Moving One Another

None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. Romans 14:7

I guess, I thought I can do it. And I was proven wrong. With three ladies and a man in our family, moving our things from our apartment to our new home seems to be a gigantic task. I was moving things I can carry and load in our vehicle from day to day. However, we have two sofas, one queen-sized bed plus another twin-sized bed, a small dining table and other stuff which I alone cannot lift. Well, my wife can carry but limited only to two to five pounds. Our daughters can carry their belongings up only up to maybe two pounds, too. Talking about having me as the only man in their lives.  This was the spot where I asked for the help of our friends willing to lift our heavy stuff.  They came and willingly carried us. They moved us. They sent us from one point to another.  And so in one November weekend, we were able to move in our new home.

Paul exhorts God’s people to do the same. Move one another for none of us lives as his own and none of us dies as his own.  Everyone has burdens to carry. Some burdens are light and can be carried personally. Most burdens can be carried only through helping one another. If you think you can carry your heavy load by yourself, you are wrong. If you think others can carry their heavy load by themselves, you are wrong. When your baggage’s weight is more than you think you can lift, be humble to ask for someone to help you move from your old place to your new place. If you happen to know somebody who needs your extra time and listening heart, be quick to respond, come willingly and move that somebody into a place of comfort.  More hearts make burdens easy. More hands make moving easy. Lift one another’s load.  Carry each other’s burden. Bring up one another’s baggage. And so one day, together, we shall move in to our new Home.

Hoping in God

LORD, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes haughty. I do not busy myself with great matters, with things too sublime for me. Rather, I have stilled my soul, hushed it like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me. Israel, hope in the LORD, now and forever. Psalm 113

It’s a short psalm yet it portrays how we should hope in the LORD. Sometimes, insightful message need not to be in novels but in small conveyance.

So how does this psalm reflects our hope in God?

Your heart and vision direct where your hope lies.
If your heart is full of yourself, then your hope lies in you. When your life is in turmoil and proudly cast your hope in what you have in you, your hope lies in your wherewithal. If your eyes see you are bigger than God, your hope lies in you. When your vision looks to your security where God is not in the frame, your hope lies in what you can do or what other people can do. Whenever you need something or about to do more than what you used to do, if your heart depends on you and your eyes look to yourself, hope does not lie in God.

Your hope lies in God whatever great things or magnificent matters you are facing.
David might be facing tough challenges. He might be having matters greater than his capacity or skills. Yet, these great things or magnificent matters do not keep him busy. It does not make him startled. He is not worried. He is not moved. His hope is God. We are called to be like that. Problems, typhoons, dirty politics in government, job insecurity will confront our lives. These things will not get us busy. We will not be moved. We will not be worried. Our hope is in God.

Hope is dependence in God.
David illustrates dependence in God as a weaned child sitting on a mother’s lap. A weaned child is one who has stopped nursing milk from the mother and started to have solid food intake. A weaned child, in effect, has gained independence and is detached from the mother. However, David points to a weaned child still dependent and still attached to the mother. When we have grown as a child at some point we take independence from our parents, but not in our relationship with God. The more you grow, the more we should be rooted in God. You have been following Jesus for five months, ten years, more than a decade, twenty years or more,  your call in your first day with the LORD remains the same – depend on God. Our souls are stilled in God alone.

Friends, now and forever – hope in the LORD.

Squandered Service

Then he also said to his disciples, “A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property.” Luke 16:1

I was looking for a good feeling and timing to write a good blog since I have been tired for the past days. I am busy with work and home. I cannot focus on my personal prayer. I was thinking this is another slump. I decided to write one when I feel better and when the timing is right for me.

As I write this one, I realized that I do not own any of my service to God. Yes, we own our ministry for His glory thus to take accountability and responsibility to any work called for us. Yet, our service is not on paper owned by us. It is owned by God.

He is the proprietor. The land title has His name. The vehicle is registered on His behalf.

So why squander His property? Why squander His service?

We do it our way and not His way.
We do it on our time and not on His time.
We say or write our words not His words.
We are self-centered not Christ-centered.
We proclaim ourselves not Jesus as Lord and Savior.
We cling to our skills and resources not on His grace.
We take the applause rather than saying “Not to us but to You oh God!”

We serve not because we deserve to be serving. We serve for He alone is deserving of our time and effort. When we serve Him, we are stewards of His property. We submit our service according to the directions of the Lord of the service. We speak and move in His instructions.

Silent Preacher

The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder’s craft. One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge. There is no word or sound; no voice is heard; Yet their report goes forth through all the earth, their message, to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:2-4

The skies are consistently silent. The skies show up to tell God’s glory. From day to night we are covered with the tremendous message of God’s magnificence. The design of the skies reveals His being God. It provides us the message of God’s consistent love for His people. Day in and day out the skies peeks into our eyes and hearts. No need for pulpit. No need for pouncing of words and works. No need for rhymes. No need for analogies to drive home a point. No need for powerful verbal oration. No need for gifted speaker. The skies reach all points of the earth. The muted preaching of who God is brought to all peoples and all nations.

How I wish we are like that!

No words. No sound. No voice. Yet may our lives resound God’s glory. By the way we live our lives we proclaim God’s excellent plan for his people. With the way we build our families, we exalt God’s name above all names. With the way we relate with our spouses, with the way we take care of our children, we give Him powerful worship.  With the way we approach our work, may He be enthroned in our dedication and focus. With the way we involved ourselves in community, may His light shine. That God’s message of hope and love reach the corners of our daily routines.

May the grace of the skies be given among us for we need to be silent preachers.

From Seeds to Sheaves

Those who go forth weeping, carrying sacks of seed, Will return with cries of joy, carrying their bundled sheaves. Psalm 126:6

I was discussing with a brother how our brothers and sisters from Angeles City in Pampanga are making an impact wherever God has planted them.  If they are in United Arab Emirates (UAE), they serve zealously in Ang Lingkod ng Panginoon (Lingkod) whether in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. If they work in Singapore, you will be inspired the way they continue to love Jesus through Lingkod-Singapore. And if they have stayed in Angeles City, the brothers and sisters bring God’s light through various communities. They serve in Christ’s Youth in Action (CYA) in Pampanga universities and colleges, Lingkod-Angeles or Lingkod-City of San Fernando and establishing a covenant community called “Bale ning Guinu” (House of God).

Remembering back and looking forward , I’ve realized this is the case of from seeds to sheaves. God has blessed and is continuously blessing our hearts to hunger for Him and spread His word wherever we found ourselves. God’s faithful nourishment in our life with Him is unfolding the harvest from seed to sheaves. By His strength, loving God and loving one another and living in a way of life He has called for us, the sacks of seed planted have now harvest of sheaves. And His harvest comes in bundles. Bundled in Angeles City. Bundled in City of San Fernando. Bundled in UAE. Bundled in Singapore.

God is not finished yet. God is bundling His harvest somewhere else.

We eagerly pray and wait for more seeds to become sheaves.

Deal Patiently

He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness. Hebrews 5:2

My seven year old daughter Bless was crying in front of me as she tells me she is scared. She remembers ghost stories she heard from a friend and when it came for her bedtime, she was startled. She tells me that when she closed her eyes, she sees the characters in the stories. She even requested that I stay with her throughout the night. At first I was telling her this is so non-sense. I was telling her that ghosts are not real and even if they are, our God is more powerful over these spirits. But I had this moment to take myself aback. She has a situation here. In her own world, she is scared. In her reality, she needed a father. This is her weakness by this instance. At this time, words will not comfort her. My understanding and patience will.

I myself have weaknesses. The men and women who have pastored me are not perfect. It takes one to understand one. It takes one to deal patiently with one. It takes one to accept one. If my leaders have been judgmental of my ignorance or errors, then I am not writing this. I would have gone astray, if they pinned me down when my face is facing the ground. I have grown because they were patient with me in the event of my immaturity. I have soared because they accepted my defects. They loved me in spite of my imperfections.  They understood. They stayed beside me.

Members have weaknesses. Leaders have weaknesses, too.
Parishioners have weaknesses. Pastors have weaknesses, too.

We deal patiently with one another.

Smart Like Bart

On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” Mark 10:47

He was blind but can hear and can speak. And Bartimaeus capitalized on those capabilities to be close to Jesus. He did not allow his blindness take away his other senses. He did not see. He heard. He cried out.  He got close to Jesus. Bart made use of his available capabilities rather than focus on his incapability.

God gives each of us gifts. He blesses us with skills. He provides capabilities for us to be close to Him. Or to make others be close to Him. But often times, we find ourselves focusing on what we do not have rather than utilizing what we have. When this happens, we cripple ourselves even if we can walk. We are paralyzed even if we can run.

Do not let your own “blindness” stop you from hearing Jesus is near.
Do not allow you own “blindness” stop you from crying out for help to Jesus.
Do not allow you own “blindness” stop you from doing what you can do to be close to Jesus.
You have more than what you think you don’t have.

Be smart like Bart.

Decision to be On Fire

I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! Luke 12:49

When was the last time you were on fire for God?

Let me guess…..

• When you attended your Life in the Spirit Seminar
• When you participated in that life changing retreat
• When you were inspired by a gifted speaker’s message
• In one prayer meeting when you just felt like raising your heart and hands to God
• During one of your support group meetings
• In your own time alone with God

Do you still remember that moment?

Reality is how hard to keep that fire burning in our lives. We tend to depend more on our feelings – if our feelings are not high then we seem to extinguish the fire. When life problems and difficulties arise in our situations that fire gets covered. When God turns a deaf ear to our petitions that fire produces white smoke. If the community you are involved with does not support you, the fire gets watered.  Keeping the fire blazing and burning is anchored not in our feelings or circumstances but in our deliberate decision to love God and be faithful to Christ.

Jesus has come to set fire in this world. And He was wishing that fire to already ablaze. Maybe, He is pertaining to our situation. He has given us that fire yet it is not ablaze. He has come to bring us light yet that light is not translucent.

Jesus’ decision is to set our hearts on fire for God.
To keep that fire blazing and burning in us – it’s our decision.

The Day God took an Exam

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him… Luke 10:25

Jesus was tested on this day. By a scholar. By an expert of the law. He was testing if Jesus knew the law. This scholar was there to ask questions if Jesus knew what is loving God all about.  He gave an exam to Jesus if Jesus knew who is our neighbor. His questions were not innocent, his questions were with malice. He was not looking for answers to his questions, he was taking advantage of Jesus.

Often times we are like that. We think highly of ourselves and we put God to test. We test Him if He will do our supplications. We give Him conditions. Conditions that if He fulfill this or that, He gets something from us. We take advantage of God. We catch ourselves saying;

If You heal me….I will serve You.
If You give this job….I will be loyal.
If You solve this problem….I will commit to You.
If You provide for us….I will be faithful.

Can’t we be His servants despite our bodies suffer?
Can’t  we show Him loyalty despite our work is not our dream job?
Can’t we commit our love to Him despite life is a cycle of problems?
Can’t we be faithful despite our hands are not full?

Don’t put Him to test. Don’t give Him questions. For God is the answer.

Holding on to Jesus

….one’s life does not consist of possessions…. Luke 12:14

They had it all. Big house. Vehicles. Latest appliances. Signature shirts. Booming business inside Clark Air Base. The oldest kid in the family was a friend of mine. I used to go to their place and I was always in awe of what and how much they possessed.  Soon, Pinatubo erupted and it washed Clark Air Base, making it like a deserted desert.  As soon as the Americans fled so their possessions went.  For the coming months and years, this family had difficulty making ends meet. The father turned into drunkard because of life’s frustrations. My friend was addicted to drugs and alcohol and did not finish college due to early marriage.

Jesus preached – one’s life does not consist of possessions. Is this the reason why a house, built through the years, can just be swiped away by flood in a matter of hours. Is this the reason why a luxury car, earned through working hard counting years, will just be turned upside down by a flood in a matter of seconds? Is this the reason why any man-made infrastructure can not withstand any natural force at any given day?

Honestly, I do not know. Possessions in life are not evil. Making possessions in life as your top agenda is.

Friends, look at possessions as passers by. They come and go. You can have them now but tomorrow they may not be yours.  They have your name now but tomorrow they belong to someone. You can’t hold on to your possessions. All these things are temporal.

Jesus stays. He does not come and go. If we have Him in our hearts today, we will still have Him in our hearts tomorrow and any day after. You can hold on to Jesus. He is eternal.

Jesus holds on to us. May we hold on to Jesus. Amen.