Who is really in charge?

    More than a month has passed and the issue on the authenticity of the election results has not been settled yet. In fact, hours from now, the Presidential-elect and Vice Presidential-elect will be inaugurated while the other parties still seek the truth behind the anomalies of the automated elections. Much has been said, much has been done and I guess it is high time to say ‘enough’. All must understand that issues will never die down unless all of the people involved will learn to TRUST. What the country needs right now is more than the yielding to the authority. They must understand that trust doesn’t mean accepting weakness but sharing their strengths. On top of all, maybe the most important questions to be answered are the ones that we never even bother to ask: Whom do we need to TRUST? Who is really in-charge of this government? 

For to us achild is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, [Or Wonderful, Counsellor] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

 

 

  - Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah did not just address GOD as , our GOD but also described him as a leader. Why is that so? In answering this question, we need to define the government solely as the rule or authority and distinguish it apart from the civil government that people talk about. The bible presents truth about love, management of finances, relationships and surely it didn’t fail to cover even the truths on politics and governance. Mark Beliles pointed out that the government has four(4) pillars that must be controlled and managed simultaneously. The following are the pillars with their respective responsibilities  :

1.     family gov-  knowledge and character

2.     business (voluntary)- wealth and welfare

3.    civil govt- justice peace , equal opportunity

4. church (spiritual)- biblical principles concerning  different scriptures

 

Now, if the government is all-encompassing and involves every aspect of a nation, then who should man it?  Who should steer its wheel and maneuver it? The answer is lucid. Nebuchadnezzar during his rule learned this very important lesson.

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

The words were still on his lips when a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.

You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like cattle. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

 

At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 

 

Daniel 4:28-34

GOD has the authority to set the leaders and even depose them. He owns the government that’s why we must learn to TRUST not in our current leaders, but to HIM who has the power. Scriptures repeat this truth over and over.  

For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.- Colossians 1:16

 

 

 

 

He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.- Daniel 2:21

 

He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.-Job 12:23

 

 

Hope and faith must both have an object. The degree and intensity of these two depend on the object. Therefore, where must these two rely?  Obviously they must rely on someone so great and powerful that no other person or power can stand against.  GOD has it. GOD is. There is no authority in heaven and earth that is greater than His and that’s why we need to TRUST Him. HE is in charge. 

  Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.- Romans 13:1

God’s sovereign authority (will and right to do) gives us the reason to hope for our nation.

All we need to do is to submit to HIS authority, trust and rest assured change will come, the Philippines will no longer be disheartened.   

Elections 101

             One more night and the Philippines will have its new set of leaders. As members of the younger generation, what can we do to contribute to make a change? Here are three (3) steps on how to prepare ourselves and our nation for the big event.

1.      Pray for the Philippines

Our country is hurt and scarred. Its people are hurting and during the past few weeks, things became more complicated with the coming elections aggravating the burden of the nation.  Issues are everywhere and some remain unresolved. Often we are disturbed by the wailing staccato blasts of anomalies, disputes and even crimes. If there is one thing we could to restore our nation, it is through praying. When we pray, things change. When we pray, we do not change God’s mind but instead we are changed. No one can heal the broken hearts , no one can restore broken relationships and no one can renew the hope of this nation than GOD. In 2chronicles 7:14 it says there,

         if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

        This is a reminder of how great GOD is, that we can let go of all our worries, pray to him about our visions and aspirations , our dreams for the nations and in return have that peace that transcends all understanding. It is in praying that we acknowledge God’s power and might, that we could not do anything without Him.

      We all look forward to a great change, a breakthrough if we are looking and praying for a change, then we should start to make the change within us. As Mahatma Gandhi put it,

 “Be the change you want to see in the world”-

 

      And this change that happens within us comes from the life-changing power of GOD. Being changed by GOD means having all the aspects of our lives surrendered to His will and grace. That if we hate corruption, then we should stop sneaking into our parents’ purses; that if we hate corruption too much, then we must stop exploiting others’ possessions; that if we hate lying then we must tell the truth all the time though it may cost us too much. That is change, being a new person with a new heart.

2.      Choose wisely

   Having the chance to vote for who we think would best serve our nation is both a privilege and responsibility that is why understanding our purpose is crucial. It is never an accident that we are in this particular country at this particular time of the year to exercise our rights to vote. It is not an accident that these are the people who are running for the position. God has purpose for bringing us to where we are now at such time like this. And it is important to know that God wants us to excel on this particular area just like David who served his purpose in his own generation as stated in the book of Acts

“For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.

Acts 13:36

3.      Trust and leave the results to God

After choosing whom to vote for, there is nothing wrong in supporting them and even campaigning for them. Only that we must take in mind that the future of the nation does not depend on that particular person so if your choice does not win at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter. For it is not that particular person, or the one who will win as the president that could save us, only Jesus Christ our Lord. We must put our whole trust in Him and leave the results to Him for He knows what He’s doing. Nothing is an accident , just to emphasize. He is the one who directs the future of nations. In Daniel 2:21, it says there

He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.

 

            So at the end of the day, it is not human wisdom and man’s will that would matter, but God’s choice for  us. He sets the time, the place and the leaders for the Philippines that’s why we must take heart and trust in His will and wisdom. We must ask God for his guidance and let Him reveal to us His heart, His purpose, and His will. He is in-charge that’s why we do not need to fear. That’s why this coming Monday, May 10,2010 we must be confident in casting our votes and hold firm to His promises of healing and blessing to our nation.GOD bless the Philippines!

2010 elections: Quo vadis Philippines?

          After the holy week, things changed so abruptly. The atmosphere has been filled with tension for weeks now. People have started hating each other, arguing against each other over things, which aren’t so necessary. Gifts have started to overflow- in cash or in kind. The media has become so busy these days that simple happenings are given so little attention. You could also infer that not enough people are taking their own pauses now. Church attendance has significantly decreased but at special times skyrocketed in some places especially when there is someone special coming.  You see, a great cloud of doubt and tension has already predominated the country. This happens every year, when the future of the nation is, as I quote, ‘at stake’.

     It has been a crazy season. The elections are killing the people. It is frustrating that politicians are so confident in what they do- luring the people into thinking that they are the solution to all the problems in the country. But is this right in the first place? Can someone tell me how making promises do right? And can someone show me how God encourages these things, Himself? What’s more frustrating are the actual scenes projected in TV screens and in the web, which gets worse every year. It’s funny in a disappointing manner how politicians subscribe to political bickering and enjoy the filth of mudslinging. These people are educated and they know what are at stake- their moral integrity, their integrity as leaders and most of all the integrity of the nation. How can they endure the humiliation of exposing the heinous crimes of their constituents only to gain more votes? And how can others sleep at night when other families are mourning? I was told that the highest leaders in our province have decided to switch endorsements and jump out of their party list at the last minute. It is alleged that they did this because of the surveys. Obviously, they want to go with that someone who they think has the biggest chance of winning. The hurtful thing is, everybody knows that the underlying reason is more of the assurance of office and of course, money.

      The citizens are not that stupid. They’re just deceived. More than arguing over coffee, who should sit in the office, the people must take a pause amidst this great political havoc. And as people who know the promises of the LORD and what He tells about government, should we not act the way we should? In Matthew 5:13 it tells us of our identity,

 

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

     By salt it means we have value. We are the agents of preservation and cleansing. When the salt concentration in a sector is high, justice and goodness, righteousness are preserved.Take for example the advancements in the music industry, without the salts who strive hard to preserve Christian music and make improvements in these songs of worship, there will be no breakthroughs. This is the reason why even if the political arena is already filled with filth and is infiltrated by the agents of corruption and injustice, we must not lose heart for as long as there are salts who are willing to stay inside, then the promises of the Lord will be preserved. Yes it may be hard but if hindrances such as ignorance, apathy, passivity and fear have been overcome, then the grace of God will overflow.

     The question now is, how to become the salt in our government so that in one part of another, we may take part in its cleansing and preservation?

      First, probably the most important one, we must pray for our leaders. Paul teaches us in 1Timothy 2:1-4 to pray with thanksgiving for everyone, for all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness for this is good and it pleases GOD. It may seem so simple, yes it is. That’s why we have to do it, we must pray for our current leaders and even those who will be elected for they badly need it.

Next, as law-abiding citizens, we must pay our taxes. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 13:17). I read this post of a friend regarding the status of the incoming elections and he mentioned how people must change and be wise enough to vote for the right people in order for them to secure the taxes they pay every now and then. Well it is true, one has the duty to secure it and the right to know where it goes but others fail to understand that they also have the duty to pay all of it in all honesty.

     The bible tells us to pick competent leaders and this is the third point.

“Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men each of your tribes and I will set them over you”- Deuteronomy 1:13

 

     God wants His people to choose wisely;to pick wise, understanding and respected men these coming elections. He further emphasized His points in exodus 18:21-22,

“But select capable men from all the people-men who fear GOD, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain- and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

 

 

       From the scriptures above, we see seven (7) qualities of a good leader GOD wants us to pick: wise, understanding, respected, trustworthy, one who fears GOD, who hates dishonest gain and is able. These qualities do not pertain to only one person I guess that’s why it is critical to mull over these things in the next coming days.

       Now let’s say the elections are done, and someone is already elected as president, what do we do next? Clearly, we have our own part to play in the success of this civil government that is why we must join, cooperate in all activities in order to reveal all information about the status quo. We must learn to be the salt in our own ways, in our own workplace, not only to take part in the cleansing and preservation of the government but to do all means to uphold it. Take for example how Carlos P. Romulo defended the Philippines during the 1948 UN General Assembly in France. Someone in the assembly insulted him when he was proposing the inclusion of the Philippine map in the logo of the UN. The person told him  blatantly,“You are just a little man from a little country”, but instead of focusing on the insult, he politely answered, “It is the duty of the little davids of this world to fling pebbles of truth in the eyes of blasphemous goliaths to make a change.” Additional remarks followed, “The Philippines is too small to include, it will be a tiny dot”. And Carlos P. Romulo gracefully told the assembly with full of conviction, “I want that dot.”. And there it was, the Philippines as the tiny dot in the UN logo. If we really want change, then we should start to make the big move. If we want the Philippines to go somewhere brighter, we must all act  as the salt. If we want GOD to pour forth blessings and prosper this nation, we must ask Him with all our hearts.

      People may ask, What if the corrupt will prevail? What if people will still suffer? Where will the country go from here if that happens? Truth is, no one can answer any of these but at least we know where to start, we know what to pray for, we know what to do. Perhaps the most helpful answer for these things is nothing but a question that shall open doors to the answers. That is, “Who is really in-charge of this government?”. :)

The Empty Cross

As to conform to the season, I am sharing with you the message I heard through Ptr. Christian Flores. The holy week has been one of the most celebrated holidays in the calendar, lasting for almost more than a week full of rituals for some and personal drama.  I even overheard a DJ in a radio telling her listeners to take a pause during this season and make some self-introspection. Of course one could argue that ‘taking a pause’ is not only applicable during this season but this post is not  about  her the validity and logic of the said advice. The message I am sharing is something every Christian must understand and must be aware of for it is what makes our faith unique from every other religion and what makes Christianity the truth. This is the message of the empty cross.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel — not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” [Isaiah 29:14]

Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.-

1cor. 1:17-25

            In this scripture, Paul talks about three (3) groups of people who challenged the idea of Christ dying on the cross for our salvation. We need to study the comparison and contrast among these groups in order to gauge our understanding on this doctrine. You see, in this spiritual journey, there will be a lot of questioning and argumentations that would come along our way, we might even get deceived by the enemy at some point that’s why a full grasp of this very essential topic is a must.

             The first crowd Paul mentioned is the Jews. The Jews in the scriptures are the most obedient throng of people in the early days, strictly following all the laws. Up to now, they faithfully live by the ten (10) commandments and observe all the Jewish laws. There is no harm observing the laws and obeying the Ten Commandments only that they misunderstood the message of salvation. For one, they cannot accept the cross as the way to salvation. They cannot accept that the Messiah that they were waiting for came in flesh and chose to become the greatest servant of all times thousands of years ago. In verse 22 , Paul mentioned about the Jews demanding for miraculous signs, all because they expected someone big and great and powerful to come. They expected a gladiator-like god, someone who is strong enough to speak words of authority, someone mighty, and someone who could overthrow the Roman government at that time. And when Jesus came and presented Himself as the Son of God, they doubted him, got disappointed and eventually searched and waited for another. They scorned the idea of a human Messiah, a servant, the ‘weak’, the ever yielding who got crucified. To add to the contention, crucifixion in the early days was the most humiliating punishment. Only the worst criminals get to be crucified that’s why for someone to be dying on the cross and yet be called the Messiah was unacceptable. This shattered their faith. That is why instead of believing on this great act of sacrifice, they chose to rely on their obedience to the commandments for their salvation.  In fact they were the crowd that was mentioned in John 1:11,

He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

            The Jews were the closest people to God, but they were also the first people who rejected Him. Unfortunately, up to this very moment, this group of people still waits for their great Messiah to save them. They missed the point. Jesus already came thousands of years ago and died for our sins. It is already done, and they missed it.

            Aside from the Jews, Paul talked about the second group of people, the Greeks. The Greeks are the most influential and most intellectual people of the history. It is in their group that bright minds arose, and great teachings were philosophized. In verse 22, Paul talks about the Greeks looking for wisdom. Because they had much time philosophizing things, debating on a wide range of topics, they started to question the logic and rationality of Christianity. Their intellect has captured their faith allowing them to reach the zenith of their human philosophy, freeing themselves from the bounding doctrines and truth.  In fact in Acts 17:21, they were described as people who do much thinking.

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

            The Greeks contest the authenticity and probability of certain biblical principles and happenings. First, they question the idea of a virgin birth. In human perspective, it is improbable and totally impossible. The laws of nature bound them and so they fail to acknowledge the power of God to do the impossible. Next, just as the Jews, they scorn the idea of crucifixion of God. They philosophize that being a god means having supreme authority and power and so death is unnecessary especially if it is on the cross. They question the reasons of a god doing such while in fact he could save people and turn things around whenever he wants to. They fail to comprehend the gravity of the sacrifice God made for us who are unworthy of such. They even questioned the authenticity of God’s power by asking, if he was a god, then why didn’t he save us right from the very start. Next, they abhor the idea of resurrection. They believe nobody dies and then gets resurrected as the same person. The Greeks believe that living with the gods is their ultimate destination no matter how they live on earth. They believe that if you are good enough in your earthly life then you will automatically be with the gods, and if in your first life you fail to be good, you will live over and over again until you do it right. By this they are contesting the doctrine of Salvation. Because of their curiosity, they failed to recognize what faith really means. For years they tried to find the truth out of their own efforts. They spent much time thinking for answers, for logic, for rational explanations. And when they do not get them, they reject the premises, which is exactly the opposite of what having a faith really means.

            The last group of people Paul talked about in this passage in the Scripture is the group of those who are saved. Our group. For us Christians, the cross is no longer synonymous to capital punishment but rather symbolizes power and salvation. It was crucifixion that was feared by men long time ago because of hunger, thirst and lost of blood. But today, it is the one thing that people need in order to find purpose. Simply stated, it was the most humiliating death to redeem us from death itself. Right on that cross, God made the greatest exchange. He exchanged His own righteousness with our filths and inequities.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.- 1corinthians 1:18

We preach Christ crucified because we kn     ow it is no longer in the context of humiliation and defeat. Christ dying on the cross is the most foolish wisdom, the most powerful weakness and the most victorious defeat.  By this ‘defeat’ on the cross, He became victorious over death and that’s why we experience freedom. The most important thing to take note of this message is that we were all saved and loved by a great GOD that He was willing to give up His Son although He knew that not everyone would be able to accept and understand the purpose. You could just imagine people scorning him, throwing stones at him and casting lots for his robe. You could just imagine the Son of God suffering from the hands of the Pharisees enduring every tinge of pain, the hunger, and the thirst. The one who is sinless and blameless, was the one who was put to cross and to death instead of us. He did it for us. We may be strangers in our very own eyes but in God’s eyes, we are precious creations. And though we are unworthy of this great sacrifice, He chose to do it all for love.

            You might ask yourself,’ have I been a greek or a jew at some point?’. If yes, then it is never too late to repent and understand the truth behind the empty cross. What is 750,000 miles with additional 20 miles every day? It is the length of the line of the people who are still searching for answers, waiting for someone to tell them the truth. The additional 20 miles every day is attributed to the people who started to question their faith and adopted the thinking of the Jews or the Greeks. God calls His brave soldiers to stand firm and go to the ends of the earth to proclaim the power of the empty cross. And this season of commemorating how Jesus suffered for us and died on the cross for our freedom, will you heed the call?

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.- Rom 1:16

Why Encouragement is important

Stress. Stress. Stress. In a cosmopolitan area where people are used to fast-pace lifestyle, Stress is the most uttered word whenever one is faced with the question, ‘why do you look so tired’. I am one of those people who reason out that stress is the culprit for having saggy cheeks, dark eye bags and unmanageable hair and make-up.  But is it really stress that hinders me from looking good or doing well? Or is it the lack of encouragement? That’s the one thing that kept me thinking for some couple of time.

  I am not lonely.  In the first place, I have my friends who never fail to give words of wisdom whenever I feel like doing something wrong. They are always there whenever I am pissed and left out. I have no issues with all of these, I get comfort and praise until one day I noticed, rarely do I hear words of encouragement. Now that rings a bell. I realized it is not comfort that matters, it is encouragement that will help me excel. This is not a self-centered post, I apologize for sounding so self-absorbed.  But I just want to share the value of encouragement which most of us tend to look over.

The main question to be answered is, why is it necessary to encourage other people?

            First, Encouragement is necessary because it builds people. I remember when I was small, my parents used to tell me I am doing good in school and that I could still do better If I strive harder. Well that may seem a cliché but it really means something to someone hearing those words. In fact the scriptures tell us about how important encouraging words are.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.- Hebrews. 10:25

Although it is used in a different context, still, it tells us that there is really a need to encourage one another. As members of the body of Christ, showing compassion and speaking words of encouragement mean a lot to one’s Christian journey. Sometimes it determines how one person sees fellowship and how important it is in one’s spiritual growth. The Lord teaches us that there will really be trials and sorrows in this world, and as believers , the least we can do for our brothers and sisters is to pray for them and encourage them to press on. It is a way for us to help a brother or a sister fan the flame of worship and build his or her character in Christ. For in 1thessalonians 5:11, it says there

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Secondly, encouragement drives away fear.  The parable of the talents in Matthew is one perfect example of how fear does something inside us that make us ineffective

So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

 

“His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seeds

            Fear leads us to wickedness and laziness, that’s why we need to encourage one another to drive this away.

 -Matthew 25:25-26

Thirdly, encouragement brings hope. Hope in the Noah Webster’s dictionary of 1828 is defined as a faithful expectation of good things to come. Whenever we speak words of encouragement, we speak of good things that might and will happen in the future. It is like casting away disappointments and giving light and life to one’s future.  An anonymous writer once said.

“if there is no hope in the future, there’s no power in the present’ to emphasize, how important hope is.  One important thing about hope and encouragement is in Romans 15:4

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

 Lastly, encouragement brings encouragement. This is the most practical application of this lesson. Whenever you are discouraged, look for someone to encourage and you will see how things will change in a split of a second. Prov. 11:25, tells us the power of refreshing

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.

The next question to be answered is , how to encourage? Well there are five(5) practical ways to encourage others.

1.     Spoken word. Speak words of blessing. A blessing is not a blessing unless spoken..

2.     Notes and letters. If you are a writer, why not use your talent to give hope to other people. Simple prayer in notes and stickies can have a great impact to how one’s day would turnout.

3.     Visit. Surprise someone and tell him or her how happy you are to see him or her

4.     Just be there. Even if you don’t do something , your presence would really mean a lot to someone especially if he needs it at the moment.

5.     Gifts. How can someone forget giving gifts? You do not have to wait for Christmas or a very special occasion to give gifts. All you need is a big heart. You would want to give her classy bags or car accessories or what have you, you might even give a friend a nappy bag for her child or even nappies. haha . Or maybe just get him or her to some place nice.

Whatever your chosen method is, all that matters is your heart and intention to brighten up one’s day or perhaps one’s life. I , personally, will be delighted seeing my family and closest friends around, but nothing stops someone from giving me shoes and bags( even nappy bags) haha