tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44517625339818691782024-02-21T08:00:11.705+08:00From the Desk of Ben CariagaWritings of Atty. Bienvenido Cariaga for the Weekly Bulletin of the Davao City Chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International (FGBMFI), the first established in the Philippines in 1973.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-14624664968840736072015-04-04T05:00:00.000+08:002015-04-04T05:00:03.132+08:00The Reason For Jesus Christ Being And His Crucifixion<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">There are five (5)
major prophets [six (6) including the Lord Jesus Christ] and twelve
(12) minor prophets in the Bible. Major or minor, so they are
called, because of the length of the book of their prophecy.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">About
seven hundred years before Jesus Christ was born, the prince of all
</span><span style="color: black;"><i>human</i></span><span style="color: black;">
prophets (Jesus Christ being as exception for He was/is DIVINE),
Isaiah, made prophecies recorded in Isa. 53 as follows:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who has
believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been
revealed? </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He grew
up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>He
had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his
appearance that we should desire him. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>He
was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with
suffering.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Like one from whom men hide their faces </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>he
was despised, and we esteemed him not. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Surely
he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
</span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>he
was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all,
like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;
and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>the
LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He was
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>oppressed
and afflicted,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
yet he did not open his mouth; he was </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>led
like a lamb to the slaughter,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his
mouth. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>oppression
and judgment he was taken away.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
And who can speak of his descendants? For </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>he
was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my
people he was stricken. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>He
was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yet </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>it
was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
and though </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>the
LORD makes his life a guilt offering,</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the
LORD will prosper in his hand. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the
suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life or resurrect]
and be satisfied; by his knowledge </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>my
righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their
iniquities. </i></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therefore
I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the
spoils with the strong, because </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>he
poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for
the transgressors.</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">”
(NIV) </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Although
Isaiah did not specify the name of Jesus Christ when he made the
aforequoted prophecies, now after all of the things and circumstances
spoken of by him had already happened, it is obviously clear that
Isaiah was describing the </span><span style="color: black;"><i>birth,
ministry, purpose</i></span><span style="color: black;"> and </span><span style="color: black;"><i>reason
for the substitutionary death of our Lord Jesus Christ </i></span><span style="color: black;">-
- to redeem mankind, for this cause:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
</span><span style="color: black;"><i>whosoever believes in Him</i></span><span style="color: black;">
shall not perish but have </span><span style="color: black;"><i>eternal
life</i></span><span style="color: black;">” (John 3:16 NIV). </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do we know that
someone is really a prophet ordained by God? Simple. All that he
prophesied happened and came true. Otherwise, that prophet is a
false one who will go to hell together with all the unbelievers.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The greatest force in
the universe is LOVE. Someone said: “The only valid passport to
heaven is signed in Jesus’ blood”.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This
Holy Week, let us celebrate and thank God the Father for sending our
Lord Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins. This is the primary
reason for His sacrificial death by crucifixion in the cross of
calvary. What unfathomable LOVE!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-46788340990805844552015-03-28T04:13:00.000+08:002015-03-28T04:13:43.573+08:00Hearing And Doing The Word Of God<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Apostle James said, “Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only”
(James 1:22).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From
Saturday to Saturday we hear our sharers of the Word of God who are
expert in the exposition of the WORD, but the most important question
to ask is: ARE WE DOING what we are hearing? This is most difficult
to answer in the affirmative.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">For
example the simple command “Love your neighbor as yourself”
(Lev. 19:18 and Matt. 19:19), can we really fulfill this even if our
neighbor is not lovable in his/her ways toward us? Most of the
commandments of God are not only very difficult to obey or comply:
they are </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>IMPOSSIBLE</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">!
God knowing this, and being a loving and patient God who does not
want anyone “to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2
Peter 2:9), He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a
sacrificial lamb, that whosoever </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>BELIEVES
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">on him shall be saved and have
ETERNAL life. Jesus himself said, I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the
LIFE, no one comes to the Father (or enter heaven) </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>EXCEPT
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">through me” (John 14:6).
Otherwise, heaven will be an empty place because “All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
word </span><span style="color: black;"><i>BELIEVE</i></span><span style="color: black;">
is highly significant because it has a deep theological meaning just
like the theology that the precious blood of Jesus Christ was shed in
the cross of Calvary which </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>covers</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
our sins for “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>without the
shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">(</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>or
remission</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">)</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>
of sin” </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">(Hebrews 9:22). As
soon as we BELIEVE and ACCEPT with all our heart that only the
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>sacrificial love, shedding of
blood</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> and substitutionary </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>death
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">of Jesus Christ on our stead,
and continue to do so, our sins though scarlet red, are erased or
covered by the blood of Jesus. Consequently, ETERNAL LIFE becomes
our inheritance.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Jesus
said, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the son
of Man must be lifted up, that </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>everyone
who believes in him may have eternal life</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(John 3:14-15)… whoever </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>believes</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s
one and only Son” (John 3:18 KJV). Thus, theologians say that the
heart of the Bible (O.T. and N.T.) is what Jesus said, “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world (mankind) </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through
him</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (John 3:16-17 KJV). </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">How
will a true “believer” of Jesus Christ or God in the flesh, that
is one “born again” be known? The Lord Jesus said, “By their
fruit you will know them” (Matt. 7:16). What is this fruit? The
answer is: “But the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>fruit of
the Spirit</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> is LOVE, JOY, PEACE,
PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND
SELF-CONTROL…” (Gal. 5:22). Stated otherwise, a true believer
or disciple of Christ, or “born-again” person has these
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>characteristic traits or spiritual
fruit</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Have you ever seen one?
Are you one of such a person?</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">This
brings and reminds us of what the Apostle James said: </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>“Be
doers of the Word, and not hearers only”</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
(James 1:22). If we read the Bible or listen as it is taught to us
but we fail to put to work or do what we have learned, we do not
deserve to be saved from eternal damnation. It is only by the GRACE
(or undeserved favor) of God </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through
acceptance or faith in Jesus Christ that our souls are saved.</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
Thus, the Bible says, “For it is by </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
you have been saved, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through
faith</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> (or believing with all
our heart [without any doubt whatsoever]) – and this not from
yourselves, it is the gift of God – </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>not
by works (or good deeds)</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, so
that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV). But, let us continue
reading the next verse which says, “For we are God’s workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>to do good
works</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, which God prepared in
advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10 NIV). Stated otherwise, a true
believer/born again person </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>will
necessarily do good works for the kingdom of God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
</span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Hearing
must be matched by our doing. Even if we take delight to read or
hear God’s Word, but it is of NO use or value at all to us </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>unless
we do what we heard and learned</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the famous words of
former Philippine Senator, Dr. Juan Flavier who was formerly our
Department of Health Secretary (DOH), “Let us DOH do it”.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-8353775382070608742015-03-21T04:02:00.005+08:002015-03-21T04:03:35.650+08:00Guard Your Heart<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">GOD
IS OMNISCIENT or all knowing. King Solomon, the wisest of all men
that the Scriptures say, “no one is wiser than him before and after
him”, warns:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Now,
</span><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lord</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.
But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my
duties.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your
servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too
numerous to count or number.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
give your servant a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>discerning
heart</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
to govern your people and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>to
distinguish between right and wrong</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long
life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your
enemies but for discernment in administering justice,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
will do what you have asked. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>I
will give you a wise and discerning heart,</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
so that </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>there
will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moreover,
I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and
honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">14 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And
if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as
David your father did, I will give you a long life.”</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">15 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then
Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.” (1 Kings
3:7-15 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> One’s
intention can never be hidden from God. Nothing to Him is secret.
He knows the content of a man’s heart, and He can never be
deceived. In fact, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>God knows
everything about us</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Solomon
further said, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the
wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23). As true believers of God in
these last days, we should purify our hearts (James 4:8) because the
heart influences one’s motives and intentions. From the heart
comes sincerity of faith and a good conscience. “The heart is
deceitful above all things” (Jer. 17:9). So, let </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>us
be careful with our heart.</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> When
true servants or disciples, or believers of God, have a pure heart,
they will live in righteousness and be worthy in His sight.
Consequently, He will listen to their prayers, and they will see Him
in His Kingdom as the Bible tells us, “Blessed are the pure in
heart for they will see God”. (Matt. 5:8)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-33150026994901705442015-03-14T07:00:00.000+08:002015-03-16T17:50:57.482+08:00Knowledge Of Truth On File Only<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
tragic sinking of the Titanic – the most luxurious ocean-going
vessel of its day is the best example of </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>KNOWLEDGE
JUST KEPT ON FILE</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
story goes that on her maiden voyage in 1912, as the Titanic was
proceeding at great speed, the operator in the wireless room received
a radio message giving a warning that icebergs were in the immediate
vicinity. The operator wrote the message on a slip of paper, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>placed
it on file</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and continued to
perform his duties. The recipient of the message </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>did
nothing</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> and even forgot all
about the message that it never reached the Captain of the Titanic.
The result? The ship sank and more than 1500 lives were lost. The
lesson: Information </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>without
action</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> can lead to tragic
physical death or destruction of properties.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In
the spiritual sense, God’s message to us is received in the mind as
we read and hear the Word preached. If the Word we read or hear
preached to us is merely </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>put on
file </b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> or stored in our mind and
nothing is done, it will lead to both physical and spiritual death.
If we just put on file the Word of God, it will never touch our heart
or move our will, and more so on other people resulting to </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>INACTION</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">,
and eventually to spiritual death. Jesus said, “If you know these
things, happy are you </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>if you do
them</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (John 13:17). James
said, “But be </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>doers</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>command</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of the LORD Jesus to </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>all
believers or disciples</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> is for
them to “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all
creation” and Jesus’ assurance is: “Whoever believes and is
baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe (the unbeliever
of the gospel [or good news of salvation] will be condemned” (Mark
16:15-16 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks be to God for
our articles on blog in our FGBMFI Davao City Chapter bulletin, the
one and only in the world, which are circulated around the world, in
fulfillment of the Great Commission to preach and teach the gospel
unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Thus,
the truth of God merely stored (or “filed) in our mind will never
do us any good. Until that truth we heard and learned gives birth to
faith, and faith gives birth to </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>action
or deed</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, it amounts to nothing.
It is just “on file”.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
am personally burdened because our attendance and membership is
decreasing, as indicated by the many vacant seats every FGBMFI
Saturday morning fellowship meeting at the Mandaya Hotel.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Let
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>us</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
all be obedient to the great commission, and be active and
performing disciples of our Lord </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Jesus
Christ who is God in the flesh</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">,
remembering that He said, “I tell you… there will be more
rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (or converted) than
over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent”
(Luke 15:7 NIV) or “there is rejoicing in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner who repents [or converted]” (Luke
15:10 NIV). Also, it is noteworthy that “he who wins soul is wise”
(Prov. 11:30) for he will receive a </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>reward</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
The Lord Jesus promised, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is
with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>done</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(Rev. 22:12 NIV). Be wise, don’t just keep “on file” your
knowledge of the Word of God. Evangelize for precious souls of men.
Let us do something for the kingdom of God - - the most significant
being the souls brought to His kingdom. </span></span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-77954965553305102922015-03-07T04:55:00.002+08:002015-03-07T04:58:58.786+08:00Children Are A Heritage From God, But Train Them<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Job,
the man of God in the Old Testament said, “Naked came I out of my
mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither”; (Job 1:21 KJV).
He is emphasizing that we can’t bring our material riches in
heaven. All of these material riches that we have on earth shall be
left behind when we die. In fact, a time is appointed in the future
when “the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and
everything in it will be laid bare” (2 Pet. 3:10) and “That day
will bring about the destruction of the heaven by fire, and the
elements will melt in the heat (vs. 11). So, why do people strive or
work hard to be rich? The answer is simple: to enjoy those riches
while living on this planet earth.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
Bible teaches that there will be a new heaven and a new earth, and
some people will be fortunate to be able to enter this stage of life
which is eternal - - without end. How? For God so loved the world
that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>believeth</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 KJV).
“Believe in the LORD Jesus, and you will be saved…” (Acts
16:31 NIV). Simple, but difficult to achieve. For most people, to
see is to believe, but the trouble with God is that He merely tells
us now in words, we can see later when we reach there! This is what
the Bible calls </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>FAITH</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
Faith in Jesus (God in the flesh or person). No faith in
Jesus/God, sorry no heaven.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blessed
were those who saw personally and spoke to Jesus in person and who
witnessed the miracles He performed, the first being the turning of
six jars of water into wine during a wedding ceremony in Cana (John
2:6 & 9). They did not have a hard way of believing that Jesus
is God, for it is obvious that no one can perform the miracle unless
He is God or God is with Him.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">However,
many of us, I said </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>US</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
because I include myself, are like the Old Testament people who were
fed with manna (bread from God out of heaven, or from nothing for 40
years); they crossed the red sea on dry ground; in the New Testament
era, the feeding of five thousand excluding women and children out of
only two fish and five loaves of bread (Mark 6:30-44); when Jesus
walked on the water (Mark 6:45-51); and the other miraculous events
too numerous to enumerate, but yet somehow when they were faced with
difficulties in life, they doubted the awesome power of God. Jesus
said, “with God nothing is impossible” or “with God anything
and everything is possible” (Luke 1:37; 18:27).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">This
brings us to the meaning of FAITH. The Bible itself defines FAITH in
this manner: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and
certain of what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1 NIV). In the King James
version, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>NOW </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">is
capitalized to emphasize the fact that although we do not yet see
with our own eyes, yet we are already </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>SURE
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">of what we are </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>still
hoping</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> for (like to be in
heaven, a place reserved by God for all </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>BELIEVERS</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
in Christ [God in the flesh or person] </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>partly</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
described as follows:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>“</sup></strong><strong><sup>1</sup></strong>
Then I
saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first
earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>2</sup></strong>
I saw the
Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>3</sup></strong>
And I
heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of
God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people,
and God himself will be with them and be their God.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>4</sup></strong><sup>
</sup>He
will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or
mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away."</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>“</sup></strong><strong><sup>1</sup></strong>
Then the
angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>2</sup></strong>
down the
middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river
stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its
fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of
the nations.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>3</sup></strong>
No longer
will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in
the city, and his servants will serve him.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>4</sup></strong>
They will
see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><strong><sup>5</sup></strong>
There
will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the
light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they
will reign for ever and ever.” </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-indent: 1.27cm;">(Rev.
21:1-4; 22:1-5)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">How
does faith work for our salvation? The Bible gives an account of
Jesus Christ being anointed by a </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>sinful</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
woman in Luke 7:36-50. At the conclusion of the story Jesus said to
the woman: Your </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>FAITH </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">has
saved you; go in peace” (vs. 50).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
best example of a man of faith in the Old Testament was Abraham. He
believed [had full faith in God and His promises], so he is among
those we will find in heaven, when and if we reach there. Not only
Abraham but also his descendant Isaac, and the “wise” (Like most
of us some or most of the time) Jacob. In Tagalog, “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>may
pag-asa pa tayo</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (There is
still hope for us). </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But
there is a riches we can bring with us to heaven. The souls of our
children, if they are properly brought up by us in the admonition of
the LORD God. The Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he
should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov.
22:6 KJV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
have proven the truth of this Bible passage personally. Being then,
in my younger days as a lawyer, handpicked by the late Rev. Veronico
T. Suan, then the Mindanao District Supervisor of the Foursquare
Gospel Church in the Philippines, to be the President and Chairman
of the Board to succeed him, at the Thompson Christian School, a
religious school founded and organized by the late Dr. Evelyn
Thompson with her husband, Rev. Arthur Thompson. 60 years ago, the
founders of the Foursquare Gospel Church in the Philippines right
here in Davao City. Our city is one among the three largest and most
progressive cities in the Philippines in terms of income and
population, and the largest city in terms of area, so it is reputed.
It may even produce a President of the Philippines by this coming
Presidential election in 2016. Only God knows.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By
the way, our illustrious Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte was used by
God in raising funds to build a three-storey fully concrete edifice
of the Thompson Christian School through the donations of business
people in Davao City, he had gathered one time in April 22, before
his daughter Sara took her oath in April 30 of that year to succeed
her father. To God be the glory! In his honor and as an everlasting
legacy from him, the school named the third floor as the “R. R.
Duterte Hall”. The “R.R.” is very significant because his
daughter Sara also became a Mayor, right after the various donations
were made, so to make sure that “honor to whom honor is due”
shall be accorded, I personally made sure that the “R.R.” before
the name Duterte was made of bronze and be embedded in the wall at
the entrance of the hall – a legacy to last for eternity.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Many
years back, being then the President and Chairman of the Board of the
school, I saw to it that our four children were enrolled in the
school so they will be “trained in the way he (they) should go, and
when he (they) are old, he (they) will not depart from it”. Praise
God, Susan, the eldest became a lawyer, having garnered, by the grace
of God, the 9</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: black;">
place in the Bar Exam for lawyers in 1991; my Junior who placed 12</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: black;">
place in the Mechanical Engineering Board Exam who graduated with
honors in law degree became a lawyer too; Neil an Electrical
Engineer became a lawyer too, having passed the Bar examinations with
a grade of 86%; and last but not the least Vilma, who became a
Registered Nurse in the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and the
United States of America, and right now serving as Department Head in
a specialized hospital in California, U.S.A. Susan, the bar
topnotcher, after an intervening term from my term as President and
Chairman of the Board of the school, was elected to the same
positions. She holds the positions up to this day, while I remain a
member of the Board.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Lest
I be misunderstood, I relate these achievements of our children not
to brag but to prove the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>truth</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
that when we train our children in the way they should go, the
blessing of God will necessarily follow as night follows day. It is
good to send our children to a Christian school where true Christian
values are made part of the curriculum.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Children are our wealth
or heritage from God, provided we train them in the fear and
admonition of the Lord.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-11746609326891034182015-02-28T07:00:00.000+08:002015-02-28T07:00:07.785+08:00The Only Way To Prosperity<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">The normal dream of any
man is to prosper in life. For this reason, some pursue professional
courses like medicine, law, engineering and such other courses which
they believe will enable them to earn more money in the hope that if
they have an abundance of money or if they become wealthy, they will
become prosperous in life. To many people acquiring a degree in
education is the key to material prosperity.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Our
national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, pursued a medical degree in Spain,
then a progressive country in the world. Was he a prosperous man?
Yes and no. Yes, because he enjoys the title of being the national
hero of the Philippines. No, because he was not able to build a
business empire where he could be wealthy materially like that of the
Ayalas, Aranetas, Cojuancos, Madrigals, etc. He was not able to
build a hospital or even a medical clinic of his own. His only
outstanding accomplishment on historical record as a medical doctor
was his successful operation of the cataract of his own mother. Of
course, there is no dispute that he ignited and revolutionized the
Filipino people to obtain their independence from the Spanish regime,
and through his extraordinary talent in writing he authored two
wonderful books. The </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Noli Me
Tangere</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> and the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>El
Filibusterismo</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> in which he
exposed the abuses of the Spanish government particularly the clergy
who were then the powerful forces in government, which eventually led
to the overthrow of this foreign power. Had he organized a
Foundation to pursue and manage the gain of his writing talent even
after his demise, Rizal and his heirs or successors-in-interest
would be very rich in royalty of his writing talent but not as a
Doctor of Medicine, or by his educational achievements.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
Bible relates to us a man who prospered not only materially,
politically, socially and spiritually – the man JOSEPH of the Old
Testament. The Bible tells us, “ And the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>LORD
was with Joseph</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and he was a
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>prosperous man</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">,
…” (Gen. 39:2 KJV). The Bible continues, “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Because
the LORD was with him</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and that
which he did, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>the LORD made it to
prosper</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.” (Gen. 39:23 KJV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Who
makes us to prosper? The LORD God Almighty. How? </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>The
LORD must be with us</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Thus,
the Bible instructs us, In Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>first</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the things you have
need of shall be added unto you.” It continues, “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and Only Son, that whosoever
believes in him shall not perish but have </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>eternal</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
life”. This is true prosperity, not only materially, physically
or socially, but more importantly SPIRITUALLY which is ETERNALLY - -
and it is forever.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
question to ask is: How do we seek God? Pray and read the Bible.
Memorize important passages which will automatically come to our mind
when the need arises. Hear the Word of God from “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Men
of God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” who teaches and
preaches the WORD of God without adulteration, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>and
do</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> what the Word says or
instructs. In other words, be a follower or disciple of Jesus (God
in person) in thoughts, in words and in deeds. This is very
difficult to do - - to be Christlike, but it is the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>only
way</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> to be successful and
prosperous and a guarantee that our name will be written in the book
of life (Rev. 20:12 & 15 KJV) like our specimen character Joseph
of the Old Testament. Surely, the name of Joseph is not only written
in the Bible but also in the Book of Life.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">But
before that, Joseph underwent hardships and sacrifices, physically,
emotionally and spiritually - - almost unbearable, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>if
not for the grace of God upon him.</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>He did not give up</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
but rather went through trials patiently with the various testing of
his faith and in his life, such as his being persecuted by his own
blood brothers and imprisoned though he was innocent and guiltless.
So, like Joseph, let God be with us and be our Shepherd; let us be
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>patient</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">,
don’t give up. God will never leave us nor forsake us (Joshua 1:5;
Heb. 13:5). Add to these characteristics, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>diligence</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
which according to Solomon, the wisest man whoever lived said, “The
hand of the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>diligent</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
maketh rich; but the slothful (lazy) become poor” (Prov. 10:4
KJV), and he added, “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>Diligent
hands will rule</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">, but laziness
ends in slave labor” (Prov. 12:24 NIV). The </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>only
way</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"> to have eternal prosperity,
materially and spiritually and to be with Jesus (God in the flesh) in
earth and in heaven is to follow the way - as Jesus has declared “I
am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
(to heaven) except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-10964382054420761172015-02-21T07:00:00.000+08:002015-02-22T02:18:17.777+08:00Retirement in God's Service<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b><span style="text-indent: 1.27cm;">Retirement
is always associated with old age. It usually means physical decline
and weakness, loneliness, and a retreat to inactivity. Some retired
people just sit and think, and sit and think. . . and sometimes just
sit. That’s getting old in the worst way – – ceasing to
live before one dies.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
Philippine setting, the retirement for the military and police is
fifty-five or thirty years service whichever comes first. This is
rather too young an age to retire. But considering the nature of
work of soldiers and policemen, studies show that this is just the
right age for them to retire. Many military men who use their common
sense and are smart especially those who graduated from the
Philippine Military Academy (PMA), apply to become executives of
large corporations and earn and enjoy more their life after their
retirement.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Gen.
Douglas MacArthur was already a retired General of the US Army
serving as the head of West Point Military Academy, when President
Franklin D. Roosevelt </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>recalled</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
him to active duty during World War II. Thereafter, having proved
his genius as a military commander both in World War II and in the
Korean War in the 50’s, he served in various capacities in the
U.S. government, the last of which was his assignment in Japan as the
Occupation Military Commander of that country to whom the emperor of
Japan reports. He rebuilt Japan economically. The industrial
economic success and stability of Japan today is an eloquent proof of
the genius of Gen. MacArthur </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>even
in his old age.</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> He was
compulsorily retired by President Harry S. Truman at age 74 due to
conflict of strategy in handling the Communist expansionism in the
world. He served well the U.S. government for fifty-two years!</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">History
records that many people made some of their greatest contributions to
society </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>after the age of sixty
five</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. The Earl of Halsburg, for
example, was 90 when he began preparing a 20-volume revision of
English law; Goethe wrote </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Faust</i></span><span style="color: black;">
at 82. Galileo made his greatest discovery when he was 73. Sir
Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of England at the age of 77.
</span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On
the religious world, at 69, the respected missionary Hudson Taylor,
was still vigorously working on the mission field, opening up new
territories in Indochina. In Old Testament times, when Caleb was
85, he took the stronghold of the giants (Josh. 14:10-15). Moses, the
acclaimed great leader of Bible times was eighty years old when he
was commissioned by God to liberate the Israelites from their bondage
in Egypt, then the World Power of all nations of the known world. He
served for forty years until the Lord took him at age 120 and buried
him with God’s own hands (Deut. 34:6).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God
never intends for us to retire from spiritual activity at an early
age. Instead the Bible tells us:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 1.27cm; margin-right: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><sup>“</sup><sup>12 </sup>The
<i><b>righteous</b></i>
(believer) will flourish like a palm tree, they
will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;<br /><sup>13 </sup>planted
in the house of the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>,<br />they
will flourish in the courts of our God.<br /><sup>14 </sup><i><b>They
will still bear fruit (souls or spiritual fruit) in old age,</b></i><br />they
will stay fresh and green,”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Ps. 92:12-14 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Even
as Jesus kept the “best wine” for the last at the wedding in Cana
(John 2:10), so God seeks to gather the most luscious clusters of the
fruit of the Spirit from the fully ripened harvest of our lives. The
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>best</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of life is yet to come in our </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>old
age</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">!</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">We
can be sure God would not keep us on this work-a-day world of tears
and joy if He did not have a worthwhile ministry for us to accomplish
like in the case of Moses, Joshua, Abraham and the other great
men-servants of “God (Jesus in person) who is the same yesterday,
and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). So let us keep on serving
the Lord! Remember, the older we become, we acquire valuable
experiences in life. “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Experience
is the best teacher</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”. Be
like Moses, serve until God himself retires us. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It
is worth quoting the adage favorite of Capt. Remy Celeste, our oldest
FGBMFI member, “Age is a matter of the mind; if you don’t mind,
it doesn’t matter.”</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-32044998186653752892015-02-14T07:00:00.000+08:002015-02-14T07:00:00.165+08:00I Talked With God<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b><span style="text-indent: 1.27cm;">It is a rare privilege
for anyone to be able to talk to, and have a handshake, with the
highest official of our land or country.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">When
I was a new lawyer, a bosom friend and client, and the son-in-law of
then Governor Paciano Bangoy of Davao Province when Davao was yet a
single province, invited me to the Governor’s residence so I can
meet my “idol,” the 1939 lawyer-bar topnotcher whose 98% grade is
unsurpassed up to this day, who was then the Senate President and who
was campaigning for the Presidency of the Philippines, the late
President Ferdinand E. Marcos. I was excited beyond words could
express to meet him personally. Being accompanied by the son-in-law
of the Governor, breaking protocol, I was brought directly to Senate
President Marcos. In his golden baritone voice, as I was introduced
to, and had a handshake with him, he said to me, “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>How
are you</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">?” Oh, the
indescribable joy in my heart, especially because he was subsequently
elected President by a landslide vote.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
my later years as an active practitioner, in my capacity as President
and later Chairman of the Board of the most prestigious organization
of businessmen, professionals and politicians in Davao City, the
Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry, now with more than 500
members, I have had handshakes with the succeeding Presidents of the
Philippines, like President Joseph Estrada, President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo, except, perhaps by pure coincidence, the incumbent
one, President Noynoy Aquino and his late mother, President Corazon
C. Aquino.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">But
the privilege of having a handshake or talking to the President of
our country is </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>nothing</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
While I know them as all of us know them, I am sure, they don’t
remember having handshake with me or me having talked to them,
should, by God’s grace, we meet later in heaven.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">But
everyday, morning, noontime, evening, every and any moment, I can
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>always talk to God in prayer</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
There is no protocol with God. We do not need anyone else to
introduce us to Him or any special occasion to talk to our God as He
himself taught us, we can </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>directly</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
pray, “Our Father which art in heaven…” Then, we can proceed
to ask and tell him anything, and according to His perfect will, what
we ask for will be granted to us as gift without spending a single
cent. And we can do this anywhere at anytime. Only “Ask and it
shall be given to you, seek and the door shall be opened to you”
(Matt. 7:7). And God remembers us because the Scripture says, “Even
the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matt. 10:30). That
is how sharp the memory of our God! Imagine, God knows even the
number of our hairs! How wonderful! But are we availing of this
wonderful opportunity and privilege of talking to God (Jesus Christ
in the flesh) personally any moment everyday? Let us do so for our
own good and for the glory of God. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">What
makes it more wonderful is that we do not have to be a professional,
businessman, wealthy, high politician, brilliant, or a friend to
someone close to God. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Any one</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
can talk to God through </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>prayer</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
“The Spirit and the bride (Jesus Christ) say, “Come’, And let
him who hears say, ‘Come’ Whoever is thirsty of (God, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>the
Love of God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">), let him come, and
whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life”
(Rev. 22:17 NIV). </span></span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-59117688714793138512015-01-31T05:10:00.000+08:002015-02-01T17:42:18.413+08:00What Are The Evidence That One Is Saved?<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="text-indent: 1.27cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The
topic I discussed in my articles, “Who then can be saved?”
(January 17, 2015) and its sequel “Who can be saved?” (January
24, 2015) generated question marks in some reader-believers. I have
been asked to further clarify what I have written. By the way, the
things I wrote are not my idea, I merely quoted from the Bible, the
Word of God, as written by the Apostle Paul, who is also known as the
greatest persecutor of Christians during his time until Jesus Christ
(God in the flesh [John 1:1 and 1:14] spoke to him, “Saul, Saul,
why persecutist thou me?” to which he inquired, “Who art thou
Lord?”, and the one speaking answered, “ I am Jesus whom thou
persecutist”.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Then,
the rest is history, but the conclusion was that Saul, whose name was
changed to Paul (when he was converted to Christianity) and who was
not only an ordinary Christian–believer, but who wrote thirteen
(13) of the twenty-seven (27) books of the New Testament (to include
Hebrews) is acclaimed also as the greatest apostle. Incidentally, he
was a lawyer or “advocate”, like the Lord Jesus Christ, the
lawyer for all sinners in the Court of heaven. As a lawyer or
advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ won all His cases for being able to
save all repentant sinners (meaning all true believers of God
(Jesus in the flesh), in thoughts, in words and in deeds. But His
winning cost Him death by crucifixion in the cross of calvary, the
severest and most ignominious form of dying because of his extreme
physical suffering for a number of hours, unlike today’s extreme
penalty of death by electrocution which takes only a second (or with
the least physical suffering).
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">Thus,
Jesus Christ has no equal in loving – for He loves everybody
especially the sinners. Thus, the Bible tells us, “But God
demonstrates his own </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>love for us</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
in this: </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(Rom. 5:8 NIV). He gave up His life to save the sinners and without
expecting anything in return. This is the difference between Jesus
Christ and the ordinary human lawyer (or advocate). A human lawyer
works hard for the victory especially if he is well compensated by
his client – that is, he expects some reward.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Let us review again
what the Bible says, on who can be saved.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>8</sup></span><span style="color: black;">For
it is by </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
you have been saved, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through faith</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – </span><span style="color: black;"><sup><i><b>9</b></i></sup></span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>not
by works</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, so that no one can
boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The Apostle John said:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup> “16 </sup>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.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>17 </sup>For
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>18 </sup>He
that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the
only begotten Son of God.” <span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 1.27cm;">(John
3:16-18 KJV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Let
us analyze what the apostles said.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">We
are “saved by grace through faith – and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God – not by works.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">By
grace means </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>unmerited favor</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">:
meaning, we do not deserve to be saved because we are </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>all
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">sinners, and the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>penalty</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of sin is death, both physical and spiritual. For the wages (or
penalty) for sin is death. This is what the Bible means when it
said, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom.
3:23) and the wages or penalty for sin is death” (Romans 6:23).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">No one is good enough
to deserve to be saved, for it is written:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>10 </sup>As
it is written:
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">
“There is no one
righteous, not even one;
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>11</sup> there is
no one who understands;
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">there is no one who
seeks God.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>12 </sup>All
have turned away, they have together become worthless;
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">there is no one who
does good,
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">not even one.”
<span style="color: black;">(Romans 3:10-12 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> But
because of the unfathomable (measureless) Love of God for all men,
“we are justified (just-as-if we have not sinned) freely by His
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. God presented
himself as a sacrifice of atonement (Jesus took our place) and are
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (to
regain someone’s favor) through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission (or forgiveness) of sins that are
past, through the forbearance (or leniency, clemency, indulgence, or
patience) of God. </span>To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness; that he might be just, and the justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:24-26 KJV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">The
Bible clearly says, salvation is by faith only, not by our works, and
it is the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>gift</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of God. Meaning, we do not pay for it or earn it because of our
good works, but it is given </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>free</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
without cost (or requirement of anything tangible) in money or deeds.
The Bible continues:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;">For
we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>to
do good works</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, which God
prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10 NIV). </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Meaning
to say, a saved person will do and show “good works” for the
Kingdom of God. How would we know his good works? We will know it
by his fruit – the fruit of the Holy Spirit or by converts to
Christianity because of his life’s good example. What is this
spiritual fruit? LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,
FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL (Gal. 5:22). This saved
person receives from God, gifts of the Holy Spirit which may be one
or all of these gifts:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup> “6 </sup>We
have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If
your gift is <i><b>prophesying</b></i>, then prophesy in accordance
with your faith; <sup>7 </sup>if it is <i><b>serving,</b></i>
then serve; if it is <i><b>teaching</b></i>, then teach; <sup>8 </sup>if
it is to <i><b>encourage</b></i>, then give encouragement; if it is
<i><b>giving</b></i>, then give generously; if it is to <i><b>lead,</b></i>
do it diligently; if it is to show <i><b>mercy</b></i>, do it
cheerfully.” (Romans 12:6-8 NIV)
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>Are
we (you) saved? By the grace of God through faith in His only
begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the way, the
truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me”
(John 14:6).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-26269988702644401382015-01-24T05:44:00.000+08:002015-01-24T05:44:31.263+08:00Who Can Be Saved? <div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This
is a sequel to my previous article published in our Saturday bulletin
on January 17, 2015.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let us look at Eph.
2:8-9 (NIV) again:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>8</sup></span><span style="color: black;">For
it is by </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
you have been saved, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through faith</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – </span><span style="color: black;"><sup><i><b>9</b></i></sup></span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>not
by works</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, so that no one can
boast.” </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">As
we know, grace is defined as </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>unmerited
favor</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Meaning, we don’t
deserve to be saved because we are sinners, and the penalty of sin is
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>SPIRITUAL death</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
(Romans 6:23), but because we believe what Jesus said, “I am the
way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>except
through me</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.” (John 14:6 NIV),
we are saved from the penalty of spiritual death. The question is:
where is the Father? Of course, He is in heaven, and Jesus Christ is
seated on His right hand (Eph. 1:20), “for </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>he
bore the sin of many</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and made
intercession for the transgressor’s (Isa. 53:12 NIV), that is why
we can enter heaven. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">But
there is a condition before we, (the sinners), will be extended
grace, that is, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>we must have faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> that He
is the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Only</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
begotten Son of God and that </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>He is
also God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> (John 1:1). Thus,
faith in Jesus Christ </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>alone</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
is needed to enter heaven. Nothing more, as the Word of God is
definitely clear that </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>it is not by
works</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> (Eph. 2:9) for it is the
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>gift of God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
(vs. 8). Of course, salvation will </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>result
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">in good works (Eph. 2:10).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
question will be asked, “So what happens to the people who do not
believe that Jesus Christ is the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>only</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
begotten Son of God; that He is God himself”; and He is the only
savior of our soul? The answer is: No one goes to the Father in
heaven </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>EXCEPT</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
through His Son Jesus Christ (John 14:6).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">How
do we know that someone is truly a believer of Jesus Christ? By
their fruit, you will recognize them (Matt. 7:16 NIV). What is the
fruit of the true believer? The one who exhibits </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>LOVE,
JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS
and SELF-CONTROL</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">. In short, one
who is </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>born again</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
in the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>SPIRIT</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
(John 3:5-8) is a true believer of Jesus Christ. And a born again
believer is the only one qualified to enter the Kingdom of God, or
heaven (John 3:5), because only those born again have eternal life.
Thus the Bible tells us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>believeth</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16
KJV).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-22968031597839739332015-01-17T07:00:00.000+08:002015-01-17T07:00:01.755+08:00Who Then Can Be Saved?<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">This is a question
asked by the disciples of Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Believers
(of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh) are encouraged to be Christlike.
To be Christlike is to be like the Lord Jesus Christ in thoughts, in
words and in deeds. This is a difficult thing to do, because human
as we are, we are subject to human frailties, likes and dislikes or
prejudices. Thus, our normal tendency is to love those who show us
love; we give to those who give to us; we are courteous to those
who are equally courteous. And the converse of all these is true to
us as well.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For
example, when Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross of calvary, what
did he pray to his Father for those who persecuted and hanged him?
He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are
doing” (Luke 23:34 NIV). Who is the human being who would pray in
that manner? No one. Impossible. It is written, </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is no one
righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no not one
who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become
worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans
3:10-12 NIV). </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If
this be the case, who then can be saved and who deserves to be in
heaven as promised by Jesus Christ when he said, </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>1</sup></span><span style="color: black;">Do
not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.
</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>2</sup></span><span style="color: black;">In
my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so, I would have
told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. </span><span style="color: black;"><sup>3</sup></span><span style="color: black;">And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to
be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Yes,
no one really deserves to enter heaven on his own effort or
“goodness”; it is only by the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace
of God</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Thus, the Bible says,</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>8</sup></span><span style="color: black;">For
it is by </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
you have been saved, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>through faith</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – </span><span style="color: black;"><sup>9</sup></span><span style="color: black;">not
by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">What
is grace? The simplest definition understandable by everybody is:
grace means an “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>unmerited
favor</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”. Reducing this to its
lowest term, we do not really deserve it because we are sinners, but
because of the love of God, by his grace, through faith (because we
believe Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh) and the truth of his
promise, we will be allowed to enter heaven. In Tagalog, “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>hindi
sana maari (or puede) pero sigue na lang, pasok ka pagkat naniwala ka
na Diyos si Jesu Cristo</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">So,
we are saved not because we are good or upright, but by the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>grace</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
of God because we have </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>faith </b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">in
Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh. Thus, the Bible says, “In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>Word
was God</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">” (John 1:1 NIV).
But one who is saved is Christlike, so he is good and upright, and
will do “good works”. The Bible says, “For we are God’s
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>to
do good works</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">, which God
prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-16762652048246446992014-12-20T07:00:00.000+08:002014-12-20T07:00:00.790+08:00The Best And Most Precious Gift Ever<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Christmas as we
celebrate today is gift-giving and gift-receiving. Why do we give
gifts during Christmas season?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About
seven hundred years before Jesus Christ was born, the Prophet Isaiah
prophesied, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and
the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing
and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and
forever” (Isa. 9:6-7 NIV). Obviously and without any shadow of
doubt, the Prince of all prophets is referring to the Lord Jesus
Christ.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">By
Christian tradition, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, was
born on </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>CHRIST</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">-mas
day, December 25.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since
then, we celebrate yearly the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ on
December 25, the day God the Father “gave us His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish but shall have ETERNAL
LIFE” (John 3:16).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">On
this day, mankind received from God the best of the best gift of all
time, which is ETERNAL LIFE through </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>faith</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
in His </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>ONLY</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">This
best and most precious gift of all is available to all who believes,
repents of their sins and who accepts the gift by faith. This kind
of faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 which says, “NOW faith is being
sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (NIV).
In the King James version which is the nearest translation to the
Greek original in which the New Testament was originally written,
this is how it reads: “NOW faith is the substance of things hope
for, the evidence of things not seen” (KJV). The significant
words are </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>NOW</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">,
present tense, not later in the future. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>SUBSTANCE</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
and </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>EVIDENCE</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
of things not visible to the human eye, or are still being hoped for
(future) but the believer is already sure and very certain of what he
does not yet see with his naked eyes. Men usually have this
expression, “to see is to believe”. Man says that he has to see,
touch feel or read it so he will believe. God says, “believe and
you will see” (with your spiritual eyes). In the courts of law,
evidence must be something we can see, touch, feel, smell and read,
so it shall be competent as evidence. In the spiritual realm, it is
the reverse. We do not see ETERNAL LIFE as a gift from God, it is
only a promise; we are yet </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>hoping</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
but we are already </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>sure and
certain</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> that it is true or it
shall happen or it already exists.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To
the normal ordinary person, Christmas is a season of giving and
receiving gifts that are material or physical or something we can see
with our naked eyes, or touch with our hands, or we can smell, but
these gifts are but temporary and they will soon pass away.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">But
the gift of God to the believers which is ETERNAL LIFE is spiritual,
through faith in His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This
gift is available to everybody who will accept and receive His only
begotten Son by faith as his only LORD and SAVIOR. Blessed is the
one who repents and receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his only LORD
and Savior for he will resurrect and have ETERNAL LIFE just like the
LORD JESUS CHRIST.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-23614285055930914562014-12-13T07:03:00.000+08:002014-12-14T07:06:39.125+08:00The Blessings of Riches<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">The Bible tells us, “He
becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the
diligent maketh rich” (Prov. 10:4 KJV).</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Everybody
wants to be rich or wealthy, and no one wants to be poor. The
wealthy people could enjoy life. They eat the food that they like;
they live in comfortable homes with all the amenities of life one can
desire and imagine; they wear expensive clothes appropriate for any
occasion, and they change clothes as often as they desire; their
shoes are all imported and are the best in materials in the West or
Europe; and they have more than a dozen to choose to blend with the
color of their shoes to their pants/dresses; their apparels or
dresses are all imported and the most expensive from U.S.A or Europe;
they have watches of the best and expensive brands like Rolex, and
they have two or more; they have diamond rings and gold bracelets;
their physical appearance denotes their maintenance of expensive
beauty products and they smell the fragrance of expensive perfumes
from Paris; they own palatial homes with expensive building
materials with servants quarters; all the materials used in their
home and their utensils are all imported from the West or from
Europe; their homes are worth multi-million. Their cars are top of
the line, and they have an income like water flowing from the spring.
In short, they enjoy a comfortable life. To have all these comforts
in life, one has to be a multi-millionaire. Indeed, this is the life
style we normally call “rich” or “wealthy”. This is what we
call </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>material</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
or physical riches. </span>
</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
is another kind of riches we call </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>spiritual
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">riches. Thus, the Lord Jesus
Christ related the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke
16:19-31 (NIV). This is the story.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><sup>19</sup>“There
was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in
luxury every day. <sup>20</sup>At
his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores <sup>21</sup>and
longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs
came and licked his sores. <sup>22</sup>“The
time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to
Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. <sup>23</sup>In
Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far
away, with Lazarus by his side. <sup>24</sup>So
he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus
to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I
am in agony in this fire.’ <sup>25</sup>“But
Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received
your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is
comforted here and you are in agony. <sup>26</sup>And
besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in
place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can
anyone cross over from there to us.’ <sup>27</sup>“He
answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, <sup>28</sup>for
I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also
come to this place of torment.’ <sup>29</sup>“Abraham
replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to
them.’ <sup>30</sup>“‘No,
father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to
them, they will repent.’ <sup>31</sup>“He
said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they
will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
conclusion of the story is that it is better to be poor physically
and materially but rich spiritually like Lazarus and be in heaven (in
Abraham’s side) rather than extremely rich materially but in the
life beyond this world, will be in hell. The wisest man who ever
lived prayed, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>only
my daily bread</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (Prov. 30:8).
But even this daily bread is difficult to achieve without God’s
providence.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
is nothing wrong in being rich. This is a gift of God. In fact,
Abraham of the Old Testament “was </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>very
rich</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> in cattle, in silver and in
gold” (Gen. 13:2); King David was rich, his son-successor King
Solomon was the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>richest</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
man that ever lived that no one is richer or wiser than him before
and after him (1 Kings 3:12 and 1 Kings 4:29-30), and so many other
Bible characters, but Jesus warns us, “It is hard for a rich man
to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:23) and Solomon also warns
us, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich”, (Prov. 23:4). He
further said, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only
my daily bread” (Prov. 30:8, NIV). This treats of physical and
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>material </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">riches.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible tells us,
“You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you
power to get wealth” (Deut. 8:18).</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">“</span>Wealth”,
of course, is not just material things. Everything we have is from
God especially our human life. Our Lord Jesus told His disciples,
“I have come that you may have life; and that you may have it more
abundantly” (John 10:10). Thus, it is the will of God that we
will prosper not only materially or physically but also spiritually,
so it will not be hard to enter the kingdom of God (3 John 2).</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How
do we prosper materially, physically and spiritually? By doing our
secular as well as spiritual activities with ALL DILIGENCE. This is
no easy way, but there is no other way. A true believer of God/Jesus
Christ who is God in the flesh, is a diligent person, not a slothful
or lazy one. Diligence is simply defined as “a persistent and
hard-working effort in doing something with excellence”. To be
blessed with riches both physical, material and spiritual, we have to
be DILIGENT.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-4494540650811235942014-11-29T04:24:00.001+08:002014-11-29T04:26:03.165+08:00Gift And Reward<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-indent: 1.27cm;">A gift is received by
someone without cost and </span><i style="text-indent: 1.27cm;"><b>without doing</b></i><span style="text-indent: 1.27cm;"> anything as the
decision to give lies solely on the giver; while a reward is
received because of something worthwhile done by the recipient.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible says, “For
God so loved the world that He <i><b>gave</b></i> his one and Only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have <i><b>eternal
life</b></i>. For God did not send his Son unto the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever
believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands
condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s
one and Only Son” (John 3:16-18 NIV). Notice that the giving away
of His only Son to save the soul of the sinner was the <i><b>sole
decision of God the Father.</b></i> The Bible says, “But God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Word “Son”
obviously refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the Only Son of
God.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Word BELIEVE is
extremely significant because it means, belief in thoughts, in words
and in deeds. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks
(Matt. 12:34 and Luke 6:45), and, of course, this belief is
translated or shown by the deeds or works of the believer. For faith
(or belief) without works or deeds is dead (James 2:26). How do we
know that someone has this faith or belief in God or in the flesh,
Jesus Christ? By his spiritual fruit. What are these spiritual
fruit? “LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE (or longsuffering), KINDNESS,
GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS (or meekness) and SELF-CONTROL (or
temperance) (Gal. 5:22-23). In other words, a true believer of
God/Christ possess all these spiritual characteristics and qualities.
Thus, the Bible says, “by their fruit you will know them”
(Matt. 7:16). How do we know that a tree is a mango tree? It is by
its fruit which we can see.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is <i><b>given</b></i>
as gift by God to mankind? Eternal life by grace through faith in
Jesus Christ.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, the number one
requirement is one must <i><b>believe</b></i> that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. “<i><b>BELIEVE</b></i> in the Lord Jesus and you
will be saved…” (Acts 16:31 NIV). This word “<i><b>believe</b></i>”
is extremely significant because it means a 100% acceptance by the
repentant sinner of the fact that Jesus is the only Son of God, and
that Jesus Christ, also called the WORD, is God in the flesh. The
Word of God says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and <i><b>the Word was God</b></i>” (John 1:14 NIV); …
and “<i><b>the Word became flesh </b></i>and made his dwelling
among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and Only, who
came from the Father, full of <i><b>grace</b></i> and truth” (John
1:14 NIV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible says, “For
by <i><b>grace</b></i> you have been saved, <i><b>through faith</b></i>
– and this not from yourselves, it is the <i><b>gift</b></i> of God
– <i><b>not by works</b></i>, so that no one can boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is grace? It is
theologically defined simply as “<i><b>unmerited favor</b></i>”
from God. Meaning, we don’t deserve it because we are sinners.
“For <i><b>all </b></i>have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God” (Romans 3:23). And the penalty for sin is spiritual death
(Rom. 6:23).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Salvation is given <i><b>free
</b></i>without our doing anything – just simply <i><b>believe
</b></i>that Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, <i><b>nothing else</b></i>.
This is the meaning of FAITH in this verse – saving faith, that
is. For if we add something else yet, then salvation is no longer
free, but it is by works. Thus, salvation is equally available by
God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ - - to all: young or
old, rich or poor, man or woman, black, brown or white, beautiful or
ugly, etc. Praise God! God is “no respecter of persons”. In
our common language today, “Everybody is equal” before the sight
of God.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But what about the
pious and faithful and dedicated “servant” in the kingdom of God,
like the apostles, priests, pastors, lay workers, preachers of the
Word of God, writers (in our FGBMFI bulletin) etc.? What do they
hope for or expect? Well, if they are saved because of the GRACE of
God through their FAITH in Jesus Christ, and they will enter heaven,
a REWARD is reserved for them.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is illustrated by
Jesus Christ himself in the parable of the talent (Matt. 25:15-25). A
parable is an earthly story with heavenly meaning.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This parable relates
that the one who <i><b>traded </b></i>or did something to produce
more, to him was given a proportionate <i><b>reward </b></i>of 100%.
The one who did not do anything but hid his talent, he had nothing.
In fact, what was given to him was taken away from him and given to
the one who had doubled his five talents to ten, and his punishment
was:
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
“<sup>28</sup>Take
the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.
<sup>29</sup>For everyone who has will be given more, and he will
have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be
taken from him. <sup>30</sup>And throw that worthless servant
outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing
of teeth.” (Matt. 25: 28-30 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Talent here is not only
money but also it means any God-given ability, especially <i><b>spiritual
</b></i>mentioned in 1 Cor. 12:7-10, namely: the Word of wisdom;
the Word of knowledge; the gifts of healing; the working of
miracles; prophecy; discerning of spirit; diverse kinds of tongues
and interpretation of tongues or those mentioned in Gal. 5:22-23. So,
whatever money or ability that is endowed (or God-given) to us, we
should use or exercise it in the service and furtherance of the
kingdom of God, so we will receive a reward when we enter the kingdom
of God – HEAVEN.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Revelation 22:12,
the Word of God says:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
“<sup>12</sup>Behold,
I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone
<i><b>according to what he had done</b></i>.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The gift giving is
while the believer is on earth or in the world, but the awarding of
reward will be in heaven. So, the saved person must enter heaven
first in order that his reward will be awarded to him. But remember,
Faith in God/Jesus Christ, God in the flesh is the passport to
heaven. No passport, no entry, just like you can’t enter the U.S.
territory without passport from the U.S. Embassy. You have to pass
through the U.S. Embassy first. <i><b>Our spiritual passport is
Jesus Christ</b></i>. The Bible says, “I am the WAY, the truth and
the life, no one comes to the Father <i><b>except</b></i> through me”
(John 14:6).
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let us exercise our
God-given gifts for the advancement of the kingdom of God while on
earth, and great will be our reward when we enter heaven, the true
believers ultimate destination. This the brief description of life
in heaven:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
“<sup>3 </sup>And
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of
God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his
people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. <sup><i><b>4 </b></i></sup><i><b>‘He
will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’
or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed
away.”</b></i> (Rev. 21:3-4 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do we like to be in
heaven? Then, let us repent, accept Him as our only <i><b>SAVIOR</b></i>
and have faith in Jesus Christ, our passport to heaven.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-36839138586650224962014-11-22T07:00:00.000+08:002014-11-22T07:00:03.214+08:00Are You Looking For Money?<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Bible tells us, “The hand of the diligent maketh rich; but the
slothful (lazy) become poor” (Prov. 10:4 KJV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
author of the book of Proverbs in the Bible is King Solomon. He
succeeded his father King David when he was only twenty years old.
Upon his installation as new King, the Bible records:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup>“5 </sup>At
Gibeon the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>
appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “<i><b>Ask
for whatever you want me to give you.” </b></i><sup>6 </sup>Solomon
answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father
David, <i><b>because
he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart.</b></i>
You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a
son to sit on his throne <i><b>this
very day</b></i>.
<sup>7 </sup>“Now,
<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>
my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.
But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my
duties.
<sup>8 </sup>Your
servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too
numerous to count or number.
<sup>9 </sup>So
give your servant a <i><b>discerning
heart</b></i>
to govern your people and <i><b>to
distinguish between right and wrong.</b></i>
For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” <sup>10 </sup>The
Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
<sup>11 </sup>So
God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long
life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your
enemies but for <i><b>discernment
in administering justice,</b></i>
<sup>12 </sup>I
will do what you have asked. <i><b>I
will give you a wise and discerning (understanding KJV) heart,</b></i>
so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there
ever be.
<sup>13 </sup>Moreover,
I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and
honor—so that in your lifetime <i><b>you
will have no equal among kings</b></i>.
<sup>14 </sup>And
if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as
David your father did, I will give you a long life.” (1 Kings
3:5-14)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Solomon
did not ask for wealth or money but for </span><span style="color: black;"><i>WISDOM</i></span><span style="color: black;">.
When one has wisdom from God, the money and wealth will follow just
like night follows day.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Money
is anything of value. Your time is money. Your knowledge is money.
Your skills, your God-given special gifts or talents are money.
Money is not only the money we are carrying with us in our wallet or
something we deposited in the bank. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Money
is anything we possess that solves a problem for someone</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
Money is everywhere and anywhere you can use your God-given talent.
So, find out what is my talent or God-given gift? Pursue and
develop this gift or talent, and you will prosper, or you will have
the money you need!</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
disciple Peter was a fisherman. The Roman government was collecting
taxes. He had no money in his pocket. When he told the Lord Jesus
about the problem, what did Jesus tell him? Being a fisherman, the
Lord Jesus told him.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><sup> 5 </sup>Lest
we should offend them (the Roman government), go thou to the sea, and
cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when
thou hast opened his mouth, <i><b>thou
shall find a piece of money</b></i>:
that take, and give unto them for me and thee” (Matt. 17:27).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Notice
that the Lord Jesus used the talent of Peter as fisherman. He did
not tell Peter to earn first a degree in college. He told Peter to
perform what he already knew, and the tax money was produced!</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Today,
I needed money to pay an obligation and something urgent and
important I wanted to buy but I had no sufficient amount in my
wallet. It was already beyond banking hours. Moreover, the check I
just deposited will be made good after three days yet, and, moreover,
there is a requirement of a “remaining balance” in a bank account
so it will not be closed.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Suddenly,
a long time client visited me. Their family had a financial problem
with a local bank. I was requested to prepare a special
letter-request. I gladly obliged. Before leaving, the client left
with me without my asking to be paid an amount more than sufficient
for my immediate needs. God provides and He is truly good all the
time!</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Why
did the client suddenly appear to request me to write that very
important special letter-request? Because by previous experience the
client knows that I have a writing talent.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Notice,
I used my God-given writing talent in earning the money I needed.
Indeed, God provides. And why did the client come to me to solve the
problem? Because by previous experience, the client knows my talent
in writing. “Experience is the best teacher.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Then
comes my nephew-driver with smile asking for money to buy gasoline
for his motorcycle. I was about to ask where did he spend his
salary, but my lips were refrained by the Holy Spirit. Solomon
said, “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and
discerning if he <i><b>holds
his tongue</b></i>”
(Prov. 17:28 NIV). Anyway, I gave him P500.00. His smile was
literally from ear to ear. He even remarked, “Uncle, are you
giving me all this amount?” I just nodded, signifying my assent.
And I remembered my extremely efficient Secretary for 25 years who
rendered overtime to finish the special letter. She asked permission
with a smile to leave <i><b>if
there was no more work to be done</b></i>.
My heart was moved to give her P500.00 also for her overtime. She
thanked me with a winsome smile. The joy in my heart is beyond
description in words. Praise God. As I write this portion of this
article, I am smiling by myself with inexplicable joy.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Don’t
look for money. Look for wisdom coming from God. This wisdom will
give you a “large and understanding (or (discerning) heart” like
King Solomon. Where can we find this wisdom? From the Bible,
particularly the book of Song of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and
the book of Job as well as the book of Joshua. And, of course, the
whole Bible (both Old and New Testament).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> But
it is not enough to know the Bible. We must act or do what it says
with all <i><b>diligence</b></i>.
I have yet to see a lazy man who became prosperous and successful in
life. Joshua 1:8 says:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="2"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="3"></a>
“8 Do
not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night, so that you may be <i><b>careful
to do everything written in it.</b></i>
Then you will be <i><b>prosperous
and successful.</b></i>”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> If
we do what the Word of God says, then the money that we need will
just come our way like the water from the spring.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-54282228912146297522014-11-15T07:00:00.000+08:002014-11-16T07:27:37.942+08:00Working For The Glory Of God<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Why
do most people work, and they work very hard? In the ultimate
analysis, the usual normal reason is “to earn a living”.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
columnists in the three major newspapers in our country, the Manila
Bulletin, Manila Times and the Philippines Herald, publish </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>daily</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
their articles because that is their main livelihood. And these
popular well-known and well-liked columnists by many readers live a
comfortable life, because they work hard and with dedication to their
profession as columnist. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact,
we have to thank and praise God that there are these class of
intellectuals endowed by God with special ability to write, like the
writers or authors of the books of the Bible, for otherwise no one
will be interested to buy and read these newspapers, as those who are
merely interested in news can just view their TV sets or listen to
the radio for those in the hinterlands.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But
there are those gifted by God with special knowledge and ability to
write like Apostle Paul who authored thirteen books of the New
Testament (including the book of Hebrews), and the gospel as written
by Jesus’ disciples like Matthew, Mark, Dr. Luke and John, and
Moses the writer of the five books of the Old Testament known as the
Pentateuch, King David and other authors of the Psalms, the Prophets,
and of course, my favorite author, the wise King Solomon who authored
Song of Songs (Solomon), Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, for man to know
the will of our God.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"> </span>The
Apostle Paul being a lawyer and a prolific writer, wrote to the
Ephesian Christians:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><sup> 5 </sup>Slaves,
obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity
of heart, just as you would obey Christ.
<sup>6 </sup>Obey
them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as
slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.
<sup><i>7 </i></sup><i>Serve
wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people,</i><i>
</i><sup><i>8 </i></sup><i>because
you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they
do, whether they are slave or free.</i></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><sup>9 </sup>And
masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them,
since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in
heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. <span style="color: black;">(Eph.
6:5-9 NIV) </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Spiritually
speaking, Christians are to serve the Lord God/Christ who is our
Master and Lord. We are to work for the kingdom </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>like
slaves who do not work for their expected salary</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
as they receive none, but </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>to
please our Lord/God/Savior for His glory and honor. </b></i></span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In
ancient days, slaves work very hard without expecting any wages in
return, so should be all true Christians. There is, however, a
reward waiting for the faithful worker and servant in the kingdom of
God. The Word of God promises: “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Serve
wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you
know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does,
whether he is slave or free</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(Eph. 6:7-8 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our
FGBMFI Weekly Bulletin have contributor-writers. Unlike the
columnists in the major newspapers in our beloved Philippines, they
don’t receive any single cent, but they continue to write week
after week despite their busy schedule earning a living. And to
write an article worth circulating all over the world if published in
our Saturday bulletin is not easy - it is hard and tedious work.
The writer devotes much time thinking and praying on what to write
about and in actually writing his thoughts based on the Word of God.
Those who are writing know that their article have to be written and
re-written several times, before it goes to the press for final
printing. It is like a furniture maker making all rough edges
smooth, so it will sell, otherwise it will lay in a corner only to
gather dust. So, it also happens to a writing which no one is
interested to read.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Our
FGBMFI Davao City Chapter will give an award for “the best
contributor” for the year 2014. But the award is nothing compared
to the reward from our God which He promised in His Word.
Congratulations and Praise God for the faithful and dedicated
contributor-writers of our weekly bulletin for the glory of God.
Whether they receive an award from the fellowship or not, a reward is
waiting for all of them when they finally reach home - HEAVEN.
Without these dedicated brethren who pray and work hard to write, we
cannot come out as often with our one and ONLY bulletin all over the
world which we know </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>glorifies</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
our God Jesus Christ in the flesh (John 1:14).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-9568422684713833682014-11-08T04:05:00.000+08:002014-11-08T04:05:04.320+08:00Man's Eternal Destiny<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the book of Job, the
writer asked, “If a man die, shall he live again? The writer
continued, “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my
<i><b>change</b></i> come” (Job 14:14 KJV). In the NIV version the
same verse is translated, “If a man dies, will he live again? All
the days of my hard service I will wait for my <i><b>renewal</b></i>
to come.”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a simpler and more
understandable translation, the writer is asking, “When a man dies,
shall he resurrect? I will wait for my resurrection.” </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lord Jesus Christ
(God in person or in the flesh [John 1:14]) manifested to us his own
example. He was 100% human, so he died like any man. The Scripture
says, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face
judgment.” (Heb. 9:27 NIV). When a man dies, unlike the animals,
<i><b>his spirit goes upward to his creator</b></i> (God) to be
judged (Ecclesiastes 3:21; 12:7 NIV). Those who have done good, that
is, whose sins are forgiven because they <i><b>confessed, believed</b></i>
and <i><b>accepted</b></i> Jesus Christ as their <i><b>only </b></i>Lord
and Savior, and have <i><b>repented</b></i> of their sins, will be
resurrected into the resurrection of life. Thus, our Lord Jesus
said: “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who
are in their graves will <i><b>hear his voice </b></i>and come out –
those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done
evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29 NIV). But before
this, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has
now come when the dead will hear the <i><b>voice of the Son of God
(Jesus Christ) </b></i> and those who hear will live” (John 5:25
NIV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Word “BELIEVED”
is significant in that it must not be only in thoughts and in words
but must be evidenced by deeds. It is equivalent to saving FAITH
which the Bible defines, “Now faith is being <i><b>sure</b></i> of
what we <i><b>hope</b></i> for and <i><b>certain</b></i> of what <i><b>we
do not see</b></i> (Heb. 11:1 NIV). In other words, we are yet
hoping for God’s promise of resurrection to happen. We have not yet
seen or experienced it, but we are <i><b>sure and certain</b></i>
that it shall come to pass because whatever and whenever God/Jesus
makes a promise, 100% it shall come to pass. Thus, Jesus promised to
his disciples (also to all believers, as these too are equally his
disciples) that:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do not let your
hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s
house are many rooms (<i><b>mansions</b></i> KJV), if it were not so,
I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if
I go and prepare a place for you, <i><b>I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am.</b></i> You know the
way to the place where I am going” (John 14:1-4 NIV). </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Apostle Thomas
asked the Lord Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,
so how can we know the way?” (<i><b>to where you are going</b></i>
[John 14:5] NIV). The Lord Jesus replied: “I am the <i><b>way</b></i>
and the truth and the life. <i><b>No one comes to the Father except
through me</b></i>” (John 14:6 NIV). In Tagalog (Filipino
national language) <i><b>“Magdaan ka muna kay Jesu Kristo.”</b></i>
The <i><b>only</b></i> way to heaven is <i><b>through</b></i> Jesus
Christ, <i><b>nobody else</b></i>. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where is His Father’s
place? Of course, in <i><b>HEAVEN</b></i>. In other words, no one
goes to heaven unless he repents from all his sins and believes and
accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his <i><b>only</b></i> LORD and
SAVIOR. For this matter, the Bible says, “<i><b>All</b></i> have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). This is
the only rule without exception. And the Bible further says, “For
by grace (<i><b>gracia sa Diyos</b></i>) are ye saved through faith
(<i><b>in Jesus Christ</b></i>) and that not of yourselves; it is
the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph.
2:8-9 KJV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Bible further says,
those who believed will have eternal life in heaven, but those who do
not believe are already condemned, and are destined to go to hell.
<i><b>There is no middle ground</b></i>. Either one goes to heaven
or to hell. This theology is proved by the parable of the rich man
and Lazarus related by Jesus Christ <i><b>himself</b></i> as follows:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“There
was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in
luxury every day.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At
his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">21 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs
came and licked his sores.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">22 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The
time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to
Abraham’s side (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>in
heaven</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">).
The rich man also died and was buried.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">23 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
Hades (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>or
hell</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">),
where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with
Lazarus by his side.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus
to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I
am in agony in this fire.’</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“But
Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received
your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is
comforted here and you are in agony.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">26 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And
besides all this, between us and you a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>great
chasm</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
(</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>or
gulf</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
KJV) has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to
you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">27 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“He
answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">28 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for
I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also
come to this place of torment.’</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">29 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Abraham
replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>the
Bible or Word of God</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">);
let them listen to them.’</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“‘No,
father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to
them, they will </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>repent</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.’</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">31 </span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“He
said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>or
Word of God</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">),
they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
(Luke 16:19-31 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
verse 26, among all other lessons from this earthly story with
heavenly meaning personally related by our Lord Jesus Christ, between
heaven and hell “a great chasm (or great gulf) has been fixed so
that those who want to go from here (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>heaven
</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">where
Abraham and the beggar were) to you (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>hell</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
where the rich man was in torment) cannot, nor can anyone cross over
from there (hell) to us (heaven).” Worded differently, once in
heaven, one will be forever in heaven; so with one who unfortunately
goes to hell. There is </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>no
middle station</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
before going to heaven. One goes to either place </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>immediately</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
This is the written eternal destiny of men, and the preparation is
done here on earth while one is still alive. After death will be too
late - the situation can no longer be reversed. Man goes either to
heaven or hell, and the choice belongs to man.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-86137164385995547862014-11-01T05:22:00.001+08:002014-11-01T05:22:52.803+08:00Jesus Died But He Is Alive Forevermore<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Jesus
was truly human, so he died just like any human being. He is truly
divine too, as evidenced by the fact that on the third day as he
predicted (Luke 24:7) and as prophesied by the prophets, he
resurrected and is now on the right hand of God the Father “because
he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the
transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession
for the transgressors [or sinners] (Isa. 53:12).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Jesus
was uniquely conceived and born by a woman without intercourse, but
by the sovereign </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>WILL OF GOD</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">.
No one was conceived like him. He did not go to school but he
wrote and spoke with excellency the Hebrew and Greek language. His
grammar is perfect. His wisdom is unsurpassed by anyone. He
performed miracles that no one human being could. He resurrected the
dead like Lazarus who had died four days already (John 11:39). True,
he died physically, but on the third day he resurrected as he and the
prophets predicted, with a glorified body, and lives forevermore. He
went up to heaven to join his Father without riding in a jet plane or
any means of transportation that is known to man. He is now seated
in the right hand of God, interceding for the transgressors [or
sinners] (Ephesians 1:20).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Normally,
people love those who also love them, but Jesus does more, and, in
fact, the opposite. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>He loves even
sinners.</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> In fact, the Bible
tells us, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3). His love
for man is beyond measure and beyond compare.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Whatever
he promise, he fulfills to the last dot. His most important promise
is: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also
in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms (or mansions KJV), if
it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>I
will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where
I am</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (John 14:6 NIV). Where
is Jesus now? He is in HEAVEN seated at the Father’s right hand
interceding for the sinners.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Jesus’
death by crucifixion and his resurrection have been predicted up to
the last detail. Unlike in the case of Jesus, no one has or will
ever be able to predict several hundred years before how he will die.
And Jesus’ death is for a cause – </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>TO
SAVE SINNERS</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Jesus said, “…
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners (Matt. 9:13).
But it is written, “There is no one righteous, no not one”
(Romans 3:10). And it is further written, “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But there is a
requirement for salvation of the sinner. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Believe
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">in the Lord Jesus and you will
be saved (1 Cor. 13:31). That “believe” should be in thoughts
as evidenced by words, “for out of the abundance (or overflow) of
the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34) and in deeds. The
Bible says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions (or sins),
he was crushed for our iniquities… and the LORD has laid on him the
iniquity (or sin) of us all” (Isa. 53:5-6 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">We
have a LOVING Savior and in loving God is beyond compare. The Bible
says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>the Word was God</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">.
He was with God in the beginning. x x x The </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>Word
(Jesus) become flesh</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"> and made
his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One
and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John
1:1; 14 NIV). He proved this unfathomable love by what the Bible
says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>believes</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-35257545121320424662014-10-25T07:00:00.000+08:002014-10-28T10:45:59.851+08:00Trusting In The Promises of God<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b> </b><span style="color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;">The
Bible says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he (</span><span style="color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>God</b></i></span><span style="color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;">)
exists and that </span><span style="color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>he rewards those
who earnestly seek him</b></i></span><span style="color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;">” (Heb.
11:6 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
Apostle Peter said, “Above all, you must understand that no
prophecy of Scripture came about by prophet’s own interpretation.
For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>but
men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Holy Spirit speaking through the Prince of all Prophets Isaiah, moved
the latter to prophesy:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;">For
to us a </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>child is born, to us a son
is given</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and the government
will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About nine hundred
years after Isaiah made the prophecy, the Lord Jesus Christ was born
in a manger. Thus, was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isaiah further
prophesied:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2He
grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry
ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in
his appearance that we should desire him.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>3</b></i><i><b>He
was despised and rejected by men, </b></i>a
man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom
people hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>4</b></i><i><b>Surely
he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,</b></i>
yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5But
<i><b>he
was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our
iniquities;</b></i>
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds
we are healed.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6We
all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own
way; and <i><b>the
Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. </b></i>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7He
was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was
led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers
is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8By
oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his
descendants?
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>For he was cut
off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people
he was stricken</b></i>.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>9</b></i><i><b>He
was assigned a grave with the wicked,</b></i>
<i><b>and
with the rich in his death, </b></i>though
he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10Yet
it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and
though the LORD makes <i><b>his
life a guilt offering</b></i>,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the
LORD will prosper in his hand.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11After
the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be
satisfied; by his knowledge <i><b>my
righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their
iniquities. </b></i>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12Therefore
I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the
spoils with the strong, <i><b>because
he poured out his life unto death,</b></i>
and was
numbered with the transgressors. <i><b>For
he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
</b></i><span style="color: black;">(Isa.
53:2-12 NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On
the other hand, the prophet Zechariah prophesied about the
crucifixion of this child who is Jesus Christ:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;">And
I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me,
the one they have </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>pierced</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">,
and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>only
child</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">, and grieve bitterly for
him as one grieves for a </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>first
born son</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">” (Zech. 12:10 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This
prophecy again refers to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his death by
crucifixion.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These
prophecies are but some of the more than 300 written in the Bible.
Many of these have been fulfilled already. Some have yet to happen
and be fulfilled in God’s timetable. The book of Revelation is
replete with future promises and events yet to happen. These will be
a proper subject to discuss later, not now.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In
the article published in the October 18, 2014 (Saturday), issue of
our one and only bulletin all over the world, I discussed that Jesus
Christ is God himself </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>in the
flesh</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. The Bible says, “The
</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>WORD became flesh</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of
the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”
(John 1:14 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Then,
the Lord Jesus Christ </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>himself</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
said and promised:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="2"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="a"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="3"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="4"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="5"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="6"></a>
“1Do
not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
2
In my
Father's house are many rooms (mansions KJV); if it were not so, I
would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
3And
if I go and prepare a place for you, <i><b>I
will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where
I am</b></i>.
4You
know the way to the place where I am going." (John 14:1-4)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If
Jesus (God) promises something, 100% it shall come to pass.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">If
we are a child or disciple of Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) we know
the place He referred to in verse 4 - - </span><span style="color: black;"><i>HEAVEN</i></span><span style="color: black;">
the abode or residence of God where every child of God will enjoy
and spend eternity. If we don’t, we are not children or disciples
of Jesus Christ (God in the flesh).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Jesus’
most important promise to the believer or Christian is: “</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>I
WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME THAT YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE
I AM</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">” (vs. 3). Are we still
afraid to die? Not, if we are a child of God, because we can trust
fully 100% the promises of God, and the aforequoted promise is the
most important. We, with our Father on earth and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i><b>more
so with our Father in heaven</b></i></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">,
feel safe and secure because we can trust fully the promises of our
God, through our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-24172982134677370312014-10-11T07:00:00.000+08:002014-10-11T07:00:02.176+08:00God's Formula for Prosperity and Success<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">Everybody
wants to be prosperous and successful. Whatever be our mission,
work, project business, profession, or endeavor in life, religious or
secular, it is but normal that our dream is to be prosperous and
successful.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Joshua,
who was chosen by, and trained successor of, Moses the man of God,
was given by God the formula for prosperity and success in his
mission – </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>to possess the
promised land</b></i></span><span style="color: black;"> which was
inhabited by giants. Compared to the inhabitants of the promised
land, the Israelites were like grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). How
then in the world can Joshua possess the land which was then occupied
by giants and ruled by a total of thirty one (31) kings? Here was
the instruction of God:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><sup>3 </sup>I
will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised
Moses.
<sup>4 </sup>Your
territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great
river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean
Sea in the west.
<sup>5 </sup>No
one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I
was with Moses, so I will be with you; <i><b>I
will never leave you nor forsake you</b></i>.
<sup>6 </sup><i><b>Be
strong and courageous,</b></i>
because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to
their ancestors to give them.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><sup>7 </sup>“<i><b>Be
strong and very courageous</b></i>.
Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn
from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful
wherever you go. (<span style="color: black;">Joshua
1:3-7 NIV)”</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Analyzing
the promise and instructions of God to Joshua, the essential
requisites for the success of his mission were:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. The
abiding presence of God. Thus, God said, “I will be with you; I
will never leave you nor forsake you”;</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">2. Strength
and courage in facing the problems of life. God said, “Be strong
and courageous”. He repeated this instruction by adding, for
emphasis, the word “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>VERY”
</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">courageous – not just
courageous.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">3. Obedience
to the laws or commands of God. “Be careful to obey </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>ALL</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
the law my servant Moses gave you” – no right or left turn – go
straight.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Meditate on the Law
of God, all the time (“day and night”). </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="2"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="3"></a>
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8God
said, “</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do
not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it
day and night”, so that you may be careful to do everything written
in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Joshua
1:8)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">5. “Be
careful </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>to do everything</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
written in it”. It is not enough to know or memorize the Word of
God. We must </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Do </b></i></span><span style="color: black;">it.
Leave no stone unturned.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">6. The
conclusion or RESULT: </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>PROSPERITY
AND SUCCESS. </b></i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
success of the gigantic mission of Joshua depended on his following
the instructions and commands or injunctions of God. If he succeeds,
then as night follows day, Joshua and the Israelites people shall
prosper and be successful not only to conquer the promised land, but
to be with, and join, God in paradise or heaven.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Of
course, there were many intervening factors on the conquest of the
promised land, as there are innumerable problems of life, as we
strive to be a true disciple of God. For example, in the case of the
Israelites, there was the episode of Achan who violated the
instruction of the Lord God. Achan </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>confessed</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="b"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="c"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="d"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="e"></a>
“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the
God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done;
do not hide it from me." </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Achan replied, "</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>It
is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
This is what I have done: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">21</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two
hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels,
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>I
coveted them and took them</b></i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver
underneath." (Joshua 7:</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19-21
NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oftentimes the failure
of man is due to covetousness, or the desire to be rich in property
or material things rather than spiritual endeavor, or riches toward
God.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God does not want
anyone to be greedy for gain or to steal. God’s formula for
success is to succeed slow by slow, step by step, little by little,
and by diligence and hard and honest work.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What happened to Achan?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="4"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="5"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="6"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="7"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="8"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="a"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="9"></a>
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the
silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle,
donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of
Achor. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD
will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him,
and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">26</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to
this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that
place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.” (Joshua
7:</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24-26
NIV)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Those
who are greedy for material rather than spiritual wealth will
eventually lose everything, including their life, and shall not enter
the paradise promised and reserved by God to His “</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>children</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”.
Think and do spiritual things, balanced with our secular
activities.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is our personal
mission in life?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever,
let us do it step by step, let’s not be in a hurry – slow by
slow, little by little. Let us be diligent and honest in performing
our task, whether secular or spiritual. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">King
David after whose name the City of God was named “City of David”
started as a Shepherd boy, a lowly means of livelihood, until he
became King. So with Joseph of the Old Testament. He was a Shepherd
boy but having obeyed God and very honest at that, he became the
Prime Minister of Egypt, second in command to the King, which nation
was then the most powerful in the known world.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thus,
the best executive, as some FGBMFI members are, or have been, are
those who begin at a very low key position because they know the ABC
of the business. This kind of a man will have a large and
understanding heart to the problems of his subordinates because he
passed their way once upon a time. This is God’s guaranteed
formula for prosperity and success in life.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;"> </span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-39777888036112549612014-10-04T06:22:00.001+08:002014-10-04T06:27:36.922+08:00Plant Now, Reap Later<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;">There
is a Tagalog (Pilipino) adage, “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><i>Kung
mayroon kang itinanim mayroon kang aanihin</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; text-indent: 1.27cm;">”
(in English “If you plant something you will also reap”.)</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At
dawn (1:00 A.M.) of July 7, 2014 (Monday dawn in the Philippines),
our house beside the Davao City Foursquare Gospel Church, the first
Foursquare Church established in Mindanao by American missionaries
Rev. Arthur and Evelyn “Nanay” Thompson, in the early 50’s,
from whence came out almost two thousand daughter churches all over
Mindanao as of today, was cruelly gutted down by fire due to
electrical faulty wiring, so the Fire Department call it.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Among
the numerous treasures, beside the sentimental value of our home,
that I lost was a </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Mont Blanc</i></span><span style="color: black;">
ball pen worth P20,000.00 (in pesos) given to me as gift many years
ago, by my youngest brother, Benigno “Benjil” D. Cariaga, IV.
Benjil, is the nickname given by our late mother to my brother who
was under my support from first year high school up to college,
because our father by then, have passed away. He worked for a time in
my modest law office as my clerk-typist up to the day that a client
asked me if he could employ him as clerk in his business enterprise.
Of course, I was only too glad to accommodate my client and release
my brother. Thereafter, he self-supported himself until he finished
his college degree in Commerce.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then,
to cut a long story short, he was taken in by Sycip Gorres Velayo
Auditing Office. This prestigious auditing firm was the private
accounting firm engaged by then President of the Philippines,
Ferdinand E. Marcos. Not long after, the auditing firm sent him to
Saudi Arabia where until now he still works.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Without
my asking, many years before today, in one of his rare visit to the
Philippines, he gave me a </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Mont
Blanc</i></span><span style="color: black;"> ball pen worth at that
time, I was told, the equivalent of twenty thousand pesos as gift (in
Tagalog “</span><span style="color: black;"><i>pasalubong</i></span><span style="color: black;">”).
The trouble with this ball pen is that its filler is worth a little
less than P400.00 and it is only available in Makati City in Metro
Manila, Philippines. For all the years that my youngest brother lived
and worked with me, he must have noticed that being a full-time busy
practitioner of the law profession, I earn my living by writing
numerous pleadings and letters everyday. I simply cannot go along
without writing almost everyday. Perhaps, I surmised, as his payment
for his debt of gratitude for his success in life for which I may
have contributed something, out of love, he gifted me with that most
treasured ball pen. </span>
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In
the book of Romans, it is said, “Owe no man anything, but to love
one another: …” In Pilipino language, “</span><span style="color: black;"><i>Huwag
kang mag-utang maliban sa utang na loob</i></span><span style="color: black;">”.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">My
sadness is beyond description in words when at early dawn on July 7,
2014, my most treasured ball pen turned into smoke and ashes when our
residential house which I built in seven years like the city of Rome,
got burned. This brother of mine was my companion in gathering the
special </span><span style="color: black;"><i>manggachapoy</i></span><span style="color: black;">
lumber given by a client from Kialeg, Bansalan, Davao del Sur,
Philippines – a distance of more than 60 kms. from Davao City.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">When
my brother learned from my daughter, Atty. Susan, that my most
treasured ball pen got burned, besides allegedly expressing his deep
sympathy with a sob, he committed to send a replacement. Indeed, by
the second week of September 2014, a package arrived with a ball pen
</span><span style="color: black;"><i>exactly</i></span><span style="color: black;">
the same as the one that was burned. I was told, the cost was now the
equivalent of thirty thousand pesos. My joy is beyond expression in
words. Praise God! I used it to write the draft of this article.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
wise king Solomon said, “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after
many days you will find it again” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 NIV). When I
supported my brother in his quest for education because he was only
twelve years old when our father have gone to be with our LORD, I
spent for his education without expecting anything in return. This,
to me, was “casting my bread upon the waters”. When a literal
bread is thrown upon the waters, of course, we don’t expect it to
be fit for food again, but it is lost forever. But to me, there is a
spiritual meaning of “for after many days you will find it again”.
Yes, I have found my treasured </span><span style="color: black;"><i>Mont
Blanc</i></span><span style="color: black;"> “after so many days”.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My brother is now in
his 40’s but still he is working in Saudi. Perhaps he is a
diligent worker so that his employer kept him there for good.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">I
have seven brothers and a sister. Our eldest was supported by me
financially in his 4</span><span style="color: black;"><sup>th</sup></span><span style="color: black;">
year in college because his girlfriend suddenly arrived at his
dormitory and refused to “go home” so my brother was forced to
marry her. Since then my father was discouraged, and I had to stop
going to school to allow him to continue his studies. Praise God, all
their four children are now professionals, two are abroad and are
gainfully employed; one work with a solid prestigious commercial bank
in the Philippines, and the youngest is a Civil Engineer employed in
the DPWH in our Philippine government.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My
seven younger siblings were financially supported by me also in their
quest for educational degree because our father who was a Principal
in the public school, the only bread earner in our big family, had
passed away.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Again,
the wise King Solomon continued, “Give portions to seven, yes to
eight, for you do not know what </span><span style="color: black;"><i>disaster</i></span><span style="color: black;">
may come upon the land” (Ecclesiastes 12:2 NIV).</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When
I helped my eight siblings in their quest for education, I had no
idea as to who will respond to me in my time of “disaster”. And,
of course obviously, I did not know that someday my own family will
be a “fire victim”. Out of them all, only one responded - the one
who gave me my treasured ball pen. The rest (three of whom have
already passed away), merely visited me expressing their deep
sympathy, nothing more nothing less. Praise God anyway. That is
enough moral support and consolation to me.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
am reminded of the story in the Bible of ten Jewish lepers who were
healed by our Lord Jesus Christ. After they were healed, they
excitedly ran to report their healing to the priest as instructed by
the LORD Jesus. Only one of them, a Samaritan at that (a non-Jew),
came back to thank the Lord Jesus. Whereupon the Lord Jesus asked,
“Were there not ten of you who were healed, where are the nine?”
Nothing more I can add or subtract.
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Bible indeed is true. The Lord Jesus said, “Give, and it shall be
given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and
running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you
use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38 NIV). Plant now as much
as you can and later you will reap abundantly.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-61433031057318794082014-09-20T07:20:00.000+08:002014-09-20T07:20:15.763+08:00The Middle Ground: The Best Status In Life<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">The wisest of all men,
Solomon, recommends that the best in life is to stay on the middle
ground, Solomon said:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Do
not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself?
Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your
time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>The
man who fears God will avoid all extremes</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">”
(Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 NIV).</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">We
must have noticed that when the weather is extremely cold or
extremely hot, it is not good. I had the opportunity to be in
Chicago, U.S.A. from September to December in 2007. It was a snowy
weather that the trees and the grasses are covered with snow. It was
extremely cold, specially to Filipinos like me. On the other hand, I
had also the opportunity to be in Sydney, Australia one December in
1997. It was extremely hot! We have to run inside the building where
there is airconditioning. I remember in April 1988, I was a delegate
to the Foursquare Gospel Church International Convention. It was
springtime in California, U.S.A. It was neither cold nor hot. </span><span style="color: black;">I</span><span style="color: black;">
enjoyed my vacation with my wife.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Experience
is the best teacher. I said to myself, “there is no place better
than my beloved Philippines where I was born,” where it is neither
very hot nor very cold. In such kind of weather, it is much easier
to survive and less expensive and less tiresome to live in comfort.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Proverbs 30:7-9
(NIV), the Bible says:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>7</sup></span><span style="color: black;">Two
things I ask of you. O Lord; do not refuse me before I die;</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>8</sup></span><span style="color: black;">Keep
falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>9</sup></span><span style="color: black;">Otherwise,
I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘who is the LORD?’
or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What did the great
Apostle Paul say?</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> “</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Tim
6:8 NIV).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Apostle is right.
To me, the best stature in life is neither very rich nor very poor.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
LORD Jesus Christ is our best example. In those days, there were no
Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce or Toyota or Mitsubishi cars. They had
only Camels which could be the equivalent of Mercedes Benz or Rolls
Royce of today. But what ride did Jesus Christ select? He selected a
donkey which could be the equivalent of our small cars of today.
Small cars are very much less expensive in gas and in tires. It is
much easier to find a parking place; they are means of transport for
men of humility. It is godly and always good to be humble. The Lord
Jesus said, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and
whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12 NIV). </span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-64422374816267605322014-09-13T07:00:00.000+08:002014-09-13T07:00:02.565+08:00The Key To Success In Life<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">With the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Bible says, “… in whom are hidden all the treasures
of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). God, speaking through King
Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, said: “Do you see a man
</span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;"><b>diligent </b></i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">in his business? \He shall stand before
kings” (Proverbs 22:29).</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What does Solomon mean
by diligence? It is “<i><b>careful </b></i>and <i><b>persistent</b></i>
work or effort. It is conscientiousness or industriousness in doing
ones work or activity.” The synonyms of diligence are:
meticulousness, conscientiousness, thoroughness and carefulness. In
Tagalog, “<i><b>plansado.</b></i>” Solomon adds, “Even a <i><b>child</b></i>
is known by his doings, whether his work be <i><b>pure</b></i> and
whether it be <i><b>right</b></i>” (Prov. 20:11). Why a child?
Because a child is <i><b>innocent</b></i> and has no intention of
doing evil things. Why <i><b>doing</b></i>? Because it is not enough
that we think or dream about it. We must do it – and <i><b>do it
the right way</b></i>.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diligence is a
learnable skill that combines creative persistence, a working effort
rightly planned and rightly performed in a timely, efficient, and
effective manner to attain a result that is <i><b>pure</b></i> and of
the <i><b>highest degree or quality of excellence</b></i>. In other
words, <i><b>diligence is a skill that can be developed by any one</b></i>,
young or old, educated or uneducated, poor or rich, brilliant or not.
It is available to anybody willing to acquire the skill. But mind
you, it is a tedious task and time-consuming and cannot be attained
overnight, but the reward is what everybody is dreaming - success in
life - - financially, socially and whatever we dream of!</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Solomon said, “Seest
thou a man <i><b>diligent</b></i> in his business? he shall <i><b>not</b></i>
stand before mean men (or ordinary) men”.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lord Jesus is the
best example of a diligent worker. Thus, the Bible says, “Very
early in the morning, <i><b>while it was still dark</b></i>, Jesus
got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he
prayed” (Mark 1:15 NIV). </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My personal experience
(as I used to say, “experience is the best teacher”) was that as
an ordinary member of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, which in those days had a membership of three hundred
businessmen, professionals and government officials, upon the
sponsorship by my bosom friend and co-incorporator in 1973 of the
Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International (Philippines)
Inc., the late Rey R. de Leon, who was then the Executive Vice
President of the Chamber, I was inducted as member and was first
<i><b>appointed</b></i> as Assistant Secretary, then <i><b>elected </b></i>as
the Corporate Secretary. I held on this position for a long time,
perhaps because the members and officers perceived my <i><b>diligence,</b></i>
until I was elected Vice-President for professional and business
ventures. Thereafter, I was elected President for two terms, and then
Chairman of the Board for one term. My privilege as a former
President and Chairman of the Board are free membership for a
lifetime; free meals and special table with other former Presidents
and Chairmen of the Board during any function of the Chamber, also
for a lifetime. By the way, during my term, the Davao City Chamber
was awarded the accolade “<i><b>The Best Chamber in Asia-Pacific</b></i>”.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As President of the
Chamber and later as Chairman of the Board, I had the privilege to
have <i><b>handshakes</b></i> with President Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph
E. Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Indeed, the Bible is true
that “a man diligent in his business… shall not stand before mean
men but before kings.” Solomon was right! The Bible is true! How
did I attain such “success” if we may call it that way? Purely
through “<i><b>diligence</b></i>” in performing my assigned task.
</span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In my younger days as a
lawyer, Davao City RTC Judge Antonio Martinez awarded me a
substantial attorney’s fee. The opposing counsel moved for a
reconsideration of the award complaining that the award was too much.
In denying the motion, the Judge said, “Atty. Cariaga, a young and
<i><b>diligent</b></i> lawyer, deserves the attorney’s fee awarded
by this court.” Judge Martinez was later promoted as an Associate
Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By God’s grace, I was
recommended by the Davao City Chamber to the Philippine Chamber of
Commerce, which, in turn, recommended me to the President of the
Philippines for appointment as the business sector representative in
the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) for
Region XI. I am serving in that capacity from President Fidel V.
Ramos’ term up to this day, with my latest re-appointment by
President Noynoy Aquino effective June 1, 2014 to expire five years
after. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our interview and
appearances in TV from time to time especially during clamor for
minimum wage adjustments in Region XI, have made me known not only to
the business and labor community but to all people where the TV
program reaches. One time, clothed in a simple plain white T-shirt
without collar, I bought bananas from a sidewalk vendor. The owner
addressed me, “Attorney.” I asked her why do you know me as an
attorney? She answered with a winsome smile, “I always see you on
TV.” I also smiled to acknowledge the goodness and favor of God for
the free advertisement, so to speak. It pays to be diligent more
especially in the business of the LORD God Almighty. Praise God!</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our business in FGBMFI
is God’s business and command: “Go into all the world and preach
the good news (gospel) to all creation”. (Mark 16:15 NIV) or the
Great Commission “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations …
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you
…” (Matt. 28:19-20 KJV). Notably, our FGBMFI bulletin is
circulated all over the world, particularly the articles with blog.
Let us be diligent in our business whether spiritual or secular to
succeed in life for the glory of God.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-14555861884630426542014-09-06T07:00:00.000+08:002014-09-06T07:00:02.072+08:00The Richest Man Who Ever Lived<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">The Bible records the
riches of King Solomon as follows:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">14</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents
(</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>about
25 tons</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">),
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">15</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">not
including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the
Arabian kings and the governors of the territories. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">16</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">King
Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred
bekas of gold (</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>about
3.5 kilograms</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)
went into each shield. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">17</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He
also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three
minas (about 1.7 kilograms) of gold in each shield. The king put them
in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">18</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then
the king made a great throne covered with ivory and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>overlaid
with fine gold</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">19</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides
of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them.
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">20</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Twelve
lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing
like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">21</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All
King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in
the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>pure
gold</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little
value in Solomon’s days. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">22</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
king had a fleet of trading ships at sea along with the ships of
Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and
ivory, and apes and baboons. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">23</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">King
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Solomon
was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the
earth</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">24</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
whole world sought audience with Solomon </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>to
hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">25</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Year
after year, everyone who came brought a gift—articles of silver and
gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules. </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">26</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Solomon
accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and
twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also
with him in Jerusalem. </span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">27</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as
plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.” </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1 Kings 10:14-27 NIV) </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Indeed,
King Solomon by human standard was not only very rich, </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>he
was the richest of all men</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">. Why
was it so? Because of the </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>wisdom</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
bestowed upon him by God, and he </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>applied</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
that wisdom. And this wisdom was </span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>asked</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
by Solomon from God. The Bible says:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><sup>5</sup></span><span style="color: black;">At
Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and
God said, ‘</span><span style="color: black;"><i><b>Ask</b></i></span><span style="color: black;">
for whatever you want me to give you’.”</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">x x x x x x
x x x </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Now,
</span><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lord</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David.
But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my
duties.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your
servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too
numerous to count or number.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">9 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
give your servant a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>discerning
heart</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
to govern your people and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>to
distinguish between right and wrong</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.
For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0.49cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; margin-top: 0.49cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">11 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long
life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your
enemies but for discernment in administering justice,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
will do what you have asked. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>I
will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never
have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">13 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moreover,
I will give you what you have not asked for—</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>both
wealth and honor</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">—so
that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">14 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And
if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as
David your father did, I will </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>give
you a long life</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.”
(1 Kings 3:7-14 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Bible defines wisdom as the ability to discern or know by an
understanding heart between good and bad (1 Kings 3:9 KJV). It
further elaborates:</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<sup>“</sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">29 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>God
gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,
and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the
seashore.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">30 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Solomon’s
wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, and
greater than all the wisdom of Egypt</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.”
(1 Kings 4:29-30 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God said, through
Solomon:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm;">
<sup>“</sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Choose
my instruction instead of silver,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">knowledge
rather than choice gold,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">11 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>for
wisdom is more precious than rubies,</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>and
nothing you desire can compare with </b></i></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm;">
<sup> </sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>her.</b></i></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I,
wisdom, dwell together with prudence;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
possess knowledge and discretion.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">13 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To
fear the </span><span style="font-variant: small-caps;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lord</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
is to hate evil;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
hate pride and arrogance,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">evil
behavior and perverse speech.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">14 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Counsel
and sound judgment are mine;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
have insight, I have power.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">15 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By
me kings reign</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
rulers issue decrees that are just;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">16 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">by
me princes govern,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
nobles—all who rule on earth.</span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">[</span></span></sup><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?dc=4&utm_expid=13466113-10.DRY5Q0U2TpaXvRe49bTgCA.4&search=Proverbs+8%3A10-21&version=NIV&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D1%26ved%3D0CB0QFjAA%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.biblegateway.com%252Fpassage%252F%253Fsearch%253DProverbs%252B8%25253A10-21%2526version%253DNIV%26ei%3DnY0GVKyNF-i7igL774GIBA%26usg%3DAFQjCNH0y-fUwCQ-qqzcOd_hte7bG6DDuw#fen-NIV-16619a"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">a</span></span></sup></a></u></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">]</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">17 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
love those who love me,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>those
who seek me find me.</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>18 </b></i></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>With
me are riches and honor,</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>enduring
wealth and prosperity.</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">19 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My
fruit is better than fine gold;</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">what
I yield surpasses choice silver.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">20 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I
walk in the way of righteousness,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">along
the paths of justice,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">21 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">bestowing
a rich inheritance on those who love me</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and
making their treasuries full.” </span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Prov. 8:10-21 NIV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="background: #ffffff; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How
important is this wisdom to our daily life? Solomon said:</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup>“</sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Wisdom
is the principal thing</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">;
therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exalt
her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when
thou dost embrace her.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">9 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She
shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall
she deliver to thee.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hear,
O my son, and receive my sayings; and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>the
years of thy life shall be many</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.”
(Proverbs 4:7-10 KJV)</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 2.54cm; margin-right: 2.54cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Like
King Solomon, we should ask (pray) for wisdom, not silver or gold or
wealth. If we have wisdom, the silver and gold, a discerning heart …
to distinguish between right and wrong, wealth and honor, and long
and satisfying life will follow just like night follows day. We can
never be the richest man because it is written that label belongs to
King Solomon </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>alone</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,
but we can be wealthy not only materially, physically and spiritually
to some comfortable degree and be honorable disciple of God (in
person, Jesus Christ). Stated otherwise, we shall be Christlike. The
best of the best status in life now and in the world beyond.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451762533981869178.post-88728242605785746382014-08-30T10:53:00.002+08:002014-08-30T10:53:48.343+08:00The Best Is Yet To Come<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: 1.27cm;">It is normal for human
beings, perhaps with the exception by choice, of priests, nuns and
other religious people, to aspire to be rich in money and property
because the richer a man becomes, he can have all the conveniences of
life and live comfortably, which is a good and reasonable dream of
every man. Towards this end, many keep themselves busy working
literally day and night, retiring only to rest for a while, then
repeat the same process day after day.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-indent: 1.27cm;">
<br />
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The wise King Solomon
said:</span></div>
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“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>Do not wear
yourself out to get rich</b></i>; have wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for <i><b>they will
surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle</b></i>”
(Prov. 23:4-5 NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have had a good
lesson on this <i><b>warning “do not wear yourself out to get
rich”. </b></i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Graduating from high
school at fourteen years old because I started my elementary grade at
six years old and was accelerated from Grade IV to Grade V, and
graduated High School at fourteen years old. However, my father was
just a principal teacher in the Elementary level with nine children
to support, so I had to stop going to college to give way to my older
brother who was then on his third year in agricultural degree course
at the Central Luzon Agricultural College (CLAC), now a University,
with his promise that when he graduate and be employed, he would, in
turn, support my studies in college.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, the
call of love prematurely got my brother married during his fourth
year, and although he was employed immediately after his graduation,
he wrote our parents that he could no longer comply with his promise
because his salary was just enough to support his family. Therefore,
I had to stop for another year or a total of two years. On those
years that I stopped going to school, I worked in our 13-hectare farm
in Maniki, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, Philippines. I planted rice,
corn, sugar cane and made sugar out of it; and I stripped abaca, then
the prime agricultural product in Davao Province. Out of my savings,
I took up vocational course of stenography and bookkeeping for six
months in Davao City. By self-study, I became a fast typist—at
sixty words per minute. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the age of seventeen
I was employed as stenographer-typist in the law office of Atty.
Leopoldo M. Abellera, an awardee of an accolade “<i><b>Lawyer of
the Year</b></i>” in Davao City, Philippines, during his time. My
God-given extra-ordinary knowledge and skill in stenography and
typewriting paved the way for my finishing my law degree. While
working as stenographer-typist in the law office, I was also an
instructor in Stenography in a local college where my boss was the
President. </span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After three years, I
resigned from the law office to join an American Company, the Koppel
(Philippines), Inc., which was the distributor of bulldozers,
caterpillar tractors, Skagit and other logging equipment and
implements, logging being then the number one industry in Mindanao,
Philippines. Because I had a substantial salary with fringe
benefits, I supported the education of my six younger brothers and a
sister. I also supported myself through college until I took the
bar examination for lawyers and by God’s grace, successfully
passed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Immediately after
passing the bar, I resigned my position in the company and engaged in
the private practice of law, knowing from previous experience in the
law office that I will earn more by private practice than just being
employed. God was extremely gracious to me that out of my income, I
was able to buy a lot within the City Poblacion on installment basis
for five years where I was able to construct a modest multi-million
home made of hollow blocks and well selected first class wooden
building materials like narra, molave, tindalo, maggachapoy and dao
which I gathered personally for seven years. In 1990, God allowed me
to buy again on installment basis at five years, a 650 sq. meter lot
in the heart of the city where I was able to build a two-storey fully
concrete law office and commercial building also worth multi-million.
</span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was extremely hard
work and sacrifice for me to be able to accomplish the above
projects. <i><b>I literally wore myself out to get “rich” but
unfortunately in the early dawn of July 7, 2014,</b></i> our
residence was burned—turning all my efforts into smoke and ashes in
a few minutes. And my dozen Stateside shoes – Florshiem and
European shoes – Bally made in Italy – two pairs of Korean
sandal – shoes I love so well, a dozen shoes all turned into
ashes. But praise God, immediately with the blessing of God through
my friends in Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International,
Davao City Chapter, clients, and our daughter Vilma NP Nurse in
California U.S.A., ten of my shoes were restored except the Bally
shoes, and the two Korean genuine leather sandal – shoes, but again
praise God, when I informed my Korean client what happened to the
shoes he gave me, he committed to replace them when he comes back to
the Philippines. God is indeed good. Indeed, King Solomon
rightly said it, “Do not wear yourself out to get rich…for they
will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The great Apostle Paul
gave this advice:</span></div>
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<sup>“</sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But
godliness with contentment is great gain.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For
we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">8 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>But
if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">9 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Those
who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many
foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">10 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager
for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with
many griefs.” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1
Tim. 6:6-10 NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And charged his
disciple Timothy and to all who are disciples of our Lord Jesus
Christ:</span></div>
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<sup>“</sup><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">11 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But
you, man of God, flee from all this, and </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fight
the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which
you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of
many witnesses.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">13 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus,
who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
I charge you</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">14 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>to
keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our
Lord Jesus Christ</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">15 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">which
God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only
Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">16 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">who
alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one
has seen or can see…” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1
Tim 6:11-16 NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and Paul further
admonished:</span></div>
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<sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> “17 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Command
those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>nor
to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,
but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">18 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Command
them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and
willing to share.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">19 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm
foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life
that is truly life.” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(1
Tim. 6:17-19 NIV)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Job said, “Naked I
came from my mother’s womb and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21
NIV). The Apostle Paul reiterated this when he said, “For we
brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it”
(1 Tim. 6:7 NIV).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So, what should be our
attitude in life toward material riches? King Solomon has an answer.
He said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> “Remove far from me
vanity and lies; <i><b>give me neither poverty nor riches</b></i>;
feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full, and deny thee,
and say, who is the LORD? Or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the
name of my God in vain” (Prov. 30:8-9 KJV).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Remember, the Bible
says “don’t <i><b>wear</b></i> yourself out to get rich”, so,
if by God’s providence and grace through diligence and hard work,
(but not wearing out) you become one, Praise God, for the Bible also
says, “Beloved, I wish above <i><b>all </b></i>things, that thou
mayest <i><b>prosper</b></i> and be in health, even as thy soul
prospereth” (3<sup>rd</sup> John: 2 KJV). Stated differently God
wants us to prosper materially, physically and spiritually. Thus, our
God is always good all the time. The best is yet to come.</span></div>
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