The Parable of the Heart

When I was in kindergarten, the illustration in our workbook for the word 'sin' is shown above. It was depicted then as a heart with a hole. It reminded me of a parable...and an actual one.

I have a friend (probably the first one to comment this blog entry) who once has a very disturbing disability. She has a hole in her heart. It gave her difficulty to cope up with the fast-paced life of the modern era.

When she's happy, she couldn't  laugh as hard as the others do. When she's sad, she could not cry hard enough because it could only worsen her state and could lead to heart-attack and eventually, death. She became a burden in her family and it greatly affected her self-esteem and could have lessened her feeling of importance.

While the kids of her age were playing vigorous kinds of games, she preferred to play on her own relaxed way because she might put her life in jeopardy. She became a voracious reader because of her inability. It seemed like reading became her breakfast and dinner. She reads most of the time--novels, storybooks, name it and she might have read it too.

She needed hope because of her weakness. And Hope she has found when she began reading the very words uttered from the mouth of the One who created her. Coming from a Christian family, she reads the Bible very often. When she was young, she mastered the book of Genesis because her father would read both she and her sisters some stories before they sleep. The Spiritual milk of Salvation went in her system and she fell in love with the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Her journey to the Kingdom of God jump started when she accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. With God's guidance, she encountered the idea of deliverance. Eventually, she was delivered from her disability. Without any medical operation, her heart was healed and the hole was no more.

Now, my friend can laugh as hard as she can. She can also cry her heart out to her Father in heaven. She now has a joy that is abundant, a smile that is real, laughter that is jolly and tears that are kept in the heart of the Lord.

The story of my friend is a parable portraying the whole church. As what my kindergarten book depicted sin, everyone of us has a hole on our hearts. We all have sinned against a Holy God and we are worthy of death.

Living in sin is like living the way my friend used to live when she still has the hole in her heart.  We cannot do glorious things that the Sinless One could do. We cannot have REAL joy and all we were chasing for were just elusive and are not eternal. If we become sad, we are endangering ourselves death because the Bible says that worldly sorrow brings death. We are basically DISABLED if we have sin in our lives.

God loves us so much that He gave His only Son to us. And not just that, He also took from us our sins, shame, guilt, and all our DISABILITY. All we have to do is to accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior, just as my friend did.

Lord Jesus Christ delivered us from our old selves in the cross. He renewed our  broken and 'holed' hearts. He filled us with His Holy Spirit just like the way he sealed the holes in our heart. Sin is no more and so as our disabilities.

Living in Christ is like living the way my friend is currently living. With Christ in our hearts, we can have real joy and real ABILITY through Christ who strengthens us.

And that's the parable of the heart.

A Sigh Worth Laughing At

It was a Monday when I decided not to enter my afternoon class for some reasons to go to the orphanage-shelter early. I haven't eaten since morning that day and my stomach was really complaining to me with violent grumbles. I arrived early at 2 pm in the afternoon, a time when most of the youth are still in school. 

Coincidentally, it was also the day when Hannah scheduled to bring two of the kids, Rose and Gang-gang, to Ayala. She arrived just minutes after. Ate Joie allowed her to bring the kids only if this boy, JR, would go with them. I thought handling the three kids alone would be tiring for her so I decided to come along with a helping hand.

And I thought it would be easy...

 The kids obviously haven't gone much to a mall such as Ayala. They were so full of energy, kids as they are. We brought them to Time Zone and they played their hearts out.  They just can't have enough that Gang-gang asked the terrified Hannah for more games (poor wallet). So to avoid further damage, we went to buy them some snacks at the Supermarket. 

It was really heart-pounding when two of the kids, Rose and JR stopped to watch Barney at the corner and Gang-gang strayed away by herself. I became nervous and the thought of losing one of them sent chills to my spine. I told Hannah to stay with the two while I go and look for the missing scapegoat. With God's help, with I big sigh, we went out the Supermarket complete without someone missing.

We ate the snacks we bought at the Terraces. I enjoyed the view as much as the kids do (including Hannah, as the "kids" haha). They were so rowdy and wild. They went on running around, sliding when they're not suppose to. I can't take the fun away from them. They're just kids after all.

We went to National Bookstore so Hannah could buy something for Christmas. I took the kids at the storybook department and they made me an automatic Bisaya translator for some of the books. Realizing that it's almost late, we decided to go back to the shelter in order to catch up with the bible study.

It was really a hilarious experience. God taught me a very...tiring lesson about being a parent. He also showed me how it was like to be a shepherd. The kids were sometimes (actually most of the time) hard-headed. They remind me of how I treat God most of the times being stubborn to His will. 

THEIR Family Day

It has been a long time since I came back to my old school in secondary level. The school was celebrating its annual family day. I had to attend wearing red since my brother is in his fourth year.

I was bewildered by the colors and was surprised by my empty feeling. There were so much suffocating memories around the place but my emotions were nostalgic. It was as if I have never been a student in the school. I remembered the places where I used to play and study but it feels like it wasn't I who was there. I remembered the teachers and the friends I used to know but it feels like as if it wasn't I that the knew all along. Everything seems to be old yet new.

I can't help but to ask myself is this is what the things are supposed to be. Days come and days go. Friends come and friends go. Nothing in this world lasts forever. Even memories I once considered precious became like worthless grains of sand in the hourglass of my mind. Time passes by and their value changes.

I can never change the past that I had. Regretting them just can't help. It can only worsen the emptiness of worldly emotions in my heart.

Curse of Injustice

How would it feel like to watch your son and your house burn in front of you? How would it feel like to watch a newborn baby die because of injustice?

I have seen so much injustice in the world. The rich get what they want. The poor are begging in the streets. The rich has the power to give bribes and heartaches to the poor.

Prejudice is the closest cousin of injustice. Most of the hospitals today are not allowing admissions for the poor. If they see that the patient won't be able to pay his fees, the hospital would just ignore him and set him aside. They prioritize the rich people knowing that they could add more to the digits in the hospital's account.

 It is really demoralizing to know that the human rights are being violated in a person's most desperate hours. Danger come along when we least expect it, so as poverty. If the two misfortunes come hand in hand, hope is gone for the person whose god's name is "money".

 Sometimes, it is really painful to watch your brethren writhing in pain because of injustice. I can see the causes of their misfortune as an eagle sees the world below. The land is cursed because of sin. It was all because of sin that the people are brought low. If they can only open their eyes to the truth, everything would turn out fine. 

I too am not spared from the curses. My family is struggling because of poverty. However, because I placed my faith in God alone, He has been always around when I needed help. I am more than blessed to know that my Lord God loves me as His own.

But how about the other people? Jesus Christ died for them too. They just don't know that grace has come upon them; mercy has been showered to their hearts and love has been sacrificed for their sake.

I've never been a humanitarian in my life. God filled my heart with His compassion.Since God's spirit is within me, I can almost feel the exact pain that the people He Himself loves. It was totally new to me. I cried when I heard the news about a fire in Manila where two have died.

It's amazing How God sets up everything for the ones He loves. His words reassure me that hope is found in Jesus Christ's name. Victory has been declared even before the war has ended. 

God's Assuring Promise

Lately, I was struggling against a feeling of sadness. I was so sad for the people who don't believe in Christ, that He has redeemed them. It just got worse when my own family, the ones I love began to criticize the way I love God. They didn't have the kind of faith that I have that's why they cannot believe anything that I tell them about Christ.

I was told to make a choice between going to school and serving the Lord the way His child does. I chose the latter. My choice didn't really please them I a expected. It even cause madness to them. 

My brother who used to be my closest friend rained me with boxer-type punches. If there's a room for one, he would exceed Manny Pacquiao as the pound for pound fighter of the world. I didn't even move an inch. I took the blows he threw to me just as Christ took the pain from the very creatures He created.

It didn't destroy my faith though. It was my love for Jesus that prevented me from fighting back. I didn't even expect that in the midst of that ruthless beating, I was able to scream on top of my fading breath "This is for you, Jesus!".

It was really a crushing blow to me. The people close to my heart were the ones that gave me so much pain. They thought that I was the one who caused them so much pain too. They say that I am a good for nothing son. The say that I only bring trouble to the family not knowing the fact that I'm serving God for the good of His glory and for the love He has for the people He died on the cross for.

Grief and sadness engulfed me for a while. MY friends were having fun but I didn't know how to blend in. It was like I forgot how to smile or laugh. Later I was out of my mind. I thought to myself, "Where is God?" My mind is shouting for His name. Then suddenly my sight went dark. 


By the power of God, we were able to cast out the demons that were overpowering me. I called out to God who is my strength and he answered me. He sent His comforting spirit and washed all my sadness away. I was so happy that once again, God was able to show His glory through the victory that He had in me.

Wealth Beyond Measure

"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." (Psalms 2:8)

These words came from the God who never lies. Who then can not believe these certain but powerful words uttered from the mouth of the Creator Himself?

What shall we do then if we already own the whole world? To the eyes of man, this thing seems to be, or at times, impossible. It is just really a matter of opening our eyes and hands.

We open our eyes to the fact that we really don't own anything because God created everything from the start, all things visible and invisible. The truth as most of the intelligent people in the world thought of is only limited to the study of economics and money-making.

How can we even see something that we are not looking at? Most people look and search for ways to get more and more properties for themselves. Yes, every human has the instinct of being selfish. If we look more to ourselves and for our own comfort, then we are not different with an infant who wants milk for itself all the time.

The best thing about this is that God wants all of us to have everything. Since He loves us so much that He gave up His most beloved Son, should He withhold Himself from giving His everything to the ones His Son has died for?

So if all of us owns everything, then no one of us should lack anything. That is why Jesus Christ told us to love one another as we love ourselves. If our fellow heir to the throne lacks something, we should share what we have for him. This is the very essence of wealth: Owning your properties doesn't determine what you really have. Your properties are the very things that you gave up so that others may enjoy their inheritance which is the same inheritance for you as well.

Glory is His Love

Forever  Christ be glorified. Savior. Redeemer. King.

Outpouring His Most Holy Spirit to live in us within.

Fire, fire! Let it burn in our hearts -- the passion for Your name!

We go everywhere to glorify You. You who took away our shame.

Oh Jesus how great is your love for us. For You Yourself has come.

Crushing every evil, taking away our sins so we may have none.

You who have no sin has become sin. You took the blame.

But oh Christ! You gave Your Spirit blazing in me like flame.

You oh great Physician. Healer of all. You were wounded severely.

You did that so we may all be healed within and like You be Holy.

You oh Mighty and eternal Lord. You gave everything to live with the poor.

You did that so we may be rich and all will be ours in Your name for sure.

You oh great and Sovereign King! You came down to be judged by your creations.

You did that to give us mercy,  to judge the angels, and mercy to nations.

You oh great Lawmaker of heavens! You are Holy from the start.

You came down from heaven to be the Law-Abider in my heart.

Mighty and Glorious King of all kings. Be exalted at thy throne!

You made us live in awe by the overwhelming love you've shown.

You promised to come back to take us to us with You.

Your kingdom come as surely as your words are true.

Mighty God

Even the brightest star loses its light.

Even the strongest creature loses its life.

Even the highest mountain loses its height.

But the God Almighty will never lose His might.

He created everything; He has no beginning.

He is love in its purest; He is never ending

We seek, we find, He's just close behind.

We boast, we remind, but He's meek, true and kind.

He created us from this earthly land,

Molded us with his holy hands.

In his image and likeness we are created.

By his breath we are to Him committed.

Oh how greatly God's world fell apart

When man sinned to break His heart.

Man's disobedience resulted to his demise.

When he was deceived by the devil in disguise.

For all have sinned and fell short of God's glory.

We kept on sinning but deep inside we're sorry.

But in God's love, it's not the end of this story.

For He has a plan so don't fret or worry.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son

To become a man and sin when He has none.

Whoever believes in Him will have the freedom

To be one with God and with His kingdom.

He was wounded for our transgressions.

By his wounds, we are healed.

He took away all our evil intentions

So heaven for us be revealed.

A Prayer

Father I come, broken and done.

You love and mercy deemed as one,

Took away my sins

And all of them are gone.

Father of great righteousness,

You see the void in me

And filled all my emptiness

To open my eyes to see.

Loving Father you went down.

With Your hands you made a crown.

And placed it on my bowed head.

With love, to me you said:

"Today I have become your Father

And you have become my son

For I have come to suffer.

At the cross, it is done.

"Let me take your burden.

Though it be too heavy.

Let me have your heart

My love for you is my strength."

I am unworthy for all of this.

I bow down to the king.

He made me His own.

So I may live with Him.

Wreckage

My life was a total wreck.

I may have a good home, a secure family, a nice education; I may have everything that can sustain me physically -- food, shelter, water, air, friends-- my life still sucked.

Solomon was right when he said "Life is useless. It is like chasing the wind". It really is. I just drink to get thirsty again. I eat just to get hungry. Fool and wise both go to the grave. There is no difference.

Though I looked well and tidy outside, clever and intelligent in class, inside I am filthy, ignorant and my mind is filled with evil thoughts.

This is true: No one is righteous, fool and wise alike.

Every time I tried  to do good, I ended up doing the things I don't want to do. I liked to gain knowledge in reading but I ended up reading useless things. Nothing is good in me. Nothing is right in everything I do. Doing those things only make me want to do them more often to the point that I would somehow desire them.

When I ventured throught the depths of ecclesiastic pessimism, I found myself treading between the valleys of darkness--a lie that the world considered true. Then I was able to fish out the questions that sparked it all. Who created me?  Who made me exist? Who am I?

I claimed to have answered all those questions right after I asked. God created me. God made me exist. I am who I am.

Time went on, I held on to my answers but still I was living a life that I never wanted to live.

It was all because I failed to answers the third question right.

Every person's favorite word is "I". Selfishness is enthroning yourself as the captain of youself and the master of your fate instead of the One who made you exist.

If we make tools to be used, someone must have also created us to be used as weel. That being should have no beginning nor end. He is God.

We exist to be of use to the Lord. Why then should we serve ourselves when we didn't create ourselves at the first place? 

I guess my life was a wreck because i destroyed it by living as I wanted. Everyone on earth would have ended in the same fate I had if they continue their self-serving lives.

I used past tense. My life then wasn't the same as the life I'm living now. My life if Jesus Christ. To have a full life, live life the way God wants you to. 

  "Delight yourself in the LORD
       and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the LORD;
       trust in him and he will do this:

 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
       the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."

-Psalm 37:4-6

Chess Game Against the Liar

If the war with Satan is a chess game, he has already in-rooked. He hid himself behind his rook (tower) to protect his identity and those who are pursuing his destruction will be kept busy by his minions whose identities are also hidden from those who doesn't know the instructions from their King.

Well of course, our King is never challenged. He is invulnerable from every attacks. We are his pieces. His name has the power to destroy the stronghold of Satan. All we need to do is to determine the identity of our ally and our enemy. This war is not our war though. It is the King's war. And as we are sure, as certain as the words of the Father of Truth and Faithfulness, this chess game is already assured of a check-mate to the enemy. This war is already won. If the pieces will just surrender to the will of the King, then there's no problem.

Fighting blind is a fool's errand. How can anyone win when he doesn't know who he's fighting with?

Good thing our ally doesn't know how to be defeated. He never will. So our praise and reverence should be on to Him who has won the war for us.

All praise to the King enthroned to eternal Heaven!

With Open Hands

The battle rages on. It's a good thing that I'm on God's side so I really don't have to tremble in fear. Though my enemies don't have the knack to rest and give up, my God is always stronger than any of them. This is not my war. It is His.

I have learned so much today about fasting. I can't last 40 days without food but I know now that it's not all about abstaining from food. It is really giving what you desire to others so that they may enjoy life. Fasting is loving. It is giving. It's not easy to give something that you're really grasping hard.

I always remember the generous deed of Christ of coming to earth as a poor child so I may have everything He has. So if Christ did that for me, I should as well do it to all humans whom God loves.

Since I have resolved to offer my life as a living sacrifice to the Lord, what then can I not give? If I don't own my life now, what do I own? When I know that I have God an He has me, what could I possibly want for than to share Him to those who are needy?

Lord God, You have blessed me at the cost of You Son's precious Blood. I am well aware of my selfish nature to keep things to myself. There is no good in me but I rely on Your grace. I ask You to give me a generous heart to give up everything I hold dear. What can I give that You have not given? Lord, at the cost of my life, I'll give to others. Thank you Jesus Christ for planting Your generous seed into my heart so I may bear fruits for me to reap and offer to You.

Glory to You O God!

Righteousness: Do You Have One?

Probably the most ignored prospect of salvation is really self-righteousness. So many have been deceived with the idea that we are sure to enter heaven if we always do good. I used to be one with the many people who have been deceived by this idealism.

When I was young, I always believe and am always sure that my final destination would be heaven, even if I really didn't have an inkling about the Law. I tried to do good all the time. I imitated what my elders do, assuming that it's the righteous thing to do, young as I am. My motto then was: "Good works is my ticket to heaven."

Yeah, it's easy to fall prey in this Venus flytrap allusion. Since God is righteous, we should also be righteous. I live everyday wetting my silly shirt with sweat by doing "good stuffs". I tried my best just to get that righteousness I longed for so long. I wanted to be clean from guilt. And so I thought I am.

The most horrible part was when I became the Pharisee. I looked down on the "evildoers"--the rapists, murderers, everyone in prison. I was so proud and secure with the kind of righteousness I gained.

"Buzzzz! Wrong, kid." Says the Angel of the Lord. He woke me up from my stupid wishful thinking. I forgot to look at myself first. Even if I have done so many good things in my life, too many of them to mention, I still was able to make such terrible sins, probably outnumbering the good ones. And breaking one of the commandments is like breaking all the rest as well. Oh how wretched and wicked I am!

I realized that nobody is really righteous in his own efforts. Humans are sinning machines. Our bodies are built to sin. Just as when the Great Mechanic died to give His Spirit to turn our bodies from being sinning machines to righteous machines.

Nobody can boast of being righteous because nobody can be righteous without Christ living inside his heart. If we have done good, it's Christ whose doing the job for us. Our bodies wanted to sin but when we surrender ourselves to the righteousness of Christ, doing righteous things is like sleepwalking.

Thanks be to God, my Father, for giving us the grace of righteousness, the kind of righteousness that nobody is worthy of wearing. God is so amazing. May His name be blessed forever!

The Best God Had Given

We all had the chances to pour out our best for a cause and for a cost. We give our best in our careers, survival and most of all, love. When I said all, I mean all--including my Father Himself.

Yes, the Master of the universe, the One who placed the stars in the sky and knows them by name, the One who made everything big and small, also had the chance to give His very best. All my life, I thought that for God will NEVER have a hard time in His reign. I thought He'll never swim against the current just as the salmon because He Himself controls the current.

But all for love, He went out of His way. He went down His throne to redeem us from our sins. The King of the Law became its subject at the same time as He put on the filthy clothes of the cursed man. He was brought low. He was forced to give His best while under the Law He Himself created. This time, God is really the salmon who went against the current He directed Himself.

The fullness of God's love is in the sacrifice of Christ. I thank You Lord for giving Your very best by rushing against overwhelming waves just to give us the salvation we don't deserve to have. May the Glory be Yours forever!

It's All Set

Life is like having a dinner date with God. It's not just a simple dinner date.

God has already prepared everything for us. The things we could enjoy to the fullest have already been prepared for us. We only need to call, take that single step towards our Father and He Himself will run all the way towards us.

Surely our Father loves us so much but some of us never really know to what extent. He gave His only Son to bear our sins to be His own. He who has no sin died in our stead.

Everyday, I see more of Dad's love for me. But the more I see His glory, the more I see my wickedness and how undeserving I am for the faithfulness that the Holy God is giving me. It's not only I who is longing to be in His presence but He Himself who is holy beyond measure is more anxious to be with His most beloved creations--us.

I could only imagine the pain that my Holy Father in heaven is feeling. I have been hurt in my life so many times but it can never equal the pain of being rejected by the very creatures He created, the very creatures who are capable of loving Him.

I'm sorry Dad for wandering so far from You. I'm sorry for being ignorant of your goodness. Thank you so much for showing you dazzling light to me. Thank you for cleansing me with your Holy blood. I am undeserving for all of this but still You gave it all. I can't do anything more now than to take delight in living in Your Holy presence forever.

Fear. Diversion. Ignorance.

Once in my life, I feared walking in the streets. I was paranoid that a sniper would shoot me dead at any time (though I was never a VIP kind of person). Such a childish and foolish fear I should say, but I was just too preoccupied to notice it.

I was preoccupied with so many things like all other people. I was too busy with school, too busy with friends, too busy with games, too busy with nonsense, just like anyone on earth. People are too preoccupied to notice it.

When trouble comes, where do we go? Astrologers? Witch doctors? Quack doctors? Alternative doctors? Doctors, doctors. Blah blah. Are we really sure of the people we are trusting? Where do they get their knowledge anyway? Sadly, most people will say, "Duh. Like I care!"

It seems like people today are already contented with the ignorance their living with. They treasure it. Many claim they are wise but with human basis--diplomas, medals, titles, etc. But then, people are too ignorant to notice it.

Our bodies came from dust and it will end in dust. I learned so much about DNA, our blueprint. David was right that we indeed are fearfully and wonderfully made. A blade of grass can just cut through our skin and kill us in a matter of seconds. Sadly, people are just too carefree, too preoccupied and ignorant to notice it.

Little did we know that the cross-hair is already aimed at us, waiting to be fired at any time.

Turns out that the fear i had when I was young was right. We can really die not just by an imaginary sniper but by REAL and possible mutation in our DNA. That's not something to be carefree about.

And then, there's Christ. He's the hope of all. We should never worry if we already have Him in our lives. The Great Physician (who never used medicines in healing nor encouraged people to do so) already lives in those who believes in Him.

Praise be to the Lamb of God!

Bought for a Price

No man could ever spend a hundred million to buy a slave just to free her. No man in his right mind would spend such amount just to free a slave and marry her. And no slave would decline such overwhelming offer. Such declination is a fools errand.

I realized how much God really loves us. He bought us at a very high price--the highest price that He Himself could afford, His only Son. So blessed are the people who knows how expensive they are!

However, some of us really don't know how much we have hurt God's feelings. And most of us really know nothing about this. Worse, almost everybody who is living and those who have died away really don't care about this sacrifice.

We are so preoccupied with the things of the world. We barely have time to read our Father's message. Instead of reading it ourselves, we ask someone else to read it for us. We are easy targets for Satan's lies.

I'm so blessed that God showed me the way. He led me to the path of knowing Him better by relying my life into His glorious plans. His Word, that holds the universe, is at work at my life everyday. His will be done in my life everyday.

I remembered what Jesus said to the demon when he was tempted: "Man cannot live on bread alone but with every word that God uttered in His mouth."

To God be the praise forever and ever. Amen.

Reason for My Existence

All my life, I've been living in such foolish ways. I've been living under the shadows of my ignorance. I've been sleeping... dreaming of fantasies, unaware of the better reality that was already knocking at my door to wake me up.

It’s about time that I woke up and stepped up to seek the reason why I exist.

When I was young, I loved to listen to stories of kings, queens, princes, and princesses. I've always wanted to live as a royal blood. I wanted to wear dashing suits, shiny crowns, dazzling capes; sleep on royal bed, eat with royal friends, and command royal subjects. I wanted to live in a royal life.

Sadly, I never got to live in such a life in my young years. My family lived in a very simple house. We lived in poverty. We struggle so much just to eat three times a day, just to able to pay bills. I was no stranger to poverty. Seems like he has been with me ever since.

Though my life was like that I never failed to look on the bright side. My family is still in tact. We loved one another. We never left one another in times of struggles. We remained strong in every challenge. But I was never really contented with that. There is still something that my nostalgic subconscious is still searching--a better angle to look at life, a wealth beyond any man can see, beyond any riches on earth, wealth that only the wise can know of but no one can fathom.

It's tough to live a blind life-- A life where the eyes are always fixed on things that are seen--the very things that won't last forever. Nonetheless, when I started to read the Truth, when I opened my eyes to the Light of my Father's Word, when I found the Way out of this miserable life and into the superabundant life, my life changed.

Little did I know, the very life I wanted to live when I was young--a royal life, is just so near. God promised me a very overwhelming inheritance, beyond any fantasies that I could ever dream of, unfathomable and beyond measure. He promised to give me everything He has as co-inheritor with Christ. Now a handful of dust turned into a man by the grace of God's breath will reign with Him for eternity. Now that's what you call ROYAL.

I thank God for the consuming love that He has poured upon me. All the glory and honor and praise to the Lamb who sits on the throne!