Here are the excerpts from Mark 8: 22-26 the story of Jesus healing a blind man in Bethsaida.

Be healed and be changed!

…some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and…begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man…spitting on the man’s eyes…and asked. “Can you see anything now?”

The man looked around, “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”

Then Jesus placed his hand on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.

Insights:
1. When people trust Jesus, they lead others to Him too, because they need healing in many areas of their lives!

Questions: Do you trust Him enough that you just can’t help but led your family members, friends and colleagues to Him? What makes you afraid of leading them to Jesus?

2. There are times when God changes something in your life He leaves areas unchanged to allow you to trust Him more by honestly telling Him how you feel about it. A person with deep relationship with Jesus can tell Him the good and bad, the best and worst parts of his life.

Questions: Do you trust Him enough that you can tell Him what you really feel and see? Or are you still hesitant to tell Him everything? What can you do to have that intimate relationship with Him that you can tell everything…EVERYTHING…to Him?

3. God is more than willing to COMPLETELY heal and change you no matter what it is!

Question: Do you believe that He can do that change and healing in your life now? Are you willing to take the risk of believing completely on Him for that change and healing?

A picture during an earthquake!

If you are indoors stay there!

When I was a little boy, I was taught that the safest place indoor during earthquake is under a table, yet lately there was an unofficial report that the best place to be during earthquake is at a receiving room seating set (sofa) and lie down in a fetal position. Why is it safe? Number one is, it is with foam thus soft; two, there is an angled backrest that can protect you from the crashing of the wall or falling of grand household accessories such as furniture and appliances.

While indoor, stay away from the windows and the kitchen. Do not run down the stairways, ride an elevator or get out of a building while the tremor is going on.

If you are outside – get into the open!

Get away from buildings, power lines, towering structures or anything that might fall on you.

If you are  in a car or a bus call the attention of the driver to stop but it should be as far out of traffic as possible, not on or under a bridge, over pass or big tress, light and electric posts or signages. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking stops.

If you are in a mountainous area.

Watch out for falling rocks, landslides, trees, and other debris that could be loosened by quakes.

Always be calm because only then can you be alert and have the presence of mind which are the important factors to survive calamities and disasters.

Next blog will be about what to do after the earthquake.

We can prepare for this too!

The fearful feelings of people are heightened by apocalyptic movies & predictions, the likes of 2012 and others. Religious end-times fanatics are on the feast – so, on the later part of “Successive Earthquakes” blogs I will give some layman-spiritual insight about it. I have posted also a blog about why God allowed earthquakes to happen? (Check out: http://prudy.graceplace.ph/god-allowed-the-earthquake-in-haiti ).

When I was a kid these are the things I was afraid of during earthquakes: the idea of a disastrous earthquake itself (I panic, who isn’t?), the earth opening up and swallowing me alive, be separated from my parents or one of them becoming a casualty, being dizzy and lastly if I die I might not be saved (I’ll talk about this last item on the latter posts).

After a losing fight with panicking and being dizzy, I just resolved to jumping up and down during the earthquake duration so I won’t feel the earth’s movement. Or I climbed the nearest Aratiles (wild Philippine sweet-berries) tree, and just imagine that the tree is just swayed by the wind! Smart isn’t it?

Today, let me share with you simple to do things during an earthquake from my informal research on it. I found out that there are three areas on how to be prepared to this unwelcome natural phenomenon [1] before [2] during, and [3] after the earthquake.

• On 1, we’ve learn to the best that we can not to panic. I don’t know how are we going to do that, but the best so far that I know is to trust in God, that no matter what, He is in control of uncontrollable forces of nature.
• Second is to have a family contingency plan if an earthquake occurs. Locate the safest place inside your house during the quake and make it a point that everyone goes there. Or if it happens during the working hours, when everyone is outside, have a location (rendezvous spot) where you can meet within the day, in the circumstance that mobile communications won’t function.
• Prepare a striking color bag (preferably backpack) with emergency items, torch (battery powered), emergency medicine, light food, such as few canned goods and crackers, have candies and bottled water too. Place it in an easy accessible location within your house.
• And lastly, be courageous and brave as we don’t know what will happen during these disasters. Be ready also to help other people who are more damaged and unfortunate than you are.

On my next post I will share things to do during earthquakes.

Bloody procession!

This coming Friday is one of the most bloody Fridays of the year in the Philippines. This bloody day, a part of the Lenten Season is planned – infact there is people exodus going on in the major cities to have both religious and grand weekend long vacation to visit families and to see bloody bodies (not by accidents but by choice).

One of the most popular visited places during this Lenten Times is the one in Maleldo, Pampanga, where selected men of the village are nailed on the cross as penitents.

Crucifixion at Maleldo, Pampanga

Why are we practicing this?

We Filipinos are cultural Christians, thinking that to do certain religious piety or make ourselves suffer will make God love or care for us more or will make Him considerate to give our prayer requests, the like of ’suertes’ for the year and good health.

To note sadly, the least that we think of during Holy Friday, even if all the processions and pious practices are around, is the real essence of God’s sacrificial act of LOVE by giving His ONLY Son to carry in Himself the sins He did not commit but ours.  So that we may be guiltless and will not suffer the painful consequence of our sins in hell!

During that time He became the BAD one not us:

• He was the cheating employee, the selfish businessman, the corrupt government official.
• He was the flirting wife, the adulterer husband, the disobedient child.
• He was the hold upper, the murderer, the drug addict, the sexual abuser.
• He was the lustful man, the self-absorbed vain lady, the extravagant yuppy.

Name all the sins we commit and those He took, was punished and died so that we can now run free from the eternal horrible penalty.

By reading this, I hope that you will appreciate that act on the CROSS by Jesus.

To end this post let me share with you a beautiful verse in the last book of the Bible: “…Jesus Christ, who is the first witness…the ruler of the kings of the earth…Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom…to serve His God and Father.” (Revelation 1: 5, 6)

These bills will be gone easily if we're not wise prioritizing what is best for it!

Do you have money left over at the end of the month that you can use to anything you want?  Say, for a trip out of town, for an extra body pampering, for a special date, for a new toy for your kid, to help someone, or to put into your savings!

Do you know that God would like us to have that?

But why don’t most of us have that extra money at the end of the month?

1.  We are not wise!

“In the house of wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 21:20

It isn’t an issue of being rich but an issue of being wise!

2. We think we can be happy if we have MORE than what we currently have!

If that is true the only solution to be happy is to earn more and spend less.  But many people are earning more yet at the end of the month they aren’t happy or have nothing left also.  Some are spending less yet they aren’t happy either.

Do you know why it was so?

It is because it isn’t being thrifty nor an income problem, rather it is a lifestyle problem and when you look deeper it is a SPIRITUAL problem!

If we put God first in everything He will bless us in everything!

When you give God your best He will bless the rest!

Those phrases are the other ways of putting the saying of Jesus: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these things will be added to you!”

God said in the Book of Proverbs, “With me are riches and honor.  With me are lasting wealth and success.  My fruit is better than fine gold.  My gifts are better than the finest silver.”

Now resolve to yourself how will you make God first in your finances!

Let me put here a suggestion: Give financially into His storehouse (Malachi 3: 10) – that is His church.

Find a church around your vicinity that is caring for people like you and invest the special part of your finances in to it!

God has a promise when you do that: “…see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough for it.” (the last part of Malachi 3: 10)

Secret for more time is Scheduling!

Do you often hear yourself say, “I am toxic!” “I am busy busy busy!” “I don’t have time!” And in our colloquial Filipino, we say “NGARAG!”

In the blog Margin Part 1, we have learned that Margin is anything available beyond what we needed! It is anything where the best things happen.  TIME included!

How can we have more time to enjoy the best things to happen? The answer is SCHEDULING YOUR LIFE!

A lot of us will say, “Well, I schedule a lot, in fact I can tell you now what will I be in the next 5 years! But still I find my life in a mess!”

Do you know why?  There is still a problem, that is, we do not schedule & plan wisely!

The good old Book says: Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as WISE, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. (Ephesians 5: 15-17)

How can we be wise in scheduling and planning our life? CHOOSE NOT ONLY THE GOOD THINGS AND THE CONVENTIONAL THINGS BUT CHOOSE THE BEST - THE BEST IS GOD’S WILL!

When we choose God’s Will in scheduling our lives we will have good and pleasing lifestyle. How will we do it?

• By prioritizing God’s Will! Making it the 1st!

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6: 33)

• By going to Him when we are stressed out and pressured by the demands of the day!

…Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest…because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11: 28, 29)

Do this and discover for yourself how you will have a lot of Time Margin!

• Who among you wanted three to four nights a week for yourself and your sweetheart to dine out, watch movie and go to an entertainment place?

• Who wanted more time to spend in the gym, running and getting physical for a better health and a hot body?

• Who among you wanted to have more than one month to go to a vacation get away?

• Who wanted an extra or more than enough left over money to do anything you wanted?

I guess your arms are aching now if I request you to raise your hand if you answer positively to all the questions. Then, if you answer yes, it means you are desperately needing a MARGIN since Yesterday!

You needed MARGIN to enjoy life more!

What is a Margin?  It is the extra space in a pad of paper or in a page of your note book where you can write any extra point, important thought or just entertain yourself by drawing cartoon characters of your teacher or your boss.

In life Margin is anything available beyond what do we needed! It is anything where the best things happens. It is something most of us missing and do not have because of prioritizing the seemingly essential and urgent things we thought we needed to work for, to acquire or to accomplish.

To give concrete examples:

1. We do not have extra “Time Margin” because we work longer to earn more money to sustain the needs of our loved ones but as a result we lost connection with them.
2. We do not have extra “Time Margin” due to the demands of life that we neglect health practices so our body suffers.
3. We do not have extra “Time Margin” because we needed more time for our daily activities and chores that we neglect our relationship with God who can guide us how to have a better lifestyle, as a consequence we mess things up.

When you’re busy busy busy and tired of doing things over and over then you get less Margin in your life and most probably you are stressed out and your relationships are suffering!

Do you wanted to increase your Life Margin and enjoy life more? Jesus has something to tell you today: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11: 28, 29)

If you wanted to learn more about LIFE’S MARGIN it is the topic of our church family’s message series every Sunday!  This coming Sunday (January 24) we will learn “SCHEDULING MARGIN.” How to schedule to have Margin? I am inviting you to visit us, leave a comment below so that I can communicate with you!

Just one very graphic picture of the aftermath in the terrible Haiti Earthquake!

Some people sent me messages regarding the earthquake in Haiti.  They asked questions about God! Specially when Pat Robertson made an unpopular comment which gathered a lot of unfavorable responses from non-Christians and Christians alike.

People became more aware of God and questioned His existence, abilities, powers, His omnipotence and omniscience because of this tragedy and other natural and man-made calamities: storms, flooding, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, forest fire, wars, bombings, brutal crimes, massacres, sea vessels’ tragedies and many others!

I have posted a blog in my other site when typhoon Ondoy devasted the National Capital Region of the Philippines with deadly and destructive flood last September 2009. I am re-posting it here:

How can we answer the question, “Why does a perfect, good and all-powerful God whom we believe and trust allows tragic disasters to happen?”

I’ve learned some things from the Bible, that I think, presented 3 simple but profound answers:

[1] The world is evil, not because of God’s creation or His will, but because of the evil forces, that is against Him, and mankind’s wrong choices.  On the latter point, I’m talking about the choices of the first man & woman when they choose not to follow God’s guidelines.  It was a bad choice and unfortunately in doing so, the natural movement of the forces of nature abandoned the good plans of God too, a very unfortunate consequence but real.

[2] On the other hand, God is in pain and suffers with us because He cares for those who are suffering in the midst of tragedies. That is why He touches the hearts of the people who have the capacity & capability to help! Through them He extends His assistance. Let us become aware that it is always a privilege to be of help!

[3] Lastly, God’s purpose is to make one day to do away with evil that caused all of these disasters.

I look forward to that time when eventually God will say, “Enough is enough, those evil things has to stop now!” I hope and pray that many of us are looking forward for that to happen. May it be  very soon!

To answer that question, I would like to present a similarity between physical wound and emotional wound!

Healing of a physical wound is natural but it takes time because healing is a process. Sometimes, specially when the wound is fatal and an infection occurs, a medical intervention is necessary to facilitate good healing. Aside from that, every wound leaves scar, because it damages skin tissues. This scar remains even if the pain is not there anymore. The healing maybe complete but it leaves unfavourable souvenirs!

A scar is a reminder of the wound but the pain isn't there anymore!

Same is true with any offense that causes emotional pain. It is like a knife that slices a wound. It can be very nasty with emotional pain! It is not always good! It can create chaos in life, its healing isn’t easy, it takes time!

God asks us to forgive immediately, like the way He forgives us! He asks us to give Him our anger, our bitterness and hatred and allow Him to handle vengeance! But forgetting the offense, the harm, the hurt and trusting again is another thing. It is like healing, it is a process. It has to be dealt with time. Trust has to be regained!

There are times that we will not forget the offense and the harm but the pain will not be felt anymore. Remembrance of the painful incidents becomes a reminder for the offense not to happen again. It is a reminder that if we sense circumstances leading to an offense and hurt, we learn to excuse ourself from those!

Even if the healing is taking some time, what’s important is to forgive the person who offended us…because in doing so the healing happens!

I pray that we will learn to forgive immediately and bear the memory of the offenses until the time will come when we won’t remember the excruciating emotional pain caused by the offenses and harms done to us!

Bless your emotional healing time!

We are the Apple of God's Eyes!

The very first Bible reading schedule I had for January 1 was Matthew Chapter 1, verses 1-17, the genealogy of Jesus.

I took note that in Jesus’ lineage there were 3 women’s names mentioned. It was a surprise because very seldom a woman’s name was included in a traditional Hebrew (the race of Jesus) family records, because this people had a very strong patriarchal society.  Women were second rate citizens.

It was also noted that the mentioned women were very unpopular and in fact considered least in their extremely conservative ancient community, these women were:

1. Rahab, a non-Hebrew, from Jericho and was a prostitute.
2. Ruth, also a non-Hebrew, a Moabite and was a widow.
3. Bathsheba, an adulteress.

BUT they were included in the record which means they were important and valued!

As I reflected on Jesus’ family record great lessons were impressed on me:

• God doesn’t look at you the way present societies and communities look at you.  You may have done something very wrong last year but God doesn’t label you according to your performance, on the other hand, He regard you based on what you can become! God values you even if… You can have a fresh new start this year!
• By that you can definitely say, no matter what you did in the past, what ever sin you may have committed He is always ready to FORGIVE you. Your parents may have disowned you, but He will not disown you. Your boss may have fired you because of bad evaluation, but He doesn’t keep a bad record. Your closest friends may have abandoned you because you hurt them, but He doesn’t leave you nor forsake you though you offend Him many many times.
• And because He doesn’t keep a bad record and never label you negatively, on the other hand He sees the best you can do and will allow you to be that.  He will use you to produce the best thing for yourself and for others!

Have a great 2010 with the way how God looks at you – You are the Apple of His Eyes! It will set this year right!