"Do to others as you would have them do to you." Luke 6:31
You can read: Luke 6:27-31
The Golden Rule. Many people think that it is a saying that was crafted by some literary genius. Others think that it isn't explicitly in the Bible. Much like another saying "God helps those who help themselves," people often debate whether this was stated in the bible. So there. Argument closed. Jesus mentioned to his disciples explicitly: Do to others as you would have them do to you.
I wonder how the world would be like if everyone adhered to this saying. Just imagine with me, there wouldn't be unscrupulous business people who would just put profit above everything else, there wouldn't be swindlers who try to pull a fast one off others, there wouldn't be thieves, rapists, murderers, why? Because everyone would be afraid to do those things because others would do unto you as you would do unto them.
Conversely, if everyone showed kindness, compassion, mercy, grace, forgiveness and the whole gamut of all the good things in life, imagine how we would live then? Everyone would probably be smiling at everyone else, people would consider each other's welfare more, and people would probably just be getting along better, period.
The Goldern Rule. It's there, we just need to put it into action. How about that today?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Wild Man addendum - A trail in the wilderness
One of the activities of the Manila YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) is a yearly work camp for college students. What they do here is they ask volunteers to stay in very rural communities for up to one month where they will work with the community. This work could be farming, repairing schools or setting up facilities for learning or playing. The volunteers would shoulder their own expenses for that month and often forego urban comforts such as having one toilet per person or even a comfortable bed.
One such community we visited was located in a mountainside Barangay in Morong, Bataan. It was a community of indigenous peoples we call as Aetas. This was one of those isolated communities, quite far away from civilization. There were no roads going to the village. We had to park our pick-up trucks by the roadside and began a trek to the place. You had to cross a hanging bridge over a wide mountain stream and then hike up the mountainside for a few minutes before you could see the houses that belonged to the village. Talk about adventure, that hike was something else--a real break from the daily routine we call city living.
When we got to the village, you could see the definition of agriculutural living. The people farmed the land for their daily sustenance, and we were even welcomed with a fresh jar of honey taken straight from the hive. Although they lived mostly off the land, they had a school in that community, even a barangay health center but most strikingly, there was a church.
I talked to the pastor of the church, and to my pleasant surprise,they were part of the Kalookan Christian Church, which was headed by a friend of mine, Rev. Eric Maliwat. Eric is also the station manager of 702 DZAS, a non-profit radio station dedicated to bringing the gospel.
Even before the courageous volunteers of the YMCA dedicated their time and strength for the community,someone had already blazed that trail in the wilderness to bring the gospel to this community. Although the church was small, you could tell that it had been built a few years back. They already had a decent building, pews and all the trimmings of a church. It was obvious, someone had walked the rough road before to bring the good news to these people.
Someone who did not have a car, who had to hike up a mountain, who had to bridge cultural differences went there and told them about Jesus Christ. I would certainly like to shake the hand of the person who did that.
Then, I began to ponder again. There are some of us who are content with going to church once in a while. Who come in just before the message, and maybe even leave before the offering plate comes around. Maybe there are those who sit there with idle thoughts, maybe even random thoughts or problems that seem to have no end. Maybe there are those who think that "It's all good," I've done my weekly dues to God. I'm reminded of the main character from the movie Flywheel who answered that he had already given his "tithe of his time" just by going to church that particular Sunday. I wonder how many others think that way.
Going back to that little church on the mountainside; are there those who are still willing to blaze a trail in the wilderness for the gospel? Maybe there aren't that many mountainsides anymore with people that need to be reached, but there are other wild frontiers where we need to blaze new trails. We have before us the wilderness of apathy and complacency that needs to be dealt with. The Christian faith is under attack from a resurgence of humanist views while its warriors either sit comfortably in their pews or bicker with each other over petty things.
Is there someone who is willing to take up the cudgels and fight for the faith? To boldly go where no one has gone
before in the words of Star Trek. I even dare to quote another pop culture reference and ask like Slim Shady asked: Will the real Christian please stand up?
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The sign and the seeker
"He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Mark 8:12
You can read: Mark 8:11-21
We sometimes long for miraculous signs in order to believe. The lame walking again, the blind seeing again, and all of other visible manifestations of God's power. We read about these miracles being performed in the bible and sometimes wonder why they aren't so visible these days.
A funny thing happened to the disciples regarding this matter. The pharisees wanted a sign, some miracles they wanted to see but were denied (vv 11-12). The disciples on the other hand, were first-hand witnesses to the feeding of nine thousand people using only twelve loaves of bread yet they did not realize it.
In effect, Jesus was saying that miracles aren't the end all and be all of our faith. Whether we choose to believe in the power of God relies not on the miracle but in our faith that God can do all these things. It's not the sign we should seek but the source of the sign. I am sure you would still believe even if there was no physical manifestation.
You can read: Mark 8:11-21
We sometimes long for miraculous signs in order to believe. The lame walking again, the blind seeing again, and all of other visible manifestations of God's power. We read about these miracles being performed in the bible and sometimes wonder why they aren't so visible these days.
A funny thing happened to the disciples regarding this matter. The pharisees wanted a sign, some miracles they wanted to see but were denied (vv 11-12). The disciples on the other hand, were first-hand witnesses to the feeding of nine thousand people using only twelve loaves of bread yet they did not realize it.
In effect, Jesus was saying that miracles aren't the end all and be all of our faith. Whether we choose to believe in the power of God relies not on the miracle but in our faith that God can do all these things. It's not the sign we should seek but the source of the sign. I am sure you would still believe even if there was no physical manifestation.
Monday, October 25, 2010
The wild man addendum: Of Crabs and Men
For some reason or another, I find enjoyment in watching The Deadliest Catch,a series on the Discovery Channel. The amazing thing about it is that the show is just about a bunch of guys on their boats catching crabs,but that's where the difference also comes in. Yes, these guys catch crabs but they catch monster crabs, the giant Alaska King Crab whose legs can grow to about 3 feet long. Their work environment? the deadly Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska,where treacherous storms are the rule not the exception, where temperatures can drop several degrees below freezing.Each episode of the show features how they battle with the elements and with each other, just to earn their keeps. It's a rough world, no holds barred and this show is what makes reality TV watchable.
Then I read a wonderful book called Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and sort of realized why I like the show. You see, the show is about men in their element. Men being men. No flashy cars and fancy suits, no wimpy pushovers, no faces that seem to come straight from the pages of GQ. These are men who are at their best being men. I suppose that deep down inside, there's that yearning to be like those fishermen in the show, rugged and not having to put on a mask to prove they are men. See, what Eldredge said in his book is that men have got that wild streak, it's just the nature of men. You know, slay the dragon, save the damsel in distress and yes, live passionately for God. Men have got that built in wildness that came straight from the Father. When this manliness is lost, a man creates a false self, just to get the approval from those around him that he is indeed a man. But when a man realizes his potential, and lives it to the fullest according to what God ordained, God's plan and purpose is fulfilled.
Now at this point, some would say that this is a male chauvinist message. I beg to disagree. Let's not take anything away from women, they aren't the weaker or lesser gender. They also carry the fullness of the image of God, if I may borrow Eldredge's words. Women are just designed differently. You don't see young girls running around playing horsie horsie or trying to slam their playmates to the ground like a piledriver. Leave that to the boys.
It's the young boys whose first impulse it is to take a stick and make believe he's part of the 101st Airborne, storming Nazi-occupied France. Maybe that stick is the sword of Zorro, or an MP5 held by an elite member of the Hostage Rescue Team. It's this wild, restless spirit that God calls to achieve great things for Him. It's this wild heart that is often neutered at some point in the growing years. Prince Valiant is supposed to be blazing new ground for God but somewhere along the way, he lost his drive. Fast forward a few years, and see whether Prince Valiant is still there, standing his ground for God, or just plodding along in survival mode just to get through another day. Did the fire to be used mightily for the glory of God die out or burn stronger as the years went by?
As I see the fishermen of the Bering Sea rake in their haul in giant thousand-pound cages, my mind races back to a different set of fishermen. This set had their weather-beaten faces, calloused hands and strong spirits as well. One particular day, the catch was not there until a stranger told them to cast their nets again. This time, the haul was to the point that their nets almost broke. They were doing what they knew they did best, until God called them to do what they were supposed to do. That one act ofobedience changed the course of human history forever as Peter and his men obeyed the command sent by Jesus. Still, they didn't fulfill their call to the fullest at first. When word that their master had died, they fled, and went back to what they did before. They returned to the comfort and familiarity, and forgot the call of risk and adventure in proclaiming and fulfilling God's plan. One day, while they were back to doing the familiar, the same stranger (to them) once again asked them to cast their nets with the same result. Only this time, they realized what they needed to do, and the fishermen from Galilee became the mighty warriors of God whose message still remains with us today. As you ponder on what you need to do, the question that begs to be answered now is this: Will you continue to do what you do, or do the thing God called you to do?
Then I read a wonderful book called Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and sort of realized why I like the show. You see, the show is about men in their element. Men being men. No flashy cars and fancy suits, no wimpy pushovers, no faces that seem to come straight from the pages of GQ. These are men who are at their best being men. I suppose that deep down inside, there's that yearning to be like those fishermen in the show, rugged and not having to put on a mask to prove they are men. See, what Eldredge said in his book is that men have got that wild streak, it's just the nature of men. You know, slay the dragon, save the damsel in distress and yes, live passionately for God. Men have got that built in wildness that came straight from the Father. When this manliness is lost, a man creates a false self, just to get the approval from those around him that he is indeed a man. But when a man realizes his potential, and lives it to the fullest according to what God ordained, God's plan and purpose is fulfilled.
Now at this point, some would say that this is a male chauvinist message. I beg to disagree. Let's not take anything away from women, they aren't the weaker or lesser gender. They also carry the fullness of the image of God, if I may borrow Eldredge's words. Women are just designed differently. You don't see young girls running around playing horsie horsie or trying to slam their playmates to the ground like a piledriver. Leave that to the boys.
It's the young boys whose first impulse it is to take a stick and make believe he's part of the 101st Airborne, storming Nazi-occupied France. Maybe that stick is the sword of Zorro, or an MP5 held by an elite member of the Hostage Rescue Team. It's this wild, restless spirit that God calls to achieve great things for Him. It's this wild heart that is often neutered at some point in the growing years. Prince Valiant is supposed to be blazing new ground for God but somewhere along the way, he lost his drive. Fast forward a few years, and see whether Prince Valiant is still there, standing his ground for God, or just plodding along in survival mode just to get through another day. Did the fire to be used mightily for the glory of God die out or burn stronger as the years went by?
As I see the fishermen of the Bering Sea rake in their haul in giant thousand-pound cages, my mind races back to a different set of fishermen. This set had their weather-beaten faces, calloused hands and strong spirits as well. One particular day, the catch was not there until a stranger told them to cast their nets again. This time, the haul was to the point that their nets almost broke. They were doing what they knew they did best, until God called them to do what they were supposed to do. That one act ofobedience changed the course of human history forever as Peter and his men obeyed the command sent by Jesus. Still, they didn't fulfill their call to the fullest at first. When word that their master had died, they fled, and went back to what they did before. They returned to the comfort and familiarity, and forgot the call of risk and adventure in proclaiming and fulfilling God's plan. One day, while they were back to doing the familiar, the same stranger (to them) once again asked them to cast their nets with the same result. Only this time, they realized what they needed to do, and the fishermen from Galilee became the mighty warriors of God whose message still remains with us today. As you ponder on what you need to do, the question that begs to be answered now is this: Will you continue to do what you do, or do the thing God called you to do?
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sing praise
"Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises." Psalm 47:6
You can read: Psalm 47
An integral part of any Sunday worship service is its music. It could be in the form of songs, instrumental reflections and even background music from CD players. The songs could be accompanied by a rock band, maybe sometimes a solo organ and I have seen churches that have orchestras to provide the accompaniment to choirs or solo singers. The songs could be traditional hymns or contemporary music but the praises to the Lord are lyrical and musical, tunes that give praise to God.
I suppose that it has been that way ever since. We have been blessed with the ability to put harmonies, melodies, and timing to our praise and it comes out with much more beauty. Not everybody can create music, not everybody can sing in perfect pitch and perfect rhythm but everybody can express their praise through music.
If there has been a time of despair or even a time of God's goodness in your life, we can always express our faith and express our praise in song, in the beautiful music God has given.
You can read: Psalm 47
An integral part of any Sunday worship service is its music. It could be in the form of songs, instrumental reflections and even background music from CD players. The songs could be accompanied by a rock band, maybe sometimes a solo organ and I have seen churches that have orchestras to provide the accompaniment to choirs or solo singers. The songs could be traditional hymns or contemporary music but the praises to the Lord are lyrical and musical, tunes that give praise to God.
I suppose that it has been that way ever since. We have been blessed with the ability to put harmonies, melodies, and timing to our praise and it comes out with much more beauty. Not everybody can create music, not everybody can sing in perfect pitch and perfect rhythm but everybody can express their praise through music.
If there has been a time of despair or even a time of God's goodness in your life, we can always express our faith and express our praise in song, in the beautiful music God has given.
God is Faithful
"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." Deuteronomy 7:9
You can read: Deuteronomy 7:7-11
The Lord always answers prayers. It may not be at the time you expected it, it may not even be in the form you expected it, it may not even be how you expected it, but the answer is always there. He has proven this time and time again in my personal life and He has always been there for any need.
Even before God started dealing with my prayers and even yours, He was already in the business of caring for His own. Look at the words He promised to the Israelites that He would keep His covenant even for thousands of generations. What else did he promise in other parts of the Bible? That he knows the number of hairs on our head, that we don't have to worry about what we would eat or wear because even the little birds and the grass that grows, is taken care of.
So, if you find yourself in a fix today, just remember God's faithfulness. He will surely carry you through.
You can read: Deuteronomy 7:7-11
The Lord always answers prayers. It may not be at the time you expected it, it may not even be in the form you expected it, it may not even be how you expected it, but the answer is always there. He has proven this time and time again in my personal life and He has always been there for any need.
Even before God started dealing with my prayers and even yours, He was already in the business of caring for His own. Look at the words He promised to the Israelites that He would keep His covenant even for thousands of generations. What else did he promise in other parts of the Bible? That he knows the number of hairs on our head, that we don't have to worry about what we would eat or wear because even the little birds and the grass that grows, is taken care of.
So, if you find yourself in a fix today, just remember God's faithfulness. He will surely carry you through.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
In God alone
"In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" Psalm 5:3
You can read: Psalm 5
It is such a comfort to know that God takes care of those who love Him. It's written all over the Bible. Numerous passages everywhere tell of how God comforts and protects His people. Other passages also tell about how God blesses them beyond their expectation.
On the other hand, those filled with arrogance, deceit and lies cannot come before God because as the Psalmist said, "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil" (v.4), therefore those who take delight in their folly shall not find favor before God.
Still, the comfort and peace we find in God's presence is more than enough for us to remain in Him, in His goodness and His mercy. Heed the words of the fifth Psalm, and find the best in God.
You can read: Psalm 5
It is such a comfort to know that God takes care of those who love Him. It's written all over the Bible. Numerous passages everywhere tell of how God comforts and protects His people. Other passages also tell about how God blesses them beyond their expectation.
On the other hand, those filled with arrogance, deceit and lies cannot come before God because as the Psalmist said, "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil" (v.4), therefore those who take delight in their folly shall not find favor before God.
Still, the comfort and peace we find in God's presence is more than enough for us to remain in Him, in His goodness and His mercy. Heed the words of the fifth Psalm, and find the best in God.
Friday, October 22, 2010
God-given provisions
"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" Luke 12:20
You can read: Luke 12:13-21
We work to earn our keeps. Each day, it's either we get a salary, or we have our own business to sustain ourselves. We accumulate gadgets, personal conveniences and say that these things are our rewards for the work well done. Sometimes, people judge us by the coolness of the gadgets like the wide flat screen TV, the turbo-charged luxury car, the spacious home, the dazzling bling-blings and all other luxuries. Then, we are prompted to make more to gain more gadgets, and find ourselves ensnared in a culture of wanting more and more for ourselves.
It's definitely not a crime to appreciate our efforts and reward ourselves with the fruits of our labor. The tricky part is this: being so consumed by that pursuit that God is left out altogether. The trickier part is getting all of those luxuries just for the sake of getting them. In short, using our finances for personal gain, rather than for glorifying God.
What did God tell the fool who built big barns, and when he saw his big barns, tore them down so he could build bigger ones? "Your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" He ended the parable by saying, this is what happens to those who stores things up for himself but is not rich toward God.
Let's not make the mistake of storing things up just for our sakes, we can work, buy and enjoy the blessings God gives us, but we have to remember, they are blessings, God-given provisions that we can use to acknowledge how good He has been in our lives.
You can read: Luke 12:13-21
We work to earn our keeps. Each day, it's either we get a salary, or we have our own business to sustain ourselves. We accumulate gadgets, personal conveniences and say that these things are our rewards for the work well done. Sometimes, people judge us by the coolness of the gadgets like the wide flat screen TV, the turbo-charged luxury car, the spacious home, the dazzling bling-blings and all other luxuries. Then, we are prompted to make more to gain more gadgets, and find ourselves ensnared in a culture of wanting more and more for ourselves.
It's definitely not a crime to appreciate our efforts and reward ourselves with the fruits of our labor. The tricky part is this: being so consumed by that pursuit that God is left out altogether. The trickier part is getting all of those luxuries just for the sake of getting them. In short, using our finances for personal gain, rather than for glorifying God.
What did God tell the fool who built big barns, and when he saw his big barns, tore them down so he could build bigger ones? "Your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" He ended the parable by saying, this is what happens to those who stores things up for himself but is not rich toward God.
Let's not make the mistake of storing things up just for our sakes, we can work, buy and enjoy the blessings God gives us, but we have to remember, they are blessings, God-given provisions that we can use to acknowledge how good He has been in our lives.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
God is always there
"Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 124:8
You can read: Psalm 124
Don't you find it encouraging that no matter what, no matter where, no matter when, we can always turn to God? Whenever we feel happy because of a blessing in our life, we can always thank Him, whenever we feel stressed out because of so many problems, we can always turn to Him.
From time immemorial, God has always been a refuge, God has always been a source of strength, and comfort. The psalmist sang about it, the whole nation that God chose put their trust in Him and His Word. We now can freely worship God because of His Word, and because of His goodness.
No matter what circumstances you are in now, just open up the Word of God, meditate on His goodness, and yes, acknowledge that He is sovereign in your life.
You can read: Psalm 124
Don't you find it encouraging that no matter what, no matter where, no matter when, we can always turn to God? Whenever we feel happy because of a blessing in our life, we can always thank Him, whenever we feel stressed out because of so many problems, we can always turn to Him.
From time immemorial, God has always been a refuge, God has always been a source of strength, and comfort. The psalmist sang about it, the whole nation that God chose put their trust in Him and His Word. We now can freely worship God because of His Word, and because of His goodness.
No matter what circumstances you are in now, just open up the Word of God, meditate on His goodness, and yes, acknowledge that He is sovereign in your life.
Viral faith
"Your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it" 1 Thessalonians 1:8b
You can read: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Social networking, viral videos, blogging, tweets. These are today's buzzwords when you want to catch up with the latest from friends. There are so many sites available today that even my inbox always has an invite from an old friend to join him or her on this or that particular network.
These social networking sites have become online diaries, with people constantly updating their profiles and shouting to the world what they think, how they feel, what they're doing right now. The merger of online features, telecommunications and other hand-held devices also enable people to connect with ease, at any time they want to.
I wonder how fast news spread in the days of the apostles. According to Paul's letter, the faith of the Thessalonians were known everywhere, thus negating the need to say anything about it. If the news about these people's faith spread that far that fast in those days, when news spread on foot or through messengers on horses or donkeys, imagine the potential for good news to travel these days.
Technology today helps us communicate easily. Why not use it to spread the good news as well?
You can read: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Social networking, viral videos, blogging, tweets. These are today's buzzwords when you want to catch up with the latest from friends. There are so many sites available today that even my inbox always has an invite from an old friend to join him or her on this or that particular network.
These social networking sites have become online diaries, with people constantly updating their profiles and shouting to the world what they think, how they feel, what they're doing right now. The merger of online features, telecommunications and other hand-held devices also enable people to connect with ease, at any time they want to.
I wonder how fast news spread in the days of the apostles. According to Paul's letter, the faith of the Thessalonians were known everywhere, thus negating the need to say anything about it. If the news about these people's faith spread that far that fast in those days, when news spread on foot or through messengers on horses or donkeys, imagine the potential for good news to travel these days.
Technology today helps us communicate easily. Why not use it to spread the good news as well?
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