Daily Gospel

Jars of Clay - Love Song for a Savior with Lyrics

2009-02-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

In open fields of wild flowers,
she breathes the air and flies away
She thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
Someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
Someday she'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call her and she will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

Sitting silent wearing Sunday best
The sermon echoes through the walls
A great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
Someday we'll trust Him and learn how to see Him
Someday He'll call us and we will come running
and fall in His arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray,

"I want to fall in love with You"

It seems too easy to call you "Savior",
Not close enough to call you "God"
So as I sit and think of words I can mention
to show my devotion

"I want to fall in love with You"

"my heart beats for You

SAVING GRACE - HILLSONG with lyrics

2009-02-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

Night and day I seek Your Face
Long for You in the secret place
All I want in this life
Is to truly know You more

As the waters cover the sea
So Your love covers me
Guiding me on roads unkown
I trust in You alone

CHORUS:
My Saving Grace
My endless love
Deeper and deeper I'm falling in love with You
My one desire
My only truth
Deeper and deeper I'm falling in love with You

And I will rise on wings of eagles
Soaring high above all my fears
I rest in Your open Arms of Love

Who am I lyrics

2009-02-12T19:49:00.000-08:00

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the bright and morning star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

CHORUS:
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that The Eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again
Who am I, that The Voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

KNOWING HOW IT ENDS

2007-11-14T17:10:00.000-08:00

[Wisdom] ... sees everything. Wisdom 7:23

We've seen this movies a hundred times. I warn myself that a tear-jerking scene is coming up hoping to preempt the inevitable weeping. The scene comes and I fail, sobbing with resignation into my pillow.

I like watching movies like these over and over again. I hear lines that I didn't catch the first time or I see subtleties in the acting or cinematography that make me appreciate the movie more. Strangely, however, the biggest reason why I like re-watching movies is I find it comforting to watch a story unfold when I

already know how it ends. I don't get chest pains from extreme anticipation; I don't shield my eyes or cringe during uncomfortable scenes because I already know what to expect.

Having the gift of wisdom is like knowing how the movie ends. Just like everyone else, you go through the giddy and heartbreaking moments of life, but unlike the unwise, you are deeply calm because you know that God is in charge. And when He is in control, there can be only one kind of ending: A happy one. Anne dG.

REFLECTION:

Are you looking forward to heaven?

Lord, grant me the wisdom to know that You are in control

Companion

2007-07-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

Exodus 33:7-11; 34:5-9, 28

Moses is one of the very few people in Scriptures to experience speaking to God face to face. This tells us a lot about his holiness and standing in the eyes of God. And yet he is a sinner like us too“ he was denied entrance to the Promised Land due to a matter of disobedience concerning the number of times he struck a rock to bring forth water for the people. He is human like us. He needs salvation just like each one of us.

7 The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents. 11 The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent. 34: 5 Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with him there and proclaimed his name, LORD. 6 Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, 7 continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but punishing children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation for their fathers wickedness!8 Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. 9 Then he said, If I find favor with you, O Lord, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own.28 So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

Saint Leo II

2007-07-05T01:29:00.001-07:00

The Sicilian Leo II was the successor of Saint Agatho to the pontificate. Though he was elected for the position on January 10, 681, a few days after the pope s death, Leo II was consecrated only after a year and seven months. The possible reason for it was the continued discussion regarding the tax the new pope needed to pay to the imperial treasury on his consecration. This had been a custom for more than a century, but under Pope Agatho, negotiations between the pontificate and the Byzantine court of Emperor Constantine Pogonatus regarding its abolition or reduction had already taken place. In the short pontificate of Leo II (682-683), his greatest contribution to the Catholic Church was the confirmation of the acts of the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The council was in opposition to the heretical Monothelites. As a result, Leo II notified the rulers and bishops of the West about the decree and its implementation.This, however, led to the condemnation of Pope Honorius I. Honorius I was condemned not because of teaching heresy, but because he remained passive and inactive in fighting against it.

During this period, the archbishops of Ravenna wanted to be autocephalous, meaning they desired to be free from the direct jurisdiction of the pope. They were not able to get the consent of the popes. So instead, Leo II did the following for them — he obtained from the emperor the abolition of tax the archbishops must pay when they receive the pallium; since the elected archbishop did not want to stay long in Rome, he was still required to visit the city for his consecration but he was not obliged to stay longer than eight days; and, since they were bound to pay homage to the pope every year, the bishops may only send for a delegate instead on their behalf.

The good and just pope died of natural causes on June 28, 683 in Rome, Italy.

FOLLOWING JESUS VOLUNTARILY

2007-07-05T01:23:00.000-07:00

How do we follow Jesus? This is indeed an important question, especially in the face of today’s ideologies without direction and leaders without backbone.

Our Gospel episode today presents us two examples of “volunteers” who offer themselves to follow Jesus. All we know of them is that one was a scribe (eagerly presenting himself to Jesus), and the other was a disciple (grieving just after the death of his father). We do not even know if they indeed followed Jesus eventually.

Anyway, what certainly matters is the teaching of Jesus given on this occasion. He presents a triple demand: first, we must give up all security; second, we must subordinate everything (not just anytime but at once) to the duty of evangelizing; and lastly, we must forget the past and face the future.

Whew! We can almost just shudder and sigh in the face of this radical challenge. Such indeed is the high cost of discipleship.

For all we know, the two volunteers did follow Jesus after all. For all we know, they understood the full impact of Jesus’ words to them. For all we know, they were willing to pay the high price to follow Jesus. Surely their lives were never the same again. It was well worth the effort. We ourselves might be following Jesus for some time now, but, just how radically do we do so? Are we merely “eager beavers” who would easily back out at the slightest demand of Jesus? Or do issues of the past continue to bog us down and drag us in our journey?

We might not have exactly “volunteered” to follow Jesus (it was really perhaps He who called us, and we simply responded). But still, that doesn’t dispense us from the all-too-important element of volunteerism in the following of Jesus. That is, it proceeds from our own will, from our own choice or consent, aware of the demands and yet unconstrained by the difficulty, trusting completely in the one we are following: the Lord Jesus Himself. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What kind of volunteer are you?

I submit my will to Yours, Lord.

DELIVERANCE

2007-07-05T01:16:00.000-07:00

“For the sake of those ten... ” – Genesis 18:32
8-6232. 8-6232. 87000. 887-8888. 911-1111.

If you’re Filipino you’ll know that all these are numbers of fast food companies that have delivery services.

And if you’ve ever called one of these, you would have experienced having to wait longer than you should have had to for your order. There was this one time when we waited a whole hour and 30 minutes for our food. I called at least eight times — the first two times to the call center that took the order and the last few times to the actual branch that was in charge of delivering the food. I had threatened murder at least thrice. Okay, maybe I didn’t. But I did say that I refused to pay for the meals when they came.

And then the messenger arrived. He was a scrawny little kid who probably needs the job to pay for his tuition fee. When he told me that the payment will come from his paycheck, I handed over the money without speaking and tried to enjoy the by-now cold food.

If I can be merciful, can you imagine how merciful God can be? He delivers more than food. He delivered us from the bondage of sin and death. Victoria L.

REFLECTION:

In what ways have you not shown mercy?

You sent Your Son, Lord, even if there were only ten people left who deserved Your mercy. Your mercy knows no bounds.

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal

2007-07-05T00:52:00.000-07:00

Saint Elizabeth, daughter of King Pedro III of Aragon and Constancia, was born in 1271. Since childhood, the princess exuded a life of piety, strict regularity and self-denial. She fasted, did penance and gave up amusement. At a young age of 12, Elizabeth was married to King Diniz of Portugal. The king was noted for being a good poet and a hard worker.

Unfortunately, his morals were extremely bad. For years, the queen tried to win her husband s affection through her gentleness and extraordinary forbearance. But it was only later in life when the king had a change in heart. Saint Elizabeth bore King Diniz two children, Constantia and Affonso. Affonso rebelled over the favors the king showed his illegitimate sons. Thus, in 1323 the son declared a war against his father. Elizabeth opposed the decision. She rode in between the two armies and made father and son reconcile. Two years later, King Diniz died.

Saint Elizabeth left the kingdom in the care of Affonso. She founded the convent of Poor Clares at Coimbra, where she retired as a Franciscan Tertiary. She continued her service to the poor and sick. In 1336, the former queen was made to go back. She settled a war between her son and his father-in-law, the King of Castille. She left the convent and made the two resolve in peace.

Not long after, Saint Elizabeth fell ill. She died of fever on July 4, 1336 at Estremoz. She was buried at Coimbra, Portugal where miracles were said to have taken place. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal was proclaimed a saint by Pope Urban VIII on June 24, 1625.

GOD AS THE SOURCE OF TRUE AUTHORITY

2007-07-05T00:44:00.000-07:00

Jesus narrowly escapes from a thorny and controversial predicament by carrying out a miraculous cure, which is actually a proof anyway of His power over evil and sin. It’s a relief to arrive at the conclusion: “At the sight, a feeling of awe came over the crowd, and they praised God for giving such authority to men.”

Truly it is God who is the source of such authority and power. The scribes of the incident thought that they were exercising their authority as guardians of the Law by passing judgment on Jesus: “The man blasphemes.” According to them, Jesus had no right in the first place to forgive sins. In the end, authority which is not at the service of the person becomes twisted, subject to the whims and caprices of human judgement. Our Lord Himself knows our innermost thoughts, just as he was aware of what the scribes were thinking, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?” He might be asking us also the same question now, with our tendency to cling to the comfort zones of our rigid categories.

Let us, instead, always seek God’s glory. Let us allow Him to intervene in our lives, even if He will go against our established ways of thinking and doing. He need not even prove to us His power and authority, for in the first place it is something we already acknowledge. Fr. Martin M.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Why do you harbor evil thoughts?

I seek Your Glory, Lord. I acknowledge Your sovereignty.

St. Zoe, martyr, pray for us.

WHO’S YOUR ISAAC?

2007-07-05T00:40:00.000-07:00

“When they came to the place... he tied up his son Isaac...” – Genesis 22:9

Early in the Bible, we are given a story such as this.

It’s the story of a man to whom was promised a multitude of descendants, so many that they will be like the sands of the seashore and the stars in the heavens. All this in spite of the fact that he and his wife are past childbearing age.

The promise is fulfilled with the birth of a son. But then the Lord asks him to offer the boy as a holocaust!

What a twist, eh?

And we know what he did, right?

“Early the next morning, Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac... ”

He went “early the next morning.” No dillydallying regarding what the Lord commanded.

It was then that Isaac asked, “Father, here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the holocaust?”

“Son, God himself will provide the sheep for the holocaust,” replied Abraham.

Then they continued going forward.

What courage it took Abraham to take every step! What faith!

“Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar.”

Then God intervened. Lallaine G.

REFLECTION:
If you were Abraham, who or what would your “Isaac” be? Let the Lord speak to your heart.

Lord, teach me about the sacrifice of Abraham. How boldly he went to follow You! May I do the same today.

Am I an Instrument of Peace?

2007-05-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

“Lord, make me an instrument of peace.” We love to sing this song. Its lyrics, though attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, were actually written at the beginning of the 20th century by the American seminarian Francis Spellman, who later became archbishop and Cardinal of New York.

“Peace is an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each person, regardless of his or her particular cultural identity” (Pope Benedict XVI). There are many kinds of peace. One is just absence of war or trouble. Another is the kind politicians talk about, escape from the real problems and from the effort to solve them. At times we might get the impression that there are certain signs of hope in the work of building peace; the number of armed conflicts has decreased a bit. But in his 2006 New Year Message, Pope Benedict warned us: “All this must not, however, lead to naive optimism. It must not be forgotten that, tragically, violent fratricidal conflicts and devastating wars still continue to sow tears and death in vast parts of the world. Situations exist where conflict, hidden like flame beneath ashes, can flare up anew and cause immense destruction.”

Jesus tells us that peace is a heavenly gift he gave to his disciples a divine grace, a peace quite different from what the world offers. The peace Christ gives is based on truth and love. There can be no peace where there is no truth. Lying is linked to the tragedy of sin and its horrible consequences, which have devastating effects on the lives of individuals and nations. How often is the peace in our families destroyed by lies!

Secondly, peace is built on the foundation of love. This is obvious. Where people love each other, there problems still occur, but those problems can be solved by listening to each other and by mutual understanding. Where people love each other, genuine dialogue is possible. Where people love each other, there God’s grace is present, uniting and moving forward the people involved. For peace in the world we cannot do much but we can and must pray. “I ask for an increase of prayers,” Pope Benedict wrote, “since peace is above all a gift of God, a gift to be implored incessantly.”

For peace in our communities, families and hearts we can do a lot. We can and should, as we said, cultivate truth and love wherever God places us. Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I a peacemaker in the place and community God has placed me?

Lord, we call You Prince of Peace. Absence of peace means absence of your divine presence. Help me to work for peace and so make You more present in the place where You have placed me.

St. Wiro, bishop, pray for us.

Peace I leave with you... – John 14:27

2007-05-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

The pilot of a plane was flawlessly scraping the blue sky with his fluid maneuvers and near perfect turns, when suddenly, he heard a weird noise coming from where the engine and its vital wires were. The gauges one by one started malfunctioning and he immediately engaged the autopilot to take a peek at what could be going wrong. His head doubled its size when he saw a rat gnawing on the wires and it was actually nearing the hydraulic tubes. He knew it would be the end of his flying days, and of his life, if the rodent got to the hydraulic tube.

He had an idea.

He pulled the plane up to maximum altitude. The big rodent then dropped dead. Because rodents can’t survive extremely high altitudes.

The peace of God to what used to be troubled hearts is something that the world can never know. We can, if we allow Him to take us “up” there. Jon E.

REFLECTION:
Are you troubled? Scared? Overwhelmed by life? Buckle up. Soar in the wings of prayer. God can blow out the rodents of worry, fear and guilt in your heart.

Lord, all the world offers are temporary and fleeting rat pleasures that its decaying nature recognizes. Bring me up to the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” Amen!

BEING IN THE WORLD WITHOUT BEING OF THE WORLD

2007-05-23T03:04:00.001-07:00

Today we read and listen to a beautiful prayer of Jesus. Jesus did not suggest that His followers leave the “evil world” and live a contemplative life in monasteries. That is only for a few who have a special calling (and even they are not free from the attacks of evil). The rest must live IN the world with the great task to transform the world, to “inject” the values of Christ into its cultures and societies. When Jesus prayed that we have to live in the world but not be of the world, He means that we are inspired by a completely different set of values than those proposed by the world. When the world lives out selfishness, we try to follow the example of Christ and live a life of service to others. When the world proposes violence and revenge, hatred and division, we are called to live out forgiveness and peace, love and unity. When the world stresses happiness found in wealth and power, we counteract this attitude with a simple lifestyle, with respect for life and human dignity, and sharing what God has given us. This is extremely difficult as all of us have experienced already. And so Jesus prays,“Consecrate them!” To consecrate means to separate his followers from anything evil. Of course, we have to cooperate with grace. We have to be prudent in what we read and watch, and with whom we live. We cannot be consecrated, as Jesus wants it, if we expose ourselves to anti-Christian, or anti-Catholic TV shows and pamphlets, or if we expose ourselves to immoral literature, movies and Internet websites. We cannot be consecrated, separated from anything evil, if we associate ourselves with people for whom dishonesty and corruption is their daily bread. Even the Word of God and the prayer of Christ cannot protect us if we are careless and throw ourselves in the hands of the Evil One. Evil rules for a while but not forever. Eventually it will be defeated and it is good to be on the side of the victor: Jesus Christ who has overcome Satan and death. Fr. Rudy H.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I afraid to be different from others around me? Do I have the courage to stand up for Christian values? Do I focus on the difficulty of this task or do I look beyond the present to a victory with Christ?

Lord, I am weak and a coward. I know what You expect me to do in my corrupt environment. Just help me to begin more courageously injecting Your values into the people around me.

St. Didier, bishop, pray for us.

By working hard in this way, we must help the weak. – Acts 20:35

2007-05-23T03:02:00.000-07:00

I worked hard to provide for my family and send my younger sister Cherry to college. I wanted her to finish her studies like any normal students do. However, I expected Cherry to study at my pace and not her own. I overlooked one important fact – Cherry has a short-term memory deficiency, is slightly deaf and has speech problems. She was diagnosed to have dyslexia. I was angry with her for being so dependent. I berated and belittled her, which made her more insecure.
As I grew in my relationship with Jesus, I became more compassionate with Cherry. It is not through my efforts. I believe it is His grace that made me love and accept my sister’s weakness. When Cherry saw the changes in me, she became open with her feelings and freely expressed her anger or joy. I am witnessing now how my sister is gaining confidence.
St. Paul’s words struck me hard. I must not only work to provide material things for my family. I must work doubly hard to bring them to Jesus. In Him, we can bare our weaknesses and still be accepted. RosAnn J.

REFLECTION:
Do you need to encourage someone today?

Forgive me for trodding down on the weak instead of helping them become strong.

The Singular Message of Fasting: “God Is Your Most Important Hunger”

2007-04-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

When you fast, you’re telling God that He’s more important than food. So instead of eating, you spend it in prayer, reading Scripture, writing your journal, meditating before the Blessed Sacrament, reading spiritual books…It declares that you’re dead serious about pursuing Him because you’re crazy enough to say no to something so basic as food.

GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

2007-03-09T15:44:00.000-08:00

Saint Theodotus of Ancyra

Saint Theodotus, a martyr and a patron of innkeepers, was described as a man very passionate in doing his Christian duties, including charity towards his neighbours. He brought sinners back to God and helped the people in strengthening their faith.

In a persecution of the governor Theoctenus, Theodotus allowed his home to serve as refuge for the Christians, a hospital for the sick, and a place for worship. The martyrdom of Saint Theodotus is associated with the seven saintly virgins of Galatia — Thecusa (his aunt), Alexandra, Claudia, Faina, Euphrasia, Matrona and Julitta. The seven were called before the judges and were made to dauntlessly profess their faith. As a result, they were sent to a house of immorality, and miraculously all were able to preserve their purity. To end their lives, the virgins were cast into the sea with stones attached to their bodies. Theodotus succeeded in recovering their remains, which he gave an honourable burial. In consequence, the man too was arrested, tortured and executed.

The body of Theodotus was recovered and brought to Malos where the priest Fronto entombed him. A chapel was built over his grave. And the saint was forever held in reverence.

More of St. Theodotus of Ancyra

Saint Kunigunde

Kunigunde, or Kinga, was born in 1224 to a royal family in Hungary. The family was known, not only for their political power, but also for their holy women. Among these were St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Sts. Hedwig and Agnes of Prague, St. Margaret of the Dominicans and the Blessed Yolande.

Kunigunde was only 15 when she was engaged to Boleslaus V, the heir to the throne of Poland. The two vowed for chastity before the bishop, and this promise they kept throughout the 40 years of their married life. As Queen of Poland, Kunigunde attended to the welfare of the people, providing them with their needs and visiting the sick. After the King s death in 1279, Kunigunde consecrated her whole life to the Lord. She lived the simple life of a Poor Clare nun, dwelling in a convent she and her husband had established.

Many miracles were reported to have occurred at her tomb, after her death in 1292. Thus, Kunigunde was professed as special patron of the Poles and Lithuanians by Pope Clement XI and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

More of St. Kunigunde

CULTIVATE YOUR GIFTS

2007-03-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

I presided over the celebration of a Baccalaureate Mass and used this as the gospel. The grade six students who were having their thanksgiving in that celebration surprisingly knew exactly what the Gospel challenges them to do. In the course of giving the homily, I asked them how they saw themselves in the light of the gospel and they all agreed that God wanted them to make good use of the blessings they had received from God as far as intellectual knowledge is concerned.

None of God’s created humanity is without any blessing. Such blessings are expected by God to be harnessed and nourished until they become fruitful and a source of further blessings for the recipients and others as well. To simply rest on whatever God gives you is to miss the point. God gave us blessings and He expects us to do something about them. I know of a priest who always conducted surveys at every parish that he was assigned to. Two of the questions he asked were, “What is your occupation?” followed by, “How can you help your local church?”

The idea is so simple; the priest wanted the parishioners to realize that their occupation in life could also be used as their occupation to achieve the next life.

And so Architects would come to him and offer free architectural designs for the church renovation. Teachers would come and offer Sunday catechetical instruction for children. Accountants would come and offer their services in handling the temporal goods of the church. Doctors would come and offer medical services for the indigent parishioners. The poor and unlearned would come and offer their time and energy as the church’s foot soldiers.

I believe this is exactly how God wishes all of us to work on earth—to cultivate our gifts to benefit us and make others benefit from them as well. Fr. Sandy V. E.

REFLECTION QUESTION: What is your occupation? How can you help your local church?

The talents You gave me are abundant. Give me a heart that longs to use these for the good of others.

St. Catherine of Bologna, virgin, pray for us.

MY PREACHER

2007-03-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Israel said to Joseph, “Your brothers, you know are tending our flocks at Shechem. Get ready; I will send you to them.”– Genesis 37:13

My husband Jon is a preacher. He came to know the Lord when he was still a teenager, and since then his relationship with God has blossomed. I should know. I too was evangelized by my husband. It was through him that I came to know the Lord. We used to work in the same office, and so one morning he talked me into getting myself involved in a community. And the rest is history.

Today, he serves as the national mission director for Familia. He handles the single professionals nationwide. Oh! How he loves this ministry God has given him. Truly he has found his purpose and meaning in life. He trains young people to become community leaders and he’s doing a great job at it. From experience, he knows when it’s time for these young people to be sent out in provinces or elsewhere to evangelize others.
I am so blessed to have him as my husband and I couldn’t ask God for anything more. Truly the Lord has worked in his life, and in our lives as his family. I guess when God asked him if he was ready, he immediately gave his yes to Him! Marissa E.

REFLECTION:
Being called for a mission? Go! Waste no time.

Oh! That you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me, that you would keep me from evil, that I would not cause pain.

COLLABORATORS

2007-01-25T22:25:00.000-08:00

We remember today Sts. Timothy and Titus. Timothy and Titus were more than companions of Paul in his missionary journey. They were his coministers in the work of evangelization. Paul believed in team ministry; thus, having preached the Gospel in a particular place, he moved on to other places and normally entrusted the newly founded Christian community to the care of good Christian men (and women?). To Timothy, Paul gave the care of the Church in Ephesus while the Church in Crete he entrusted to Titus. Paul referred to both Timothy and Titus as “sons in the faith” because these two men were, in the first place, also fruits of his missionary toil.

Let us be keenly aware of the importance of remembering our own collaborators in our different apostolates and ministries. They are important, not only because of the assistance they give us, but because they are primarily important to Jesus Himself. Like us, who have been called to a particular ministry or are involved in a specific apostolate in and of the Church, they too have been called and given a significant share in the work of the Kingdom.

The first moment is the moment of prayer. Prayer brings us all together in love. Prayer melts differences that often wound an otherwise healthy working relationship. Prayer always affirms, nourishes, and deepens the bonds that exist.

The second moment is the moment of joy. It is rather easy for us to remember our co-workers when we are in need of consolation or affirmation and when we are standing alone in making a point. It is always hypocritical for any ministry or apostolate to claim that it endeavors to bring joy to others when its ministers remember one another only when sadness befalls them. Our co-ministers should be the first one we minister to.

The third moment is the moment of need. Our collaborators are given to us by the Lord so that we do not have to carry the burden of the work of the Kingdom alone. We do not have to be ashamed to turn to them and be helped. The Lord Himself, who already is the Messiah, invited others to share in His work for the Kingdom. Fr. Bobby T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: How is my relationship with my co-workers, co-ministers, or collaborators in my community?

Lord Jesus Christ, although You are the Messiah of the world, You deemed it worthy to invite us in the work of the Kingdom. Thank You. May we be tireless workers in Your vineyard. Help us to always value the significance of team ministry and show our appreciation of one another as we go about our ministries and apostolates. May our love for our collaborators in the work of the Kingdom be a potent evangelizing example for those we serve. Amen.

Sts. Timothy and Titus, bishops, pray for us.

FINDING TIMOTHY

2007-01-25T22:23:00.000-08:00

“…I thank God for you.” – 2 Timothy 1:3

Boyet and Vicky are two very good friends of mine. We worked together previously in one company yet managed to grow closer even as we pursued different career paths after our employment in the said company.

Two years ago, we decided to meet regularly and just share one another’s joys, burdens and dreams. We decided we would be each others’ support system. We committed to an honest and transparent relationship – no judgments, no prejudices. But that’s not to say that there is no admonition. We try as best as possible to help one another lead a godly life – whether through uplifting words of encouragement or stinging reminders of what is right and true.

They say you have found a treasure when you have found a good friend. Well I’ve found two. They are to me what Timothy is to Paul – people who have integrity, who can be trusted and will stand by me through anything.

In your spiritual progress, try to look for the Timothies in your life. We need to welcome them in our lives for both accountability and support. Roy M.

REFLECTION:
Who are your best friends?

Thank You, Lord, for our Timothies.

Grateful For The Lamb

2007-01-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

By: Rissa S.

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29

In the Old Testament, when the angel of death claimed all the firstborn sons in Egypt, Israel’s sons were spared. How? Each family took a lamb that was free from any defect, slaughtered it and applied its blood on the doorposts of their homes. Whenever the angel of death saw this sign, it passed over that house and went to the next. In other words, the slaughtered lamb took the place of the firstborn, saving his life. This is the festival called Passover that Jews commemorate to this day.

After celebrating the joyful Christmas season and welcoming Jesus as a wonderful God-Child who has come to our world, it’s difficult to picture Him as the man who would later be brutally scourged then crucified on the cross. But that is the realization the passage above gives us.

Because of our sins, we deserved the death sentence (Romans 6:23). But Jesus took upon himself our sins to rescue us (Galatians 1:4). Just as the Passover lamb spared the lives of Israel’s firstborn, Jesus, the Lamb of God, saved us from eternal damnation. For that we should be eternally grateful.
REFLECTION:
“The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much.” (Oswald Chambers)

Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to the Lamb of God!

INTERESTING CONVERSATION

2006-12-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem
science has with God, The Almighty.

He asks one of his new Christian students to stand and.....

Professor: You are a Christian, aren't you, son?

Student : Yes, sir.

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student : Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student : Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't.
How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student :Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student : From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student :Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the
world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student : No , sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God?
Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says
your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student : No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat,
white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold.
We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go
any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we
use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.
Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something.
You can have low light, normal light , bright light, flashing
light....But if you
have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it?
In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness
darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.
You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God.
You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we
can measure.
Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism,
but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death a s
the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a
substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a
monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes,
of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his h ead with a smile, beginning to realize where the
argument is going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at
work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour,
are you not
teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out int o laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's
brain, felt it, touched or smelt it?.....No one appears to have done
so.
So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable
protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face
unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir.. The link between man & God is FAITH.
That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

NB:
I believe you have enjoyed the conversation...and if so...you'll
probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same...won't
you?...forward them to increase their knowledge...

Have a nice day..

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 21,29-33.

2006-12-01T02:51:00.000-08:00

He taught them a lesson. "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Source: http://www.dailygospel.org/

Training To Be Godly

2006-10-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

1 Timothy 4:7-8 said: “Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

Training oneself to be godly and training to have a toned body has one thing in common; you are doing it on a regular basis to achieve your goal. To be godly, you need to have regular spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, retreats, Sabbath, reading the bible etc. these things when done in a regular basis it’ll make you spiritually healthy just like in your body, if you won’t exercise, train or workout on a daily basis you will going to have unhealthy body that will lead you to being obese and when that time happened you will think of visiting California to have liposuction Beverly Hills.

Understand That God's Desire For You Is Life, Abundant and Eternal.

2006-10-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

The Bible declares: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Giving you abundant life required the supreme sacrifice: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

God desires fellowship and companionship with you. What a wonderful gift the Father has given, yet if God gave His own Son to provide an abundant and everlasting life, why don’t more people have what He has designed for us to receive? It is a question answered by this sobering realization.

God loves His people so much, that he gave His only begotten son Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. You see, giving your one and only son is a very hard thing to do, especially if you are a parent.

Surgeons at revisionrhinoplasty.com will give you the best rhinoplasty just for you to look at your best.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

2006-10-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to go back on these passages, because a male friend of mine cut his hair after reading 1 Corinthians 11:2-16. I can track those times that he took care for his hair for how many months just to make it to his desired length. But all of a sudden his obsession of having a nice long hair stops with this passages.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

² I am so glad, dear friends, that you always keep me in your thoughts and you are following the Christian teaching I passed on to you. ³ But there is one thing I want you to know: A man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God. ⁴A man dishonors Christ if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. ⁵But a woman dishonors her husband if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. ⁶Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair. And since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, then she should wear a covering. ⁷A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is God’s glory, made in God’s own image, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. ⁹ And man was not made for woman’s benefit, but woman was made for man. ¹⁰ So a woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign of authority because the angels are watching.

¹¹But in relationships among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. ¹²For although the first woman came from man, all men have been born from women ever since, and everything comes from God.

¹³What do you think about this? Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? ¹⁴ Isn’t it obvious that it's disgraceful for a man to have long hair? ¹⁵And isn’t it obvious that long hair is a woman's pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. ¹⁶But if anyone wants to argue about this, all I can say is that we have no other custom than this, and all the churches of God feel the same way about it.

Anyway, he didn’t get bald because of that, he can still grow his hair if he wanted to, but I think he is faithful with his faith and I think he will maintain a clean cut short hair until he gets old and will need a New York hair transplants.

PWF's first Gent's Night

2006-10-18T05:22:00.000-07:00

The young men of PWF have just initiated their first Gent's Night last Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at the residence of Ptr. Sigrid. Gent's Night is a gathering of young men who have been instilled with a burden to become God's frontline warriors who will intercede for our Pastor, our ministry, our family, our friends, our country, our community and our fellow believers.

Their objective is to be sensitive with God's dealings and the Holy Spirit's moving and at the same time be sensitive with the enemy's workings and his plans against God's children, by living a life of fasting and prayer. We want to serve as the frontline force in the Spiritual Warfare against the forces of hell.

As Paul said in Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

During the meeting they discussed about one of Satan’s top ranking demon who is at work right now to destroy ministries and churches that are having the mighty move of the Holy Spirit. This demon is Leviathan (Psalm 74:14; Isaiah 27:1), a reptile-like creature who grabs ministries and churches with its jaws to try to force them into giving-up and eventually destroy them. As warriors for Christ we need to know our enemy in order for us to be effective in discerning his plans and strategies against us and how to effectively fight him.

Unfortunately, I miss this gathering; I admit that I need things like this to make my faith stronger since I am so weak. I was a PWF member before but because of being so weak, I refuse to attend on prayer meetings and worst came where I never attend the Sunday service. Anyway, being Christian is not measured by what group you are in or what church you belong to, it is your heart’s passion to serve the Lord that is most important. As long as your faith is there for the Lord and you are welling to restore your faith in Him. But it is not like having a New Jersey hair restoration where you just pay the doctor and that’s it, it must be coming from your heart.

Potter's Wheel Fellowship is Now Online

2006-09-27T03:11:00.000-07:00

36 Christian Ways to Reduce Stress

"Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happens tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

There you have the entire list, which surely keeps you away from having a stressful face that might needs a Toronto cosmetic surgeons visit.

I got this Article from potterswheelfellowship.org, and I thought this would be my source for my blogging posts. Congratulations to the Potter's Wheel Fellowship you made it online. Even though I didn’t show up anymore at the organization’s church during Sundays at least I can still visit them through their website and somehow can communicate with the other members.

Potter’s Wheel Fellowship is committed to the cause and I was truly inspired by the teachings of the organization, to Pastor Sigrid Tadlas, you let me feel Jesus Christ in my heart and to the members too, I never felt yet to other organizations the feeling of belongingness but only to this Fellowship group. I may not be that committed to the group but I know this group will always be committed to Jesus Christ.

Houston Plastic Surgeon

2006-09-12T04:02:00.000-07:00

Russell W. H. Kridel, M.D., F.A.C.S., is one of the best plastic surgeon in Houston and who said that he is exclusive for Houstonians? Only Houstonians are fortunate because they have a convenient access to Dr. Kridel but, Dr. Kridel is a not only for Houston but for around the world. Ofetentime he is invited to speak at worldwide meetings of doctors and no wonder he was being named as President of a prestigious academy of facial plastic surgeons in the United States today.

New York's Best Cosmetic Surgeon

2006-09-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

One of the best plastic surgeons in New York, Dr. Miller graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University with the course Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. Actors, models and Social Elite in New York are some of his clients that makes him considered as one of New York’s top Facial plastic surgeons specifically the New York cosmetic surgeon.

Dr. Philip Miller has teamed up with Kinerase, a simple, effective skin care regimen that keeps skin looking healthy and youthful.

The Front Position of Revision Rhinoplasty Surgery

2006-09-04T06:02:00.000-07:00

The front position of revision rhinoplasty surgery, Dr. Daniel Becker serves on the Interspecialty Advisory Board of The Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the official journal of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. You can ask him about your revision rhinoplasty or make appointment for consultation by visiting his website of rhinoplasty nose surgery.

Spalding Drive

2006-09-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

The leader for dermatology and cosmetic surgery in Beverly Hills would like to assist put you at ease, because they will make sure you are in good hands with their skillful cosmetic surgeons, that is Spalding Drive Los Angeles botox. Two of their recognized Doctors by patients, peers and the media as true trendsetter and artist in their fields; they are Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. David Amron.

Sin or not a sin? or Just a Necessity.

2006-09-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

From my previous article it says that getting a tattoo is a sin, from the book of Leviticus it say: Verse 28: "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord." So by having a surgery procedure of any type will be a sin too? I don’t think so, because, it is only one of necessities people have to do nowadays.

If you happen to have a plastic surgery and think it is not sinful, you can visit New Jersey plastic surgeons founded by triple board certified rhinoplasty specialist Alvin Glasgold

Let's Do Internet Marketing This Time

2006-09-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

Successful online marketing programs ought to convey measurable results. They have delivered highest return of investment for their clients’ Internet marketing programs and still doing improvements on the results though testing and tracking every portion of their program. Their expertise for web designing, Internet advertising and search engine optimization establishes for your entire online marketing requirement. Internet marketing San Diego, your one contact for all your online marketing needs.

Getting a Tattoo, A Sinful thing?

2006-09-04T05:08:00.000-07:00

Leviticus 19 says:
Verse 9: "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest." Verse 19: "Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.
Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material." Verse 26: "Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it." Verse 27: "Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard." Verse 28: "Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord."

Getting a tattoo has become a very accepted thing to do; Christian teenagers would like to try it too, though they are hesitant to do it because of the words from the scriptures, but I don’t think it is sinful to have a tattoo for just an art, it may became sinful if you do it to mean something devilish but for just a piece of art in your body I think that’s a different story. Why not visit and look at the tattoo pictures at rankmytattoos.com, there are different designs you can choose from.

Welcome to Neil Crespi Blog

2006-09-04T04:53:00.000-07:00

In the beginning, sounds familiar? That’s the first three words in the Bible of Genesis, Welcome to My Blog! That’s the first post Neil Crespi Blog has. How about clicking it to link your way to Neil Crespi Blog. Know him better, I heard he likes to meet people with great minds and great hearts and will be looking for your next encounter.

The Interview With God

2006-08-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

They said, millions of hearts were touched, healed and blessed by this poem, and I am one of those. I received this from a friend’s email and viewed the presentation. It made my eyes wet and dropped a tear or two from my eyes. Somehow the presentation touches me and yes I was blessed. So to pass the blessings around I want to share it by posting the poem here. You can also visit the site at http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/.

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

"So you would like to interview me?" God asked.

"If you have the time" I said.

God smiled. "My time is eternity."
"What questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

God answered...
"That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health."

"That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future."
"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived."

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...
"As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?"

"To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.

"To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,
"Just know that I am here... always."

-author unknown

The Gospel of Judas

2006-04-25T03:53:00.000-07:00

Below are some content can be found at the Lost Gospel of Judas, the following are taken from the National Geographic.com

The Gospel of Judas is part of a codex. Codices were ancient books constructed of folding pages bound at one side. They supplanted scrolls because they held more information, and because readers could easily find specific passages. The codex also contains a text called James, the Letter of Peter to Phillip, and a fragmentary document dubbed the Book of Allogenes. The 1,700-year-old codex was badly fragmented, but an expert team of preservationists and scholars has rescued a nearly complete Gospel of Judas – a text once thought to be lost forever. The Gospel provides an alternative view of the Jesus-Judas relationship and evidences the diverse theological beliefs that circulated among early Christians.

Codex page 33:
The secret account of the revelation
that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas
Iscariot during a
Week, three
Days before he celebrated Passover.

Codex page 35:
Step away from the
others and I shall tell you the mesteries
of the kingdom. It is possible
for you to reach it, but you
will grieve a great deal.

Codex page 44:
In the vision I saw myself
As the 12 disciples were stoning
Me and persecuting [me severely].

Codex page 46:

… you will
Be cursed by the other
Generations – and you
will come to
rule over them.

Codex page 56:
… you
Will exceed all of them.
For you will sacrifice

The man that clothes me.

Codex page 57:
Look, you have been told everything.
Lift up your eyes and look
At the cloud and the light within
It and the stars surrounding it.
The stars that leads the way
Is your star.
Judas lifted his eyes
And saw the luminous cloud,
And he entered it …

Codex page 58:
[… and] their high priests
Murmured because [he]
Had gone into the guest room
For his prayer. But some
Scribes were there
Watching carefully in order to
arrest him during
the prayer, for they were afraid
of the people, since he was
regarded by all as a prophet.
They approached
Judas and said to him,
“what are you doing here? You are
Jesus’ disciple.”
Judas answered them
As they wished and he received some money
And handed him over to them.

The Gospel of Judas

Walk, Don't Ride

2006-04-12T01:12:00.000-07:00

By Fr. Jerry Orbos

It is Holy Week. This week is the most important
week for us Christians. In fact, it is more
important than Christmas because if Christ did not
suffer, die and rise again (Paschal Mystery) there
would have been no salvation. The events of this
week, starting with Palm Sunday, the Last Supper,
the Way of the Cross, the Crucifixion and Death, the Easter Vigil, and Easter itself have only one clear message: You and I are so much loved personally by God that He gave His only Son to die on the Cross.
Think about it: Is there anyone, anyone at all in
your life, who is willing to die for you? (Maybe
your husband is with you right now. Ask him, if he
is willing to die for you!)

As the events of the Holy Week unfold, let us not
just be by standers or onlookers. Let us be a part
of it all. Walk, don't ride. How high you fly at
Easter depends on how you walked the Holy Week.
Sorry, there are no short cuts, no free rides in the
business of saving one's soul. Here are some
suggestions to make Holy Week holy. They are all
doable, all valuable.

RELAX: Many of us are overworked and
overstressed. We need to rest our bodies and our
minds so that we can "fine tune" with ourselves,
with other people and with God. Take a break. Take a walk. Commune with nature. See the sunset. Enjoy the moon. Close your cellular phone and your beeper and just allow yourself to be open to the divine. Let go. Let things be. God is in charge. Experience the restoring power of sleep and rest. Smile at the sky.
Walk the earth. Whistle a happy tune, or hum a
favorite melody. Just thank God you are still alive.

REFLECT: Find time to relax so you can reflect.
Don't end up just relaxing. Don't end up tired and
empty because you were too busy to relax and thus
found no time to slow down and reflect. How long has it been now since you have been in this world? What have you done? You have work, but do you have a life? What is really important for you? What do you still want to do or accomplish? How is your family and your relationships? And how are you relating with your God? Is there an area in your life that needs to be healed? Is there excess luggage in your heart? How would you like to be remembered after you are gone? Questions. Allow yourself to be questioned by life itself.

REPENT: We all fall. We all have mistakes and
weaknesses. Accept your limitations. Welcome to
humanity! Be humble. Visit the "red light" district
in the church and make a good confession. Make that general confession. Find time to say sorry to people you may have hurt or just taken for granted. Make time to visit, to write, to call, to text anyone you need to say sorry to. Is there one bad habit you need to give up? Is there one good habit you need to take up? This is the time for soul-searching.
Promise yourself not to go back to the pit of
selfishness and sin. If today you hear His voice,
harden not your heart.

RENEW: Take time to recharge and just be filled
up. Renew your contact with God. Don't just sit in
the comforts of your home and watch the services of the Holy Week. Make the sacrifice of participating in church. Show your gratitude to the Lord. Make that Bisita Iglesia, that Via Crucis, that Easter Vigil and do it all with gratitude and love. Renew ties with your immediate family. Make yourself available and vulnerable to them. Tell them in so many ways that you really care.The world is not just you and your family. Reach out. Give and share. The time to give is always now and it is never too late,never too much. Make a generous donation. Go and visit a hospital, an orphanage, an old folks' home or a sick person. It would be more wonderful if you can do all these with your family. Renew your contact with yourself. Go over old pictures, old letters and files and remember who you were and what you wanted to be. Clean your room and clean your heart of all the could-have-beens and should-have-beens and accept yourself. Embrace yourself for what you are and what you still can be.

RESIGN: That's right, resign. Resign from places
and people who do not bring the best in you. Resign
from vices and sins that are slowly but surely
eating you up. Resign from falsehood and pretenses. Be true. Have substance. No more japorms. No more papogi. Just give your very best and God will take care of the rest. Resign to God's will and God's plan for you and you will have peace-that peace of Easter, that peace, which the world cannot give or take away. Good luck, and all the best as you walk the Holy Week. The road that leads to true life is never easy, but the assurance is there: It is a road that leads to life, and He himself is on the road with you, every step along the way.

A Moment with the Lord >
Lord, help me walk another mile, and help me smile
another smile. Just one more smile as I walk the
Holy Week with You. Amen.

> --------------------------------- >

i'm nOt perfect, yes, i dO wrOng
i'm trying my best, but it ain't gOOd enOugh
even though it ain't gOOd enOugh, He still lOves me

- fighting temptatiOns

It 's About LOVE

2006-02-14T05:09:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

⁴Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. ⁶It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

⁸Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^ and special knowledge will all disappear. ⁹Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! ¹⁰ _ But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.

¹¹It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹² _ Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.^ All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

¹³ _ There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

The gifts that come from love are many. Here are a few: (1) forgiveness, (2) patience, (3) kindness, (4) love for truth, (5) love for justice, (6) love for the best in a person, (7) loyalty at any cost, (8) belief in a person no matter what. Love does not allow for (1) jealousy, (2) envy, (3) pride, (4) a haughty spirit, (5) selfishness, (6) rudeness, (7) a demand for one’s own way, (8) irritability, (9) grudges.

Never doubt the Word of God!!!

2006-01-19T04:53:00.000-08:00

I received this message from a friend of mine thru email, I am not saying this is a chain message; I just want to share this to everybody because my body shivered while reading this…

It is written in the Bible (Galatians 6:7):
" Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Here are some men and women who mocked God:

JOHN LENNON:
Some years before during his interview with an American Magazine, he said: "Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not
have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was ok, but his subjects were too simple, Today we are more famous than Him" (1966)". Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, was shot six times.

TANCREDO NEVES:
During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.

CAZUZA:
During a show in Canecão ( Rio de Janeiro ), whilst smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said: God, that's for you.

I can't even explain how he died.

THE MAN WHO BUILT TITANIC:
After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: "Not even God can sink it"

The result: I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

MARILYN MONROE:
She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He is a preacher and Evangelist and the Spirit of God had sent him to
preach to her.

After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said:

"I don't need your Jesus"

A week later, she was found dead in her apartment.

BON SCOTT:
The ex-vocalist of the AC/DC. On one of his 1979 songs he sang:

"Don´t stop me, I´m going down all the way, wow the highway to
hell". On the 19th of February 1980, Bon Scott was found dead, he had been choked by his vomit.

CAMPINAS/SP IN 2005
In Campinas, a group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter - holding her
hand, who was already seated in the car: "MY DAUGHTER, GO WITH GOD AND MAY HE PROTECT YOU", She responded: ONLY IF HE (GOD) TRAVELS IN THE BOOT, COZ INSIDE HERE IT'S ALREADY FULL"

Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the boot was intact.

The police said there was no way the boot could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the boot was a crate of eggs, none was broken.

Many more important people have forgotten that there is no other name that was given so much authority as the name of Jesus. Many have died, but only Jesus died and rose again, and he is still alive. JESUS!!!

P.S: If it was a joke, you could have sent it to everyone. So are you going to have courage to send this?. I have done my part, Jesus said "If you get embarrassed about me, I will also get embarrassed about you before my father

What benefit does it have, if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul?

What can man give in exchange of his soul? (Mathew 16:26).

What are the keys to a happy, strong marriage?

2005-12-26T02:32:00.000-08:00

Joshua 24:15

¹⁵ But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

- A united purpose to serve the Lord.

Proverbs 5:15

¹⁵ Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife.

Proverbs 5:18-19

¹⁸ Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. ¹⁹ She is a loving doe, a graceful deer. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.

Hebrews 13:4

⁴Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

- Faithfulness. Without faithfulness there is no real trust or intimacy.

Matthew 19:4-6

⁴“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’^£ ⁵And he said, ‘this explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’^£ ⁶Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.”

- Commitment.

Romans 15:1-2

¹We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong. ² We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.

- Sacrifice.

Romans 15:5-7

⁵ May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. ⁶Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.

- Understanding each other’s differences and celebrating them.

Ephesians 5:21-33

²¹ And further, you will submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ²² You wives will submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of his body, the church; he gave his life to be her Savior.

- Mutual submission.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

¹ If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth^£ but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. ³If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;^£ but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. ⁶It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

⁸Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^£ and special knowledge will all disappear. ⁹Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! ¹⁰ But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.

¹¹It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.^£ All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

¹³ There are three things that will endure—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

- Love.

James 5:16

¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

- Communication.

Proverbs 31:31

³¹ Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

- A constant desire to build each other up, to enhance each other’s value.

1 Corinthians 7:3

³ The husband should not deprive his wife of sexual intimacy, which is her right as a married woman, nor should the wife deprive her husband.

Song of Songs 1:2-4

²“Kiss me again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine. ³How fragrant your cologne, and how pleasing your name! No wonder all the young women love you! ⁴Take me with you. Come, let’s run! Bring me into your bedroom, O my king.”^£

Young Women of Jerusalem: “How happy we are for him! We praise his love even more than wine.”

Young Woman: “How right that the young women love you!

Song of Songs 12-13

¹²“The king is lying on his couch, enchanted by the fragrance of my perfume. ¹³My lover is like a sachet of myrrh lying between my breasts.

- A healthy sex life.

Depression

2005-12-10T04:20:00.000-08:00

Does God care when I feel depressed?

Psalm 139:1-12

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart

and know everything about me.

² You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my every thought when far away.

³ You chart the path ahead of me

and tell me where to stop and rest.

Every moment you know where I am.

⁴ You know what I am going to say

even before I say it, Lord.

⁵ You both precede and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too great for me to know!

⁷ I can never escape from your spirit!

I can never get away from your presence!

⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;

if I go down to the place of the dead,^£ you are there.

⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning,

if I dwell by the farthest oceans,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,

and your strength will support me.

¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me

and the light around me to become night—

¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.

To you the night shines as bright as day.

Darkness and light are both alike to you.

There is no depth to which we can descend that God is not present with us. When depression comes, we must remember that even though we cannot see or feel his presence, he has not abandoned us.

Psalm 130:1-8

¹ From the depths of despair, O Lord,

I call for your help.

² Hear my cry, O Lord.

Pay attention to my prayer.

³ Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,

who, O Lord, could ever survive?

⁴ But you offer forgiveness,

that we might learn to fear you.

⁵ I am counting on the Lord;

yes, I am counting on him.

I have put my hope in his word.

⁶ I long for the Lord

more than sentries long for the dawn,

yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord;

for with the Lord there is unfailing love

and an overflowing supply of salvation.

⁸ He himself will free Israel

from every kind of sin.

We can cry out to God in prayer even from the darkest night of despair. He will hear us.

Isaiah 53:3

³ He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

We know that through Christ God understands the pain of human life.

Romans 8:39

³⁹Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Not even life’s worst depression can separate us from the love of Christ.

Does feeling depressed mean something is wrong with my faith?

Judges 15:18

¹⁸ Now Samson was very thirsty, and he cried out to the Lord, “You have accomplished this great victory by the strength of your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of these pagan people?”

1 Kings 19:3-4

³ Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. ⁴Then he went on alone into the desert, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”

Even for the people of God, depression can often follow great achievement or spiritual victory.

Psalm 35:9

⁹ Then I will rejoice in the Lord.

I will be glad because he rescues me.

Psalm 40:1-3

¹ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,

and he turned to me and heard my cry.

² He lifted me out of the pit of despair,

out of the mud and the mire.

He set my feet on solid ground

and steadied me as I walked along.

³ He has given me a new song to sing,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see what he has done and be astounded.

They will put their trust in the Lord.

Matthew 14:29-31

²⁹“All right, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

³¹Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. “You don’t have much faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” ³²And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.

God is able to lift us out of the pit of depression and fear.

@Promise from God:

Matthew 11:28-30

²⁸ Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”

Criticism

2005-12-03T01:04:00.000-08:00

How should I respond to criticism? How do I evaluate whether it is constructive or destructive?

Proverbs 12:16-18

¹⁶ A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.

¹⁷ An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.

¹⁸ Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.

If you are criticized, stay calm and don’t lash back. Evaluate whether the criticism is coming from a person with a reputation for truth or lies. Ask yourself if the criticism is meant to heal or hurt.

Ecclesiastes 7:5

⁵ It is better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool!

Measure criticism according to the stature of the person who is giving it.

1 Corinthians 4:3-5

³What about me? Have I been faithful? Well, it matters very little what you or anyone else thinks. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. ⁴ _ My conscience is clear, but that isn’t what matters. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

⁵ So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.

Always work to maintain a clear conscience by being honest and trustworthy. This allows you to shrug off criticism you know is unjustified.

1 Peter 4:14

¹⁴ Be happy if you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God will come upon you.

Consider it a privilege to be criticized for your faith in God. God has special blessings for those who patiently endure this kind of criticism.

Proverbs 15:31-32

³¹ If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.

³²If you reject criticism, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.

We shortchange our future when we reject truthful information about ourselves. Sometimes it’s painful to hear the truth, but it’s worse to carry on without improvement.

How do we administer criticism when we feel it must be given?

John 8:7

⁷ They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!”

Romans 2:1

¹ You may be saying, “What terrible people you have been talking about!” But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things.

Before criticizing another, take an inventory of your own sins and shortcomings so that you can approach the person with understanding and humility.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

Constructive criticism is always offered in love, to build up. And criticism always should be responded to in love as well.

Romans 14:10

¹⁰ So why do you condemn another Christian^? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God.

James 4:11

¹¹ Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it.

Matthew 7:1

¹ “Stop judging others, and you will not be judged.

Constructive criticism should always be a welcome and wholesome gift if given in a spirit of love. But we have no right to give depreciating criticism of another, for that is trying to be a judge over that person, and God alone is our judge.

@Promise from God: Romans 14:18

¹⁸If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too.

AM I REALLY IMPORTANT TO GOD?

2005-11-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

GENESIS 1:26-27; PSALM 8:3-8
God made us in his image or likeness, the first sign of the value he places on us. No other creature on earth is made in the image of God. The second sign of the value God places on us is that he placed people over all creatures on earth.

PSALM 139:13-16; JEREMIAH 1:5
God made us with great skill; he crafted us with loving care. He showed how much value he places on us by the way he made us.

PSALM 139:17
Almighty God thinks wonderful thoughts about us all the time. He looks inside of us and sees our real value.

PSALM 139:1-3, 6
God values you so much that he watches over you no matter where you are or what you are doing. This truly is wonderful, too wonderful to believe. But it tells you how special he thinks you are. God cares about everything we do because he loves us so much.

1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20
God values you so much that he even allows your body to become a temple in which he lives. God does not need to live in you. He can live anywhere. But by choosing to live within you, he declares you his temple, his dwelling place. What a great value he places on you to do that!

GALATIANS 3:26; GALATIANS 4:7
God values you so much that he thinks of you as his child.

MATTHEW 28:20
God promises to be with us always; why would he want to be with us if he didn’t value us?

Long Hair, Short Hair

2005-10-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

“Hey, why did you cut your hair short? Sayang hair nimo… But I like your hair now…” That’s what I always heard the next day I cut my hair. One of the reasons why I cut it, is because about what I read in this verse in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 11:2-16

² _ I am so glad, dear friends, that you always keep me in your thoughts and you are following the Christian teaching I passed on to you. ³ _ But there is one thing I want you to know: A man is responsible to Christ, a woman is responsible to her husband, and Christ is responsible to God. ⁴A man dishonors Christ^£ if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. ⁵But a woman dishonors her husband^£ if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. ⁶Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair. And since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, then she should wear a covering.^£ ⁷A man should not wear anything on his head when worshiping, for man is God’s glory, made in God’s own image, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. ⁹ _ And man was not made for woman’s benefit, but woman was made for man. ¹⁰ _ So a woman should wear a covering on her head as a sign of authority because the angels are watching.

¹³What do you think about this? Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? ¹⁴ _ Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? ¹⁵And isn’t it obvious that long hair is a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. ¹⁶But if anyone wants to argue about this, all I can say is that we have no other custom than this, and all the churches of God feel the same way about it.

This is Paul’s message to the Corinthians. In many cultures long hair on men are acceptable like in the Philippines today and is considered appropriate and masculine. In Corinth, it was thought to be a sign of male prostitution in the pagan temples. And women with short hair were labeled prostitutes. Paul was saying that in the Corinthian culture, Christian women should keep their hair long. If short hair on women was a sign of prostitution, then a Christian woman with short hair would find it difficult to be a believable witness for Jesus Christ. Paul wasn’t saying we should adopt all the practices of our culture but that we should avoid appearances and behavior that detract from our ultimate goal of being witnesses for Jesus Christ. Though it is acceptable in our culture today to have a long hair for man and I have no problem with that for a man to have long hair.

But the main reason why I cut my hair short is because of the Formal Monday we practice in the office. I didn’t say it’s not appropriate to wear formal attires for man with long hair, it’s only because I feel not suitable for me to wear formal and a pony tail hair.

A.S.A.P.

2005-10-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

There's work to do, deadlines to meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down! and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER

God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.

IS IT OK TO DOUBT MY FAITH?

2005-10-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

PSALM 95:9
9 For there your ancestors tried my patience;
they courted my wrath though they had seen my many miracles.
10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.
They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 _ So in my anger I made a vow:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

God gives us plenty of evidence to believe in him. Doubt comes when we fail to stop long enough to observe all the evidence. And when doubt turns to lack of trust, we are in danger of ignoring God altogether.

JOHN 20:27-29

27 _ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 _ Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway.”
30 _ Jesus’ disciples saw him do many other miraculous signs besides the ones recorded in this book. 31But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life.

Doubt can be healthy or destructive, depending on how we use it.

GENESIS 3:4-6
4“You won’t die!” the serpent hissed. 5 _ “God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil.”
6 _ The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too.

One of Satan’s tactics is to get us to doubt God’s goodness. He tries to get us to forget all God has given us and focus on what we don’t have. If you are spending much of your time thinking about what you don’t have, you may be slipping into unhealthy doubt.

WHAT ARE SOME QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER?

2005-10-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

1 TIMOTHY 3:1-12
In these verses Paul lists numerous characteristics for anyone in church leadership.

1 It is a true saying that if someone wants to be an elder, he desires an honorable responsibility. 2 For an elder must be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exhibit self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home and must be able to teach. 3He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, peace loving, and not one who loves money. 4 He must manage his own family well, with children who respect and obey him. 5For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?
6 An elder must not be a new Christian, because he might be proud of being chosen so soon, and the Devil will use that pride to make him fall. 7Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not fall into the Devil’s trap and be disgraced.
8 In the same way, deacons must be people who are respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers and must not be greedy for money. 9They must be committed to the revealed truths of the Christian faith and must live with a clear conscience. 10Before they are appointed as deacons, they should be given other responsibilities in the church as a test of their character and ability. If they do well, then they may serve as deacons.
11 In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not speak evil of others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.
12A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. 13Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

The word elder can refer to a pastor, church leader, or presiding overseer. It is good to want to be a spiritual leader, but the standards are high. Paul enumerates some of the qualifications here. Do you hold a position of spiritual leadership, or would you like to be a leader some day? Check yourself against Paul’s standard of excellence. Those with great responsibility must meet high expectations.

The lists of qualifications for church office show that living a blameless and pure life requires effort and self-discipline. All believers, even if they never plan to be church leaders, should strive to follow these guidelines because they are consistent with what God says is true and right. The strength to live according to God’s will comes from Christ.

To be a church leader (“elder”) is a heavy responsibility because the church belongs to the living God. Church leaders should not be elected because they are popular, nor should they be allowed to push their way to the top. Instead, they should be chosen by the church because of their respect for the truth, both in what they believe and in how they live.

When Paul says that each elder should be faithful to his wife, he is prohibiting both polygamy and promiscuity. This does not prohibit an unmarried person from becoming an elder or a widowed elder from remarrying.

IS SEX IN MARRIAGE ONLY FOR REPRODUCTION, OR DID GOD PLAN FOR HUSBANDS AND WIVES TO ENJOY IT, TO DELIGHT IN ONE ANOTHER THROUGH SEX?

2005-09-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

PROVERBS 5:18-19;
18 _ Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 _ She is a loving doe, a graceful deer. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.

SONG OF SONGS 7:6-12;
6 _ “Oh, how delightful you are, my beloved; how pleasant for utter delight! 7You are tall and slim like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters of dates. 8 _ I said, ‘I will climb up into the palm tree and take hold of its branches.’ Now may your breasts be like grape clusters, and the scent of your breath like apples. 9 _ May your kisses be as exciting as the best wine, smooth and sweet, flowing gently over lips and teeth.”
6. The bride’s tender appeal
Young Woman: 10 _ “I am my lover’s, the one he desires. 11Come, my love, let us go out into the fields and spend the night among the wildflowers. 12Let us get up early and go out to the vineyards. Let us see whether the vines have budded, whether the blossoms have opened, and whether the pomegranates are in flower. And there I will give you my love.

EPHESIANS 5:28, 33
28In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. 29No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. 30And we are his body.
31 _ As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

God clearly shares with us the love and delight dimensions of sex in marriage. Sex is not for reproduction only, but for a bonding of love and enjoyment between husbands and wives.

SONG OF SONGS 5:2-8

Young Woman: 2 _ “One night as I was sleeping, my heart awakened in a dream. I heard the voice of my lover. He was knocking at my bedroom door. ‘Open to me, my darling, my treasure, my lovely dove,’ he said, ‘for I have been out in the night. My head is soaked with dew, my hair with the wetness of the night.’
3“But I said, ‘I have taken off my robe. Should I get dressed again? I have washed my feet. Should I get them soiled?’
4“My lover tried to unlatch the door, and my heart thrilled within me. 5I jumped up to open it. My hands dripped with perfume, my fingers with lovely myrrh, as I pulled back the bolt. 6I opened to my lover, but he was gone. I yearned for even his voice! I searched for him, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. I called to him, but there was no reply. 7 _ The watchmen found me as they were making their rounds; they struck and wounded me. The watchman on the wall tore off my veil.
8“Make this promise to me, O women of Jerusalem! If you find my beloved one, tell him that I am sick with love.”

When marriage becomes routine, it is important to restoke the fires of sexual intimacy.

TRIVIA
Where in the world? What city in Revelation was seen as a place that would never again hear the voices of brides and grooms?

Answer:

Where? Babylon (Revelation 18:23)

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE OF GOD’S STRENGTH?

2005-09-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

God’s mighty power is evident in creation.

Psalm 65:5-13

⁵ You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds,
O God our savior.
You are the hope of everyone on earth,
even those who sail on distant seas.

⁶ You formed the mountains by your power
and armed yourself with mighty strength.

⁷ You quieted the raging oceans
with their pounding waves
and silenced the shouting of the nations.

⁸ Those who live at the ends of the earth
stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets,
you inspire shouts of joy.

⁹ You take care of the earth and water it,
making it rich and fertile.
The rivers of God will not run dry;
they provide a bountiful harvest of grain,
for you have ordered it so.

¹⁰ You drench the plowed ground with rain,
melting the clods and leveling the ridges.
You soften the earth with showers
and bless its abundant crops.

¹¹ You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.

¹² The wilderness becomes a lush pasture,
and the hillsides blossom with joy.

¹³ The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,
and the valleys are carpeted with grain.
They all shout and sing for joy!

Daily Challenge

What sweet substance was part of John the Baptist’s diet?

Answer:

Honey (Matthew 3:4)

⁴ John’s clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.

When I Say I Am A Christian

2005-09-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

Carol S. Wimmer

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting, "I am saved!"
I'm whispering "I was lost"
"That is why I chose this way."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble needing
God to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And pray for strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't think I know it all
I submit to my confusion
Asking humbly to be taught.

When I say... " I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are too visible.
But God believes I'm worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
Which is why I seek His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved!

LIKE A $20.00 BILL

2005-09-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple the bill up. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.

He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. "My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20."

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.

Psalm 17:8 states that God will keep us, "as the apple of His eye."

THOUGHT: The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we are but by WHOSE WE ARE! You are special - Don't ever forget it!

Taken from the post of Kenshin of http://www.harvestseo.com/forum

A guard of one’s brothers and sisters

2005-09-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

For your part, son of man, I have set you as a watchman for Israel, and when you hear my word, you must give them my warning. When I say to the wicked: ‘Wicked man, you shall die for sure,’ if you do not warn the wicked man to turn from his ways, he will die because of his sin, but I will also call you to account for his blood. If you warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you yourself will be saved.

Romans 13:8-10

For this passage, it is clear that whenever you hear God’s words and wisdom, it is your responsibility to tell it to everybody. It means you must win souls to be brought back to Jesus and make disciples to let everybody know Him the Lord our savior.