Tamaan wag Magalit

“Wolves in sheep clothing!” One of the most abused Bible quotation used by every believer against another believer. Jesus used it as a reminder while others use it as an accusation. If ever we don’t agree with a certain denomination, dislike a certain individual, or a certain interpretation that differs from the others, we are quick to assume the said quotation. One group will say to another “you are a wolf in sheep clothing”, then the other group will say the same thing back and it becomes a never ending cycle like they can create a new clothing brand out of it. Again this kind of problem is not new if you are paying close attention during Sunday school. Even Jesus himself was accused of being the devil himself by the Pharisee. It’s the only logical sense on why He can cast out demons by being one himself… in short Wolf in Sheep clothing again. But Jesus was quick to the chase and went on saying “anything that is divided against itself will not stand”. I agree that in today’s time there are lots of individual of questionable integrity, motives and the like, again this kind of thing is not new. When Paul was in prison he wrote to the church in Philippi and mentioned certain individuals with questionable motive who are preaching the gospel. Again he could just easily say “Hey you wolves pretending to be sheep, stop preaching the Gospel you two faced mammal!” and yet he went on saying that regardless of motive as long as the Gospel is being preach “I will rejoice and yes I will indeed rejoice”. Why is that? How can Paul say that? Maybe Paul understood one significant truth that it is not our job to judge others but its God’s job. No one knows the heart and motives of men, only God knows. Jesus went on saying that you will know them by their fruits, and if the tree is judgmental on others then don’t be surprised if the fruits are the same. So a church run by Pastor Wolf will not produce fruits that are sheep but wolves themselves, again it was Jesus who said it “you will know them by their fruits”. But don’t fret… Jesus himself will not tolerate these hypocrites and eventually be given the cold shoulder by him when the time comes. Just like Paul we should have a positive outlook in life and know that in everything and anything God is in control. Again this is just my own opinion and interpretation and hopefully I will not be accused of being wolfey, well who knows?……… as the saying goes “Bato Bato sa Langit…………:-)

Love within

“The King seeing the people, felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”(Matthew 9:36)… Why say we believe but do not perceive, we say that we love but with a standard. Sometimes it’s disheartening when we don’t practice what we preach and acceptance comes with a price tag. The eye is indeed the window of the soul and in it we see the injustice, pain, suffering, and discouragement and yet we are too blind to look and see our own reflection along with it. We indeed raise our hands and our voices to show Him our love and yet we don’t reach out and speak the truth He suffered for. From the pit we are taken and opportunity was given and yet we deprive others. Much is indeed given so it’s just right that much is required. From the same lips we proclaim praise and discrimination. Social barriers are not there for the few to climb to get to the other side the way the social climbers do, but it’s there for us to tear down and bridge unity and healing. Service is not a pedestal for everyone to see. Image is not validated by strangers but by the people who render service to us. People who see us as who we are inside out. Why do the tears keep rolling out our eyes? Why say that we are not worthy of such, and how we say that we will do everything and anything for Him, and yet cannot show compassion for the oppressed, being the oppressor at times. Indeed we can share our faith and give hope but how about love? Love for the broken, oppressed and the poor. Is it hard to show love without an audience? Is it hard to give love without conditions? To teach love without restrictions?....... “The King reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of the brother of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

now I see

I was watching the national geographic the other day when I saw this blind girl who was about to see for the first time. When they removed the bondages, the doctor asked her if she could see his eyes, nose and fingers. Then the doctor asked the girl if she could see her dad. The girl looked around the room then her dad said “I am here my child”. Immediately she broke down and cried in the arms of her father…In the Bible, there are several occasions when Jesus healed the blind. In my opinion it could be one of his favorite miracles…healing the blind. Maybe our Lord is making a statement that we are all blind in a sense that we tend not see what the heart wants us to see…. We tend not see the injustice, poverty and suffering around us. We tend not see what others really see in us. We are blinded by our own pride that we see highly of ourselves not seeing that it’s not really a pedestal that you are standing on but just the sole of your own shoes. We are blinded from the truth…. The blind beggar Bartimaes (Mark 10:46-52) was sitting along the road when he heard the voice of Jesus. He immediately cried for him despite of the many people who are following Jesus. And the people told him to be quiet, yet he cried out more and more until Jesus heard and healed him… Maybe we too are calling for him from inside, that sometimes just like Bartimaes we should not quit in spite of all circumstances and just cry out all the more to heal us from our blindness. And just like the blind girl once we hear that familiar voice from within saying “I am Here my child, you are healed, once you are blind now you can see” that we start seeing the truth around us and just breakdown and cry in His arm.

Where is my Slingshot?

Have you ever experience being discouraged by people who are close to you? People who are supposed to understand, people you taught are there to support you, to love you and to guide you …are the very same people who are bringing you down and giving you pain. Better if people you despise are the ones doing it, but the people you actually care….is a whole different story. “A brother offended is harder to be won, than a strong city, and contentions are like the bars of a citadel.” –Proverbs 18:19
We all know the story of David and Goliath. Even before David could confront and kill Goliath he first got discouraged….by his own brother, who despised and questioned the heart and motive of David (1Samuel 17:28) despite the fact he knows the potential of David (1Samuel 16:13). Are we like the brother of David who cannot confront the Goliath’s in our lives instead discouraging others because of our shortcomings? Or are we like David who never lose heart and fulfilled his destiny? Goliath’s in our lives are not there to break us, but to promote us, and to bring us to a higher level once we overcome it. Before David killed Goliath, he was known only as a shepherd and a harp player. It just took one stone and he was never the same again, from a shepherd to a fierce warrior to a king, respected by his people, promoted to a higher level. When faced with a problem of Goliath proportion, it does not matter what people may say or think, what matters is what you believe in your heart… never discouraged and fulfilling what God intended for you to become…..Once you overcome that Goliath, once you take that step of faith you will never be the same again. So pick up a stone and start slaying that Goliath.

sige ..... buksan mo (my blog last 12jan08)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fwqfgrIB-I

Have you ever noticed the latest Coke commercial where the dad fetches her daughter at the house of her estranged wife? It clearly depicts a picture of a broken family. It is very surprising since they always make commercials that show a picture perfect scenario of a happy family having a good time, good laugh and just drinking the beverage that makes them happy. Maybe it’s the sign of the times, in which they would like to grasp what is reality for most of us… that everything is not as picture perfect as we hoped it would be and that maybe drinking your favorite beverage may somehow achieve some kind of happiness or peace as the commercial suggest at the end. Again it’s a reality we must grasp that everything is not as perfect. Well, some people would try to cover and show that their perfect while underneath they’re rotten to the core. I am no couple counselor or expert with the subject matter, who am I to judge? Its not an issue of He said She said or who started it or who screwed who. Again in a broken family, the only casualty would be the children. “There are some mistakes you cannot risk when you have children”. (From the movie Spanglish). I am not saying that my marriage is picture perfect. Hell, we too have our own misunderstandings, differences, and fights. Yet in a few days we will be celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary! Wow! 5 years and it seems like yesterday. It makes me feel to be even more GRATEFUL… grateful for my two kids, grateful for my wife, grateful for my job, the bills, and responsibilities. Grateful that it always rain after having a carwash, grateful that life is not what I hoped it would be… that it’s not perfect and maybe drinking your favorite beverage with your love ones creates an illusion, that in a split second, life is indeed perfect and utter the same words…. Sarap