again, there is no neutral ground. Fight for God. Period.

Encounter with a Proofreader

It was a rainy day. Classes got suspended at around 12nn. I decided to go home with my friend, Kathleen Santos. Kat and I decided to stand during the LRT trip to Santolan so that it would be easier to talk. While we were talking, a man (probably he is 40 to 50 years old) started to call my attention because of my ID in CASA that says: "PRESS". The weird conversation went like this: 

Old Man: Press ka ba sa School niyo? Diba Press ka? (While looking at my CASA Chronicle ID)

Me: Uhhhh.. Opo. Bakit po?

Old Man: Kasi may mali dun sa advertisement na yun oh. Kita mo? (Referring to the Ad of the shoe company)

Me: ...

Old Man: Ayun o, yung nakalagay na "75th year Anniversary" dapat etc. etc. etc (He was talking about grammatization)

Me: (Still not noticing it and not knowing it was a wrong grammar) ahh oo nga po ano. 

Old Man: Isulat mo yan oh. Magandang topic yan. 

Me: hehe sige lang po. 

---- Conversation with Kathleen----

When we were Cubao Station, before he left, he pointed another correction: "Tignan mo yun oh dapat wala ng comma after ng word na yun..." and then he left. 

It was an awkward moment. It really was. Just imagine an old man, talking to you about grammar inside the train and asking you to "proofread" the advertisement with quite a number of people looking at you. It was not traumatic but it was awkward. The old man didn't embarass me, I understood why he did that. However, despite the awkward feeling, I tried to reflect on what happened. I believe that it was not an accident that he saw me wearing my Press ID. Everything happens for a purpose. 

Lessons Learned: 

1.) Choosing to have a relationship with Christ is like having a permanent ID. An ID that says: "Purchased and Saved". 

2.) Wearing this ID, people will identify you as a follower of Jesus, as a Disciple of Jesus and these same people will try to ask you questions about your relationship with Jesus. Some will ask because of curiosity. Some for mockery. Even some for criticism. Then I was reminded of this verse:

1 Peter 3:15

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

I would love to tell Him about Christ if he would have asked about the Gospel. 

As Christians, we should be ready to give the reason for the hope that we have, not to fight back but to preach what happened on the Cross 2000 years ago. 

If wearing a Press ID would attract people, I would gladly wear an ID that says: "I Love Jesus" in order to attract the lost but nevertheless, the best ID that we can show to the people around us is the ID of a Changed Life. 

War on Christmas Day

Have you seen a Nativity Scene? I saw one and I can say that it is very heart-warming. It gives me a view of Christmas as a night of peace, tranquillity, serenity and calmness. I would have sweated my eyes if the song “Silent Night” was playing during that time. This is a portrayal of Christmas or should I say our view of Christmas. Everything is calm. All is bright, serene – perfect. No wonder why people feel “good” during Christmas Season.

I was reading on the passages about the birth of Jesus Christ and I was just thinking. If Jesus is the Savior of all mankind and He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn.14:6) shouldn’t Satan be pissed if he finds out that he will  be sent to the world to die for our sins? I mean, Satan knows that Jesus would change the course of Mankind and His entrance to the world would mean Satan’s exit from the big picture, all hell would break loose. What would you prefer as a reaction after watching the triumph of a protagonist over his grand opponent: “Is that it?” or “GLAD THAT WAS OVER.” After re-reading the accounts Jesus’ birth in the four Gospels, my reaction was: “Is that it?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it would have been better if there were fireworks or gunshots or whatever (actually the appearance of an Angel was: WOAH!) but it’s just that I feel that something might have happened before the song “Silent Night” was appropriate for Christmas Day... then I remembered a Scripture found in Revelation 12.

Revelation 12

The Woman and the Dragon

 1 A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. 

 7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Does it sound familiar? I consulted a Theologian and he said that this is the story of Jesus’ Birth and I was surprised. I was like: There it is. One thing is clear after reading these verses: There was War during Christmas Day. So what if there was War during Christmas Day? In what way does this affect me? It affects you, us in every way. Is this war ongoing?

17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Ever wonder why such bad things happen during Christmas? Or especially Christmas? Of all the seasons of the year, why during Christmas season, why during the season of hope and goodwill? I heard a statement before, given by different people: “Paskong-paskong tapos nangyayari ‘to ...”  ;“Ang Pasko para sa mga mayayaman lang ... “ ; “Di ko nafi-feel yung Pasko dahil sa mga nangyayari ngayon.”

Are you getting the picture? Not yet?

How about this:

Just a few a days ago, a tragedy happened in Sumulong Hi-way. A truck lost its brakes and came rushing down the houses along the highway. More than 5 innocent lives were taken. Houses along the highway were severely damaged. Children became fatherless. Families became homeless. Parents find themselves longing for their children’s embrace.

Typhoon Sendong ravaged the Philippines, particularly the VisMin area. A flashflood devoured almost everything along its path. The typhoon destroyed bridges, crops, livestocks, houses, villages and worst – lives. Almost more than a thousand people are missing. Same story but greater magnitude. Now the news is telling us about the epidemic that might spread in the evacuation areas. Lost bodies, lost lives, torn families. You get the picture.

Let me ask this question: DO YOU THINK EVERYTHING WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT?

I mean no human in the right thinking would hope that innocent lives would be taken away by neither a truck nor a storm destroying the lives of countless people. Yes, maybe we are paying the prices of what we did to nature. Maybe a mechanic forgot to check on the brakes. I hope you are getting my point. I hope I don’t appear as someone who is “overspiritualizing” things here. I don’t think that these things JUST happen;someone intended these things to happen.

Ephesians 6:12

 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

I hope we are getting the realization that there was a War on Christmas Day and it is still ongoing. Woah, okay,maybe you are exaggerating things. I don’t think so. Satan was enraged when Jesus’ birth became a success (how much more when Jesus resurrected from the dead). The enemy has three battle plans: Steal, Kill and Destroy (Jn. 10:10). Ugh, Matt, what is he stealing? He is stealing the joy of Christmas from us. He is killing our hope of celebrating a different Christmas. He is destroying our great plans of celebrating an intimate Christmas. Just think about those people who gave such statements, they all sounded natural but if you will think about it, the enemy is working, trying to snatch the true essence of Christmas, that’s why some people choose not to celebrate Christmas because they feel that it is not worth celebrating anymore. A person who looks forward to a family reconciliation becomes discouraged because the enemy is trying to kill that person’s hope of reconciliation. I also believe that the enemy is trying to corrupt the idea of Christmas by destroying the lives of innocent people during this season. If you are one of the victims of Sendong, what would the month of December remind you? Maybe instead of Jesus’ birth, you would remember the day when you lost everything – the month when you lost your loved ones. Christmas is supposed to be a season of unity and reconciliation but if you will look at social networks, you will see people who are mad at our officials. An author once said that if you ignore the presence of the enemy, he is already winning. Now we wonder why we don’t “feel” Christmas. The enemy is in the business of stealing, killing and destroying lives and often times we take it for granted.

Now what should we do about it?

Now that we know that the enemy is intentionally trying to steal, kill and destroy the Joy of Christmas (or life in general), we begin to see things in a different way. Is it possible to still enjoy this season? YES. What should we do? CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS. You mean to say just “celebrate Christmas? YES because Christmas was, is and is still for us but it was, is and will never be about us. We fail to appreciate Christmas if we think that it is about us. The idea of JUST CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS doesn’t sound mind blowing but I think it is the best thing to do. It is not easy when the budget is tight. It is not easy when there’s chaos in the family. It is not easy for the victims of the truck accident. Heck, it is not easy, in any way, for the victims of Sendong to simply “celebrate” Christmas. Was it easy for Joseph to accept that his soon-to-be wife is pregnant? Was it easy for Mary to bear a Saviour? Being a father and all, wouldn’t it be pressuring for Joseph to find a suitable place for a King to be born? If we think that Christianity is just a walk in a park, think again. Do you think that we can just celebrate Christmas and getaway with it? But we begin to exert greater effort (or should I say passion?). We begin to do act intentionally and deliberately. Jesus was not a happy-go-lucky person. He lived each day with a purpose and he was intentional about it. We begin to really be grateful of Jesus Christ’s arrival because if it didn’t happen, I can’t imagine what kind of life I may have now.

Yes, there is a War on Christmas day but it is a one-sided war because the outcome has already been decided. Jesus wins, Satan loses.

After reading the verses and realizing certain things, I am convinced that the song “Shout unto God” can be a Christmas song because Christmas is a season of hope and victory, no matter what.

Philippians 4:8

New International Version

 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Christmas is not just a day of hope, tranquillity, serenity and peace; it is a day of triumph – a victorious day for all.

Have a Victorious Christmas!