King Saul was attacked by evil spirits that tormented and immobilized him. So he sent for David to come and play his harp. As David played, "Relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him" (1 Samuel 16:23 NIV). This story teaches us two things: the power of praise, and the power of practice. David didn't suddenly discover his talent when he arrived at Saul's palace. No, he developed it through years of practice on lonely hillsides while tending his father's sheep.

When it comes to practice, the two most difficult challenges you face are (a) having the desire to do it, and (b) having the discipline to keep at it. Paul tells Timothy, "Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life… closely. Persevere" (1 Timothy 4:15-16 NIV). There is no easy way to become a disciplined person. It has nothing to do with talent or ability. It is not a matter of conditions, but of choice.

But once the choice is made and practice becomes a habit, two things become obvious. The first is a clear difference between the person who practices and the one who doesn't. Cyclist Lance Armstrong said, "Success comes from training harder and digging deeper than others." And he should know; he won a record of seven Tour de France championships. The second thing that emerges is a winning Spirit. The harder you work, the harder it becomes to surrender to things like fatigue, complacency, discouragement, criticism, and all the other stuff that tries to break your stride.

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Insight on the insight:

I'm sure most of us ran into a practical joke and heard this phrase before -"practice lang." Then the real us is exposed --the object of the prank.  Forrest said "life is like a box of chocolates, you'll never know what you're gonna get". Don't you agree? We need to have the desire to know who we are in Christ otherwise we won't practice it. It's either that or what will come out our mouth will be from the enemy. We don't need to exercise in that because that's our nature.

Paul said "...he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ". If we trust Him in that, no matter what kind of mistake we make, or whatever the consequences of it, we will be in faith. I don't know if you still believe in coincidence, I don't. Don't say God is in control or sovereign if you believe that. Yes we say our God is a "God of chances", that's because He already planned it. He gives us opportunities to exercise our faith. Things may come and go, things happen. It may be good or very bad. Whether we like it or not He allows it for a purpose. Perseverance must finish it's work (James 1:4) because God wants us to learn. Learn what? Why?

I told my son this morning "Jesus died for all our sins (even the ones we are about to commit) but you know what will keep us from heaven? More than the gravest sin we can think of, it's fear --unbelief". Some people are always angry and irritable because they can't stand being hit by life's reality. Life can't always be good, so what's our choice, to be part of the world we are so irritated about, or to be a joyful worshipper in the middle of it all? Narrow is the gate that leads to life (Matt. 7:13-14), if we are too fat with pride, I don't think we'll fit in (even if we find the gate).

He already saved us. Our part is to live what we say we believe. Easy? That's what "working our salvation" means. Keep practicing because God wants us to be perfectly fit in Him --fit for fellowship in heaven with Him.

Last night a little boy asked me --so what came first the chicken or the egg? A so cliche question that most of us still argue about to this day. So I told him "God never said --let there be eggs, right?" (in Genesis, all you'll see in the creation are birds, etc.). No more questions --faith of a child. Don't you love the bible?

In a deeper sense, how do all these things worship the creator? I believe that when Jesus said "...if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40), he also meant that everything praises God, whether you like it or not. Have you ever been in solitary confinement in a majestic place where you can see a beautiful horizon where the sun rises. It's overwhelmingly beautiful right? That's how nature worships God. The very splendor of creation does and it moves even unbelievers! If you don't see beyond that, maybe you're just seeing the tip of the iceberg, ...here (pic). His majesty could be hidden from you (Luke 19: 41-44).

While creation continuously worships the creator, it's sad that most of the time, man (God's most special creation) only praise and honor Him when things are great. Moses told the pharaoh what the Lord instructed him --let my people go, so they can worship me (in the desert?????????!). He said that every single time the chief changed his mind after the plague.

Our loving God wants us to worship Him out of our "egypts" because there (in it), we are dependent on something else. In the desert, it's punishing and difficult to see (physically, emotionally, mentally or even spiritually) if there are any promises at all. Only pure faith (on Him who himself made the desert) can assure you of anything.

Freedom means -total dependence on Him. Amen!

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Worth-Ship (from "the vine")

Jesus revealed some of His greatest insights on worship to a flawed woman with five failed marriages and a live-in boyfriend. No wonder His disciples were "shocked to find Him talking to [her]" (John 4:27 NLT). So what is Jesus teaching us about worship?

(1) That anybody can do it! True worship has nothing to do with your religious denomination (Jews and Gentiles), and cannot be limited to a physical location (Mount Gerizim or the temple in Jerusalem). Once you've made Him Lord of your life, Jesus accepts your worship. You're in!

(2) That God is actually looking for people who will do it. Here's a stop-you-in-your-tracks thought: God created you to do the only thing He cannot do for Himself - worship! "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:11). We were actually created to worship God! 

(3) That there's no 'only' way to do it. According to Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, "The worship of God is nowhere defined in Scripture." That's because it's such a powerful outpouring of our hearts toward the Lord and represents such love, gratitude and devotion that it cannot be put into words; nor can it be defined by a song, a shout, or silence. Jesus said, "True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth" (John 4:23). True worship comes from the depths of your Spirit and is based on the truth of God's Word.

To understand worship, think: worth-ship! How much do you value the Lord? We never get tired of talking about what we value most!

Notice:
(1) Christ warned him about it but He didn't stop it from happening. There are certain things we only learn the hard way.

(2) Jesus told Peter that he'd deny Him, not once, but three times. Most of us are stubborn; we don't get it the first time. 

(3) Peter thought he was stronger than he was: "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death" (Luke 22:33 NIV). We usually start out with an exaggerated opinion of our own strength.

(4) Jesus told him, "I'm praying for you that your faith may not fail." Isn't that amazing? When we're so low that we can't pray for ourselves, Jesus handles the enemy and intercedes with the Father on our behalf. What did Jesus pray for? Peter's faith! Faith in God's grace is the rope that pulls us back up again.

(5) Jesus believed in Peter even when Peter didn't believe in himself. That's because we evaluate ourselves by our present circumstances, but Jesus sees us in the fullness of our potential. So He tells Peter, "When (not if) you get back on track, do something good with what's happened."

Now, if temporary failure happened to Peter, how much more likely is it to happen to you? And when it does, what do you suppose the Lord wants to accomplish through it?

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This is a nice one. This verse reminds me of someone (who told me about it, but never really understood it deeply.) Jesus didn't pray that we succeed, He prayed that we be faithful in any kind of situation (the sifting), because that is what pleases God. Whether we like it or not, He allowed it but He himself will pick us up. From the lips of Peter himself:

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10)

Yesterday's preaching cut me to the heart again. What is success? Power, position, prestige and possession? In a material world I guess these things are the most valuable influences to get people to follow you. But Matthew 23:12 says otherwise. His silent voice makes a soft statement –it's submission, not achievement. We may not have anything or know anything but His glory is when we stay in Him. We make the gravest mistakes, fall in the deepest rut and when we see ourselves, we get condemned. Do we have to keep evaluating ourselves if we are keeping up with an impossible standard? Maybe, but it could be awful if we don't see it God's way.

Well if not, He'll show us anyway. Like last night during the breaks. I got hungry so I went down to eat. Tito Ted called me to join him and I met Lito and his wife (one of our missionaries in Kabul). Having a chat with them somehow made me feel that God led me to go down for this. My jaws literally dropped on the table when I heard their powerful faith stories. I asked myself -what am I complaining about?! I envy him though, they have almost nothing but God and themselves. He had a very encouraging wife beside him to go through all that. Very simple and ordinary people (and like Ptr. Joey said in his sermon), getting the front seats in heaven.

I believe that our job is "to keep”. Keep standing up, keep asking for direction, keep serving, keep forgiving, keep loving, keep still, keep the faith…keep looking at Him, keep following…not perfectly, but faithfully. With that we are pleasing to Him. What a relief to know that God doesn't compare us to our neighbor! The Father judges our service, not by the external results of obedience to Him, but by faithfulness in heeding His call, moment by moment.

Come Monday next week, it could be the same thing. It's okay, God is always at work in the least way we expect it. Just jump off by faith...again.

You'll notice a common thread throughout the Bible. Whenever we really need Him, God shows up and does for us what we can't do. The rest of the time, which is most of the time, He strengthens us and says "keep treading and trusting". There's no magic carpet. To achieve anything worthwhile you have to walk it out in faith, step by challenging step.

The Book of Job has 42 chapters. In the first 41, Job lived through the loss of his health, his wealth and his family. With friends like Job had, he didn't need any enemies. His doubts were relentless. Over and over he questioned God but got only silence for an answer. He persevered through tough days and sleepless nights believing, "When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). Notice: (1) It takes fire to produce gold. (2) Only the refiner knows the degree of heat and amount of time required. (3) To rush the process is to produce something of lesser value.

God told Israel that every place the soles of their feet trod, He would give to them. C.V. White says, "The man who succeeds never waits for the crowd. He strikes out for himself. It takes nerve, it takes a lot of grit, but the man who succeeds has both. Nothing important was ever done but the greater number consulted previously doubted the possibility. Success is the accomplishment of that which people think can't be done." Complacency, fatigue, criticism and discouragement are hurdles you must constantly overcome. So, keep treading and trusting!

A man who was feeling depressed went to see a psychiatrist. After sharing his problems he expected some profound words of wisdom that would make him feel better. "Well," the psychiatrist exclaimed, "I've diagnosed your problem. It's low self-esteem - and it's very common among losers!" When you view yourself negatively you tend to gravitate toward people who talk down to you. But when you know that God loves you and "plans… to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT), your entire outlook changes. With God you can't lose. Even if you stumble and fall He'll help you to get back up, learn from the experience and move on. When you look at yourself you tend to see somebody who makes mistakes and falls short, right? But when you begin to look at yourself in the mirror of God's Word, you see someone "being transformed into His likeness" (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).

Ever gone to a garage sale or an antique show looking for a bargain? To the untrained eye much of the stuff looks like rubbish; it may even have been gathering dust and mildew in somebody's attic. But the experienced eye sees treasure in disguise, items that just need to be cleaned, polished and restored in order to become valuable again.

Well, God's the expert with a trained eye. When the enemy tells you you're worthless, God looks inside you and sees hidden treasure. When you put Him on the throne of your life He'll enable you to overcome your past, resist temptation, break through your self-imposed limitations, and start accepting that in His eyes you have great worth.

Here's another one from my devotional (the vine). When the enemy lies, God sure knows how to pull you back with the truth -- "His truth".
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We were like grasshoppers in our own sight.

When Moses sent 12 spies to check out the Promised Land, 10 came back saying, "We saw… giants… and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight" (Numbers 13:33).

Israel had repeatedly witnessed God's power; why now were they intimidated? It's a perception problem called low self-esteem, and it's how the enemy prevents you from winning. The Israelites quickly forgot their Red Sea deliverance and instead remembered Egypt where they'd lived as slaves. Be careful. Hard times can make you think you don't deserve to be blessed! Anytime you have something of value, the enemy will attack you. In the Old Testament we read: "When the Philistines heard… David had been anointed king… they went up in full force to search for him" (2 Samuel 5:17 NIV). Until you claim your rightful place in Christ, Satan will tell you that you deserve to be mistreated. So cover yourself in God's Word until it becomes such a part of you that you stop doubting yourself. God made you in His image, redeemed you, dwells in you, and that makes you valuable!

A man in the prairie observed an eagle fatally wounded by gunshot. He writes: "With his eyes gleaming… he slowly turned his head, giving one last… longing look towards the sky. He'd often swept those starry spaces with his wonderful wings… the sky was the home of his heart. There he'd displayed his strength a thousand times… played with the lightning and raced the wind. Now far from home, the eagle lay dying, because - just once - he forgot and flew too low… My soul is that eagle. This isn't its home. It must never lose its skyward look."

Knowing your purpose gives meaning to your life. This is why people try dubious methods like astrology and psychics to discover it. When your life has a steadfast purpose you can bear almost anything. Without it, nothing is bearable. Isaiah complained, "I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing" (Isaiah 49:4 NIV). Job lamented, "I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense" (Job 7:16 GNT). Dr. Bernie Siegel found that he could predict which of his cancer patients were most likely to survive by asking, "Do you want to live to be 100?" Those with a deep sense of purpose who answered "yes", were the ones who would live.

Having a steadfast purpose simplifies life. It defines what you do and what you don't do. It becomes the standard you use to evaluate which activities are essential and which aren't. Without purpose you've no real foundation on which to base your decisions, allocate your time and use your resources. You tend to make choices based on circumstances, pressures, and your mood at that moment. When you don't know your purpose (and that includes what God designed you to be!) you try to do too much, and that causes stress and conflict (and abusive behavior!). It's impossible to do everything people want you to do; you have just enough time to do God's will. If you can't get it all done, you're trying to do more than God intended.

A steadfast purpose makes your lifestyle simpler and your schedule saner. And it leads to peace of mind: "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast" (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).

Medicine can have adverse effects if not taken in the right dose. So does our expressions to others. My valves were wide open. Yesterday, someone helped me turn it down. I realized how loud I could be about things. When we carry excess baggage we tend to overkill when we respond. It's like using a fireman’s hose to extinguish a burning barbecue stand. Most of the time we don’t realize this. We mean good and our reactions would seem normal to us but we could be too strong. In filipino, there are a lot of terms for that but we can simply call that passion "gigil."

Honestly, I think I knew it but I somehow justified the need to release (vindictively). But in reality, I always ended up putting more pressure to myself and in effect, blasting away things that annoy me.  Since we've got that passionate energy inside, why not use it for good? I knew better but when you're in a spike, it's easier said than done (especially if you're so fed up already). If you watch the cartoon series "dragon ball Z" (when Goku unleashes his power) you'll get the picture of how I see myself when it happens. I needed to turn that valve down --control it. Like I mentioned before, our countenance is more important than results because that’s what honors God.

Part of the joy of getting people to attend the Victory Weekend was realizing this. Being on fire is actually better than being stoic, but maturity tunes us down. People can get hit by friendly fire and God doesn't want that. In my 8 years as a Christian, this is actually my first to dip someone in the pool for baptism. It ministered to me as a small group leader. God has given you a gift of passion and He wants you to use it excellently. This is one of the great refining moments of my walk. My learning curves may not be so good but I learn nonetheless. God has his ways and it’s always perfect.

Aren’t you glad that you can’t pass eternal tests by how great your mind is, but by how good the conditions of your heart can be at any given situation? That’s sanctification!

I can't wait for the next Victory Weekend on October. I have already two people in line. Two more souls for God! Halleluiah!

Notice: (1) Focused people don't live in the past. Too many of us yearn for the past and get stuck in it. Instead we should learn from the past and let go of it. Elbert Hubbard wrote, "A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness. Successful people forget. They're running a race. They can't afford to look behind. Their eye is on the finish line. They're too big to let little things disturb them. If anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. It's only the small people who cherish revenge. Be a good forgetter… success demands it."

(2) Focused people don't think about the difficulties, but the rewards. If you dwell on the difficulties too long you'll start to develop self-pity instead of self-discipline. As a result you'll accomplish less and less. By focusing on results you'll stay encouraged. Make Christ your example. "He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards" (Hebrews 12:2 TLB).

(3) Focused people choose their friends carefully. Here are five types of people you'll encounter: (a) Refreshers - who strengthen your faith and energize you. (b) Refiners - who sharpen you and clarify your vision. (c) Reflectors - who mirror your energy, neither adding to nor subtracting from it. (d) Reducers - who try to diminish your goals and efforts to their comfort level. (e) Rejectors - who don't understand you or what God's called you to do. So, remain focused and you'll stay grounded; the praise of others is less likely to go to your head, and the negative impact of your critics will be minimized.

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(Sigh) Thank you Lord. Gotta go now for my small group. :)

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:27

Read It: Luke 9:58; 14:25-35

Remember, we said on Monday that Jesus always tells you the whole truth? Today's text is a case in point.

As Jesus made His way to Jerusalem and the Cross, a potential disciple volunteered to join up. Jesus wanted to make sure this guy knew what he was getting into, so He said, “Do you understand what you just said? You said you would go with Me wherever I go. But I don't even know where I'm going to sleep tonight. Do you understand that total commitment to Me means you are not tied into the security of this world order? Do you understand that?”

We need to ask ourselves these same questions today, especially because we are being blitzed by a pseudo-theology that goes like this: “I'm the King's kid, and the King owns everything. Since I'm His kid, He wants me to own everything too. So I'm just going to tap into my inheritance and get whatever I think I need, because God wants me to have it.”

There are so many problems with this thinking that I don't have space for them all. One problem is that you can't find an example of this in the Bible. According to this teaching, Job was the biggest sinner ever because he lost everything.

Now Jesus is not saying, “To be committed to Me, you have to go and sell your house, find a little cubbyhole, stuff yourself inside it, and live miserably.” That's the other extreme.

But Jesus is saying, “Commitment to Me means that if need be, you are available to give up those tokens of worldly security that everybody else clings to so hard. Following Me means that sometimes you may have no place to lay your head.”

This is the sacrifice of commitment. Jesus made no apology for it, because He will never ask you to surrender anything without providing something better in its place. That doesn't mean if you give up your Chevy, He'll replace it with a Cadillac. It may mean just the opposite. The point is, Jesus calls us to make choices that only make sense in light of eternity.

Think About It

If Jesus requires you to give up what looks like worldly security, don't fret. Eternal security is worth a whole lot more.

I posted this before and I found it while cleaning up my files. It's a nice one, worth reposting :)

Have you ever been in a freak accident because of your own doing? I have. When I was about ten years old, I fell from a five foot wall on a good friday. It happened because I was horsing around with a friend (on top of the fence!). I was unconscious and when I woke up (because the neighbor poured cold water on me) my vision was so blurry, I can almost only hear my mom screaming at my friend. When I woke up in the morning, I was in a hospital bed, a nice room and every one came to say get well soon. I wasn't scolded or condemned for what had happened (it was a religious tradition to "be still" every good friday). At ten, boy I had fun in that hospital because I felt every ones love. I had risen on an Easter Sunday! Seriously, it's the same way with God. He does hate our ways, but He loves us so much anyway that He still looks over all the time.

That story was kid stuff. What if an elder, a pastor, or someone from the worship team comes to you for spiritual help? Would you be shocked? Will you start to condemn him and tell him that he ought to know better, and that at his level, he shouldn't be acting like that? Maybe we should ask ourselves why are WE acting like that? In whatever level we are, we can make mistakes. Actually, the higher we are, the harder the fall. The law condemns us but Jesus has a way of embracing us to tell us that "it's not over son, just the beginning...of a new season." A mere pat on the back? No, that's compassion. A truth –in love.

We are always hungry, 'til He gives us His bread. We are always thirsty, 'til He gives us living water. Before, we can only find him in a burning mountain, a burning bush, through a big fish, a talking donkey, a splitting sea or a fire from heaven. When Jesus came, He found us. In our mess, He always reaches down to us in Spirit and in Truth –everywhere...in a relationship.

Let me dig in to this a little more...

Got Any Splanchna?

 David Alan Black 

Within the kaleidoscope of my youthful memories is the image of a handicapped pastor. His stroke had left him limping and speaking with a slur. In the place of what was once freshness and vigor was weakness and care. I cannot remember a single sermon of his but I shall never forget the love and compassion he showed a young man groping his way through middle school.

Chrysostom once said that heat makes all things expand and that the warmth of love will always expand a man’s heart. A similar thought may have been in Paul’s mind when he wrote to the Philippians. “I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus,” he told them (Phil. 1:8). Our English translations have masked the underlying Greek in an unfortunate way. The word that is rendered “affection” is the Greek noun splanchna. In ancient Greek splanchna generally referred to the upper viscera – the heart, liver, and lungs. The seat of a person’s emotions was supposed to lie in these organs, much as today we say that we love someone with our “heart.” Paul is here making a great and wonderful claim. There is nothing shallow or insincere about his affection for the Philippians. His love comes from his inward parts, from the deepest level of his emotions. Nor is there anything self-actuated about Paul’s affection. The love that he embraces for others is actually the love of Jesus Himself who lives within him. 

It was Paul’s proud claim that he loved the Philippians with the genuine compassion of Christ. Elsewhere the Bible says that God has poured out His love into our hearts by His Spirit. The source of Paul’s affection lay in his compete yieldedness to that Spirit and in his exaltation of the person of Christ. I wonder how much – or how little – we emulate Paul in this regard. Speaking personally, this is the most important lesson I’ve had to learn in life – to put the cares and needs of others above my own. No one can read the New Testament without realizing that what binds Christians together is love. As someone has put it, the perfect tense of “to live” is “to love.” The danger that threatened the Philippian church, and the danger that threatens many of our churches today, is to forget this fact.

We must not mistake genuine love for the empty compliments and plaudits that are callously tossed about in human relationships. Thackeray, towards the end of his life, prayed that he “might never write a word inconsistent with the love of God, or the love of man, that he might never propagate his own prejudices or pander to those of others, that he might always speak the truth with his pen, and that he might never be actuated by the love of greed.” I have met several people who have had this Christ-like love. They come in all ages and from all sorts of backgrounds. No two look alike. But you know them when you see them. They are never impatient or tart with you. Their lives are characterized by acts of devotion, service, and sacrifice. They make you think of Jesus. Somehow you feel that you have understood a little more of what it was like to be in the presence of Christ when He was on earth.

“I deeply love you,” Paul informed the Philippians, and he meant it. He strove to bring every thought, deed, and emotion captive to Christ. To love the Lord Jesus Christ is to have and keep His commandments (John 14:21). And His greatest commandment is that we love one another as He loved us. How lightly we regard those commandments today and act as though they were purely optional. Not so with Paul.

It is sadly possible to have a loyalty to the Body of Christ from which the flaming love for the selfsame Body has gone out. It is still loyalty but it is loyalty to a principle rather than to people. A marriage may go through the motions of faithfulness, but the affection has long since departed. A similar sad state can exist in our union with our fellow believers.

If we say we love God and do not love our brethren, we are liars. If that is the case, we are still in need of learning one of life’s greatest lessons. And if you are a pastor/elder, before you teach your people (Eph. 4:11) you must seek to love them. Let your motto be Eph. 4:1-3:

I, therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, encourage you to live in a way that is worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, along with patience, bearing with one another in love and doing your very best to maintain the unity of the Spirit by means of the bond of peace.

May 25, 2006

I love this encouraging teaching about BOLDNESS! Just want to share it with everyone. Just click on the bold words :) enjoy and be blessed!!!

Don’t fight the process. Never think, look down to yourself, or let anyone condemn you that you ought to do better because you are not a “baby Christian” per se. We all slip and slide somewhere as long as we breathe (Romans 3:22-24). Like I said –keep on. If someone attacks you, keep on. If someone steals from you, keep on. If someone tries to destroy you, keep on. If someone tries to kill you, keep on. If you fall, stand up and keep on. Why? When you accepted Jesus, you are already dead…to sin. How can they slay someone who's already dead? There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). What dooms God's people from ever entering the Promised Land is not the sin of idolatry, immorality or greed —it's the horrible offense of unbelief. This speaks to me as well —we offend God because we don't believe He is sovereign.

It’s still a process because the enemy is trying to resuscitate what was alive. Why does it still kick? Because we are physically in the enemies domain –the world. And here, His voice is so loud. God’s discipline maybe hard but His voice is soft. I can remember as Pastor Steve illustrated it, can you imagine someone who has no limbs cursing and shouting at you that he is going to kill you? Things maybe so factually true in this world and sometimes because we are so intelligent and we think we are so mature, we believe what logic dictates. What if there is no more logic? Keep on. That’s were real faith really starts.

Be grateful. The bible tells us to leave what is behind and look forward to what lies (not lies!!!) ahead. But His Word also says, whatever is true (that He says), whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable (all about who you are in Christ)—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —think about such things (Philippians 4:7-9). We can look back but only with appreciation to the things He has done for us. We are entering His gates, we cannot do that if we concentrate on what we don’t have. We have Him. He said that eight times in the bible from Deuteronomy to Hebrews. 

We cannot have faith for the future if we don’t often look back with gratitude for everything that He has done for us. Keep on believing. Love never fails. God is love.

Enter His courts with thanksgiving and praise (Psalm 100:4).

I was un-installing something in my computer when my son sat down and turned on the set. Having to wait, I watched. We chanced upon this reality show called “Parental Control” (an MTV prod). I’m not into television but I love Discovery Channel next to Daystar and UFC bloody stuff. I’ve seen shows like survivor, amazing race, fake movies, pimp my ride, or a little of pinoy big bro, etc., but I have never been so disgustingly moved by a side by side exhibition of dishonor. The shows objective was to give parents who hate their daughter’s man a chance to get rid of Him. They set them out to a date of their choice.

So it starts with the backgrounder about the people involved. Mom and Dad gets interviewed and each of them giving their own set of negative comments (the reason why they joined the show). There were really pathetic guys who auditioned and the parents, of course were the committee. I’m sure those guys who were rejected heard the condescending comments, it was on air. It was humiliating. So they made their pretty good choices and the dating started.

The setting was in the parents home in the living room with the couple, and the guys would arrive, take the girl out while her guy would watch on screen how the date goes (and with the parents!). As they viewed the events together, the guy watched her girlfriend enjoy the date and naturally, in jealousy, he would make very nasty comments. The parents would lambast back and mock him at each moment they get the chance. They would say “your days are over!” I think this is where audiences get the thrill. Not for me, it's actually satanic. The harshness of the exchange really made me sick. No respect at all. At the end of the show the girl makes her choice, it was still her boyfriend. It was a dishonor to the parents, on air! The cheerful guy had such a sarcastic smile and I guess you could imagine what’s going on inside his head. I stood up and told my son “that is the most disgusting show I have ever seen!”

That show is from hell! Parents, trust God, keep praying for your children and spend time to bond with them. As for the couples part, it did stir up some bitterness in me again. Honestly, I thought I wanted to be that guy on TV. Among the many sufferings, I had pretty bad rejections from parents too (and definitely not from my late wife's parents). I was humiliated in front of people. Some can be so rude and disrespectful for the shallow reason that you’re not rich or probably not from a prominent family (parang tele serye). That was hard especially when you’ve done nothing wrong to them. That guy got his sweet revenge by publicly humiliating the parents for putting their relationship on the spot. Well, the parents actually took it to themselves. Good for them (how I want to feel the same) but that’s the only credit I can see there. Other than that, it bitterly cuts the soul. I saw the dads face, it's so relationally destructive. It was back to back –unedifying!

Suddenly I got a flashback of someone who once asked me “so how do I honor my parents?” Without even deeply thinking, I simply said –honor your word. People who don't like people never ran out of things to say. Who's perfect? I love what that girl in the show did. If she were a Christian, she actually honored God, her man and actually even her parents (and lastly, herself). Why? She SIMPLY honored her word! What a fortunate guy! It’s the same bottom line that pleases God –faith. Fear, the opposite means the inability to trust God that He is in control. He never puts us to shame, it’s really our own double-mindedness that does.

I always believe that even if we do make mistakes, if we keep the faith, stick to our word, honor the vows we make, God will do something about it because he is pleased with faith. I attest to that because it happened to me and my late wife. We got married only after nine years of living together (please don’t get me wrong that I’m endorsing this). We honored each other and God fixed our mess and called us to minister. Maybe we didn't get to the promised land, but more than material blessings, we had each other with God above it, working on our relationship...'til death He was still there.

“As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.  Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned. (The prayer of faith) Is anyone of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. ” James 5:11-13

Plain, simple but not understated. Do you really believe? If someone keeps telling you "I trust God but I don't trust you", simply ask them -- "alright, so why are you here again bugging me about that?"