Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
A Search for What LOVE Really is. . .
The book of Colossians 3:14 says, “Above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
Love . . . Love . . . Love . . . The people of the world want love very much. Loving, being loved, and making love are viewed as the ultimate high. Love is seen as the way to experience emotional extremes: you’ll never be as happy nor as sad as when you’re in love.
As Christians we have a great responsibility to love others, but how do we fulfill it? By understanding our resource. Love is available to us, and it’s our fault if we don’t tap the necessary resource. We are to submit to the Spirit and learn how to love. We must purify our hearts by confessing our sin and realize the urgency of attracting others to Christ through our love. We are to make a conscious choice to love others, fellowship with other believers, and concentrate on others rather than ourselves. And we must consider the effect of loving others. Love given is inevitably returned.
The world’s love is unforgiving, conditional, and self-centered. It focuses on desire, self-pleasure, and lust-the very opposite of God’s perfect love. People search for love, but it’s not true love; it is Satan’s perversion. Instead of taking from people, love them in a way that communicates thankfulness. Remember, God’s love is unselfish and thankful, but the world’s love is selfish and thankless.
When God saved us, He made us a new creation with the capacity to fulfill the debt of love. The reservoir of love is inexhaustible. We have the privilege of representing God in the world by loving others as He loved them and receiving love in return.
Today’s music feeds that quest for love. Throughout much of it is the same underlying message: either the fantasy of a love sought or the despair of a love lost. People continue to chase that elusive dream. They base their concept of love on what it does for them. Songs, plays, films, books, and TV programs continually perpetuate the fantasy- the dream of a perfect love perfectly fulfilled.
The key to obeying the law of God is love. When we love others, we will automatically obey the law. You won’t commit adultery if you love someone. That’s because love doesn’t defile others or steal purity. Only lust and selfishness do that. If you love someone, your love renders useless the command not to kill. I don’t need to be reminded not to kill people if I love them. When you love someone, you won’t steal from him either. Therefore you don’t need to be told not to steal. Nor will you covet what someone else has when you love him…because love doesn’t replace the law; it fulfills the law. Through love, we can fulfill God’s love.
When you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and you love your neighbor as yourself, you can do what you want because you will be the person God wants you to be. We are able to love God and manifest the many facets of our Genuine Love for God only because He first loved us (1 John 4: 7, 10, 19).
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not
brag and is not arrogant,
5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not
provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things.
8Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they
will be done away; if there are tongues, they will
cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
What are we to give?
There is so much about Christmas that we fail to capture in a fewer scenario we have been through in life. One of my wish this year for us is that this season will bring us new insights into God’s fantastic love for us. It really makes no difference as to how that insight may come . . . be it through a child, from the word of God, as expressed by loved ones, from your personal encounters or maybe from others people’s experiences, or a new pattern of thinking. Maybe the best approach is to read and re-read the biblical account as though we had never read it before. We need to take a fresh look, perhaps reading it from a different translation. Whatever it takes, let it come alive again.
One of the secrets of happiness is to be in good terms with all persons. And as we celebrate the yuletide season, we don’t allow missing the real essence of Christmas. Missing the essence of Christmas is actually missing Jesus Christ who is the ultimate reason why we are celebrating this season.
There are many symbolic connotations about the celebration of the Christmas Season. There is this Christmas carol being sang everywhere, the Christmas parties which are being celebrated in schools before the Christmas break, Christmas décors not only in the homes but also in the offices, and even in different churches. Everyone seems to be so much excited that on the eve of the 24th until the 12th midnight almost everyone around the world are rejoicing with the flickering fireworks and until the wee hours in the morning, people remain awake . . . just having fun and bonding with the families and friends.
The angels made the birth announcement to the shepherds on the hillsides, “Peace, good will . . . “ And again, this year, the worldwide prospects for peace seem a bit remote. But that still doesn’t take away from the purpose of His coming . . . to bring peace into the living and lifestyle of all people and nations. Is there any difference yet we can make just to make a little leap from the conventional celebration we had been used to in the past?
Will there be peace that is long been desired by the people all over the world? Will people start to live in harmony with each other? We want to capture this feeling of peace at Christmas. So then, why does it wear off about few days following the celebration of His birth? Or why should it be forgotten by time after the yuletide is off season. And should we wait again for the next celebration of Christmas to be refreshed once more by the same message of hope and longing? Will this year be any different? Christmas is in step with some of the deepest longings of humanity. Christmas says we can change! This year, let’s allow the benefits of this season to be ours all year through.
When looking at the Christmas story, we are to think in terms of giving . . . Mary gave her body, Joseph gave her name and relationship, the shepherds came to give their time and service, the wise men came from a great distance with gifts . . . but most of all, the Heavenly Father gave a Son to this world so desperately in need of the Love, Grace, Mercy, and Happiness this special Son provided.
And what are we to give? I can’t answer it for you! It has to be personally perceived . . . As Corrie ten Boom said in these powerful and anointed words:
My Life is but a weaving, between God and me
I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily.
Oftentimes He weaveth sorrow, and I, in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why,
The dark threads are as needful in the skillful Weaver’s hand,
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.
This was a flashlight story of Corrie’s experience in the prisoner-of-war camp. She said that our life appears in a jumble. We can’t seem to figure out what is happening or why God allows certain circumstances into our lives. We can’t make it alone, we earnestly need an excellent engineer and architect . . . who is God! Let us allow God to work in and out of us this Yuletide Season! Let us dedicate the remaining days of the year 2010 to God and allow Him to work in our lives ahead.
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Surely . . . God is in control!
I had talked with an old friend just the other day about the present economic upheaval that is creeping in the minds of the people around. We can hear people talking about the increase in prices of the common commodities in the market especially when it has something to do with the celebration of the yuletide season.
Prices of primary commodities have increased at its real pace. It almost doubled way back few months before the month of December came. We are always into this situation every time the yuletide season is nearing. Somehow, this time, it’s different because from the dry goods to the wet market, everything is increasing.
The last time I bought a tank of an LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas), it only costs P648, just a month ago. But now, it costs P768. And according to the news, it will increase even more before the New Year comes. According to my friend, the situation now is unbearable. Not only do commodities increased but there are changes in all areas of human existence. What are forbidden, hidden, and kept before are now openly being disclosed and accepted by the society.
Everywhere, one can see perversion. It has already become a common practice from among the teenagers and adults alike. It seems that the people are not burdened with the biblical warning about the coming of the “Great Messiah.” . . . that the end is near, that God is not so much particular about attainment of worldly things. But it doesn’t mean that God is “party pooper.” No, He is not! He is only particular about your totality and my totality as a person. We just can’t question God’s thoughts! . . . Surely, God is in control!
The book of Proverbs 23:26 tells us, “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.” The first part: “My son give me thine heart” is actually the spoken words of God to every human soul; that we are to give our affections to God, and love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The second part: “And let thine eyes observe my ways” is meant for us to be obedient to God in all things. God desires for all of us to believe Him, and His being the “Great I Am.” God wants us to understand that He the Fountain of all good. That’s why He was urging us to give our heart to him because it is He alone who can make us happy and satisfied.
He further tells us and invites us to observe His ways and follow Him by doing what is right in His sight. This exhortation contains three words: Believe, Love, Obey! This is the sum of God's counsels to every child of man.
In the book of 1 Samuel 16:7, God Spoke to Samuel: “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
In everything we do, God always measures the motives of our heart. We can profess anything positive with what we do or say. Somehow, there are times that what we do or what we say do not tell the real situation of our spirit inside. We can affirm things but deep inside we are doubting. One can say, he forgives, but the truth is he just can’t forget – and that is unforgiving. . . It takes faith, acceptance, and sincere humility from us to really become the person whom God desires for all of us to be used for His Kingdom’s expansion. God’s ways are perfect! . . . Surely, God is in control!
God is very particular about our availability to be used in His Kingdom and to be the person whom God wants to set His throne upon . . . Simultaneous with God using us as an instrument is a no - excuse catalyst of experiencing pains, trials, problems, and many other negative circumstances. It takes God’s Grace for us to be able to surpass all of these in our life! The celebration of the Christmas Season is actually looking back almost 2000 years ago. The greatest gift that mankind had ever received and that is our SALVATION through Christ Jesus - Our Lord & Savior! Amen! . . . Surely, God is in control!
The Real Essence of Celebrating Christmas . . .
Christmas is one of the most awaited celebration every year aside from the New Year’s eve. In the Philippines, starting from the month of September, Christmas carols can be heard being sang on radio stations and even on television. The 100 days counting starts on September until the 12th midnight of December 24th.
You can start seeing Christmas decors on different department stores and malls. There are some people who start packing their gifts on the month of October until December comes. Especially those who have lots of people on their list to be given gifts. Everyday, malls and department stores are full packed with people busy shopping and picking up items from the wet market to the groceries and choosing items lined up with discounts in the department stores. Toy stores are jumped packed with kids cuddling toys of their choices. With so much people and kids all around, you can feel the essence of the “Christmas Season.”
Three more days to go and it’s “Christmas Time.” And how do you feel about the yuletide season? Does it mean: a new dress? A new shoes? A new bag? More gift-giving? A fabulous Christmas party with friends and loved ones? Or an extravagant preparation on the Christmas eve? Are those what you mean about the yuletide season? Think deeply and mesmerize on the real essence of this “Christmas Season.”
Are you one of those who are quite particular with new things like; dresses, jeans, blouses, shirts, shoes, bags and anything else that would mean Christmas to them. Christmas has always been connoted to new things and gift – giving. Apparently, for those who have been in conflict with other people has to take initiative to connect and reconcile. Christmas time has always been the time of reconciliation and restitution while to others, Christmas has always been the time to have a reunion . . . a grand reunion with those whom they’ve missed for a longer period of time. While for people who loved traveling and nature – tripping, they would prefer a trip somewhere or even travel abroad for bonding and enjoyment.
We have different connotation about Christmas and different interpretation about this special yuletide season. No matter what kind of an interpretation each of us have, at least, we know that Christmas is meant for good. It is during this season that we think relationship is important . . . friendship, marriage, and how our respective family anticipates a gathering among the members and siblings.
There is so much about Christmas that we fail to capture. Christmas is soon upon us. Have we given any thought about our gift giving this year? Will it be exchange time . . . giving only to people who are able to give back to you? Or will it be an honest act of real giving? How about giving to people who can’t give back?
Christmas has become an overly-commercialized holiday and gotten off track too often. Give thought to the significance of His coming. There are blessings which we don’t even know about. If any kind of an attitude should mark our celebration . . . it should be one of gratitude. Let it begin with an expression of gratitude for this season, for the fact that God did send His only Son to this world that so desperately needs Him. Plan to give something spiritual value to others this Christmas! This is the real essence on why we celebrate Christmas! It’s all because of Jesus Christ, who came to the world, and willed Himself to die to redeem those who were lost and sinners.
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government
will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish
it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Monday, December 20, 2010
A Never – Ending “Thank You”
In life, there are lots of things to feel sorry about, but there are more things to be thankful about! In fact, even the worst thing or the worst situation can be a situation to be thankful about. Apostle Paul stressed out to the Thessalonians’ church in the book of 1Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Everything that comes our way are God-allowed situation to try our faith. And this is where we often fail because our tendency is to focus on the circumstance not to the faithful and Almighty God who promised us abundant Grace - God’s unmerited favor. We need to bear in our hearts that the reason to our daily survival is because of God’s GRACE which is His unmerited favor. . . God is due of a never-ending “Thank you.”
We may pass the rough road in life, the rugged and mountainous path we are treading, the hurts and pains, the wants and needs unmet, death of loved ones, sicknesses and harmful diseases that keep on pulling us down, failures from time to time and many more upheavals that concern our daily struggles and commitments. Somehow, God is teaching us a lesson in every situation . . . God is due of a never-ending “Thank you.”
Can we question God why all these things are happening? The more we get into a commitment with God, the more we are encountering situations that are realistically dragging us into the pit of destruction. The more we commit ourselves to the Lord, the more trials are seemingly barring our way and depriving us to continue moving forward and onward. We may fail in this part of life if we don’t give a focus on our faith towards Him, and if our passion is being distorted by the wiles of the world. But God never leaves us nor forsakes us . . . God is due of a never-ending “Thank you.”
God moves in eccentric ways at times, but God works, Nevertheless! Remember that the devil will make every possible tactic just to divert our attention away from God. And if our faith is weak, we will be entangled . . . surely!
It seems that the many “suddenly” in life hold us tightly, making us prisoners, trapped within the bounds of decisions and choices in life. Often times, we just can’t understand God’s ways and we lose our temper at a sudden point in the episode of life. In addition, people just don’t want to understand other people because normally, we are self-centered and selfish. Why “self-centered and selfish?” Because our tendency is to give always priority to our self. We're like a sheep, having a myopic tendency to even little issues in life. Yet, God’s presence and protection are ever with us . . . God is due of a never-ending “Thank you.”
God does not want us to approach Him with manipulation, nor being required to get His attention. Our loving Heavenly Father stands ready to respond and is available to each of us on the basis of an honest, trusting relationship with Him. God is as near as our heart. The Bible tells us that He knows what we need even before we ask . . . God is due of a never-ending “Thank you.”
Jeremiah 33:3
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great
and unsearchable things you do not know.”
“And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
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