Tinubos

May Lugar ba ang Feng Shui sa Buhay-Kristiyano?

2012-01-23T08:43:00.000+08:00

May dragon dance.

May bigayan ng tikoy

May mga bati Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Chinese New Year na nga.

Karaniwan ring itinatampok sa panahong ito ay ang paniniwala sa Feng Shui. Ito ay nakabatay sa prinsipyo na may positibong enerhiya (chi) na naghahatid ng suwerte sa ating buhay. Ito ay nagdadala sa atin ng tagumpay, kapayapaan, kasaganaan, kalusugan at kasiyahan. Ang positibong enerhiya na ito ay dapat palapitin at padaluyin ng malaya sa iyong tahanan kung nais mong maging maganda ang iyong buhay. Kailangang alam mo rin iugnay ang puwersang ito sa iba pang mga prinsipyo tulad ng Yin Yang, at Wu Xing (limang elemento).

Kailangang alam mo kung ano ang mga palamuti na iyong isasabit, wastong mga kristal, wastong kulay ng kurtina, tamang hugis at direksyon ng hagdanan, kung saan dapat nakatapat ang pintuan, kung saan ang tamang puwesto ng kalan, kung ilan ang tamang bilang ng mga upuan at marami pang iba.

At kung sakaling ikaw ay nahihilo sa mga kumplikadong prinsipyo ng feng shui, maaari kang sumangguni sa mga feng shui expert. Ilan sa mga kliyente ng feng shui experts ay mga malalaking korporasyon, mga matitinik na negosyante, mga batikang pulitiko at mga sikat na artista.

Sa isang panayam, sinabi ng isang nagtitinda ng mga palamuting pam-feng shui, sabi niya: “Puro science na kasi ang nasa isip ng mga tao ngayon. Pero subukan lang ninyo. Wala namang mawawala.”

Sa paskil na ito, maghahain ako ng tatlong dahilan kung bakit ako tutol sa feng shui; at ang tatlong ito'y hindi dahil sa puros science ang nasa isip ko (mahina nga ako sa subject na 'yan eh). Ang mga pinakamahahalagang bagay sa 'kin ay mga katotohanang supernatural tulad ng Trinidad, Virgin Birth, muling-pagkabuhay, muling pagbabalik ni Kristo, at ang langit bilang walang hanggang destinasyon ng mga mananampalataya.

Unang batayan ng aking pagtutol

Hindi totoo na walang mawawala kung susubukan natin ang feng shui. Ang pagsandal ng ating buhay sa mga gawaing may kinalaman sa okultismo ay hindi kinalulugdan ng Diyos. Sa pagpasok ng mga Israelita sa Lupang Pangako, ang bilin sa kanila ay huwag tularan ang kanilang mga karatig-bansa sa mga gawaing katulad nito.

Tandaan na kapag ang Diyos ay nagbigay ng utos, ito ay para sa ikabubuti ng tao.(Deut. 28:1-2). At kapag may ipinagbawal siya, ito ay para ilayo tayo sa kapahamakan. Alam na alam ng mga sinaunang magulang natin na sina Adan at Eba ang ibig kong sabihin (Gen.3:16-19).

Ikalawang batayan ng aking pagtutol

Sa Feng Shui, binibitiwan natin ang ating pagtitiwala sa isang personal na Diyos at ang kapalit nito'y pagsandal sa isang impersonal na puwersa.

Dahil personal ang Diyos ng Bibliya, maaari tayong magkaroon ng relasyon sa kanya. Personal ang pagsinta niya sa atin; personal rin ang pag-ibig natin sa kanya. Maaari natin siyang kausapin at ibulong sa kanya ang laman ng ating mga damdamin. Ito ay mga bagay na hindi mo maaaring gawin sa isang puwersa-- tulad na lamang ng kuryente. Hindi ka maaaring magkaroon ng relasyon sa kuryente. Hindi ka maaaring ibigin ng kuryente. Ganyan na ganyan sa Feng Shui; ang ating buhay sa kasalukuyan at kinabukasan ay ipinagkakatiwala natin sa impersonal na chi na ni walang batayan sa bibliya.

Ikatlong batayan ng aking pagtutol

Ang konsepto ng malas at suwerte ay pagtanggi sa biblikal na pagpapakilala ng Diyos bilang makapangyarihan sa lahat, na siyang may kontrol ng mga bagay-bagay at mga pangyayari sa ating daigdig. Kay Kristo nakasalalay ang kaayusan at pag-iral ng lahat ng mga bagay (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3).

Kung ikaw ay tumutubo sa negosyo, ang tawag ng sanlibutan ay suwerte. Kapag ikaw ay nalulugi, ang tawag ng sanlibutan ay malas. Subalit sa mga anak ng Diyos, walang minamalas. Wala rin namang sinusuwerte. Sila ay mga pinagpala. Sapagkat mayroong Diyos na kumikilos sa lahat ng mga bagay at pangyayari upang magdulot ng mabubuting bagay sa buhay ng mga umiibig sa Diyos at mga tinawag ayon sa kanyang layunin. (Roma 8:28)

Sa mga anak ng Diyos...

… maging ang pagkalugi ay hindi malas

… maging ang gutom ay hindi malas

….maging ang pag-uusig ay hindi malas

… maging ang mga bayo at lindol ay hindi malas

… maging ang kanser at iba pang mga karamdaman ay hindi malas.

Bagkus, ang lahat ng mga ito ay instrumento ng Diyos upang hubugin sa wangis ni Kristo ang mga mananampalataya (Roma 8:29)

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Joseph Prince and Benny Hinn AGAINST the Inspired Narrator

2012-01-19T07:18:00.002+08:00

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised."
(Job 1:21)

Joseph Prince's Commentary:

"Thinking that God was the source of his problems and not knowing that it was actually Satan who had come against him, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Such a statement seems to honor God, but in reality, it reveals an erroneous view of our heavenly Father." (source)

Benny Hinn's Commentary:

"You know what? We've said it this a million times and it's not even scriptural-- all because of Job: 'The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." I have news for you: that is not Bible, that's not Bible. The Lord giveth and never taketh away. And just because he said, 'Blessed be the name,' he was just being religious and being religious don't mean you're right." (TBN, Nov. 3, 1990)

The Inspired Narrator's Commentary:

"In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." (Job 1:21)

Si Kim II-Sung, si Kim Jong il, at si Yahweh

2012-01-18T21:44:00.003+08:00

Isa sa mga istatwa ni Kim Il-Sung

Sa kasaysayan ay may mga naitala na mga hari, emperador at ipa pang mga namumuno na umangkin na sila ay mga diyos at nararapat sambahin ng kanilang mga nasasakupan. Kung hindi man sila mismo ang umangkin nito, sila ay isinilang at lumaki sa isang kultura na ganito ang paniniwala. Ang mga ito ay Imperial cults kung tawagin.

Kung sa akala natin ito ay nangyari lamang sa mga sinaunang panahon, nagkakamali tayo. Sa kasamaan ng puso ng tao, ang pagsamba sa mga nilalang sa halip na sa lumalang ay buhay na buhay maging sa modernong panahon. Ang isang halimbawa nito ay ang kaso ng mag-amang Kim II-Sung at Kim Jong il ng Hilagang Korea.

Sapagkat sarado ang Hilagang Korea sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa ibang mga bansa, ito rin ang pinakamahirap pasukin ng mga misyonero ng ebanghelyo.

Bagamat ang Hilagang Korea ay isang atheistic nation, sa pamamagitan ng propaganda ay nabuo ang mga cult of personalities, una kay Kim II-Sung; pangalawa sa anak niya na humalili sa kanya na si Kim Jong il.

Ang titulo ni Kim II-Sung sa kanilang Saligang Batas ay "Walang Hanggang Pangulo". Ang kanyang kaarawan ay isang pambansang holiday. Mahigit 500 istatwa niya ang nagkalat sa buong Hilagang Korea. Kaugalian sa mga bagong kasal ang mag-alay ng mga bulaklak sa pinakamalapit na istatwa niya.

Ayon sa isang artikulo ni Albert Mohler na ipinaskil sa CNN Belief Blog, itinuro sa mga paaralan na si Kim II-Sung ay imortal; kaya naman nagulantang ang karamihan nang kanilang mabalitaan ang kanyang kamatayan noong 1994.

Sa paghalili sa kanya ni Kim Jong il sa pamumuno, nagpatuloy ang propaganda at ito'y kinagat naman ng taumbayan. Marami sa kanila ay naniwala na ang kanilang pinuno ay may espesyal sa kapangyarihan. Tulad ni Storm ng X-Men, siya daw ay may kapangyarihang kontrolin ang panahon.

May isang awit rin na tunog worship song ang paulit-ulit na ipinatugtog sa mga istasyon ng radyo at maging sa mga lansangan gamit ang mga malalakas na speakers. Ito ay ang awiting No Mother Land Without You"

You pushed away the severe storm

You made us believe, Comrade Kim Jong-il

We cannot live without you

Our country cannot exist without you!

Our future and hope depend on you

People's fate depends on you, Comrade Kim Jong-il!

We cannot live without you

Our country cannot exist without you!

Even if the world changes hundreds of times

People believe in you, Comrade Kim Jong-il

We cannot live without you

Our country cannot exist without you!

Oh... Our Comrade Kim Jong-il

Our country cannot exist without you!

Pero tulad ng kanyang ama, nilisan din ni Kim Jong-il ang Hilagang Korea sa kanyang pagpanaw noong Disyembre 17, 2011.

Naalala ko tuloy ang Awit 82 kung saan tinipon ni Yahweh ang mga pinakapangyarihang pinuno sa daigdig at tuwirang sinabi sa kanila na bagamat sila ay mga tinatawag na mga diyos, sila ay mamamatay ring lahat. Tulad rin ng mga karaniwang tao, sila man ay nasa ilalim ng paghatol ng Diyos. Nananatili at mananatili na walang kapantay ang Diyos ng bibliya.

"Ako si Yahweh, ako lamang ang Diyos at wala ng iba..." (Isa. 45:5)

"Walang ibang Diyos maliban sa akin,

Walang nauna at wala ring papalit" (Isa. 43:10)

Siya lamang talaga ang walang hanggang mauupo sa kanyang trono.

"Ngunit ikaw Yahweh ang tunay na Diyos,

ikaw ang Diyos na buhay

Haring Walang Hanggan" (Jeremias 10:10)

Sa pagsasaad ng bibliya na ang Diyos ay Haring walang hanggan, hindi lamang nito sinasabi na ang kanyang paghahari ay walang wakas. Kundi sinasabi rin nito na ang Diyos ay walang simula. Ang mga hari, emperador at pangulo sa daigdig ay ipinaglihi ng kanilang mga ina. Doon lamang nagsimula ang kanilang pag-iral. Subalit ang Diyos na nakaluklok sa kaitaas-taasan ay nagtataglay na ng kanyang kapangyarihan bago pa man malikha ang lahat ng nilikha.

"Bago nilikha ang mga bundok, o bago mo nilikha ang lupa at ang sanlibutan, ika'y Diyos, mula sa walang hanggan hanggang sa walang hanggan." (Awit 90:2)

Bukod pa doon, Ayon sa mga sari-saring ulat, malupit sa taong-bayan ang kanilang pamamahala. Halimbawa na lang ay ang ulat na ito mula sa Commission on Human Rights ng United Nations:

"Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, public executions, extra judicial and arbitrary detention, the absence of due process and the rule of law, imposition of the death penalty for political reasons, the existence of a large number of prison camps and the extensive use of forced labour;

Sanctions on citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea who have been repatriated from abroad, such as treating their departure as treason leading to punishments of internment, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or the death penalty;

All-pervasive and severe restrictions on the freedoms of thought, conscience, religion, opinion and expression, peaceful assembly and association and on access of everyone to information, and limitations imposed on every person who wishes to move freely within the country and travel abroad;

Continued violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women, in particular the trafficking of women for prostitution or forced marriage, ethnically motivated forced abortions, including by labour inducing injection or natural delivery, as well as infanticide of children of repatriated mothers, including in police detention centres and labour training camps."

Malayong-malayo 'yan sa trato ng Diyos sa mga makasalanang naninirahan sa kanyang daigdig. Si Yahweh ay mabuti sa lahat. Siya ay may habag at pagmamalasakit sa lahat ng kanyang mga nilalang (Awit 145:9). At dahil ang paghahari ng Diyos ay walang katapusan, kailanma'y hindi rin magwawakas ang nararanasan nating katapatan niya, kabutihan niya, habag niya, biyaya niya, at pag-ibig niya.

"Ang Panginoon ay mabuti

Ang kanyang pag-ibig ay mananatili magpakailanman

Ang kanyang katapatan ay magpapatuloy sa bawat salinlahi" (Awit 100:5)

Abominable Prayers

2012-01-10T03:47:00.003+08:00

A sick man cries for divine healing through a graven image.

A rapper thanks God for the platinum sales of his album filled with pornographic lyrics.

A young professing Christian girl prays for an unbeliever to marry her.

A pastor asks for God's blessing upon a same-sex couple.

"To ask for anything contrary to His will is not prayer,

but rank rebellion."

~ A.W. Pink

The Attributes of God

The Almighty One Under Arrest

2011-11-28T03:57:00.012+08:00

handcuffs

When the authorities are out to arrest someone, it is not unusual for the subject to use every means to evade it. Some go into hiding; some seek political asylum; some learn the art of disguise. The subject may even arm himself and exchange bullets with the arresting officers. You can only get them when they are seriously wounded, or even worse, dead.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo reigned supreme in the land from January 20, 2001 to June 30, 2010. But since she no longer sits on Malacañang's throne, she was recently overpowered in a legal chess by the resolute Sec. Leila De Lima.

On the night the Lord Jesus Christ was captured, he demonstrated that he was not lacking in power to resist the arrest. The arresting team witnessed two awesome miracles that night:
First, as soon as he said "I am he", they all fell backward to the ground (John 18:6).
Second, when Peter pulled out a sword and slashed off the ear of Malchus, Jesus instantly healed the wound and restored the organ (Luke 22:51).

They were arresting David's Lord; the One who is strong, mighty and unbeatable in battle (Psalm 24:8).
They were arresting Jeremiah's Sovereign God, with whom there is nothing too hard (Jeremiah 32:17)

On that same night, he said he could ask the Father in heaven to send thousands and thousands of angels to defend him (Matthew 26:53). They were arresting the Commander-in-Chief of heaven's armed forces.

Another conspicuous thing in the arrest accounts is the darkness of man's sinfulness. They have seen Jesus demonstrate his deity, but they proceeded with the arrest anyway. Truly our depravity is so severe; it is beyond cure by human means. This is the very reason why the Omnipotent One subjected himself to the "power" of mere earthly weaklings.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

The Almighty One could have had resisted the arrest and destroy them all on the spot. Yet God's power is not only manifested in his judgment of sinners, but also in the salvation of his people. On the cross, he disarmed the powers of darkness (Colossians 2:15). He is mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17).

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Mata ng Diyos

2011-10-27T10:15:00.004+08:00

Rev. 6:16

They called to the mountains and the rocks,

"Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!"

Mata ng Diyos

Wolfgang

Pagdilat ng kanyang mga mata, ang buong paligid ay makulay. Siya ay gumising sa umagang ubod ng ganda. Subalit ang kaligayahang kanyang nadarama ay biglang napalitan ng takot na walang kapantay. Ang sumira sa kanyang payapang araw: siya ay tinitigan ng Diyos na hukom.

Ipinakita sa kanya ang lahat ng kanyang pagkakasala at sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay kanyang napansin ang bahid ng dugo sa kanyang mga kuko. Kumaripas siya ng takbo papalayo mula sa mga nanlilisik na mata ng Diyos, ngunit sino nga ba ang makakaiwas sa presensya ng Diyos? Wala.

Ang Pahayag 6:12-16 ay pangunang-silip sa kung ano ang mangyayari sa oras na mabatid ng mga tao na ibubuhos na ng Diyos ang kanyang poot sa daigdig. Sa kaganapan ng dakilang lindol, pangingitim ng araw, pamumula ng buwan at pagkahulog ng mga tala, magigimbal sa takot ang mga 'di mananampalataya. Iiwanan nila ang kabihasnan at ikukubli ang kanilang mga sarili sa mga yungib at mga kabundukan . Ngunit higit sa lahat ng kanilang mga kinatatakutan ay ang pagharap nila sa Diyos Ama at sa kanyang Kordero. Mas nanaisin pa nila na sila ay bagsakan ng mga bato at bundok kaysa sila ay titigan ng napopoot na Diyos.

Iyan nga ang sasapitin ng lahat ng hindi nanampalataya sa Korderong Tagapagligtas. Subalit sa atin na pinagkalooban ng pananampalataya, walang tayong dapat ikatakot o ikabahala.

1. Sa mga mata ng Diyos, tayo ay napatawad na. Tayo ay katanggap-tanggap sa kanyang harapan. May kapayapaan na sa pagitan natin at ng Diyos (Roma 5:1)

2. Sa mga mata ng Diyos, tayo ay malinis na. Wala na ang bahid ng dugo sa ating mga kuko. Ang kanyang dugo ang siyang naglinis sa atin (Heb. 9:14)

3. Sa mga mata ng Diyos, tayo na mga makasalanan ay ibinilang bilang matuwid. Sa ating pakikipag-isa kay Kristo, ang kanyang katuwiran ay ibinilang na atin. (1 Cor.1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21)

4. Sa mga mata ng Diyos, tayo ay mga sinisintang anak. Hindi mga rebelde o mga kriminal na dapat puksain ang tingin niya sa atin. Malaya tayong tawagin siyang "Ama" (Juan 1:12; Gal. 4:6); tayo ay mga anak na kanyang inaalagaan, iniingatan at pamamanahan ng 'di mabilang at 'di masukat na mga pagpapala. Hindi panlilisik ng mata ang sasalubong sa atin kundi mga sulyap ng pag-ibig.

Kalinga

Tricia Amper-Jimenez

Papuri 16

Malayo pa ang Umaga

2011-10-18T15:51:00.000+08:00

Psalm 130:6

My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Marahil ay nakikita ng karamihan ang kanilang mga sarili sa mga letra ng kanta kung kaya't ito ay sumikat. Ang mga tao ay dumadaan sa sari-saring mga suliranin. Mapait ang buhay; may mga pagkakataon na walang patid ang pagpatak ng ating mga luha. Ang buhay natin ay isang madilim at mahabang gabi. Panay ang lingon natin sa silangan sapagkat doon natin inaasahang sisikat ang araw. Subalit sa ating bawat paglingon, wala man lang ni isang guhit ng sinag tayong nasisilayan. Malayo pa ang pagsilip ng araw.
Ang salmistang nasa likod ng Awit 130 ay dumadaan sa matinding suliranin; inilarawan niya ang kanyang kalagayan bilang isang taong dumadaing buhat sa kalaliman (talata 1). Subalit sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, ang salmista ay buong tiwalang naghihintay sa kung ano ang gagawin ng Panginoon. Paano nga kaya kung malayo pa ang umaga?
Sa talata anim ay kanyang isinulat na ang kanyang pananabik sa pagdating ng umaga ay higit pa sa pananabik ng mga bantay. Sa kanilang kapanahunan, ang tungkulin ng mga bantay na ito ay magmatyag sa gabi. Habang nakahimlay ang karamihan, at habang maging ang mga mandirigma ay mahimbing na natutulog, nasa taas ng tore ang bantay. Siya'y nakatanaw sa malayo upang kung sakaling may papalapit na mga kaaway at nagbabanta ng pagsalakay, gigisingin ng bantay ang taong-bayan upang sila'y maging handa sa pakikidigma.
Gabi-gabi, iyan ang gawain ng bantay. Siyempre, ang pinananabikan ng bantay ay ang pagdating ng umaga upang sa paggising ng mga tao, siya naman ang may pagkakataong magpahinga. Ang sabi ng salmista, higit ang kanyang pag-aabang sa umaga kung ihahambing sa pag-aabang ng mga bantay.
Sa mga pagkakataong madilim at mahaba ang gabi ng ating buhay, ano ba ang mga maaari nating asahan?

1. Maaasahan natin na ang mga dalangin natin ay hindi nasasayang (talata 1,2).
Iyan ang ginawa ng salmista; dumaing siya sa Panginoon upang humingi ng saklolo.
Eh paano kung sa pakiramdam natin ay tila hindi nakikinig ang Diyos sa ating mga dalangin? Ang lunas ay panalangin pa rin! Huwag titigil sa paghiling na tayo ay pakinggan ng ating Diyos.

2. Kung sakali man na karapat-dapat tayong maghirap dahil sa ating mga pagkakasala, maaasahan natin na ang Diyos ay mapagpatawad (talata 3,4, at 8)
Sa talata 3 ay kanyang ipinahayag ang katotohanan na wala ni isa, maging ang mga pinakabanal sa piling natin ang karapat-dapat sa harap ng Diyos. Maaaring sa tingin ng madla ay banal siya, subalit kanyang inaamin na kung siya ay sisingilin ng Diyos sa kanyang mga kasalanan, ni hindi siya makakatayo sa harap ng Diyos.
Subalit panatag siyang lumalapit sa Diyos sapagkat alam niya na ang kanyang nilalapitan ay isang Diyos na mapagpatawad. Nakakamangha rin na ang pagkakilala ng katangian na ito ng Diyos ang nag-uudyok sa atin na mamuhay ng may takot sa kanya (talata 4)

3. Maaasahan natin na ang salita ng Diyos ay totoo at maaari nating panghawakan (talata 5)
Dumampot tayo ng isang pangako mula sa Salita ng Diyos. Hebreo 13:5- "Hindi kita iiwan; ni pababayaan man". Dahil hindi niya tayo iiwan, hindi kailangang hintayin ang umaga upang masabing kasama natin siya. Sa hinaba-haba ng gabi, Siya'y kapiling pa rin natin.

Ang mga halaman ay matutuyo;

Ang mga gusali ay maglalaho

Subalit ang kanyang mga pangako

Ay hindi mapapako

4. Maasahan natin na ang pag-ibig ng Diyos ay hindi nagmamaliw (talata 7)
Ano ang dapat alalahanin kung alam mong iniibig ka ng Diyos? Wala. Dahil mahal niya tayo, hinding-hindi siya gagawa ng anuman na ikakapahamak natin; at ang pag-ibig rin na ito ang dahilan kung bakit siya gagawa ng mga hakbang para sa ating kapakanan. Ang pinakadakilang pagpapakita ng pag-ibig na ito ay ginawa na niya halos dalawang libong taon na ang nakakaraan nang kanyang ibigay ang buhay ng kanyang anak para sa ating ikakatubos. Kung 'yan ay kanyang nagawa noon, ano pa kaya ang hindi niya kayang ibigay? (Roma 8:32)

Dumadaan ka ba sa isang napakahabang gabi? Mabagal ba ang takbo ng orasan na tila ang isang segundo ay tumatagal ng isang oras? Pagbulayan ang Awit 130 at hintayin ang pagdating ng umaga ng may pagtitiwala.

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Church Harmony and Hermon's Dew

2011-10-13T02:54:00.000+08:00

Psalm 133:1

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

Psalm 133:3

It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

As mandated by the Mosaic Law, the Israelites would go up to Zion to celebrate the God-ordained feasts three times a year (Exo.23:14). They have a set of songs to sing on their way up which we now call The Song of Ascents; the 133rd Psalm is one of them. What a pleasing sight it would have been to witness people from all walks of life singing a song about national and spiritual unity!

Two out of three of those annual feasts take place on dry months. At the peak of a drought, there is not even a drop of dew in Zion and in the rest of the land (1 Kings 17:1).

There is a mountain range between Lebanon and Syria, and the tallest among them is Mount Hermon. In contrast to Zion, there is never a time in a year when Hermon is dry. You could find ice at Hermon's peak even in the most severe droughts in the region. The dry months increase the usefulness of Hermon as its melting ice become a source of water to nearby places including the Jordan River.

One traveller narrates some memories from his visit:

"The vapour, coming in contact with the snowy sides of the mountain, is rapidly congealed, and is precipitated in the evening in the form of a dew, the most copious we ever experienced. It penetrated everywhere, and saturated everything. The floor of our tent was soaked, our bed was covered with it, our guns were dripping, and dewdrops hung about everywhere. No wonder that the foot of Hermon is clad with orchards and gardens of such marvelous fertility in this land of droughts."(Henry Baker Tristram, 1867)

The Psalmist is saying that in the unity of God's people, it is as if Jerusalem is refreshed by the water descending from Hermon. Jerusalem may be too distant to be a recipient of Hermon's dew, but it is very near God, the one who has "commanded the blessing." And where there's water, the grasses are green, the trees bear fragrant blossoms, the grains are plump, luscious fruits are in abundance, and the animals are well-fed. Best of all, human life is sustained.

Individual members of God's people face various trials daily. Souls are severely dehydrated wandering around the Desert of Sahara. May they find oasis in our churches. Let's pursue unity.

Church Harmony and the Oil Poured on Aaron

2011-10-04T08:41:00.005+08:00

Psalm 133:1

How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!

Psalm 133:2

It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.

Unknowingly, those who cause unnecessary divisions in the church deprive themselves of wonderful blessings, much like dumping a pile of mud on the very well where they fetch water.

Psalm 133 should motivate us to pursue church unity; for it pronounces blessing upon brothers who "live together in unity". That blessedness was likened to two things: first, the oil poured upon Aaron (verse 2); and second, the dew of Mt. Hermon (verse 3).

In this post, we will dwell on verse 2. The third verse will be tackled in the next post.

1. The Oil Conveys the Blessing of Being Special
We derived this first point by looking into two questions:
a. What the oil was?
b. What the oil did?

Both of these questions are answered in Exodus 30:22-33.

As to the question "What the oil was?" we see that it was a very special fragrant oil. It was exclusively for tabernacle use. The proper blend was a general knowledge; the right proportion is known by all for it is written in the book. But I guess no one dared to imitate the blend for personal use, for a warning was issued: "Whoever makes perfume like it and whoever puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from his people.'"

As to the question "What the oil did?", we find out that whatever it touched became holy (v.29). Ordinary utensils became holy. Ordinary men from the tribe of Levi became special when the oil was applied on them.

Thus, church harmony is pleasant for it conveys that we are a special people. It is a manifestation that we are a holy nation. We may look ordinary in the eyes of men, but our unity in the faith testifies that we are a people belonging to God.

2. The Oil Conveys the Blessing of Acceptable Worship.
The mention of Aaron's name drives us to look into the significance of the Aaronic ministry. The primary aspect of the ministry is to offer sacrifices in behalf of the people.

In Leviticus 9, after Aaron offered the sacrifices, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out before the Lord's presence to consume what was offered. The people fell on their faces out of reverence yet they were shouting with joy knowing that their sacrifices were accepted.

Another aspect of Aaronic ministry is to pronounce the priestly blessing upon the people (Numbers 6:23-27). Part of the formula to be uttered is "the LORD make his face shine upon you" (v.25). The NLT renders it as "May the LORD smile on you". The opposite of that is for the Lord to face you with a frown. When a king is displeased with you, you know your life is in danger. You may sing praises to him all day but it will not change a thing; it may even aggravate the situation for your voice is an abomination to his ears.

Church harmony is pleasant for it conveys that out worship is not in vain. We can come to God corporately and he faces us with a smile. We may not be the best of singers but our praises are accepted before his throne. He is pleased with what we offer and he bestows blessing upon our lives.

3. The Oil Conveys Abundant Grace
Notice that the Psalmist pays attention to the quantity of the oil poured upon Aaron. Upon the first drop, it would have been enough to make Aaron fit for the ministry. Yet the oil was poured lavishly that it flowed from his head, to his beard and to his robe. You can also imagine how fragrance filled the air.

Church harmony is pleasant because it conveys the abundance of God's grace on his people. When he bestows blessing upon us, he doesn't measure it in teaspoons. What he gives his people is "grace upon grace" (John 1:16)

Unpretty?

2011-09-21T07:38:00.005+08:00

I used to watch TLC's official music video here:<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcgM_cFyDuA>. But it is now blocked from Philippine viewers due to copyright grounds, so I have to settle with the one above (audio and lyrics only). I was still able to view the official video last week. I was then surprised by the significant increase in the number of views. The reason: younger audiences became interested in it because the teen-oriented TV series Glee featured it's own version of Unpretty.

There were several vignettes of stories in the original TLC video. What's portrayed in one of the more prominent vignettes are the emotional pains of the ladies caused by the pressure to look beautiful according to the standards of the men they love. Women do all their best to look pleasing in the eyes of their partners yet they always fall short of the standard set by magazine models and TV stars. Hence, ladies' hearts are broken feeling unpretty.

Brothers, let us serve as instruments in building up the faith of our sisters. We have to pull them away from worldly standards and direct them to a biblical view of beauty. Could we commit our selves to give less compliments for our sisters' physical features and commend them more for their pursuit of Christlikeness?

Many of our sisters are spiritually weak; they often succumb to ungodly influences. They need us to remind them that physical beauty will be here today and gone tomorrow. Let us tell them that what matters most is how they appear in God's sight.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Peter 3:3-4)

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)

Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver (09-18-2011)

2011-09-18T23:59:00.015+08:00

in place of "books", I would like to substitute the word "blogs"

"Books may preach where the author cannot, when the author may not, when the author dares not, yea, and (which is more), when the author is not."

~Thomas Brooks

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The heart's throne and Christian living

"Your heart is the central aspect of your being and what you treat as holy there cannot help but have a massive impact on the rest of your life: how you speak, how you act, how you respond to tragedy, persecution and difficulty, {and} to death itself.."

~James R. White

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The Sinful Man and His Labors (Psalm 90:17)

"The Lord's acceptance of his own assures a certain permanence of their work. Life under the sun may be vain. The man under God's judgment can accomplish no ultimate good. However, the godly and wise pray that the Lord will accept their work and "establish" it as having value . Frail, limited, and sinful as man is, the love of God can transform what is weak to his own glory."

~Willem VanGemeren

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Personal faith and social concern

"Personal faith in Jesus Christ comes with a set of social obligations. A Christian who lives in the awareness of what the Savior has done for her also asks what she can do for Him. We are not merely objects of grace but instruments of grace."

~Haddon Robinson

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On forgiveness

"To return evil for good is devilish. To return good for good is human. To return good for evil is divine"

~William Temple

Soundtrip Sabado (09-17-2011)

2011-09-17T23:59:00.005+08:00

Precious Blood

Those who read Boy Meets Girl may remember that Joshua Harris

married an aspiring recording artist.This is Shannon's voice.

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Sugar Hiccup
Womb

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Let's All Go Down to the River

I was only about 10 years old when Jimmy Swaggart was at the peak of his popularity.
I can only remember three things about the TV broadcasts:

1. Swaggart's singing voice while playing the piano;

2. Swaggart's dynamic gestures while preaching on the return of the prodigal son

3. the voice of John Starnes

GUEST POST: A Life of Prayer

2011-09-16T13:52:00.002+08:00

by Sheryll O. Yap

Her preferred introduction:

"Sheryll is a Young Adults Ministry volunteer of Soli Deo Gloria Christian Ministries in Davao City. She is also a government worker in her non-spare time"


Photo Credit: Homemaker in Progress

A Life Prayer
April 7,2007

The Lord taught me to pray:
"Lord whatever may happen to me,
may I never forget
who You are in my life."

When He lifts me up before the eyes of men
When His favor makes me a blessing to others
And I am tempted to take the credit for myself,
I remember who He is in my life,
That apart from Him I am nothing,
Then my pride is crushed
and am humbled before Him.

When I am afraid and want to run away
When terror seem to eat me up
And I cannot move..
I remember who He is in my life
and I am calmed
For the Lord is my refuge
I shall not be shaken.

When I am discouraged and bowed down
And laid low in the dust because of my sins,
When I feel most unworthy to serve Him
Especially before the eyes of men
I remember who He is in my life
And I am renewed--
For the Lord chose me not because I was good
But only because of His mercy and grace.

When I feel so weary and long to depart
When the struggle I have to face
Seem to come up over me
I remember who He is in my life
And I am restored.
For it is He who gives me wisdom
and the strength to move on.

Lord, who are You in my life?
You have become everything to me
Ever since the time
when you showed me Your love
You have made me treasure it above all
...above all pain
...above all tears
...above all sorrows
...above all joys
...above everything.

For when I see the Son I tremble
Not with terror but with awe
I wonder how You could include me
When You hung upon that tree.
Who am I that You should love me?
Who am I that I should be spared?
You don't need me, O God,
You don't need me.
And yet You have loved me
And cared for me as Your own.

How I long for the day
When Your purpose for my life
Will be accomplished
When the mission You have assigned
For me is done.
For it is then, I know,
You shall take me to be with You
To make me finally see
the God of my life.
On that blessed day with the saints
I shall say before You:

"Thank You, O God, for always reminding me
Who You really are in our lives."

Amen and amen.

"Kapag binato ka ng bato, batuhin mo ng Tinapay" VS. "Lintik lang ang walang ganti"

2011-09-14T07:06:00.001+08:00

Basahin muna: Genesis 50:15-21

Dalawang kasabihang magkasalungat ang mensahe. Ang una'y mahirap gawin. Ang pangalawa'y natural sa makasalanang tao. Pero bakit nagawa ni Joseph ang una? Siya na ipinagbili ng kanyang mga kapatid bilang kalakal; Siya na naging alipin sa Ehipto; siya na nabilanggo nang walang katarungan; siya na sa loob ng maraming taon ay nagdusa sa sakit ng damdamin at lungkot ng pag-iisa. Paano niya nagawang gantihan ng kabutihan ang lahat ng kasamaang ginawa sa kanya?

Siyempre, kasama diyan yung kanyang pananaw na ang Diyos na may kontrol sa lahat ng naganap ay may mabuting layunin. Kayang-kaya ng Diyos na baligtarin ang masamang hangarin ng tao para sa kabutihan (Genesis 50:20).

Bukod diyan, isa ring dahilan ang kanyang pagkakilala sa Diyos bilang Tanging Hukom. Sagot niya sa pag-aalinlangan ng kanyang mga kapatid, "Am I in the place of God?' (verse 19) Para sa kanya, ang Diyos lamang ang nasa posisyon upang magbigay katarungan. Hindi nararapat na ilagay natin ang batas sa ating sariling kamay. Kung kailangang sungkitin ang mata ng tao, ang nagbigay ng mata ang siyang may karapatang manungkit. Kung kailangang putulin ang daliri ng tao, ang pinagmulan ng daliri ang may karapatang pumutol. Kung kailangan pumatak ang dugo, ang nagkaloob ng dugo ang siyang dapat magpapatak nito. Kung kailangang kitilin ang buhay ng tao, ang may bigay ng buhay ang siyang may karapatang magpataw ng parusang kamatayan.

Romans 12:19-20

¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (NIV)

If wrath is needed, it must not come from sinful beings like us but from the one who remains perfectly holy even in his expression of wrath.

Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver (09-11-2011)

2011-09-11T23:41:00.011+08:00

Before and after hearing the sermon

"Come to your knees to the sermon, and come from the sermon to your knees"

~Joseph Alleine

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Preservation and Perseverance

"The reason true Christians do not fall from grace is that God graciously keeps them from falling. Perseverance is what we do. Preservation is what God does. We persevere because God preserves."

~R.C. Sproul Sr.

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The man of God and his task

"God fits the man for the place, and the place for the man;there is an hour for the voice, and a voice for the hour."

~Charles H. Spurgeon

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Engaging in Controversies

"Controversy for the sake of controversy is sin. Controversy for the sake of the truth is a divine command."

~Walter Martin

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On Influences

"Some books and teachers leave their indelible fingerprints on our souls. And when those fingerprints are left, it's as if our DNA has been changed."

~Ravi Zacharias

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Traditions

"All Christians are at once beneficiaries and victims of tradition-- beneficiaries, who receive nurturing truth and wisdom from God's faithfulness in the past generations; victims, who now take for granted things that need to be questioned, thus treating as divine absolutes patterns of belief and behavior that should be seen as human, provisional, and relative. We are all beneficiaries of good, wise, and sound tradition and victims of poor, unwise, and unsound traditions.."

~J.I. Packer

Soundtrip Sabado (09-10-2011)

2011-09-10T03:54:00.007+08:00

Hungry (Falling on my Knees)

------------------------------------

Cynthia Alexander

Kawikaan

inspired by the Book of Proverbs, Christian songwriters

Laverne Ducut and Cathy Carlos collaborated to write this song.

The result: the song placed 2nd in the 2001 Metropop Songwriting Festival

------------------------------------

Petra

No Doubt

Earth's City Lights

2011-09-09T11:25:00.000+08:00

Click HERE for larger image

Matagal-tagal na rin ang pagkakagawa ng imaheng nasa itaas subalit kamakailan ko lang ito namasdan. Gamit ang satellite, ito ay pinagtagpi-tagping mga kuha ng larawan upang maipakita ang liwanag at dilim sa iba't ibang panig ng daigdig sa oras ng gabi.

Sa mga mauunlad na lungsod, kitang-kita ang ningning ng mga ilaw. Matingkad na kadiliman naman sa mga kagubatan at disyerto ng Africa. Natural na madilim din sa Antartica kasi wala namang taong nakatira doon maliban sa mga scientist na nananaliksik.

May tuldok ng liwanag sa gitna ng Palawan kaya nasabi ko sa aking sarili, "Ah! yun siguro ang Puerto Princesa!"

Sa Asya, walang papantay sa Japan. Mula dulong hilaga hanggang dulong timog, nakakasilaw ang liwanag.

Sumagi lang sa aking isip, hindi lang naman industriyalisasyon at pag-usbong ng ekonomiya ang palatandaan ng pagpapala ng Diyos sa mga bansa. Maunlad nga ang Japan subali't ayon sa datos ng Joshua Project:

1.56% lang ng populasyon ang professing Christians (kasama na diyan ang mga Romano Katoliko, Greek Orthodox, at sari-saring mga kulto)
0.5% lang ng populasyon ang professing Evangelical
67.6% sa kanila, ni walang access sa pakikinig sa ebanghelyo.

Sa mapa ay kitang-kita rin ang liwanag ng mga mauunlad na lungsod sa Europa; subalit ayon sa 2005 Eurostat Eurobarometer Poll, hindi maikakaila na dilim ang naghahari doon. Ang mga naniniwalang may Diyos ay

anim lamang sa bawat sampung katao sa Espanya
lima lamang sa bawat sampu sa Germany
apat lamang sa bawat sampu sa United Kingdom
tatlo lamang sa bawat sampu sa France
dalawa lamang sa bawat sampu sa Sweden

Kung meron lang sanang satellite na may kakayahang kumuha ng mga larawan ng ispirituwal na liwanag, makikita na ang pagpapala ng Diyos ay nasa mga dako kung saan nananahan ang kanyang mga tunay na anak. Kung nasaan ang mga sumasampalataya kay Hesus, naroon ang liwanag.

Eph. 5:8
"for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light" (ESV)

Phi. 2:15
"that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

John 8:12
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Matt. 5:14-16
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Things that Have Not Changed Before and After the Flood

2011-09-06T14:33:00.000+08:00

Photo Credit: Answers in Genesis

1. The sinfulness of man has not changed.

a. Man was sinful before the cataclysm

"every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." (Gen. 6:5 NIV)

b. Man still is sinful after the cataclysm

"every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood." (Gen. 8:21)

2. The hatred of God towards sin has not changed.

a. God abhorred sin before the flood. He judged sinful humanity by drowning them.

b. God still abhors sin. He will again judge this world by fire (2 Peter 3:7)

3. The saving grace of God has not changed.

a. God gave instructions to Noah on how to escape the coming wrath. Noah responded in faith. Leon Morris comments on Heb.11:7, "His action was motivated by faith, not by any reasoned calculation of the probabilities based on the best available evidence."

b. For us, God also provided a way to escape the coming wrath. This time, we don't have to be inside an ark to be rescued. What matters is for us to be in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 "and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath."

Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver (09-04-2011)

2011-09-04T11:11:00.011+08:00

On Friendship

"Friendship that includes a common commitment to the gospel is something completely different than friendship without it. I may have cordial relationships with non Christians, but I cannot think of anyone I would call a true friend who is not a fellow believer in Christ."

~James R. White

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On God's goodness

"He is infinitely good; the creature's good is but a drop; but in God there is an infinite ocean."

~Thomas Manton

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On spiritual illumination

"both the Father and the Son have absolute control over what revelation is understood, who understands it, and who doesn't."

~Bruce Ware

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On the state of evangelicalism

"There are many who call themselves evangelicals who have abandoned either the formal or material principle-- that is sociologically they do belong to a certain kind of club called Evangelical but that does not mean that they hold to any of its historic distinctives or still less to biblically defined priorities."

~D.A. Carson

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On General and Special Revelation

"People often say that it is difficult to argue ethical issues from Scripture in a society that does not honor Scripture's authority. But it is even more difficult to argue from natural law. For the natural law is not a written text."

~John Frame

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On Polemics

"Men tell us that our preaching should be positive and not negative, that we can preach the truth without attacking error. But if we follow that advice we shall have to close our Bible and desert its teachings. The New Testament is a polemic book almost from beginning to end."

~J. Gresham Machen

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On Influences

"... God wills that we have heroes. Hebrews 13:7 says, "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." It seems to me that the Christian leaders today who come closest to being heroes are the ones who had great heroes. I hope you have one or two, living or dead."

~John Piper

Soundtrip Sabado (09-03-2011)

2011-09-03T03:33:00.083+08:00

Sojourn's reworking of Isaac Watts' hymn
Death Has Lost It's Sting

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Gary Granada
Saranggola sa Ulan

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Indelible Grace
O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

A rehash of George Matheson's hymn

Online Resources I Actually Use (or intend to use)

2011-08-30T04:50:00.008+08:00

ONLINE BIBLE SOFTWARE
NET Bible Study Environment
The Online Greek Bible

BIBLE VERSIONS

Salita ng Diyos

Bagong Magandang Balita Biblia

Contemporary English Version

English Standard Version
God's Word Translation
Holman Christian Standard Bible
King James Version
New American Bible
New American Standard Bible (1995)
New Century Version

New International Version (1984)
New International Version (2011)
New King James Version
New Living Translation
New Jerusalem Bible

BIBLE COMMENTARIES

IVP New Testament

Matthew Henry (concise)

John Calvin
John Gill

Thomas Constable

Bob Utley

DICTIONARIES

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

Holman Bible Dictionary (1991)

KJV Dictionary warning! This is a KJV only site

English Dictionaries

English Thesaurus
CARM Dictionary of Theology
Dictionary of Bible Themes

THEOLOGY

A.A. Hodge's Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith

Ligonier Ministries
Ware's Systematic Theology Lectures 1
Ware's Systematic Theology Lectures 2
TGC Topic Index
Theopedia
Monergism Directory of Theology

SERMONS

W.A. Criswell
J. Ligon Duncan
Thomas Schreiner
TGC Scripture Index

OTHERS

Tektonitron Encyclopedia Apologetica

Daniel Wallace- New Testament: Introductions & Outlines

Spurgeon Sermons Scripture Index
A.W. Pink Archive

Precept Austin Collection
e-Catena: Compiled Allusions to the New Teatament in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

"Open my eyes... " (Psalm 119:18)

2011-08-29T13:48:00.008+08:00

Cuba Gooding Jr., from the film Radio

"Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law."
(Psalm 119:18)

There is a 41-year gap between the assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1865) and the claimed first transmission of audio by broadcasting (1906). Suppose I were alive in 1865 and I live in a remote barrio in Pangasinan, I wonder how long it would take for the news to reach me? I suspect I would not even know that Abraham Lincoln exists.

Last week, when it was announced that Muammar Ghaddafi was wounded due to airstrikes and has fled Tripoli, the news spread quickly. Perhaps by Friday night, almost every Filipino heard about Libya's violent transfer of power.

When in comes to access to knowledge and information, this is a privileged generation. Gone are the days when every studious pupil's dream is to have a set of a multi-volume encyclopedia. Who needs to spend a fortune for a set that will be obsolete within a decade when Google is right before your fingertips?

When it comes to bible study, there are many tools available online: different bible versions, commentaries, dictionaries and expository sermons. A decade ago, if you want to hear the voice of John MacArthur, you have to be content with 20-minute broadcasts every night. Now, audio recordings from his 4-decade ministry is archived and available free of charge. You can even afford to be choosy. If MacArthur is not your type, go to Sermonaudio.com and take your pick.

While we must be thankful for such a privilege, we must also take heed, for this privilege could also be the cause of our downfall. How?

The danger is that we may think that spiritual insight is a common thing. And when something is common, you will not earnestly look for it. No one migrates to the Middle East for sand; we have enough of that in our beaches. They go there because of job opportunities-- opportunities which are rare here.

But spiritual knowledge has never been common. You can't find in abundance. Spiritual insight was not given to all the families before the great flood but to Noah's family alone. God did not call out everyone from Chaldea, but Abram alone. The law was not given to all the nations, but to Israel alone. In Matt. 11:25, you won't even know God unless he chooses to reveal himself to you.

The first step to acquiring spiritual insight is admitting that we are blind to heavenly truths. Unless we take that first step, we would not plead earnestly before God to open our our eyes. There are many wondrous things in nature: the plants, the beaches, the sky, the rainbow, the butterflies, the smile of infants-- yet what are these things to me if I am blind? In the same way, unless the Lord opens our spiritual eyes, the wondrous things in the word of God will be of no value to us. We may open our bibles with all the tools in our library, but they shall remain as mere paper and ink.

The bottom line is for us to approach God's throne with humility and earnestness. Let us acknowledge that he possesses absolute prerogative to grant or withhold divine knowledge.

An Illustration: The Mockery of Leaving the Guilty Go Unpunished

2011-08-15T10:03:00.002+08:00

For the IBF Bantamweight Title

Abner Mares vs. Joseph Agbeko

Referee: Russell Mora

August 13, 2011

Ang Kagalakan ng Alipin sa Kanyang Kaibig-ibig na Amo

2011-08-10T14:30:00.000+08:00

Hindi ko alam ang konteksto ng talumpati ni Patrick Henry na pinagkunan ng pangungusap na ito: "Give me liberty or give me death"-- subalit noon pa man ay inagaw na nito ang pansin ng musmos kong isipan. "Bigyan mo ako ng kalayaan o kung hindi naman ay bigyan mo na lang ako ng kamatayan."

Ang kalayaan ay lubhang pinapahalagahan ng tao. Iyan man ay pambansang kalayaan tulad ng ipinaglaban sa pelikulang Braveheart o personal na kalayaan tulad ng ipinaglaban sa pelikulang Amistad, ang mensaheng hatid: mahalaga ang kalayaan at dapat na maging handa tayo, magtaya man ng buhay makamit lamang ito.

Sa sistema ng pang-aalipin sa panahon ni Moises, hindi kailangang dumanak ang dugo upang maging malaya. Sapagkat kapag ikaw ay binili bilang alipin, hindi ibig sabihin na magiging alipin ka habang-buhay. Ang nakasaad sa batas, maglilingkod ka ng anim na taon at sa ikapito, malaya ka na.

Nakasaad rin sa batas na kung sa pagpasok mo bilang alipin ay may asawa ka, lalabas ka kasama pamilya mo. Kung ikaw ay pumasok bilang binata at sa kagandahang-loob ng iyong amo ay pinagkalooban ka ng asawa, sa iyong paglabas ay maiiwan ang iyong pamilya.

May mga pagkakataon na matapos ang anim na taon, sa halip na sunggaban ng alipin ang pagkakataong lumaya, tatanggihan niya ito alang-alang sa pagmamahal niya sa kanyang amo at pag-ibig niya sa kanyang pamilya. Kung 'yan ang nais ng alipin, siya ay dadaan sa isang seremonya kung saan bubutasan ang kanyang tainga, at siya ay magiging alipin habang-buhay. Ang pagkakaiba, noon ay alipin siya dahil siya ay binili; ngayon ay alipin siya dahil mahal niya ang kanyang amo at ang kanyang pamilya. (Exo. 21:5-6)

Sa panahon ng Bagong Tipan, inangkat ni Apostol Pablo ang konseptong ito. Sa kanyang mga liham ay madalas niyang tawagin ang kanyang sarili bilang alipin ng Diyos: kusang-loob siyang nagpapakaalipin dahil nakita niya na kaibig-ibig ang kanyang Panginoon. (Rom.1:1; Gal. 1:10; Titus 1:1)

Ano nga ba ang mga dahilan kung bakit kaibig-ibig ang Panginoon na ating pinaglilingkuran? Siyempre marami 'yan at hindi natin kayang banggitin lahat. Subalit tatangkain kong maglista ng ilan.

Una, siya ay perpekto sa lahat ng kanyang katangian. Kung ang mga alipin ay may mga nasusumpungang kanais-nais na mga katangian sa kanilang mga amo dito sa ibabaw ng lupa, eh 'di higit pang kahanga-hanga ang mga katangian ng ating amo na nasa langit. Perpekto siya sa kanyang pag-ibg; perpekto sa kabaitan, perpekto sa kabutihan, perpekto sa katarungan, perpekto sa kanyang pag-uugali. 'Yan ang among masarap paglingkuran.

Pangalawa, isipin natin kung gaano kahalaga ang kanyang ginamit upang mabili tayo. Hindi pilak o ginto ang ipinambili niya sa atin kundi sa pamamagitan ng buhay ng kanyang anak na si Kristo. Walang kapantay sa halaga ang kanyang dugo na itinigis sa krus upang mapasakanya lamang tayo. (1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Ped.1:18-19)

Kaya naman ang wika ng Apostol Pablo sa 2 Cor. 5:15:

"Siya'y namatay para sa lahat, upang ang mga nabubuhay ay huwag nang mabuhay pa para sa kanilang mga sarili, kundi para sa kanya na alang-alang sa kanila ay namatay at muling nabuhay."

Pangatlo, isipin natin ang dati nating kalagayan bago tayo maging alipin ng Diyos. Noon pa man ay mga alipin na tayo-- yun nga lamang ang pinaglilingkuran natin ay hindi ang Diyos kundi ang kasalanan (Roma 6:6). Lahat ng tao, anuman ang kalagayan sa buhay-- siya man ay nakatira sa palasyo o nananahan bilang iskuwater; siya man ay nakaupo sa trono o nagwawalis sa kalye, lahat sila ay mga alipin. Ang tanong lamang ay kung kanino ka naglilingkod, sa Diyos ba o sa kasalanan?

Purihin natin ang Diyos sapagkat nang tayo ay maging mga alipin niya, naging malaya tayo sa ating naunang amo na si Kasalanan. Hindi na tayo mananatili sa walang kabuluhang pamumuhay. Nagkaroon ng kulay at saysay ang mga buhay natin.(1 Ped. 1:18)

Pang-apat, nang binili tayo ng Panginoon upang kanyang maging mga alipin, tayo man ay binigyan niya ng pamilya: mga kapatid sa pananampalataya na kaagapay natin sa lakad-ispirituwal at sila nga ay napamahal na sa atin. (Efe.2:19)

Bukod diyan, sa pamilyang ito, yung ating Amo mismo ang tumatayo bilang Ama. Bagamat siya ay mataas bilang Panginoon at tayo ay mababa bilang mga alipin, inangkin at itinuring na niya tayo bilang mga anak. Ang lahat ng mga karapatan ng mga anak ay ipinagkaloob na niya sa atin dahil sa ating pananalig kay Hesus (John 1:12).

May mga pagkakataon na nahihirapan tayo na tupdin ang ipinagagawa ng ating Amo. Parang mahirap sabihin na "Opo, Panginoon". Subalit tandaan natin na sa mga oras na 'yan ay maaari rin tayong lumapit sa kanya at ibulong, "Aking Ama, tulungan mo akong upang aking magampanan ang mga bagay na pinagagawa mo sa akin."

"Maung Kumon nu Maksil lan lanang so Duweg yo"

2011-07-20T00:20:00.004+08:00

A Tribute to my Parents on their 51st Wedding Anniversary

Hulyo 20, 1960 so agew na bansal nen Bernabe Rosario tan si Emeliana Ambanloc. Mairap so mangigapo na pamilya ed kapegleyay irap na bilay, balet lapud panangaro, impanengneng dan dua so seet tan anos.

Say kaulop nen Ben nu agew et say kabayon manguguyor na karomata. Sanagew ya ungkarera si Ben, balet makakaakis no bilangen toy nalmo to ta melmelag. Naksawan la balet agni manpainawa si Ben; manggaway taburiti ed amblilonget ya labi.

Tinawir nen Eliang so anapan nen nanay ton Pacing. Agto toy bigao ta manutunog na palitaw tan bitso-bitso.

Ompian agla masyadon undokey so istorya et agko la bitlaen so arum ya anapan ya sinali da. Ag ko met la bitlaen so sari-sarin krisis ya pinmapata ed sikara

Diad panangasi na Diyos, inpaalagey so CENPELCO ed baranggay mi. Nannigosyo si amak tan inak na pakanan. Nen si Manny, Brenda tan Bernard so ugugaw, ag kami met mayaman balet ag mi la alikna may irap ya bilay ya iistoryaen na saray inmuunan anak: Cresenciana, Imelda, Virginia, Arnelio tan Araceli.

Inminawan daiset so bilay, balet aga abawasan so kuli, seet tan anos na sanasawa. Lapud masimpit irad panagbilay da, kanepegan labat ya mampasnok ira no agkami masimpit.

Agko la nanunutan no antoy atrasok ta masyado ak nin ugaw nen agawa ya. Nayarin say atrasok et pinirdik labat so baaw ya bungay linget nen tatay ko ed panagdalos; nayari met ya say atrasok et nangastos ak lalamet ed asingger ya garita-- agko lan talaga nanunutan. Balet say malinew et imbano na masimpit kon nanay so maabak ya panagbilay ko. Diad pasnok to et walay nibesngaw ton agko nalingwanan. Say kuwan to: "Maung kumon nu maksil lan lanang so duweg yo."

Nen nangel ko man et masyado ak nin ugaw. Agko antay talos to. Balet aga abalang ed kanunutan ko man ya inbalikas da: "Maung kumon nu maksil lan lanang so duweg yo."

Unaakar so panaon; say ugaw ya Manny et umbabaleg. Syimpri, untutubo met so kalakal to. Daiset-daiset, singano natatalusan ko la may imbaga da.

Sakey agew, immasingger ak ed nanay ko. Sa tepet ko: "Nanay, panagbayar lay tuition fee. Wala'y ibayar tayo?". Say ebat nen nanay, "Wala, alangan ya anggapo." Antak balet ya sikara et mansingil ni na saray pinapakan dan impliyado na CENPELCO, ya nu ag ira makasingil ed makalmo niray kasebeg da. Linmoob ak ed iskwilaan ya pinunot ko'y sagpot na ateng mi ompian napan-aral so waluran anak. Diman ed library, binukay koy libro balet agko lan lamang natatalusan so babasaen ko. Manterter so luwak ed bulong na libro kanyan inkupit ko la laingen san inpawil ko ed pananginan. Linma ak ed sukong, diman ko inyibong so luwak.

Sakey ed saray teger ko kanyan linmoob ak ed The Virginian (student publication na VMUF) et samay melag ya discount ompian makatulong ak ed ateng ko. Binmayag, anengneng ko ya amay posisyon ko et maaibig ya usaren ko ompian labanan iray corrupt ya miyimbro na faculty na iskwilaan, saramay kukuwartaan da ray istudyante. Inlaban ko saray ateng na istudyante, ya mansasagpot agew-agew ompian napan-aral so anak da.

Nen agew ya nasumpal ak la ed panag-aral, wala met kalamor so melag ya award ko-- "With Distinction". Diman intablado, saray sasabitay midalya et kaulop day ateng da. Sinmegep ak met kaulop koy Tatay Ben san Nanay Eliang. Nen isabit la nen Prisidinti Ma. Lilia Posadas-Juan may midalya ed siak, binanok-- say kuwan ko "HUWAG". Say tepet na abiglan Prisidinti, "BAKIT?" Tepet met so ebat ko: "Puwede bang sa Tatay ko na lang". Nen unaan et ag labay nen Tatay balet si Prisidinti mismo so amasuot ed sikato. Diad iteterter na luwak ed agko la anengneng so kalupaan na saray tutoo. Say istorya na saray akaimaton, wala ray uneelek balet wala met iray unaakis.

Bulan na Abril man so ingkasumpal kod aral. Unaan na simba na Hunyo nen asabi lamay agew-- abalang lay kasil na sakey ya duweg. Na-stroke si Nanay. Paralisado la. Nanlapud saman, agak la nan-anap na trabaho. Anggad natan et aasikasoen ko may duweg ya nen saman et maksil balet natan et akarukol labi man o agew.

INDEX: NT Use of OT (by Michael Vlach)

2011-07-13T00:32:00.001+08:00

Part 1:

Introduction to the Issue

Part 2:

Seven Approaches to How the NT Uses the OT

Part 3

Resources for Studying NT Use of the OT

Part 4

Contextual Use of the OT by the NT Writers

Part 5

Categories of NT Usage of the OT

Part 6

Literal Prophetic Fulfillment

Part 7

Literal Prophetic Fulfillment (2)

Part 8

Literal Application ofTimeless Moral or Theological Point

Part 9

Literal Restatement of an OT Passage with Intensification or Alteration

Part 10

Affirmation of an Old Testament Prophetic Text Whose Fulfillment Is Still Future

Part 11

Some Observations Concerning Matthew's Purposes in Matt 1--2

Part 12

Matt 1:22-23 and Divine Correspondence between Israel and Jesus

Part 13

Matt 2:15/Hos 11:1 and Divine Correspondence between Israel and Jesus

Part 14

Matt 2:17-18/Jer 31:15 and Divine Correspondence between Israel and Jesus

Part 15

Matt 2:23 and Summation of an OT Truth or Principle

Part 16

Acts 2:25-28/Psalm 16:8-11 and the Resurrection of the Christ

Part 17

Acts 2:33-35/Psalm 110:1 and Literal Prophetic Fulfillment

Part 18

Psalm 110:1 and Contextual Fulfillment

Part 19

Psalm 110:4 and Contextual Fulfillment

Part 20

Acts 13:47 and Isa 49:6

Kinakalawang na Lata, Basag na Puwit ng Baso, o ang Panginoong Hesus?

2011-07-03T06:22:00.002+08:00

Photo Credit: WikiMedia Commons

Kung ikaw ay pagpipiliin sa pagitan ng ginto at kinakalawang na lata, alin ang iyong pipiliin? Lahat ng taong may matinong pag-iisip, ginto ang dadamputin.

Kung ikaw ay pagpipiliin sa pagitan ng mamahaling bato (tulad ng brilyante) at basag na puwit ng baso, alin ang iyong pipiliin? Lahat ng taong may matinong pag-iisip, brilyante ang dadamputin.

Kinilatis ng sanlibutan si Kristo at sa kanilang tingin, siya ay walang kuwenta. Kaya naman itinakuwil ng sanlibutan si Kristo (1 Pedro 2:4). Nang ang taong-bayan ay nabigyan ng karapatan upang piliin kung sino ang pakakawalan, si Kristo o si Barabas, ang pinili nila ay ang pangalawa. Ganun kaliit ang tingin nila sa Panginoon. Para sa kanila, may pakinabang pa nga sa lipunan ang kriminal na si Barabas.

Subalit maaaring may tumutol, "Bro. Manny, noon siguro 'yan. Pero ngayon, mataas na ang tingin ng mga tao kay Hesus. Ipinagdiriwang pa nga nila ang kanyang pagsilang tuwing Pasko at ginugunita ang kanyang kamatayan tuwing lenten season." Noon pa man ay ginagawa na ng tao na parangalan ang Diyos sa kanilang mga labi ngunit ang kanilang puso ay malayo sa kanya (Isa.29:13).

Ang hinala ng sanlibutan ay wala tayo sa tamang pag-iisip. Bakit? Sapagkat si Kristo na kanilang ibinabasura ay siya namang yaman natin (1 Pedro 2:7a). Handa tayong ipagbili ang lahat ng ating ari-arian: ang ating bahay, ang ating lupain, ang ating mga damit-- ang lahat-lahat sa atin, makamtan lang natin ang tunay na yaman (Mateo 13:44).

Si Moises ay inampon ng Prinsesa ng Ehipto; maginhawa at marangya ang kanyang buhay. Subalit ayon sa Heb. 11:26, binitiwan niya ang lahat ng ito at mas minatamis ang pagdurusa alang-alang kay Kristo.

Makikita rin ninyo sa ating talata na magkaiba ang destinasyon ng mga taong nagmamaliit sa kanya at ang mga taong nagpapahalaga sa kanya. Sa mga taong basura ang tingin kay Kristo, matutuklasan nila balang araw na ang bato na kanilang tinanggihan ay siya palang pinakamahalagang bato ng pundasyon. Sa kanya nakasalalay ang pagtayo o pagbagsak ng gusali. Dahil tinanggihan nila si Kristo, siya rin ang batong magiging sanhi ng kanilang pagkatisod.

Iba ang destinasyon ng mga taong nagpapahalaga sa kanya. Ayon sa talata 6, tayo na sumasampalataya sa kanya ay hindi mapapahiya. Malamang ay may halong pag-aalinlangan sa kinabukasan si Pedro nang kanyang itanong sa Panginoon, "Iniwan namin ang lahat at sumunod sa iyo. Ano naman ang makakamit namin?" Ang tugon sa kanya ng Panginoon ay pagtitiyak na ang sinumang nag-iwan ng mga bagay-bagay (maging mga mahal sa buhay) alang-alang sa kanyang ngalan ay tatanggap ng makasandaang-ulit at magmamana ng buhay na walang hanggan (Mateo 19:27-28).

Bago ko wakasan ito, nais kong ipaalala ang isang bagay upang huwag magmalaki ang sinuman. Noon, tayo rin naman ay tulad nila. Ayon sa 2 Cor. 4, tayo rin ay mga bulag dati-- nasa kadiliman kaya hindi natin makita ang kaluwalhatian ni Hesus. Kaya lamang natin nakita ang tunay niyang halaga ay dahil pinagliwanag ng Diyos ang ating paningin; pinagaling niya ang ating pagkabulag. Dahil sa biyaya ng Diyos, hindi na kinakalawang na lata ang tingin natin sa kanya; hindi na siya basag na puwit ng baso sa ating paningin. Siya ay ang Maningning at Marangyang Hari ng Langit at Lupa-- Walang kapantay sa kaluwalhatian. Siya ang tunay nating yaman.

My Facebook Wall (June, 2011)

2011-07-02T17:33:00.001+08:00

Photo Credit: Apologetix, a Christian Parody Band

June 2

~ Posted a link to my latest blog post: The Holiness of God as a Source of Comfort

June 3
~ Posted a link to an old blog post: Zodiac Change and the Unchanging God

~ Posted a link to my latest blog post: The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that He Will Fulfill His Promises

~ Tagged friends in a link to share with them the chance to win Douglas Moo's commentary on Romans (NIVAC)

~ Posted a link to John Piper's status:

"One reason for tweeting Godward truth. "We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete." (1 John 1:4)

My Caption: John Piper explains why I feel so much gladness whenever I post Biblical truth here in FB or in my blog.

June 4
~ Created a note: a mini-series completed: The Holiness of God as a Source of Comfort

June 6
~ Created a note: Ang Aking Tugon kay Bro. Isagani Camacho

June 7
~ Posted a link to my latest blog post: Common Grace Bestowed Upon Dr. Jose Rizal
~ Status:

Girls who post wisdom-filled sentences are prettier than those who upload their most gorgeous photos

-- Proverbs 31:26 "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." (NIV)

June 9

~ Posted a link to 7th Halo-Halo Huwebes

June 11

~ Except for compelling reasons, my next Facebook log in will be on Tuesday. And if my God calls me home to heaven before that day, I'll never be online again.

June 14

~ Created a note: Spurgeon on Bunyan's Bibline Blood

June 15

~ an ante-dated post: Payapang Isipan sa Araw ng Linggo

~ a warning that must be reissued: Babala: Mag-ingat kay Charles Capps

Is the Bible's revelation on heaven and hell insufficient? Should we include the transcript of Angelica Zambrano's testimonies as the 28th book of the New Testament? Brethren, let us go back to the Bible.

~ Friends, except for compelling reasons, my next Facebook login shall not be earlier than Monday (June 20). Yet you can reach me through email and mobile phone.

June 20

~ balik sportswriting si kuyamanny:

Common Grace Bestowed Upon Bernard Hopkins

June 22

~ bagong paskil: Message from God or from Christina Aguilera?

~ Friends, except for compelling reasons, my next Facebook login shall be not earlier than Tuesday (June 28). Kung may nais po kayong ibulong sa 'kin, bukas ang aking email at mobile phone.

June 28
~ Meron po bang actual case from Makati Police tungkol doon sa "New Modus Operandi" ng mga rapists? Kasi po sabi ng link na ito, similar warnings were being circulated on the Internet since 2005. Could this be another Urban Legend?

June30
~ Shared this link--

free mp3 downloads from Adam's Road-- a band composed of former LDS (Mormon) members and missionaries, now Evangelical Christians dedicated to sharing God's Word through music.

~ Shared Pastor Jun Malazo's note: Why Stay Young?

~ Friends, except for compelling reasons, my next Facebook login shall be not earlier than Monday (4th of July). Kung may nais po kayong ibulong sa 'kin, bukas ang aking email at mobile phone.

James R. White: The Peter Syndrome

2011-06-27T21:42:00.003+08:00

"The Peter Syndrome is a deadly disease rampant amongst modern Roman Catholic apologists. And it is a disease that makes you see every reference to Peter anywhere in an early father as somehow relevant to the bishop in Rome even if that father never makes that connection himself, never shows that he believes the bishop of Rome is the vicar of Christ on earth, never says that Peter's successor sit only on the sit in Rome, it doesn't matter as long as an early father says something nice about Peter, therefore he is in support of the bishop of Rome." ~ James R. White

for a review of the book Jesus, Peter & the Keys, click HERE

--------------

Suggested Books:

The Roman Catholic Controversy (James R. White)

Upon This Slippery Rock (Eric Svendsen)

Church of Rome at the Bar of History (William David Webster)

Message from God or from Christina Aguilera?

2011-06-22T01:51:00.002+08:00

On this day, God wants you to know...

... that the answers are within you. You're chasing in the wrong field. What you are looking for is inside of you, not 'out there'. Take a few days off to become quiet and look within, and you will find it.

Looking within us for answers is a dangerous thing considering the Bible teaches that the heart of man is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). You may end up being deceived by yourself when you look inside for solutions to life's problems.

The answers are outside of us; they are found in God's written revelation namely the Holy Bible.

The counsel of this app is not from God. It sounds more like Christina Aguilera's Voice Within. Aguilera sings:

When there's no one else
Look inside yourself
Like your oldest friend just trust the voice within
Then you'll find the strength that will guide your way
You'll learn to begin to trust the voice within

Common Grace Bestowed Upon Bernard Hopkins

2011-06-20T05:55:00.012+08:00

John Murray on Common Grace:

"The word 'common' in the title of the topic is not used in the sense that each particular favour is given to all without discrimination or distinction but rather in the sense that favours of varying kinds and degrees are bestowed upon this sin-cursed world, favours real in their character as expressions of the divine goodness but which are not in themselves and of themselves saving in their nature and effect. So the term 'common grace' should rather be defined as every favour of whatever kind or degree, falling short of salvation, which this undeserving and sin-cursed world enjoys at the hand of God."

While Bernard Hopkins was punishing the then undefeated Felix Trinidad round after round, Larry Merchant called him a "geriatric wonder". That was 10 years ago when Hopkins was only 36 years old. I think it was too early for Merchant to say that. Now that a decade had elapsed, calling him as the "geriatric wonder" is perfectly justified. Last month, The Executioner defeated a young and dangerous champion namely Jean Pascal to win the WBC light heavyweight title and eclipse the record of George Foreman as the oldest boxer ever to win a world title.

Foreman was 45 years old when he snatched Michael Moorer's WBA and IBF heavyweight titles; Hopkins is 46. And unlike Foreman who won by the common grace of a single providential punch (the world calls it a "lucky punch"), Hopkins displayed a mastery of the "sweet science" in-between the sound of the opening and closing bells.

The HBO ringside commentator was a recipient of common grace himself with this brilliant remark:

"23 years in professional boxing, Bernard Hopkins' whole career is a tribute to the advantages of being made not born. Throughout his career, his opposite number was the great Roy Jones. He was never brought into the sport with the kinds of gifts that Jones enjoyed. He didn't have all that physical talent. We saw that when first they met in 1993. Bernard had to learn every detail. He had to master the craft and he did it like no one else in his generation. We saw that when he fought Jones again last year and dominated him just as completely as Jones had dominated him in '93. With what's made not born, you can last a long long time. Particularly, if you live a monastic life, if you don't drink, if you don't smoke, you eat the right things, you train as clearly and cleanly as you can-- everything about that defines Bernard Hopkins."

Hopkins' contemporary Roy Jones Jr. was a greater talent when both of them were in their prime. Jones fought Denis Lebedev on the same day Hopkins fought Pascal. I only saw the 10th and final round, but there is no doubt Jones is but a shadow of what he once was. He was brutally knocked-out by Lebedev. The other man on the other hand is still shining. Whatever he lacked in natural talents and skills, Hopkins filled in with discipline and hard work.

What we can gleaned from this pinch of common grace is the necessity of discipline and hard work in any area we are involved in. The bible encourages us to excel in our chose fields:

"Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." (Proverbs 22:29)

Specifically applied to spirituality, Hopkins' investment of sweat and blood is earning for him rewards of temporal value like money and the belts. The Apostle Paul on the other hand exhorts us to train ourselves to be godly for it will yield rewards both in the present life and the life to come. (1 Tim.4:7-8)

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Suggested Reading:

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Donald Whitney)

Disciplines of a Godly Man (R. Kent Hughes)
Keys to Spiritual Growth (John Macarthur)
The Practice of Godliness (Jerry Bridges)

Payapang Isipan sa Araw ng Linggo

2011-06-12T10:21:00.021+08:00

Nang makita ni Isaias ang kabanalan ng Panginoon, siya ay nanginig sa takot. Napagtanto niya kung gaano siya karumi, at akala niya ay iyon na ang araw ng kanyang kapahamakan (Isaias 6:5).

Tatlong tao ang gumising nang maaga sa araw na ito at sila ay may kanya-kanyang lakad.

1. Sa nauna, nakasanayan na niya ang mamasyal at manood ng sine tuwing araw ng Linggo.
2. Sa pangalawa, ni hindi na siya naligo. Ayon sa kanyang pamahiin, mamalasin ka sa sabungan kapag nagpunta ka doon nang malinis at mabango.
3. Ang pangatlo'y ikaw. Oo ikaw na naririto ngayon upang sumamba.

Sa inyong tatlo, wala ni isa man ang nanginig sa takot tungkol sa poot ng banal na Diyos. Sa una at pangalawa, 'yan ay madaling unawain. Kulang sila sa kaalaman tungkol sa kabanalan at poot ng Diyos. At kung anumang kaalaman meron sila ay kanilang sinusupil (Roma 1:18). Sa kalagayan ng mga hindi sumasampalataya, wala ka talagang aasahang takot ng Diyos sa kanila (Roma 3:18). Subalit ikaw, ikaw na babad sa aral mula sa pulpitong iyan, alam na alam mo na ang Diyos ay banal at kailanman ay hindi siya nalulugod sa kasamaan. Bakit pumarito ka nang hindi nanginginig sa takot?

Nawa'y ang dahilan ng iyong kawalang takot ay batay sa mga katotohanang narito Awit 32:1-2:

1. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong ang iyong mga pagsuway ay pinatawad na.
2. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong ang iyong mga kasalana'y tinakpan na
3. Hindi ka natatakot sapagkat alam mong wala nang paratang ng kasamaan laban sa iyo

Sa halip, sabi pa nga dito ay "pinagpala" (blessed) ka. Hindi ka man kasinyaman ng iyong kapitbahay; hindi ka man kasinlusog ng umaaway sa'yo, ikaw ay pinagpala sapagkat nilimot na Diyos ang iyong paghihimagsik laban sa kanya. Ikaw ay inari niya bilang kanyang anak (Juan 1:12) at inilagay sa lugar kung saan tatanggap ka ng patong-patong at walang patid na mga pagpapala (Juan 1:16).

Mas mamamangha ka sa habag ng Diyos kung iyong mauunawaan na ito ay isinulat ng isang taong nakagawa ng mga karumaldumal na kasalanan: Pakikiapid (adultery) at Pagpatay (murder). Mapaya ang mga araw ni David hanggang sa ipamukha sa kanya ng Propetang Natan ang kanyang tunay na kalagayan. Nawala ang kapayapaan at kagalakan sa puso ni David (v.3-4; Awit 51:12). Ngunit matapos ang pagsisisi, bumalik ang kapayaan at kagalakan sa kanyang isipan. Sinasabi niya ngayon na siya ay "pinagpala" sapagkat nahugasan na ang kanyang pagkakasala. Bukod doon ay alam niyang pinakikinggan ng Panginoon ang kanyang mga daing at binibigyan pa ng proteksyon (v.6-7).

Ganyan kadakila ang kapayapaang hatid ng pagpapatawad ng Panginoon. Maging ang mga pinakamatitingkad na mantsa ng ating kasamaan ay nabubura.

Dagdagan pa natin ang ating pagkamangha. Sa panahon ng Bagong Tipan, ang awit na ito ang isa sa mga katibayan ni Apostol Pablo sa kanyang pagpapatunay na ang mga tinatangap ng Diyos ay hindi naman talaga mga matuwid. Bagkus, sila ay mga makasalanan na ibinilang ng Diyos bilang mga matuwid sa pamamagitan ng kanilang pananampalataya-- tulad nina Abraham at David (Roma 4:1-8). Ito ang dahilan ng payapa nating isipan sa hindi lamang tuwing araw ng Linggo kundi sa bawat sandali (Roma 5:1)

----------------------

Suggested Reading:

The God Who Justifies

James R. White

7th Halo-halo Huwebes

2011-06-09T02:03:00.020+08:00

Something in Common for Friendster and HHH

In the past, most of Halo-Halo Huwebes (HHH) were featured quotes. But with the revival of Kuwaderno ng Tinubos, HHH needs a major reformat just like the old Friendster. What does the future hold for HHH? I have no idea.

My Preferred Statue for Karol Wojtyła

My brother shared this news item on Facebook. The people of Rome does not like the first ever erected statue of their Blessed John Paul II. Public opinion is against it 9-1. As for me, I would like to see a JP2 statue with his lips on the Koran.

Tinubos and The Virginian Compared

Blogger stats report that there were more than 1,500 visitors on this blog for the month of May. If only Blogger were consistent in excluding my IP address, perhaps that figure will be cut in half. That is so small compared to the popular blogs. Yet I have a reason to rejoice.

The Virginian is the official student publication of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation (VMUF). I was on the staff for I think two-and-a-half years. Though my theology has substantially changed through the years, I was already passionate about writing for Jesus in my campus journalism days. If my memory is functioning well, each issue of The Virginian in those days had a circulation of about 2,000 copies.

The "circulation" of Tinubos last month was still below The Virginian's. Yet blogging reaches areas where printed pages can't. Most subscribers of the student publication are residents of Pangasinan, while for Tinubos, Cluster Maps report that from the period of February 2010 to May 2011, there were 1,571 visits from the United States, 465 from Saudi Arabia, 166 from the United Kingdom, 150 from Canada, 122 from Taiwan, and 104 from the United Arab Emirates. I have not noted here visits from different parts of Luzviminda and figures below three digits. I thank God for letting my voice be heard in those places.

"Blogspotted"
Last week, I discovered that Tinubos has just been included in Triablogue's "Blogspotting" links. I don't know what is their criteria in their "Blogspotting" choices. Surely I am way below the level of the other Christian bloggers on the list. But just seeing Tinubos there gave me unspeakable joy.

Recent Posts at Kuwaderno ng Tinubos

1. John Macarthur on Work and Leisure
2. Larry Kreitzer on 1 Cor. 15:22 and Universalism
3. R.C. Sproul on Regeneration and Justification
4. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: In Shocking Moments, Be Calm and Logical
5. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: Why Does God Allow War?
6. John Gerstner: Is Faith a Meritorious Work?
7. Charles Bridges: Fools Rush In
8. D. James Kennedy: Evangelical Statesmanship and Confronting Error

My Favorite Back-to-School Song

Common Grace Bestowed Upon Dr. Jose Rizal

2011-06-07T02:51:00.004+08:00

John Murray on Common Grace:

When I was a university student , there is one book that keeps me coming back to the library's Filipiniana section. It is Ambeth Ocampo's Rizal Without the Overcoat. More than a decade after, I'm still following his online columns at the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Opinion pages.

In one of the more recent articles, Ocampo cites a letter sent by Dr. Jose Rizal to his sister Lucia where he explains why he is encouraging one of her sons to be a farmer. You can read the entirety of Ocampo's article here. I'll just reproduce below what Rizal had penned.

What we can glean from this pinch of common grace is an understanding of the various inclinations of different people. This will guide us in making career choices. It may even be useful in the church for determining which ministries should we involve our selves in.

Here's what Rizal wrote:

"Teodosio and Tan have gained much with their stay in Manila and are grown up. They don’t seem to me unpromising boys. All on the contrary, and I hope that with time they will become very useful men. Teodosio is not lazy; he has more liking for the land than for books. We cannot all be doctors. It is necessary that there be some to cultivate the land. One must follow one’s inclination. Tan, on the other hand, is a boy who likes to study and has ability. He has already looked at my books and has asked me for some. With time, this lad will be a man of books. When I asked them what was their order for Manila, Teodosio asked for his bolo and Tan for his book. This proves the inclination of each one. And after all, I, who have spent my life studying, now I’m going to plant coconuts! Today I have made them write a letter. The writer was Tan and Teodosio helped him. You will see by the characters that Teodosio is economical and Tan is generous. Here I shall teach them Spanish, English, Arithmetic and gymnastics."

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The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that Evil and Corruption Will Be Eradicated Soon

2011-06-04T04:24:00.007+08:00

There may be others but I could only think of three reasons why political leaders fail to eradicate graft and corruption:

1. Lack of political Will

2. Limitation in power-- corruption is deeply embeded in the system that it takes absolute power to eradicate it.

3. The political leaders themselves are wicked-- Ironically, if you fill what is lacking in #2-- that is if you grant absolute power to a political leader to enable him to fight corruption, he might turn out to be the problem himself. Remember the maxim, "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

In God's kingdom, the three things mentioned above doesn't exist.

1st, God rules with perfect political will. He says "Surely, as I have planned, so will it be; As I have puposed, it will stand" (Isa. 14:24)

2nd, God is unlimited in power. It is written, "For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, who can turn it back?"

3rd, the maxim stated above doesn't apply to God. His absolute power will not corrupt him because God is light and in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). There will never be an iota of dirt in the character of God. He alone can combine absolute power with absolute holiness.

Since the three problems in human governments are absent in God's rule, evil and corruption will not exist in the King's abode.

1 Cor. 6:9-10 "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

"Woe is me! Will I be outside the gate?"

When I was a university student, there was a sign I see daily. It was posted at the gate: No ID, No Entry. What is required for us to enter God's abode is perfect righteousness. The heavenly policy is: No Perfect righteousness, No Entry

Revelation 21:27 "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful..."

We also know that none among us possesses this requirement. Romans 3:10 "There is no one righteous, not even one"

Will we be then outside the gate?

The complete Revelation 21:27 reads "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Though many will not be able to enter in, the Lamb keeps a book of names-- names of those who will be richly welcomed in God's dwelling place. I list here three aspects of what the Lamb has secured when he was sacrificed at the cross:

1. By the Lamb's sacrifice, believers were made POSITIONALLY holy. That is they are not actually holy, but "God justifies the wicked" (Romans 4:5) as they receive by faith what Christ did for them at the cross. In theological jargon, this is JUSTIFICATION.

2. By the Lamb's sacrifice, believers are PROGRESSIVELY being made holy. Here we are "being transformed into his likeness" (2 Cor. 3:18). In theological jargon, this is SANCTIFICATION. Believers will be excited to enter heaven because they have experienced the joys of holy living here on earth.

3. By the Lamb's sacrifice, we will be made INSTANTLY holy. 1 John 3:2 says that when Christ appears the second time, we will be like him. Because God is holy, he will not leave those whom he loved in their sinful state. When time ends and eternity begins, there will not even be a hint of sin on the present bad boy Manny. In theological jargon, this is GLORIFICATION.

So we should be glad that this dreaded holiness of God is our assurance that our future dwelling place will be free from all evil and corruption-- including the evil and corruption presently in us.

The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that He Will Fulfill His Promises

2011-06-03T04:29:00.002+08:00

A neighbor preparing for his birthday banquet comes to you and says: "May I borrow your large cooking pot? I will return it tomorrow after the banquet." After a dozen tomorrows, he still keeps your large cooking pot.

Men are unholy. They don't honor their word. They place little value on integrity. But God is not like unholy men. He is absolutely holy. Thus, when God promises something, he will surely fulfill it. In Psalm 89:35, he says:

"Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness--

and I will not lie to David--"

Such is the character of God. You cannot find any hint of falsehood in him.

You know that he promised that he will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Because he is holy, we have the assurance that in the most difficult circumstances, he is with those whom he has redeemed. "Is he a million miles away?" No! He is a God so near.

You know that he has promised that whoever hears his word and believes will no longer face judgment (John 5:24). Because he is holy, he will fulfill it. You don't have to worry about paying for your own sins. No condemnation awaits you for you are in him.

He promised that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). Because he is holy, he will fulfill it. You don't have to be anxious about that present trouble ruining you. It will only be for your welfare to bring you closer to God.

Numbers 23:19---"God is not a man, that he should lie,
nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" (NIV)

The Holiness of God as a Source of Comfort

2011-06-02T08:29:00.005+08:00

The holiness of God is one of the less popular topics for a sinful generation. It certainly doesn't tickle their itching ears. They don't want to be told that the shows they watch, the music they listen to, the sites they visit and the magazines they browse are abominable before the pure eyes of God. They will really be offended when you tell them that the thoughts that cross their minds, the words they speak and the life they live are repugnant before the holy God. They find no comfort in the fact that God is holy.

For the next two posts, I will discuss two things about the holiness of God that brings comfort to believers:

1st, The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that He Will Fulfill His Promises

2nd, The Holiness of God as Our Assurance that Evil and Corruption Will Be Eradicated Soon

Tomorrow, I will touch on the first one and on Saturday, the second one.

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Suggested Reading:

The Holiness of God (R.C. Sproul)

My Facebook Wall (May, 2011)

2011-06-01T05:00:00.007+08:00

May 2

Erich Obispo posted a question on my Wall: "kuya manny may tanong ako... si judas na nagkanulo kay Jesus napunta ba sa langit?". In response, I pasted on a note John Macarthur's online article Did Judas Repent?

May 3

Created and shared the album VBS 2011 (a total of 16 photos)

May 4

Created and shared the note Mga Paskil sa Tinubos Blog (Buwan ng Abril, 2011)

May 5

From Youtube, I Posted Donnie and Seiko's duet: Right Combination
Caption: nostalgia mode... siguro dalawang dekada na ang lumipas buhat nang huli kong mapakinggan ito.

May 7

Through a link, shared John Piper's Status: "Bullinger, Zurich reformer, wrote 12,000 letters. More than Calvin, Luther, Melanchthon combined. How's your epistolary love?"
My caption on the link: Piper reminds me of the earlier days when I wrote letters to my friends-- those were the days before the advent of SMS.

May 8

Uploaded a photo and captioned it with: Pagbati sa kombinasyong Carlito Cayabyab at Brenda A. Rosario-Cayabyab sa kanilang unang anibersaryo bilang mag-asawa. Nawa'y pagpalain pa ng Panginoon ang inyong pagmamahalan.

May 9

Shared a link to my latest blog post:

Babala: Mag-ingat kay Charles Capps

May 12

Some Recent Searches that Landed on Tinubos Blog

1. "bakla si Obama"- from Cebu

2. "храмовый налог"- from Latvia

3. "bernabe bacani"- from Cebu

4. "simvastatin 40 mg"- from Kuala Lumpur

~ Created a note. Same Stuff posted HERE

May 13

It's good that you like her just the way she is. But true love would also like to see changes in her. Brother, be an instrument of sanctification for the girl you admire. (Ephesians 5:25-26)

May 14
Shared a Don't Waste Your Life button using the app Pieces of Flair.

May 16
Posted a link to my newest blog post: Ang Diyos at ang Pako sa Sapatos ng Kabayo

May 17

~ Shared the following links:

       LINK 1- Philosophy's version of Floyd Mayweather ducking Manny Pacquaio

   LINK 2- I noticed that my blog post Walter Martin's Last Appearance on TBN is getting some   visitors from the link below. I then found out that the site is owned by a former colleague of false teachers Kenneth & Gloria Copeland-- now calling for the couple's repentance.

May 18
Linked Ambeth Ocampo's column and captioned it with: "Ano nga bang kurso ang bagay sa anak ko?" Dr. Jose Rizal may help you answer the question.

May 19

Lord, thank you for giving me electricity today, even if I did not use it for your glory yesterday. I deserve darkness, yet you give light still.

Follow-up comment: Too often we complain about blackouts. We fail to realize that we don't deserve electricity-- we use it for senseless things: the shows we watch; the sites we visit; the music we listen to oftentimes do not please God. Glorifying God with electricity is far from our thoughts. We ought to thank him for giving us this common grace and think of ways we can use it to glorify the giver of this gift.

May 20
Using Pieces of Flair App, I displayed my Spurgeon button together with this quote:

"How much farther could they go?

What doctrine remains to be abandoned?

What other truth to be the object of contempt?

A new religion has been initiated,

which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese"

May 22

Using Pieces of Flair App, I displayed my Paul Washer button together with this caption:

"I don't know why you're clapping. I'm talking about you. I didn't come here to get amens. I didn't come here to be applauded. I'm talking about you." ~PAUL WASHER's The Shocking Youth Message <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cncEhCvrVgQ>

May 24

Using Pieces of Flair App, I displayed an "In Christ Alone" with this caption:

"This Cornerstone, this Solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm"
<http://tinyurl.com/3gn4qht>

~ Shared a link to my latest blog post:

Bad Anthropology from that Facebook App

May 25

~ Re-posted a link to an old blog post:

I CANNOT Worship with Philips, Craig and Dean

caption: LUMANG paskil sa Tinubos blog-- When Philips, Craig & Dean sing "You Are God Alone", they are not referring to the biblical God.

~ Posted a link to my latest blog post:

Not all critics of Harold Camping are on the side of righteousness.

Many of them are just scoffers.

May 27

~ Shared this link: John Piper Interviews Rick Warren on Doctrine

May 30

~ Shared a D.A. Carson button from Pieces of Flair app with this quote:

"There are many who call themselves Evangelicals who have abandoned either the formal or material principle-- that is sociologically they do belong to a certain kind of club called Evangelical but that does not mean that they hold to any of its historic distinctives or still less to biblically defined priorities."

~ Praise the Lord! Glory to him! I found Tinubos blog included in Triablogue's "Blogspotting" links.

May 31
~ Recommended a link: Donnie's 8 Cute (But Most Misused) Verses in the Bible

Not all critics of Harold Camping are on the side of righteousness. Many of them are just scoffers.

2011-05-25T11:17:00.006+08:00

Photo Credit: thefreedictionary.com

On the day Harold Camping's "Bible-guaranteed" prediction failed, I went to his Facebook page to see what's happening on the wall. Those responses that call for his repentance are proper. Camping must be told about his folly. Three weeks before May 21, I myself created this Facebook note: Bulaang Hula: Noon at Ngayon.

Yet on Camping's wall, you could also read posts from wicked men. One such post is from a man named Ron Holden. He posted:

"The bible guarentees it" - You mean that work of FICTION that was LOOSELY based on hear-say that happened 300 YEARS before it was written?? You mindless, ignorant fuckin' lemmings. Drink the kool-aid and get off my planet.

Let's list what Holden believes about the Bible.
i. it is a "work of FICTION"
ii. the Bible was not written by first century eyewitness but a product of hearsay-- written in the 4th century.
iii. its believers are as mindless and ignorant as a certain kind of rodent.

Another post, by Matin Sabz asserts:

Jesus was a bastard kid, his mom got knocked out before marriage and blamed it on G0d, 2011 years later, there are morons out there who believe this fairytale...

Sabz believes that:
i. Jesus was not Virgin-born
ii. he was a product of pre-marital sexual relations
iii. Jesus' mother was a liar who claimed that the baby in her womb was from God.

iv. those who believe in the virgin birth are morons

So not all who criticize Harold Camping are on the side of righteousness. They don't know it, but false teachers like Camping and mockers like Holden and Sabz are on the same side-- the Devil's side. Long ago, the Apostle Peter prophesied about the advent of such mockers. He wrote:

"First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this `coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Pet. 3:3-4 NIV)

These mockers think that life will go on and on and on the same way. They reject the idea of a righteous God acting in history to judge the wickedness of men. Peter then assures his readers that just as the wicked world in Noah's day was judged by God through a cataclysmic global flood, this present world that mocks Christianity will also face God's judgment, this time not by water by fire.

Nobody listened to Noah, the Preacher of Righteousness during his time (2 Pet. 2:5). In every day that passes, life seems to be normal for the wicked. They were eating and drinking. Businessmen were selling. Consumers were buying. Lovers were getting married. Perhaps with mocking they talk about Noah, "that crazy old man is buiding an ark-- he is expecting a great flood" and together the wicked laugh out loud (LOL). But the day of the Lord came like a thief and destroyed them all-- except that family of eight inside the ark who believed the word of God.

And so will it be the same when the true judgment time comes.

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power" (2 Thess.1:8-9)

But what about us? What shall we do? The Bible instructs us not to join the mockers (Psalm 1:1). Instead, we are to believe and proclaim the gospel. We must warn everyone that God has set a day when he will judge the world (Acts 17:31).

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Suggested Reading:

Fight, Flight, or Faith (Charles Cooper)

The Sign (Robert Van Kampen)

The Rapture Question Answered (Robert Van Kampen)

Prewrath Rapture of the Church (Marvin Rosenthal)

God's Elect and the Great Tribulation (Charles Cooper)

Three Views on the Rapture: Pretribulation, Prewrath, or Posttribulation

(Blaising for Pretrib; Hultberg for Prewrath; Moo for Posttrib)

Bad Anthropology from that Facebook App

2011-05-24T21:36:00.000+08:00

Mensahe daw ng Diyos...

"... that there are no bad people, only people with bad ideas. Have compassion towards such people, and help them sober up from the influence of bad ideas."

On the contrary, people are already bad by nature even before they have conceived any idea. The Bible reveals our sinful nature even while we were still in our mothers' womb. Psalm 51:5 says "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (NIV)

And because we are sinners by nature, our inclination is not to love godly ideas but to hate and suppress them (Rom.1:18). This is the reason why we need redemption that is in Christ Jesus-- the redemption that brings light to our darkened minds (2 Cor. 4:6)
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Related Post: Mensahe Daw ng Diyos...

Ang Diyos at ang Pako sa Sapatos ng Kabayo

2011-05-16T09:56:00.001+08:00

Photo Credit: Absolute Astronomy

Hindi maayos ang pagkakapako sa sapatos ng isang kabayo. Iyan ang nagdulot ng pagkasawi ng pinakamahusay na mandirigma. At dahil nasawi ang kanilang pinakamahusay na mandirigma, natalo sa digmaan ang isang bansa.

Ayon sa isang dayuhang kasabihan: "Para sa isang taong nakasuot ng salamin na kulay luntian, ang lahat ng bagay ay kulay luntian". Para sa isang taong nakasuot ng salamin na kulay ateismo (atheism), ang lahat ng kanyang makikita ay kulay ateismo. Babasahin niya ang mga aklat kasaysayan (history books) at ganito ang kanyang makikita: NAGKATAON lang na hindi maayos ang pagkakapako sa sapatos ng kabayo. NAGKATAON lang na ang kabayong iyon ay pag-aari ng pinakamahusay na mandirigma. NAGKATAON lang na nadisgrasya siya dahil sa isang maliit na pako. NAGKATAON lang na natalo ang isang bansa sa digmaan. NAGKATAON lang.

Ang suot kong salamin ay kulay bibliya; dahil dito lahat ng aking natatanaw ay sinisikap kong ilagay sa balangkas ng Teolohiyang Kristiyano. Sa tuwing nagbabasa ako ng diyaryo o mga aklat kasaysayan, nakikita ko ang kamay ng Diyos. Ayon sa Efeso 1:11, ang Diyos ang nagsasagawa ng lahat ng bagay ayon sa kanyang pasya at kalooban. Ang Diyos ang kumikilos upang maganap ang maliliit na bagay tulad ng pagkatangay ng alikabok sa hangin hanggang sa pagdapo nito sa likod ng kalabaw. Ang Diyos rin ang kumikilos upang maganap ang malalaking bagay tulad ng pagbagsak ng isang hari mula sa kanyang trono.

Mula sa isang biblikal na pananaw, ang Diyos ang sanhi kung bakit hindi maayos ang pagkakapako sa sapatos ng kabayo. Siya rin ang sanhi kung bakit naaksidente ang pinakamahusay sa mandirigma. Siya ang sanhi kung bakit nasawi sa digmaan ang isang bansa.

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Babala: Mag-ingat kay Charles Capps

2011-05-09T02:40:00.003+08:00

Minabuti ng Diyos na ako ay makapasyal sa PCBS-Dagupan noong nagdaang araw ng Huwebes. Sa kagandahang-loob niya ay naka-diskuwento ako sa ilang mga aklat.

Agaw-pansin naman ang mga aklat ni Charles Capps. Marami ang stock kaya't sa wari ko ay maraming naghahanap at bumubili ng mga aklat na iyon. Nakakalungkot sapagkat si Capps ay isang mapanganib na guro. Ang layunin ng paskil na ito ay bigyang babala ang mga mambabasa.

1. Si Capps ay isa sa mga tagapagturo ng Word of Faith Movement. Sa sistemang ito, ang mga sinasabi ng Diyos ay nagkakatotoo hindi dahil sa siya ay Makapangyarihan kundi dahil sa kanyang pananampalataya. Sa kanilang salin ng Mark 11:22, ito raw ay "Have the faith of God". Ang tanong diya eh, Kung ay Diyos ay may pananampalataya, kanino siya nananampalataya?

2. Tayo bilang mga tao ay may taglay ring kapangyarihan sa ating mga sinasambit. Kung ano raw yung sinabi mo, yun ang magkakatotoo. Kung Positive Confession ang sinabi mo tulad ng "Ako ay magkakaroon ng BMW", magkakatotoo nga 'yan. Kung Negative Confession naman ang sinabi mo tulad ng "Malapit na akong mamatay", 'yan ang magkakatotoo.

3. Maging ang Diyos ay WALANG MAGAGAWA upang bigyang lunas ang bunga ng iyong Negative Confession. Sa kanyang aklat na The Tongue- A Creative Force, sinabi raw sa kanaya Diyos:

"Ikaw ay sinasalakay ng diyablo at WALA AKONG MAGAGAWA. Ako ay IGINAPOS ng iyong mga sinabi."

4. Sa kanyang aklat na Authority in Three Worlds, Isinulat ni Capps na ang Diyos ang namamahala sa daigdig noon; subalit nang magkasala si Adan, nalipat ang kapangyarihan kay Satanas. Hindi makakilos ang Diyos sa daigdig. Ang tanging paraan para makakilos ang Diyos sa daigdig ay gumawa ng mga hakbang na LEGAL ayon sa pananaw ng "SUPREME COURT OF THE UNIVERSE". Sa aral ni Capps, ang Diyos ay hindi ang Kataas-taasang Hukom; kailangan niyang magpasakop sa isang mas mataas na korte-- Ang "Supreme Court of the Universe"

Hindi ganito ang Diyos na ipinakikilala ng Bibliya. Ang Diyos ng bibliya ang siyang pinakamataas at pinakamakapangyarihan. Malaya niyang ginagawa ang lahat ng kanyang maibigan (Awit 115:3)

My Facebook Wall (April, 2011)

2011-05-02T02:29:00.003+08:00


Photo Credit: The cover of Apologetix's 1999 album Biblical Graffiti. Apologetix is a cool Christian parody band. Visit http://www.apologetix.com/

April 1

Pagan hope: REINCARNATION

Christian hope: RESURRECTION

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April 2

Used FB's audio player to share Owl City's version of Townend & Getty's In Christ Alone.

You can download the mp3 here. If you want to hear three other versions, click here.

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April 5

Shared a link to my latest blog post:

Walter Martin's "last apparance" on TBN

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April 6

Shared a link to my latest blog post:

James R. White on Princeton Seminary

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April 7

Used FB's audio player to share Sojourn's reworking of Isaac Watts “Death Has Lost Its Sting”.

You can download the mp3 here

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April 11

Posted a link to my latest blog post:

Mensahe Daw ng Diyos

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April 13

~ Greeted Pastor Steve Camp through a tagged video.

~ Shared this video with this caption: "Those who read "Boy Meets Girl" may well remember that Joshua Harris married an aspiring recording artist. This is Shannon's voice."

~ Shared a Link:

Rob Bell: A Brother to Embrace or a Wolf to Avoid

By John MacArthur

(caption: A true shepherd warns against a false shepherd. John Macarthur on Rob Bell)

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April 14

~ Posted this link and tagged a friend.

Caption: Madara Uchiha-kun likes loud music; the really really loud ones. I thus recommend Petra's "Enter In", one of the most theologically rich songs by the band. It is about the significance of the torn curtain of the temple while Jesus was on the cross (Luke 23:45)

~ Uploaded this as a wall photo. Tagged a friend with this caption: "To Bro. Bernabe Bacani, one of my earliest models of passionate ministry. Maraming salamat po."

~ Posted this link. Tagged a friend with this caption: Ed sayan ngarem, akaawat si Nanay na rigalo-- 30 tablitas na Simvastatin 40 mg. lapud panangaro nen Isabelo Pagdanganan. Baleg ya salamat!

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April 17

"Truth is the great treasure which God delivers to his saints with serious instruction to keep it against all that try to undermine it... If a man entrusted with keeping the king's crown and jewels is to protect these earthly valuables from being lost or stolen, how much more serious the responibility of the Christian to protect God's treasure!" (~WILLIAM GURNALL, The Christian in Complete Armor)

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April 18

~ Uploaded this photo with this caption: "Kids, long before AJ Perez, Julie Vega (the star of Anna Liza) died two weeks before her 17th birthday. Ask your parents about her... Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (NIV)

~ Posted a link to my latest blog post: The Heart's Overflow

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April 21

~ Posted a link to my latest blog post: Huwebes Santo Hip Hop with Shai Linne

~ Reposted a link to Last Two Minutes Salvation with this caption: "Isang Luma subalit napapanahong paskil. Exposition ng isa sa mga Huling Wika sa krus, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

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April 22

~ Shared in a note links to John Macarthur's series on Rob Bell:

PART 1- A Brother to Embrace or a Wolf to Avoid?

PART 2- "Evangelical and Orthodox to the Bone?" Hardly.

PART 3- Rob Bell' Unbelief in his Own Words

PART 4- Bell's Inferno

~ Shared a link to Kuwaderno ng Tinubos with this caption: Paglipas ng mahigit isang taon, binuklat ulit ni Kuyamanny ang kanyang kuwaderno.

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April 24

~ Shared a link to my latest blog post: Ang Muling Pagkabuhay at ang Buhay-Cabaret

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April 26

~ Used FB's audio player to share Melissa Yakes' Praise Him More

~ Posted from Youtube Rebecca St. James' Carry Me High with this caption:

Daniel 3 inspired lines from Rebecca St. James:

"They can laugh, but let them see

You are the hope in me

They can point their fingers

Push me nearer to the flame

God, You can save me from the fire

I'm Yours, even if You don't

Whatever comes I take this vow

I will never bow..."

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April 28

~ Posted from Youtube Buddy Davis' Billions of Dead Things

Caption: Shall teach a group of kids about Noah & the flood today with Rizza Columbres, Vim Moises and Josie Baquiran This song argues that the fossil record is an evidence for the cataclysmic flood.

~ To the "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" generation, Rebecca St. James is a grander bride than Kate Middleton.

~ The pages you "LIKE" says so much about the condition of your heart . You like "Jesus" and the "Bible"--- PLUS fan pages of Men's Magazines and Sexy Stars.

-------------------------

April 30

~ Created and shared a note titled: Bulaang Hula: Noon at Ngayon

Ang Muling Pagkabuhay at ang Buhay-Cabaret

2011-04-24T23:16:00.007+08:00

Rico Yan, 27

Marky Cielo, 20

AJ Perez, 18

Julie Vega, almost 17

KC De Venecia 16

Hindi nagkukulang ng paalala ang Diyos tungkol sa katotohanang maiksi ang buhay ng tao. Subalit sadyang hindi basta basta natututo ang tao. Hindi sapat ang leksyon na maiksi ang buhay upang tayo ay magkaroon ng sigasig sa kabanalan.

Sa isa sa mga awitin ng sanlibutan, may mga ganitong linya:

Start by admitting

From cradle to tomb

Isn't that long a stay

Alam ng sanlibutan na maiksi ang pagitan ng ating pagiging sanggol (cradle) at ng ating kamatayan (tomb). Subalit batay sa katotohanang iyan ay ganito ang prinsipiyo na kanilang binuo:

"Life is a cabaret. old chum

Only a cabaret. old chum

I love a cabaret"

Ang mensahe ng awitin, dahil maiksi an buhay, lubos-lubusin na natin ang paglilibang. Dahil hindi tatagal ang buhay, mag-inuman at magtugtugan na lang tayo. Maiksi ang buhay kaya "Let us Party Pilipinas!".

Basahin ang buong lyrics ng Cabaret sa link na ito.

Ipinaskil ko ang munting sulatin na ito sa mismong araw ng muling pagkabuhay ng ating Panginoong Hesus sapagkat ang katotohanan ng muling pagkabuhay ang siyang lunas natin panlaban sa Buhay Cabaret ng Sanlibutan. Sa 1 Cor. 15:32, ganito ang isinulat ni Apostol Pablo "... Kung hindi rin lamang bubuhaying muli ang mga patay, mabuti pa'y sundin na lamang natin ang kasabihang ito, 'Kumain tayo at uminom, sapagkat bukas tayo'y mamamatay.'" (Revised MBB)

Samakatuwid, ang buhay Cabaret ay para sa mga taong walang inaasahan na kabilang buhay. Ang mahalaga ay ngayon, ngayon, ngayon at baka wala nang bukas. Salungat diyan ang prinsipiyo ng mga taong may inaasahang muling pagkabuhay. Dahil sa tiyak ang tagumpay natin mula sa kamatayan at pagkabulok, ang habilin na kasunod sa v. 58 ay "Kaya nga, mga minamahal kong kapatid, magpakatatag kayo at huwag matinag. Maging masipag kayo sa paglilingkod sa Panginoon, dahil alam ninyong hindi masasayang ang inyong paghihirap para sa kanya."

Ituro mo sa akin ang isang mananampalatayang masigasig sa kabanalan at ituturo ko sa iyo ang isang mananampalatayang nasasabik sa langit.

Huwebes Santo Hip Hop with Shai Linne

2011-04-21T00:04:00.012+08:00

It is a tradition among FM stations not to play upbeat music on this day-- but not so at Tinubos blog.

ATONEMENT Q&A defines key soteriological terms.

PENELOPE JUDD is an allegory on Christ's Imputed Righteousness.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED is a defense of TULIP's 3rd petal.

Shai Linne is currently a pastoral intern at Capitol Hill Baptist Church under the tutelage of Mark Dever.

ATONEMENT Q&A

PENELOPE JUDD

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

The Heart's Overflow

2011-04-18T07:42:00.009+08:00

Perhaps my earliest model of eloquence is from the world of sports; yet he was not an athlete. I was a basketball spectator, but there were times when I was more fascinated with Joe Cantada's use of words than with what's happening in the hardcourt:

"Tanduay draws first blood"
"The Bicolano Superman turns garbage into gold."

From listening to sportscasters, I moved to reading sports writers. When I was a 10-year old boy visiting San Carlos City's Public Library, the only reason why I picked the newspapers was because of the sports pages. That would change later for I would then become interested in news and current events. Yet sports writers were my first models of creative writing. That explains why my ticket to the Regional Secondary Schools Press Conference was winning a medal for sports writing in the city division level.

I would soon be enlightened that is not enough to be fascinated with eloquence and literary flair. Communication is one of God's gifts to humanity. Adam could understand direct commands from God. He himself was given the ability to articulate what's on his mind that when he saw his suitable partner for the first time, he suddenly turned into a poet:

"This is now bone of my bones
      and flesh of my flesh;
    she shall be called `woman,'
      for she was taken out of man." (Gen.2:23)

Since the ability to communicate is from God, we should use it in a way that glorifies him. Words are meant to be powerful (not in the positive confession sense-- that false teaching which says you posses what you confess). The book of Proverbs testify about the power of words fitly used

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (25:11)
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." (16:24)

In the New Testament, God has designed the fellowship of saints to preserve us from sin's decomposing effects (Heb 3:13). We also learn from Col.3:16 that even the songs we sing to each other is closely connected to the teaching ministry and so it has the same purpose. Though I don't think that secular songs are not necessarily bad, you invest in the spiritual well being of the brethren when we sing truth-founded lyrics. What a thought! I could be a blessing to my brethren, I could keep them from spiritual decay if my mouth shall utter sanctifying truth.

Having learned that truth, I made a resolution: I will deliberately seek to speak what is Scripture-founded so I could glorify God with my speech and at the same time minister to my fellowmen.

But there's a problem, and its not in the resolution. The resolution is good for it is an expression of a desire to follow Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." However, the problem is me.

After teaching a class early morning on the significance of Heb.3:13 and why Christians must seek to speak what is edifying, by lunch time I was conversing to the very persons I taught and what I'm seeking is to make them laugh. Well there is nothing wrong with humor in itself. Humor is a gift of God. The problem is that when the chief end of your speech is not the glory of God and the the welfare of your fellowmen but to be funny.

Why is it so easy for us to talk about senseless things? Why is it so easy for us to fall into flippancy? Why are we so easily provoked to anger? Why is it that even Christians go to the level of backbiters and slanderers? Matt. 12:33-37 provides some answer for us:

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him." (NIV 1984)

This string of verses hurts, but it is a scalpel we need for a much needed surgery. It tells us that if what comes out of our mouth are worthless things, it is because what's in our hearts are worthless too. When the words uttered stink, it just reveals that there is something is decaying inside.

In the context of the narrative, there were people who reject Jesus as the Messiah and some of them are top religious leaders. They are so evil that they even attributed God's works as the works of the devil. Jesus says here that the reason they can't confess the right things is because they are by nature evil (v.38). Perhaps you are not on that level. Perhaps you confess him as your Lord. But the principle here is general. A polluted creek overflows polluted water. A healthy creek overflows refreshing and life-giving water.

We must see the metaphor of storage here (v.35). If what is stored inside is good, what will come out of his mouth is good. If what's stored inside is bad, then what will come out is bad. If a man frequently cracks obscene jokes, that only shows what is stored in his heart. There is a treasury of obscenity inside that man. When there is bitterness and anger at how you respond to circumstances, like you curse and malign your professor for what you perceive as unfairness on his part, it is not the professor who deposited that bitterness and anger in your heart. He is outside you; the verses we read says the problem is inside.

Paul David Tripp offers this insight:
"Your behavior isn't caused by the situations and relationships outside of you. This passage teaches that your experiences influence, but do not determine, your behavior. Your behavior is shaped and caused by how your heart reacts to and interacts with the situations and relationships that are outside of you."¹

Now that we have diagnosed the problem, we have to find a cure. Since it is a heart problem, there must be a radical change in us from inside out. D.A. Carson prescribes the same cure: "How, then, can those who are evil say anything good? What is needed is a change of heart."²

Nothing renews the heart of man except the word of God. For whatever we lack, the Word of God is sufficient to bring the necessary teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Tim.3:16-17). It is the Word of God that incinerates the deposit of garbage within and replaces it with a deposit of gold. As the word of God is is stored in the heart, the sinfulness planted in the soul is uprooted. Spiritual halitosis is cured; the man will now exhale fresh air.

If you want your mouth to be a fountain of God-glorifying and soul-sanctifying speech, you yourself must immerse your soul with the word of God. Be diligent in bible reading and bible study, expose yourself to powerful preaching, read godly authors. Determine what is good and eat-all-you can.

----------------------------
NOTES:

1. Paul David Trip, War of Words: Getting to the Heart for God's Sake, Chapter 1 in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, eds. John Piper and Justin Taylor

2. D.A. Carson, Matthew. Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. Frank Gaebelein

Mensahe Daw ng Diyos...

2011-04-11T10:07:00.002+08:00

"On this day, God wants you to know

... that you are commanded to love everyone, not condemn those who don't agree with you. Your opinions are just that, - opinions, regardless of where you got them from. They are tiny, a speck compared to the immensity of God. You cannot possibly have even the faintest idea of what God commands to other people, to other lifeforms. Your only possible intelligent choice is to continuously open in love and acceptance. Today more than yesterday."

--------------------------------

1. I find it absurd that this Facebook App that has so many opinions about God (and claims that its messages are from God himself) would say that our views on God are just mere opinions.

2. "... regardless of where you got them from"

Well if I get my view of God from the authoritative source namely the Bible, then it is not a mere opinion. It came from the very mouth of God. This raises an important question: Where does this app get its opinions about God?

3. "You cannot possibly have even the faintest idea of what God commands to other people, to other lifeforms."

Again I find it absurd that this app that claims to speak for God and frequently tells people to do something (in the imperative mood) would tell us that we cannot possibly have the faintest idea of what God commands other people.

4. When I strongly oppose what a person believes about God, it does not necessarily mean that I am unloving. There is a way to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

James R. White on Princeton Seminary

2011-04-06T09:59:00.000+08:00

White's thoughts on Fuller Seminary here and here. Now his thoughts on Princeton Seminary. I transcribed this from a talk he delivered before the staff of Trinity Law School. Starts at 26:17

"When you think of places of Christian instruction, what is the tendency historically of places of Christian instruction over time? Do they move more and more toward the truth? Or do they tend to move away from the truth? I mean let's think about Princeton. I visited the Princeton Cemetery recently which is very close to Princeton Seminary. I'm not sure which one is which because to be honest with you, walking through the cemetery, seeing the graves of Jonathan Edwards and the Hodges and B.B. Warfield and a couple of Presidents buried there; great education to be drawn from those men's lives. And you drive down the road to Princeton Seminary and you're reminded of a bit of cemetery because of what has happened over the years in an abandonment of the very things that people like Jonathan Edwards would never have ever allowed in their own lifetime. The tendency of seminaries especially but Christian religious institutions is to move toward a worldly perspective rather than toward a biblical perspective. Why is that? Well I think one of the primary reasons is a love of the praise and acceptance of the world in regards to our scholarship"

~James R. White

Walter Martin's "last appearance" on TBN

2011-04-05T13:32:00.010+08:00

As the program was about to end, Walter Martin thanked Trinity Broadcasting Network president Paul Crouch and his wife Jan for having the courage for letting the concerns be discussed; he also conveyed his hope that the dialogue will continue. Yet when host Doug Clark announced that there is a scheduled replay of the program, he expressed his doubt if it will ever be replayed. Indeed, TBN did not replay it and Martin was never invited again.

Dr. Martin pulled no punches. On air, he specifically mentioned the names of Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland and Oral Roberts as purveyors of cultic doctrines within our camp.

I thought of giving a detailed review of this program, but I think there is no need for it. I'll just embed the entire program below. I will comment on one point. The host asked Martin three questions regarding the men he's criticizing:

"Do you believe they are Christian?"

"Born-again?"

"Love the Lord?"

In all the above questions, Martin answered "YES". Yet there is also evidence that after this appearance, the original Bible Answer Man changed his mind, at least regarding Kenneth Copeland.

"For ten years I have warned- And I'm on tape and in print on this- that we were heading into the Kingdom of the Cults with the faith teachers. You are no longer heading there, baby, you are there."

~Walter Martin

Kenneth Copeland's False Prophecy

an audiotape cited in Hank Hanegraaff's Christianity in Crisis

By the way, Martin was a staunch Charismatic.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

-----------------------------

Walter Martin Books:
The Kingdom of the Cults
The Kingdom of the Occult
Through the Windows of Heaven

6th Halo-halo Huwebes

2011-03-31T03:44:00.005+08:00

An Expression of Gratitude to Jackie Alnor

I lost my trust in Jackie Alnor's credibility as an apologist and a researcher when she endorsed Jack T. Chick's cartoon propaganda against Roman Catholicism and at the same time discredited the erudite James White because of the Pauline phrase "knowledge puffs up". Even the Protestant battle cries Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide are highfalutin to her.

Yet I have to thank her for uploading something good on Youtube. She labeled it as Walter Martin's Last TBN Appearance. God willing, I will post my review of Dr. Martin's "last appearance" on Trinity Broadcasting Network on the first week of April.

Jackie uploaded it after seeing Calvary Chapel's Skip Heitzig appear on TBN and acted as if "he and his host Phil Munsey were old friends". I am not familiar with the Munseys (Phil & Steve) so i can't really take Jackie's words at face value when she says they are "two of the most infamous extortioners in the field of Christian television". Yet given the track record of TBN, I have a reason to believe Jackie. In contrast to Heitzig's demeanor, Martin pulled no punches when he appeared on TBN.

An Expression of Gratitude to William Alnor

Aside from that, we have to grieve with Jackie for the death of her husband William Alnor. Bill finally went home to the Lord's house on the 20th day this month after a battle with prostate cancer.

I do find Mr. Alnor's works profitable. Unfortunately the old Christian Sentinnel website has long became extinct. One of his finest articles, "Heaven Can't Wait: A Survey of Alleged Trips to the Other Side", is still posted here . With the popularity of such books as Don Piper's 90 Minutes in Heaven and Todd Burpo's Heaven is for Real, Alnor's article is still very relevant. Though that essay good enough, it will be better if we can get a copy of the 160-page book of the same title.

The last time I heard of him, he was then building this site: williamalnor.com. He managed to review five books including William Paul Young's The Shack . Since the site has no RSS feeds, I have to visit the site several times but it was rarely updated. Perhaps he was already losing his battle against cancer at those times.

Another Milestone for the Prewrath Rapture View

In the 4th Halo-halo Huwebes, I noted a milestone for the Prewrath position in the scholarly community when Zondervan decided to replace the Mid-Trib Position with the Prewrath view in the new edition of Three Views on the Rapture.

On the popular level, James MacDonald has recently made it public that he is a prewrather. MacDonald is the Senior Pastor of the huge multi-site Harvest Bible Chapel and host of the radio ministry Walk in the Word. He is also a council member of The Gospel Coalition, an organization I highly esteem.

A Song I Learned from my Grade V Adviser,
Miss Rose Reyes

A Song I Learned from my Grade VI Adviser,

Mrs. Estrella Arenas

PART 2: James R. White on Fuller Seminary and President Richard Mouw

2011-03-24T05:47:00.012+08:00

read part 1 here

"Richard Mouw is the perfect mirror picture of what has happened to Fuller Seminary.

Once a conservative bible-believing seminary, now no longer."

White recalls his earliest memory of a compromising Mouw in an old online interview. White submitted a question in an AOL chat room about the most fundamental difference between Christianity and Mormonism: MONOTHEISM. Yes, Mouw compromises even at this level White testifies.

White also recalled the November, 2004 incident at the Mormon Tabernacle. Mouw apologized in behalf of evangelicals for bearing "false witness" against Mormonism¹

White comments: "He is the worst enemy Mormonism has ever had because by his false friendship, he has greatly degraded the outreach to the Mormon people who need to hear a clear proclamation of the gospel."²

Regarding Mouw's belief that Mother Theresa is in heaven and his "shame on you" remark for those of us who believe otherwise, here is White's response:

"Here now we have the President of Fuller Seminary saying 'Shame on you' if you actually believe that there is a gospel by which you must be saved and that the Roman version of it isn't it.

"Let us say she is the nicest person you've ever met, President Mouw, her righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord. Sir, have you read that in the Bible anywhere? If she was everything that you say she was, then where does she deserve to be, President Mouw? Evidently, from the modernist-liberal Protestant, she along with every Buddhist and every good Hindu and lalalalala belongs to heaven because they don't have any concept of the holiness of God. But if she was everything she was propped up to be, what would she deserve? Heaven? No! And here is the divide indeed, because liberal Protestantism really doesn't believe that there is a need for something as radical as the cross.

"Shame on you sir, shame on you for abandoning the gospel. Shame on you for your destruction of meaningful outreach to the Mormon people. Shame on you for putting the Mormon people in a position where they can be insulated from the clear proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. and shame on you for thinking Mother Theresa was good enough to go to heaven because she wasn't. She needed the gospel like anybody else does."
-------------------------
Notes:

1. In a subsequent statements, Mouw specifically identified highly respected apologist Walter Martin as one of those who "seriously misrepresented the beliefs and practices of members of the LDS faith "

2. In this report by the Baptist Press, Tim Clark, an evangelical leader within the Utah area said regarding Mouw's apology: "It sets back our work as Christian witnesses in Utah and Idaho... it does not communicate a clear Gospel"presentation."

PART 1: James R. White on Fuller Seminary and President Richard Mouw

2011-03-23T04:46:00.008+08:00

George Marsden's Reforming Fundamentalism: Fuller Seminary and the New Evangelicalism is a detailed documentation of the downgrade of that once conservative seminary. Obsession with academic and intellectual respectability led them to compromise biblical inerrancy. They did not heed Charles Spurgeon's warning that once you are on that path, the next thing is sliding further downwards on the slope-- at a BREAK NECK SPEED!

One of the defenders of Rob Bell in this present controversy is Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary (where Bell earned his Master of Divinity degree). In his March 15 post, Mouw says that Love Wins is a "fine book" and that he basically agrees with Bell's theology.

In that same post, Mouw cites his own book that defends the "basics of a Calvinistic perspective" (surely Mouw's version is NOT Calvinism at all), where he tells about a good rabbi he met. When that rabbi died, Mouw hoped that in a Post-Mortem state, he would recognize Jesus as the Messiah and that Jesus will welcome him in heaven.

Dr. Mouw then asked this "straightforward question":
"Did Mother Teresa go to hell? My guess is that she was a little confused about justification by faith alone. If you think that means she went to hell, I have only one response: shame on you." (emphasis by kuyamanny)

In an episode of the Dividing Line program, Dr. James R. White responds to Dr. Mouw's post. White himself is not a stranger to the Fuller Seminary environment having earned his M.A. in Theology from that institution (Phoenix extension). He recounts this story about a professor who flew from Fuller's main campus (Pasadena). The then young James White ended up debating with the professor on the issue of abortion. The professor was Pro-Choice. A Christian educator advocating abortion!!!

Another story that Dr. White recounts is about a review he wrote in fulfillment of a class requirement. His professor held a book by Gerhard Von Rad and declared "This is the best commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy". The students were required to write a review and note both their praises and criticisms of the book. On the book's positive side, the young James White praised the binding and proceeded to criticize it.

Who is Von Rad by the way? He was a German scholar who held that the "Old Testament writers wrote what appeared to be historical accounts, which were theologically true on a "salvation-historical" plane but which possessed no essential connection with true, past historical reality." (G.K. Beale, The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism).

Read part 2 here

My Personal #1 Song of the Week in Three Renditions

2011-03-15T17:59:00.000+08:00

NEWSBOYS

AVALON

KEITH and KRISTYN GETTY--- ang mga orig

What Would Charles Spurgeon Think of Rob Bell?

2011-03-11T03:13:00.003+08:00

This is from Dennis Swanson's The Down Grade Controversy and Evangelical Boundaries, originally read as a paper at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (November, 2001)

During the years of the Down Grade Controversy Spurgeon repeatedly warned of six areas of “down grade” in evangelical doctrine.

• The denial of the verbal inspiration (that is, inerrancy) of Scripture.
• The denial of ETERNAL PUNISHMENT and the affirmation of UNIVERSALISM.
• The denial of the Trinity, mainly in terms of the rejection of the personality of the Holy Spirit.
• The movement towards Socinianism or the denial of the deity of Christ and original sin
• The denial of the creation account in Genesis in favor of evolution.
• The unhealthy influence of Higher Criticism on Biblical scholarship, particularly as it related to the Old Testament.

"How much farther could they go?

What doctrine remains to be abandoned?

What other truth to be the object of contempt?

A new religion has been initiated,

which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese"

- C.H. Spurgeon

--------------------

Ang Dignidad ng Tao sa Kamay ng Manlilikha

2011-03-09T12:09:00.000+08:00

Awit 8:3-8

3 Pinagmasdan ko ang langit na gawa ng iyong kamay,
pati ang buwan at mga bituin na iyong inilagay.

4 Ano ba ang tao upang iyong pahalagahan;
o ang anak ng tao upang iyong pangalagaan?

5 Nilikha mo siyang mababa sa iyo nang kaunti,
pinuspos mo siya ng dangal at ng luwalhati.

6 Ginawa mo siyang pinuno ng lahat ng iyong nilikha,
sa lahat ng mga bagay, siya ang iyong pinamahala:

7 mga tupa at kawan pati na ang mababangis,

8 lahat ng ibong lumilipad, at mga isda sa karagatan,
at lahat ng nilikhang nasa karagatan.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Ang isa sa mga dapat pahalagahan ng tao ay ang kanyang dignidad. Ang bibliya mismo ay nagtuturo na dapat nating ingatan ang ating karangalan. Tulad na lamang sa Kawikaan 22:1-- kung tayo raw ay kinakailangang pumili sa pagitan ng yaman at dangal, marapat na isuko ang yaman at panatilihin ang malinis na pangalan.

May mga taong nagtataguyod ng dangal ng tao subalit tumatanggi naman sa kapahayagan ng bibliya. Sinasabi nilang sila ay makatao subalit itinatanggi naman nila na merong Diyos na siyang lumikha. Ano ang bunga nito? Sa halip na maiangat ang dignidad ng tao, kabaligtaran ang nangyari. Nasaan ang dangal ng tao sa paliwanag na sinuwerte lang tayo sa proseso ng ebolusyon? Nasaan ang aking dignidad sa paliwanag na ako'y isang malayong kamag-anak ng mga bakulaw?

Mauunawaan lang natin ang dignidad ng tao kung makikinig tayo sa kapahayagan ng bibliya. Sino nga ba ang mapapagpapaliwanag ng dangal ng tao kundi ang mismong lumalang sa tao?

Dito sa Awit 8:3-8 ay matutunghayan natin ang dalawang hakbang upang maunawaan natin ang dignidad natin bilang mga tao.

Unang hakbang:
Maaaring ito ay isang sorpresa sa ilan. Ang unang hakbang upang maunawaan natin ang ating dignidad ay makita muna natin kung gaano tayo kaliit-- Tayo ay maliit kung ihahambing sa malaking Diyos.

Isang gabi'y pinagmamasdan ng salmistang si David ang kalangitan-- ang buwan at mga tala; ni wala siyang hawak na telescope ngunit siya ay lubhang namangha, ang kalangitan ay nagpapatotoo kung gaano kadakila ang Diyos sapagkat ang lahat ng mga nasa kalawakan ay gawa lamang ng maikhaing mga daliri ng Diyos

"3 Pinagmasdan ko ang langit na gawa ng iyong kamay,
pati ang buwan at mga bituin na iyong inilagay."

Habang pinagmamasdan ni david ang ganda ng kalangitan, nabatid niya kung gaano siya kaliit kung ihahambing sa karangyaan at kaluwalhatian ng diyos. Tuloy ay kanyang naitanong:

4 "Ano ba ang tao upang iyong pahalagahan;
o ang anak ng tao upang iyong pangalagaan?"

Pangalawang Hakbang:
Ang pangalawang hakbang upang maunawaan natin ang dignidad ng tao ay ang mabatid na sa kabila ng liit natin, binigyan niya tayo ng espesyal na tungkulin sa sannilikha.

Sambit ng Salmista sa talata 5:
"Nilikha mo siyang mababa sa iyo nang kaunti,
pinuspos mo siya ng dangal at ng luwalhati."

Ito ay tumutukoy sa likas ng tao na galing sa Diyos. Bago likhain ang tao ay may usapang naganap sa loob ng Banal na Trinidad:

"Ngayon, likhain natin ang tao ayon sa ating larawan, ayon sa ating wangis..." (Gen. 1:26). Bukod diyan ayibinigay niya sa tao ang pinakamataas na posisyon dito sa ibabaw ng lupa-- ang tungkulin ng pamamahala (Awit 8:6-8) kalakip ang kanyang pagpapala sa kanila (Gen.1:28a).

Ito ang tunay na dignidad ng tao: bagamat tayo ay maliit sa gitna ng malawak na solar system; maliit sa gitna ng malawak na galaxy; maliit sa gitna ng malawak na universe, tayo ay nilikha ng Diyos upang ating isalamin sa ating buhay ang Diyos.

Ang Nasirang Dignidad ng Tao

at ang Solusyon ng Manlilikha

Malayo na nga ang agwat sa pagitan ng nilikha sa manlilikha, mas lumapad pa ang agwat nang ang tao ay magkasala. ang buhay natin na dapat sumalamin sa Diyos ay nagkaroon ng lamat. Nasira ang larawan at wangis ng Diyos sa atin dahil sa kasalanan. Naging pangit tayong lahat at ito'y hindi natin kayang ayusin.

Subalit sa kagandahang-loob ng Diyos, siya na rin ang gumawa ng paraan upang maayos ang lamat sa ating pagkatao. Isinugo niya ang kanyang anak, nagkatawang tao, nag-anyong alipin at namuhay nang walang sala. Sa kanyang kamatayan at muling pagkabuhay ay nilinis niya ang lahat ng bahid ng kasalanan sa sinumang sasampalataya sa kanya.

Siya na malayo ang agwat sa atin; Siya na lubhang mataas at hindi natin maabot ang siya mismong nagpakababa upang tayo ay abutin. Hinango niya tayo mula sa putik ng kasalanan. Sa kanyang piling lamang maibabalik nang buong-buo ang dignidad ng tao.

2 Corinto 3:18

"At ang kaluwalhatiang iyan na nagmumula sa Panginoon, na siyang Espiritu, ang siyang magbabago sa atin mula sa isang antas ng kaluwalhatian hanggang tayo'y maging kalarawan niya".

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ang salin na ginamit ay ang Bagong Magandang Balita Bibliya

INDEX: God's Power Manifested Through Weak Servants (2 Corinthians 4:7-12)

2011-02-28T03:25:00.001+08:00

part 1- The Church's Obsession with Celebrities

part 2- We Need Some Background

part 3- Great Treasure in Cheap Jars of Clay

part 4- The Power of God and the Fragility of His Servants

part 5- Weaklings Sustained; Christ Displayed

part 6- For the Sake of God's People (with Conclusion)

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Catholics Can Disagree On Theology-- Even with the Theology of their Pope

2011-02-24T08:29:00.002+08:00

For Rome's apologists, the evangelical distinction between essentials and non-essentials is unacceptable. They blame Sola Scriptura for "disunity" among evangelicals. They cannot make room for the fact that it is possible for us to be united in essentials and have liberty on non-essentials and exercise charity towards each other in all things.

Yet one of their cardinals explains that even within the Roman Catholic system, theology is open to debate and criticism. Even if a view is held by Joseph Ratzinger himself, it only "requires a greater degree of assent" but you are free to dissent if you want to.

from the Catholic News Service

What's Ethical and What's Not?

2011-02-21T01:42:00.005+08:00

"...God is light and there is no darkness in him at all"

(1 John 1:5)

Scripture quotations in this post are taken from the New Living Translation


Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

May 10, 1973, President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 187, "Prescribing the use of the metric system of weights and measures as the standard measurement for all products, commodities, materials, materials, utilities and services and in all business and legal transactions."

If that law was not implemented, perhaps until now we have to say "pabili nga ng isang salop" whenever we buy rice.

We use to measure length by our body parts like "dangkal", "dipa", and "dali". The problem is different people have different body sizes. So it is not unusual that the six "dangkals" of rope I possess is shorter than the six "dangkals" that you have. This is one of the problems solved by P.D.187, it has set a STANDARD by which we measure things.

One branch of philosophy deals with the study of what's right and what's wrong. This is called ETHICS.

Though men believe that there are ethical and non-ethical acts (right and wrong), their problem is that they don't have an objective standard to determine what is ethical and what is not. Relativism is inevitable in this system. What is right for you may be wrong for me; and what's right for you may be wrong for me.

In this area, the Christian Worldview shines! We do have a standard by which we measure which acts are good and which acts are bad. This standard is two-fold:

1. God's Nature- Whatever conforms to God's nature is good. Whatever is contrary to his nature is bad.

2. God's Affections- Whatever God delights in is good. Whatever grieves or angers him is bad.

This is our two-fold standard. Why is this so? Because God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). In biblical usage, light refers to truth; darkness refers to falsehoods and lies. Light also refers to whatever is holy and pure; and darkness is sin and wrongdoing.

God is all light; there is no falsehood in him (Heb.6:18). He is perfectly holy and pure. There is not even a hint of sin in him (Habakkuk 1:13)

Because of this, it makes perfect sense that we should make him the STANDARD by which we measure what's ethical and what's not.

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path"

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Deu.32:4 "He is the Rock; his work is perfect. Everything he does is just and fair.He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!"

Isa.45:19 "... I, the Lord, speak only what is true and right."

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