Motives

Yes, this is me writing my thoughts. And no, this is not about you, this is about us, and our mind setting today.

Is our service dependent on whether the spotlight is on us? When all the hype is done, the glam is over, and the camera is not focused on us, do we feel useless?

Perhaps we need to go back to being children, to being neophytes, back to the times when there was no pride in experience but only willingness to learn and to grow.. How often does the mind forget that it was only through grace that it had the privilege to learn, to be where it is now, so great a forgetfulness that ego dims the vision, and fosters petty hurts of not being used and appreciated enough.

I remember spending my time, money, and risking my reputation just to teach a group of young people about the bible and ministry.. And for what? Nothing. I received no thank yous, nothing. But should I stop serving because everything seemed naught? No. Because I learned something..

I learned that service is not about receiving honor, it’s not about receiving thanks, it’s not about being sikat, not about being someone important …

Service is humility, it is not expecting anything in return it’s not about prominence —  it’s love..

A love deeply rooted in awe for what the Master has done.. And when that love alone becomes the motive of service, prominence is not even a matter of thought.. the heart question will be,  “how can i serve God even in the least way I could possibly give?”

After all, when the lights and cameras are turned down, what truly matters is not how people see us.. It’s how God sees us..

He knows the genuineness of the soul.. Validation by works or greatness of deed has no place — only purity of motive..

And no, this post was not written to awaken defensiveness, and if desire to avenge is brewing, please notice I never said you, I said us, and that’s inclusive.

Morning Thoughts

It’s a wonder that everyone knows we will be stripped of titles, honor, education, and wealth — by death, and yet, we chase for those things as if eternity has been given us to enjoy them.

One moment we’re PhD, the next we’re “In loving memory”. One moment, we post our achievement, the next moment Jesus comes and we’re surprised we’re not admitted.

We spend tears and toil till we’re spent– to get the degree, or better yet, Latin honors, but we don’t have time to even spend one day a week to give a bible study.

We comfort ourselves with occasional outreach moment, and so called charity, busy in our church experience, and yet when called for long-term, sacrificial labor for souls, we turn our cheeks the other way.

But the touch of garment was a sum of years of faith, and a soul is not won by a casual, momentary service.

Today, achievements are more than ever and yet we exhaust our voices calling for missionaries.

Truly, the harvest is plenty, but the laborers are few. But is the harvest still plenty?

Doors are closing, hearts are becoming hard as rock, opportunities are missing, once ripe souls are rotting, because God’s people are eating trophies.

We see how sin has made man’s heart more insecure than ever, and insecurity hides in the face of achievement.

Men crave for more because deep inside is a man wanting distinction he can never have.

The heart was designed to be satisfied by only one — Jesus, and although cliche, truth be told, nothing in this world will make a heart content.

This is not an appeal.

In this generation, appeals only work today, and are gone tomorrow. Neither is this a rod because in this age, rods translate as don’t judge me.

These are morning thoughts.. only thoughts.. So Lord, help us.

Handum

Kaniadto naghandum ko machoir director. Wa damha usa ka adlaw nagtindog ko nga nagtudlo na sa teens’ choir.

Sunod nagdamgo ko magmissionaryo. Abi nako imposible. Usa ka adlaw nakita nalang nako akong kaugalingon naglakaw-lakaw uban sa akong partner sa kabukiran para sa among misyon.

Apan wa nahuman. Naghunahuna ko posible kaha nga bisan sa kabatan-on naay madala kang Cristo? Usa ka Sabado, daw dili masabtan akong gibati sa dihang akong nasaksihan ang mga tawong nagpabautismo human sa usa ka bulan nga wali namo sa bukid.

Oo sakto ka, dili tungod nako, tungod sa Espiritu Santo.

Ingon ko, kaya kaha nga malabang ang bukid sa board exam? Tulo ka tuig na ang milabay gikan ko migradwar. Apan daw wa nasab damha ang sunod nakong nakita akong lisensya naman.

Naglisod ko. Wa koy trabaho. Pila ka bulan ang milabay, daw malunod nako. Nilabay ko sa usa ka skwelahan, niingon, “Unta diha ko makatrabaho”. Pila ka semana,nagsuot nako sa ilang teacher’s uniform.

Gusto ko ishare akong natun-an sa PAFCOE. magtraining program ta. isa..duha..tulo.. upat na ka training program.. “ha? murag wa may klaro, murag wa may igo. Ginoo, sayang ba ang paningkamot?” Apan wala ko nakabantay nahuman na diay ang Health Expo.

Unsa kaha akong talento? Magtudlo ko para makamisyonaryo ko sa ubang tawo. Need mana masteral noh? Wa koy kwarta. Di man tingali ko qualified sa scholarship. Pero gusto ko magtabang sa uban, gusto ko magmisyonaryong maestro. Tingala nalang ko nagskwela naman diay ko unya wa pajud gasto.

Murag sayon ra noh? Pero sa tunga-tunga anang tanan mao ang hilak, pag-antos, kasakit, tingali di masulat, apan nakadrawing sa akong experyensya ang tanan pagsaka ug pagnaug, kasakit ug kalipay.

Luyo niana tanan ang usa ka Diyos sa mga handum. Usa ka Diyos nga makabasa sa kasingkasing.

Usa ka Diyos nga mubati sa sakit, sa kalipay, sa kahadlok, sa kabalaka. Usa ka Diyos nga muhatag..Usa ka Diyos nga dili muhawa. Usa ka Diyos nga naga-ingon hulat lang, ako ranang ihatag.

Usa ka Diyos nga muoban, nga musapnay, nga muagak.

Handum.

Dili man tingali na mawala. Apan kung ako makapili pa gyud ug isa ka handum.

Dili. Duha nalang…

Tingali,

una, nga makalingkawas ug mahimong madinaugon batok sa akong mga sala ug mga dautang batasan ug binuhatan..oo, bisan kanang mga dili makita sa tawo..

ikaduha, tingali kasingkasing nga nahigugma kaayo sa kalag nga andam buhaton tanan alang kanila

murag kulang ug isa..

nga makakita ni Jesus nga dili mahadlok, makasugat sa iyang pagbalik, nga makauban kaniya sa langit..

maabot kaha ni? ma-angkon kaha ni nga mga handum? makaya kaha?

tingali.. tingali. tingali.

ang pagtoo man daw nagtungtong sa ebidensya. ug tingali wala nagkulang ni nga sinulat sa ebidensya..

Usa ka adlaw, mutongtong rajud ko anang langit.. ug unta uban ka.

Tagpila?

kanang MANGUTANA ko ba..

TAGPILA MAN GYUD DIAY

ang usa ka kalag?

Nganong para maka-uno, kaya man ang magbilar, way kaon, makapokus ug tuon, magsakripisyo?

Nganong para makakwarta, haguan mag overtime, duot para mabuhi, makabugas lang?

Nganong kung gusto maglipay2, makalaag man gyud bisag gatapok ang buhatunun?

Pero nganung para pagpangita sa kalag, kapoy man bisan ang pagbangon?

oras? tingali dli man oras. kay makafacebook man lageg duha ka oras? pakapinan pa ganig youtube 30 minutos?

hadlok? tingali dli kahadlok.kay nganung gikaya man ni dodong panguyaban c inday nga ang amahan murag mamaak man?

tingali gugma.

kay kung gusto ta, naa gyuy nay pamaagi.

ingun pa gani siya, kuhaon daw nya ang mga bitoon para lang sa iyang hinigugma.

tingali kulang tas gugma.

gugma para sa uban. gugma para sa walay pakialam ug kaluwasan. gugma para sa gigutom, gasakit, gaantos. gugma para xa wala nkahibalos kamatuoran.

gugma.

pero tagpila gyud diay?

ingun c isaias, bulawan.

ingun ang usa ka libro,labaw padaw xa kalibutan ug tanang kabtangan.

ako kaha ning nahibaw-an?

kay kung oo, dri nako ibutang akong kasing2.

alang sa kaluwasan sa usa kalag, aqng ihatag ang tibuok kong kasingkasing.

In Sobriety

Warning. This post is straightforward. It is short. It doesn’t take arguments. It is a simple testimony. My perspective.

Simplicity. The reason why I don’t fancy over make-ups, hair makeovers, outfits, shoes, and everything the world has been trying to put a woman’s confidence upon is simple- I want a heart change more than a physical transformation.

I believe who I am in the Lord’s eyes is what matters-a view rooted in experience. Whenever I am confident with my relationship with the Lord, I am content. I am established. I am secured. My identity, my worth,  is built upon Christ- my Savior, my best friend, the One I desire to please.

Outside beauty is only a veil to a shattered confidence inside. It is because the heart is not right with God, because it is not secured in the Lord, that many try to cover the brokenness with outside wholeness-a veneer to cover insecurity that roots from not having that intimate relationship with Jesus.

1Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

 

Believing That He Is

“He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6.

   The Bible is telling us the right attitude when we come to the Lord in prayer. It bids us to believe and trust His faithfulness to answer our petitions.  Mark 11:24 says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”. And that is exactly what God wants us to do whenever we ask things from Him, to believe, because He who is faithful promised.

However, when we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers. The reason for this is that sometimes, because we are so erring and short-sighted, we ask for things that would not be a blessing to us. And, God in His love, answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good- that which we ourselves would desire if with vision enlightened we could see all things as they really are.

Now when our prayers seem not to be answered, we are still to cling to the promise. Why? It is because the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. It is presumption to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. So, we should not fear to trust Him, even though we cannot see the immediate answer to our prayers. *

Today, why not rely upon His sure promise, “Ask, and it shall be given you”. Why not believe?

*most phrases are excerpts from Steps to Christ, p.96

 

Hidden!

I was resting on my bed one day when a colourful and familiar sight at the upper deck bed caught my attention. I took a second look, recognized it to be my socks and remembered I hid it there after I’ve used it. The reason why I did such an act I faintly remember, but one thing I am sure though -it was there for a long time already and it has not been washed yet.

We sometimes hide our sins from GOD. We put sin under the decks of our lives and think that by hiding, God who sees every motive and knows each secret won’t be able know them. However, what we don’t realize is that sin, when hidden from God, will remain unwashed and stink. And, we can never be cleansed from them.

There is a wonderful promise in His Word though. 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

   When we confess our sins to our Lord, He will forgive us from all of them. Not just one, or two, but from all of that which we confess to Him. But He doesn’t just end there. The bible promises He also cleanses us from all our unrighteousness which means He washes our unclean hearts till we become new creatures in Christ Jesus!
So today, let stop hiding those socks of sins and surrender it to Jesus who is ever willing to pardon us and make us new again.

 

The Observer Effect

The observer effect is a theory in physics which states that when we actually try to observe a particle, like an electron, its behaviour changes because of the act of observation. It states that presence of the observer changes the observed.

While this theory has been indefinite in regards to evidences, this paints a hue of truth in our lives. We change our behaviour and actions depending on who we think sees and surrounds us.  Sometimes, who we are when alone is very different from who we are when surrounded with people. But we should always remember that the actions that we make should not be based on people looking at us. The reality is, our actions are judged, not by the external appearance, but from the motive which dictated them. If our motive is so to please men, and the action that we have done is only prompted by a selfish heart wanting to receive applause, it is not acceptable to God. Paul says, For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal 1:10

Who is your observer?

However, if God is the observer that we want to please and it is the consciousness of His presence that prompts us to do our actions faithfully, then the observer effect becomes a positive thing. The actions that we make become pure for it comes from a heart filled with a love for a Saviour and a wanting to give Him the glory alone.

 

 

 

Beholding To Reflect

The next time you wonder why you have already copied the mannerisms of your spouse or sibling; know that it is because of mirror neurons. Mirror neurons are type of brain cells that respond equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action. This is the reason why when we see someone sniff a food and smiles in delight, our own stomach also jumps at the thought of the meal -because watching an action and performing that action can activate the same parts of the brain and could elicit the same feelings as though the observer were itself acting.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…”It then makes sense why God created us with mirror neurons. He wants us to behold Him because by doing it, we reflect, like a mirror, His character and we become more and more like Him. As we spend time day by day reading the Bible, praying, and studying the life of Jesus, we copy His patience, kindness, mercy and compassion, His will to say no to sin, His life. Of course, it is also true that if we constantly behold the immoralities and crime that the media offers, eventually, we become what we behold.

May you be blessed as you choose to behold God today.

 

Strangely Dim

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; ..” Heb 12:2

   It was two weeks before the schedule of my board exam and my heart was filled with much apprehensions. I graduated 3 years ago from my degree in chemical engineering and after many years, I finally decided to take the board exam. At that point, licensure examination seemed so high a mountain for me to climb. I had difficulty in remembering the lessons I had in college, felt burdened with the fact that I am not really good in solving math problems, plus, I felt pressured with the thought that my parents had been working so hard for my expenses.  All these things about myself caused me to fear.  But God reminded me of these words,

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

 Look full on His wonderful face

And the things on earth will go strangely dim

 In the light of His glory and grace”

 

   I was reminded to look upon Jesus. All the time, I was looking at myself-  my weaknesses, my failures,  that I have forgotten  my compassionate Saviour who can help me in all my troubles. I stressed myself for nothing by focusing on who I am instead of who He is. I have forgotten that my audacity to ask for deliverance comes not from what I have done, but from what He did for me.

Friend, are you weary and troubled today? Does your future look dark and perplexing? Do you tremble when you realize how weak you are to face the challenges of daily life? Why not cease to look on self and circumstances and focus your eyes upon Jesus? Try it and you will see every other thing go dim in the light of His glory and grace.