September 27, 2007

One Man, One Time....for all men, all eternity :)

Christ's Sacrifice Once for All
(Hebrews 10:1-15)


The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, O God.' "
First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

September 26, 2007

factions in God's kingdom :(

JINGO JANGLE
Christian tribalism is a renunciation of God's kingdom.
by Ted Olsen posted 4/18/2007 08:52AM



[excerpt]

When we think of checking our national citizenship against our kingdom citizenship, we often think of some possible day when imperial storm troopers will tell us to renounce Christ or die. We tell ourselves that at that moment, we'll answer with Peter and the apostles: "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

But it rarely comes down to that. Being people of the kingdom of God is not a whatif question about choosing sides some day. It's something we do every day. And when we denigrate the image of God by bearing false witness or making ad hominem attacks—or by saying to other members of Christ's body, "I have no need of you"—we renounce and deny our true citizenship. We side with the wrong kingdom.

blogging and lasting good :)

from the article "The Death of Blogs" by Ted Olsen in Christianity Today:



"Good bloggers work like dogs," says Michael Parsons, editor of the tech site CNet.co.uk. "You can't expect readers to show up unless you show up. And the Internet never closes. … Every successful blogger I've come across is the same. Eat, sleep, and drink the work. No time out; no holidays."

That's not a recipe for healthy living, especially if you're working a day job that's not paying you to blog. When Catholic blogger Amy Welborn shut down Open Book in August to focus on writing books, she wrote: "I want to do good, and I want to do lasting good — the kind of good that people carry around, share, put on their bookshelves and reflect on — rather than the kind of good that sparks a momentary flash until we surf to the next website and the next and the next."

(Kinda reminds me of why i left teaching...to focus on writing :) i will write books/tv shows/movies later on (God-inspired or nothing at all!), but working on a PhD entails that i can only blog for now :) )

September 25, 2007

every day i'm getting closer to You :)


Therefore we do not lose heart.
Though outwardly we are
wasting away,
yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
---
2 Corinthians 4:16


CLOSER TO YOU

by Mark Schultz


Closer to me I'm tired and I'm weak
And every breath within me is longing just to be
Closer to You
So I face the road ahead
Cause I know there's no comparing
To what's waiting at the end

So let the rain start falling where it will
And I will run through this valley
Just to climb to that hill
And if they ask why I'm smiling
After all I've been through
It's cause I'm just a day closer to You

Closer to me I hear You whisper on the wind
You say although my life is ending
A new one will begin
Closer to You
And I know I'm not alone
Cause I can hear You in the distance
Saying, you are nearly home

So let the rain start falling where it will
And I will run through this valley
Just to climb to that hill
And if they ask why I'm dancing
Though my days may be few
It's cause I'm just a day closer to You

Closer to me You're in the laughter and the tears
Of the ones I leave behind me
Who have prayed me through the years
Closer to You
And I know it won't be long
Till You're running down the pathway
Just to take me in Your arms

So let the rain start falling where it will
And I will run through this valley
Just to climb to that hill
And if they ask why I'm singing
Though my life's almost through
It's cause I'm just a day closer
I'm just a day closer
I'm just a day closer to You

stop runnin'! :)

RUNNING JUST TO CATCH MYSELF
by Mark Schultz


I am driving
I am late for work
Spilling coffee down my whitest shirt
While I'm flossing and I'm changing lanes
Oh yeah

Now I'm driving
Through the parking lot
Doing eighty
Hey what the heck why not
Watch it lady
'Cuz you’re in my spot
Once again
It's early to work
And here's a surprise
I got a McMuffin for just 99 cents today
I think they ran a special

I can't stand still Can I get a witness
Can you hear me Anybody, Anybody
I think I am running just to catch myself

Maybe someday I could fly away
Go to Key Largo or Montego Bay
Sport my Speedo, maybe grab a tan
Dream Vacation
Wild elation
Now I'm running
Straight into my boss
And he's angry, Oh and he calls me Ross
Which is funny, cause that ain’t my name
And that’s lame
I'm still running
Running very late
For a meeting
Wait, that was yesterday
Guess I'm early for the one next week, Oh how sweet
I get on the ladder, I corporately climb
I wave at my life as it passes me by everyday
My name's not Ross!

I can't stand still Can I get a witness
Can you hear me Anybody, Anybody
I think I am running just to catch myself

Life in my cubicle is discreet
Life in my cubicle is neat
I've got some pictures of my friends
Some sharpened pencils...where's my pen
Ten o'clock I'm in a meeting
Paper cut I think I'm bleeding
Check my hair it's still receding
Hey what a life
Break for lunch, there's nothing better
Run outside and don my sweater
Like Fred Rogers let's be neighbors
I've lost my mind
I'm over worked, and underpaid, and unappreciated

It's just a perk of being of being middle class and educated
One... spinning circles in my chair
Two...win a game of solitaire
Three... And I ponder where my stapler's gone
Four o'clock and I stare at the door,
And I stare at my watch, Then I stare at the door
I stand by my desk like I'm going to war
There's just one thing I'll be needing
Grab my paycheck as I'm leaving
Oh oh oh oh oh oh ohhhhhhh
Five o'clock it's time to go
There's crowds to fight and time to blow
It's talking fast on my cell phone
Hey, watch out that’s reckless driving!
Five o'clock
It's time to hit the couch and watch TV
Set the clock and go to sleep
It's 8 a.m. on Monday morning
Again and again and again and again and again
Driving around, no where to go
And so I hang with my lady,
Oh, and chill with my bros
It's okay, in my Cabriolet

I can't stand still Can I get a witness
Can you hear me Anybody, Anybody
I think I am running just to catch myself

When I meet God, I will have a question
I just forgot the question
I think I am running just to catch myself
Oh oh oh
Oh oh oh

it's been a long time since...i saw what's real :)

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME
by Mark Schultz


I know there's a hole inside of me that's nine foot wide
Yes I know 'cause I've tried to fill it up with foolish pride
And You go and You take my trophies off the ledges
Idols I had kept instead of wanting what was real

I know that I've worn a thousand costumes in my life
Yes I know so that no one else could see me deep inside
And You go and You peel away the perfect faces
Dust me off and then You say it's
Time to be yourself

~And it's been a long time~
~Been a long time~
~Been a long time for me~
~You've opened my eyes~
~And I've realized~
~It's been a long time to see~
~Who I am.....~

I know there's a little boy in me trapped deep inside
Yes I know he's so afraid to fail and so he hides
And You go and You open up a door within me
Take him by the hand and say we need to step outside

~And it's been a long time~
~Been a long time~
~Been a long time for me~
~You've opened my eyes~
~And I've realized~
~It's been a long time to see~
~Who I am.....~

And like a bird I want to fly away from here
Don't want to look inside this broken heart of mine
It's where You tell me there's so much I have
To give away
So much to give to You
So much I buried deep inside of me
Beyond a wall of memories
You brought me here to set me free
The more I look the more I see that

~It's been a long time~
~Been a long time~
~Been a long time for me~
~You've opened my eyes~
~And I've realized~
~It's been a long time to see~
~Who I am.....~

~And it's been a long time~
~Been a long time~
~Been a long time for me~
~You've opened my eyes~
~And I've realized~
~It's been a long time to see~
~Who I am.....~

September 22, 2007

clean slate: september 21 2007, 3:21 pm


I desire to do Your will, O my God;
Your law is within my heart.
-- Psalm 40:8

dear God,

i don't know if it's satan who planted this idea in my head (...or You...)
but the point is godly
i should let You decide.
not tell You my plans and ask You to bless them.
isn't that what i don't like about those who don't like Josh Harris, and the Ludys?

Not my will but Yours be done.
Not my will but Yours be done.
Not my will
Let Yours be done.

Lord,
i give You
my PhD plans
my postdoc plans
my hubby/bf/marriage plans

i give You back my life, a clean slate

as a Godservant
my ultimate dream is to serve You
and to endeavor for Your plans to come to pass
Your kingdom to come
and Your will to be done
amen, and amen.
=)


And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying,
"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;
nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

-- Matthew 26:39


Teach me to do Your will,
for You are my God!
Let Your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
-- Psalm 143:10


For I have come down from heaven,
not to do My own will
but the will of Him who sent Me.
-- John 6:38

the rise of raunch :(

What's a Christian woman to do in today's hypersexed culture?
by T. Suzanne Eller
from Today's Christian Woman

Excerpt:
Prayer can change our attitude so we'll see our culture as a mission field. And we should never underestimate our influence upon it. As we build relationships as a Sunday school teacher, coworker, Bible study leader, neighbor, or mom, we can show the next generation a woman can be beautiful and modest. We can be honest about the fact we too are influenced by media messages. And we can begin a dialogue about what enriches real-life love, which lasts longer than one hour on primetime. It's important the next generation sees healthy relationships.
Recently I spoke to college-age students at a Saturday night church service, and afterwards, as I walked to our car, my husband, Richard, opened my door. "You rock!" two college girls called out.
Later they confided they thought it was cool I had such a great relationship with my husband. Moments such as these give me an opportunity to serve as a gentle example. I talk with my 20-something friends about loyalty and committed love, and have lengthy discussions on how sex is an amazing gift within a lifelong relationship between husband and wife. We chat about how real value and self-worth are found in Christ.

gotta have You :)

GOTTA HAVE YOU
by The Weepies


Gray, quiet and tired and mean
Picking at a worried seam
I try to make you mad at me over the phone.
Red eyes and fire and signs
I'm taken by a nursery rhyme
I want to make a ray of sunshine and never leave home

No amount of coffee, no amount of crying
No amount of whiskey, no amount of wine
No, nothing else will do
I've gotta have You, I've gotta have You.

The road gets cold, there's no spring in the middle this year
I'm the new chicken clucking open hearts and ears
Oh, such a prima donna, sorry for myself
But green, it is also summer
And I won't be warm till I'm lying in your arms

I see it all through a telescope: guitar, suitcase, and a warm coat
Lying in the back of the blue boat, humming a tune...

September 21, 2007

my soul sings: September 21 2007 =)

oh, dear God,
i don't want to be vengeful =(
please take that away from me
help me speak Your Truth in complete and utter love

for they aren't saved yet.


God, i believe in Your ultimate grace
and in Your ultimate justice

i do not know You completely
but from what You reveal to me in the Bible
and in our walk together

i find it easier to trust You, every day.

to throw myself in Your arms

to fall down at Your feet

to bury my face in Your robes
and hug You real tight
and fill my senses with You
Your aroma
(eyes closed)
Your warmth, strong and secure
Your voice, deep yet light
=)


"My child,

the old has gone,
the new has come."

Hallelujah!
Blessed be the name of the LORD

for He took away my shame
and replaced it with His righteousness

He washed away my sins with His blood
and i have become as white as snow
even more glorious than when He first created me

for i shall see the face of my God and live
for He has given me a pure heart, and a holy soul
an eternal inheritance, a divine birthright

Father, all good things come from You
Where else can i go?
You and only You have the words of eternal life.


it is a joy to honor You
it is a pleasure to worship You
it is a privilege to know You.


=)

autumn rains :)


"Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.” - Joel 2:23


The Biblegateway Verse of the Day could not have been more timely. :)

Right now i am in autumn...a little wiser, a little more sober...a little more somber?

But aware of God's goodness and grace, now more than ever.

For God not only tolerated my awful shameful ways, but lifted me up so i can really, truly be free. At the cost of His own life.

He has sent me abundant showers. Last night, as the waters poured down from the heavens, my heart was pouring out towards His.


"Once again i thank You,
Once again i pour out my life..."
--- Once Again, by Fusebox


i am glad, and i rejoice in the LORD my God.


:)

September 19, 2007

what i really want to do :)

ALL I WANT TO DO
by Ginny Owens


All I want to do, is give this life to You
All I want to do, is give this life to You
All I want to do, is give this life to You
And let Your will be done, until it's all I want to do

How does doubt slip in, so silently?
And why does condemnation come so naturally?
Why do I still get the best of me?
Loving so little and living so selfishly?

When all I want to do, is give this life to You
All I want to do is give this life to You
All I want to do is give this life to You
And let Your will be done until it's all I want to do

What have I been given by Your grace?
Will I come to understand this mystery I embrace?
Make of me a new creation now
Fill me with all you are and be all I am somehow

'Cuz all I want to do is give this life to You
All I want to do is give this life to You
All I want to do is give this life to You
And let Your will be done, until it's all I want to do

Faith so fragile
Reaching for Your hand

All I want to do, is give this life to You
All I want to do, is give this life to You
All I want to do, is give this life to You
And let your will be done, 'til it's all I want to do
And let your will be done, 'til it's all I want to do

thank You for giving me the best day of my life

THANK YOU
by Dido


My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey,
but Your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad,
it's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay,
my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today,
I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply
that I might not last the day
And then You call me and it's not so bad, it's not so bad and

I want to thank You
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with You
is having the best day of my life

Push the door, I'm home at last
and I'm soaking through and through
Then You hand me a towel
and all I see is You
And even if my house falls down,
I wouldn't have a clue Because You're near me and
I want to thank You

for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with You
is having the best day of my life

my favorite passage that's NOT in the Bible

(concerning the woman caught in adultery and a gospel's last verses. *sigh*...i agree with Mr. Wallace though, that we need to be accurate about God's Word even and especially against our personal biases...)




MY FAVORITE PASSAGE THAT'S NOT IN THE BIBLE
by Dan Wallace



[excerpt]

Ultimately, what I’m asking is, How honest do you want biblical scholars to be? Would you rather hear this sort of news from those who are enemies of the faith or from those love Christ and are willing to go to the wall for the scriptures?

September 18, 2007

September 17, 2007

WAR CRY

WAR CRY
by Bobby Bishop


Here’s a little story/I’ve got to tell/about a brother suffering under a horrible spell/pouring his heart into making a living/flipping to beats/from the beginning/he didn’t lay down/and bow to defeat/it began with a love affair/far and between/with the streets/and a pull/to heal other’s suffering/he didn’t see too many colors in his community/his mother started wondering/what her son was doing/his room was cultural/covered/smothered/with magazine covers/while you were out/hosted by Dr. Dre and Ed Lover/and Fab 5/the classics of MTV Raps/past his bedtime/trying to catch an hour of that/this was what he’d been waiting for/a stork at the door/delivered hip-hop adoption/to nurture and grow/filling a void/for a little boy/to identify/no looking back/as he belted out his War Cry

Hip-hop became life/the rest were the details/influencing his decisions/socially and retail/a sub-cultural fad/it had a tight grip/he vowed to love it/not abandon it/like the other kids/he started writing down his own life experiences/his pen became the most cherished possession to him/he was neglecting/the lessons his father would give/he didn’t recognized the blessings he was gonna miss/every night he spoke to his dad/before going to sleep/in reality he seeked to please him so desperately/this night he had a request of his son/so he asked/do you love me son?/did he love him?/that was his dad/then please hand over your raps/and not just a song/I want it all/do you think you can do that for me/son?/ Hand over my precious raps/is that what you’re asking/ I’m too attached/I can’t imagine/life would be drab/without that boom-bap/hi-hat/line of my life/his father replied/it’s okay/son/it’s alright/goodnight/sleep tight/don’t worry/everything’s fine/he fell asleep/dreaming of his war cry/it went

This little boy grew and matured to a man/and mapped a career path/as fast as he can/hitting the road/full-steam with a dream/demos went to all the influential industry peops/every night he still spoke to his dad/before going to sleep/and every night his dad would have the same request of his seed/son/I’ll hand you the world/as sure as I’m king/assure me/hip-hop is not as important as me/but one night after a show/his spirit had broke/he gripped the mic with high hopes/but he totally choked/he awoke to the reality/that who he was determined what he did/and that was the key/so he called up his father/said/would you come over/I’ve made a decision to follow your course/I know you want the best of me/I know that/of course/so I’m handing over hip-hop/take it/it’s yours/with tears in their eyes/yo/they warmly embraced/he said/finally you’re seeing clearly/make no mistakes/reached in his pocket/said/I’ve had a better path from the start/now get to rappin’/and he handed him a record deal from Beatmart

mourning the passing of Robert Jordan, Christian and master storyteller

Sometimes even when you’ve fought your best...
posted on Mr. Robert Jordan's blog


[excerpt]


Never, never [lose] faith. RJ did not. Harriet hasn’t. I haven’t. Going through what we have, our faith is only strengthened. Besides, if God didn’t exist, we would have never had Jim. We did. God does. Remember my Brother/Cousin, my friend, think of him fondly and glorify God’s name.

James Oliver Rigney, Jr. aka Robert Jordan
October 17, 1948 - September 16, 2007


For more details about the life and works of Mr. Jordan:
Thanks to WOTPhilippines for the info.


One commenter, "Piercy", wrote:



I’m very sorry to hear this. I can’t say that I knew him, but his works really helped my life along. I was going through the “depressed teenager” phase when I was introduced to WoT. That helped me out like you could never imagine. Thank you for everything, RJ.

i could say the exact same thing. i got to read the first one and a half books of the Wheel of Time series during literally the lowest point of my life --- that's right, just B.C. ("before Christ") --- and they strangely comforted me in some way. Now i know why.

Now that's the Christian message: not as obvious as C.S. Lewis or even J.R.R. Tolkien, yet just as compelling and reassuring.

Thank you, Mr. Jordan. See you in heaven. :)


from this moment on :)

:) i heard this at just the right moment today :)


FROM THIS MOMENT ON
by Shania Twain


(I do swear that I'll always be there.
I'd give anything and everything
and I will always care.
Through weakness and strength,
happiness and sorrow,
for better for worse,
I will love You with every beat of my heart.)

From this moment life has begun
From this moment You are the one
Right beside You is where I belong
From this moment on

From this moment I have been blessed
I live only for Your happiness
And for Your love I'd give my last breath
From this moment on

I give my hand to You with all my heart
Can't wait to live my life with You, can't wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams came true because of You

From this moment as long as I live
I will love You, I promise You this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on

You're the reason I believe in love
And You're the answer to my prayers from up above
All we need is just the two of us
My dreams came true because of You

From this moment as long as I live
I will love You, I promise You this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment
I will love You as long as I live
From this moment on

September 15, 2007

not (just) because i want to :)

Yesterday i "had" to wear something..."nice". (This blog entry sounds way different already!)

Actually i didn't really have to. :) It wasn't a matter of life and death, to be sure!...But wouldn't it be "nice" if i did? And so i did something i didn't regularly do (...ever?).

And so the day came and went. And i'm still wearing it because i have yet to take a bath (fine! i will, i swear! in an hour!!!). Anyways, it's cool to see myself still look great (yes, i do!!!) even with the sleepy eyes and un-exercised body. (The smell? Well, we're just talking about how i look right? ;p) Why? It's all thanks to the nice blouse, perfectly chosen by my wonderful friend, who even picked the tab for it (i'll pay her back of course!) :)

Let's list the great things about this whole "experience":
  1. i got to do something i don't really do. Live life right? But this was something i didn't want to do...or so i thought.
  2. Later on i realized i liked it. it was good in itself; i would like to do this even though i didn't have to.
  3. i was telling my friend that "this isn't me." "No," she protested, "it's you. That's exactly your personality." Honestly, i just didn't like the top at first, which made me realize (again) how my likes and priorities are all twisted. (At least they're being de-twisted nowadays...)
  4. It actually fit me. Nicely. Who knew, right?

"This person really knows me better than myself," usually describes our best-est, closest friends. But what more the God that created us in the first place?

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which
God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)


i liked doing good, even back then in the dark ages of my soul :) , but "good" according to my own definitions, and what i want. Way far from Absolute Good, Right and True. But i was sure of what i wanted.
Now, i love doing good, but accdg to God's standards. That means way far from what's convenient or good enough or advantageous for me. And many times i'm not sure where i'm going; i'm following Someone who's ever faithful but the details might not be too clear at present (previously, what job to take; currently, who to marry! haha! *if!*).
When i realized that God is God and that i am obliged to serve Him, the "must-do-good" naturally became an obligation too: an obligation that often burdened me and stressed me out. My Bible study group leader reminded us that we do all these things (share the Gospel, study the Bible, teach kids, sing worship songs...) because we love God. It was so simple yet it struck me to the core, because at the time i was just so focused on the action rather than the reason, the motivation, the Person behind it all.
i love doing good. i always have. And even if technically, i'm supposed to do good anyway, i actually do it because i choose to, because i want to. Not simply in and of itself, but also and more importantly, because i follow God who is good, because i obey God who commanded us to be good, because i love God who does good.
(And i will start wearing nice outfits from now on. But right now, i gotta take a bath. :p )

playing God: as of September 15, 2007

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,"
declares the LORD.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and My thoughts than your thoughts."
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
Man. Why do i even try to second-guess, out-think, figure out, mind-read...GOD?
And why do i keep on hopin'?
...
...
i hope because i can.  :)
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  ( Hebrews 10:23)
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  ( Hebrews 11:1 )
Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God.  ( 1 Peter 1:21)
A faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time...  ( Titus 1:2)
But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.  ( Hebrews 3:6)
  
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  ( Romans 12:12)
-----------------------
but i am forgetting the most important prayer of all:
Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  ( Matthew 6:10)
"Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."  ( Luke 22:42)



Yes, Father, i bow down to Your will. Not just because i have to, but because i want to.
i'm going to let You act on my behalf. (Besides, when You do act, it truly is for my behalf :) )
Let Your will be done in my life. May you use my life to let Your kingdom come. Amen and amen.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
      Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.  (Revelation 20:22 )

September 14, 2007

good and just...but wait, there's more!

God is good --- He lets people do what they want.
God is just --- He rewards and punishes people according to what they do.
God is gracious --- He gave us His Son to take on the punishment we justly deserve.
:)
(aren't we glad our God is like this? :)  )

No more curse. No more death. No more night. No more tears.

From Revelation 21:22 - 22:6: some of the last words in the Bible regarding the last-yet-everlasting days.
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 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.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
No longer will there be any curse.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him.
They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

And they will reign for ever and ever.

The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place. "
What can i say?

No more tears.
:)

He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.   (Isaiah 25:8)

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."   (Revelation 7:17)

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."   (Revelation 21:4)

prophets and politicians

If you had five minutes with the President, what would you say?

the Author of Life itself

(i thank God that He made me a writer. :) )

The article below is from a fellow writer (duh!) and one of my great personal favorites :)


GOD'S WRITING LIFE

Our Creator has chosen a medium that is the most challenging of all.

naturally :)

NATURALLY
by Matt Wertz


I wanna dance with you in moonlight

I wanna kiss beneath the rain

Just wanna show you how I'm feeling

And wonderin' if you feel the same

I just can't wait until the day when all of this will come to be

All we gotta do is just believe


It's better for you
It's better for me

If we just let things develop naturally

If you are the one

We'll wait and see

For now we'll just let things develop naturally, naturally

There ain't no time for looking backwards

Ain't no room for keeping score

I wanna get to know you better

Find out what I am waiting for


If it's love that we're tryin' to find

Patience will do us right

Naturally

It's better for you
It's better for me

If we just let things develop naturally

If you are the one

We'll wait and see

For now we'll just let things develop naturally, naturally

September 13, 2007

the bigger picture: footing the bill

"Call me on our new cellphone, ok? My aunt says that if we receive calls it doesn't cost anything," my best friend said. (This was around 17 years ago, during elementary when cellphones were still only for the moderately rich...)

"Sure," i said, if she's sure it's free right...

When we got our local phone bill at the end of the month, i immediately realized a very important life lesson: something is "free" for someone because someone else is footing the bill. :p

It was an unfortunate misunderstanding. My best friend and her aunt were correct in saying that receiving phone calls does not cost anything...for them, that is! It's just that what i heard wasn't the complete truth.


i love hanging out with my friends, but there's One who we literally cannot live without:
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty." (John 6:35)

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:17)
When it comes to bills, am i glad i don't have to pay to spend eternal life with the Source of all life...
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. (John 3:16-17)

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:28-29)
...especially when i can't afford it anyway.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
Salvation is free...
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." (Acts 16:30-31)

For everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. (Romans 10:13; Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32)
...But to view the bigger picture: salvation is free because somebody came along and already gave His life to save ours...
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. (Luke 19:10)

God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. (Romans 3:25)

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation --- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)
...and to make the picture complete (a big thanks to REB who posted some comments here):
Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:18)

Let's make sure we have the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth...lest we be asked to pay the highest price at the end of our lives.

some last words on the sin that's at the heart of every other


Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19:9-10)


and from the last chapter of the last book of the Bible :)



I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. (Revelation 22:8-15)

September 12, 2007

need to do to do all else

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for Me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval."

Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent."

(John 6:26-29)

September 11, 2007

i was made to love...YOU!

MADE TO LOVE
by TobyMac



The dream is fading, now i'm staring at the door
I know its over cause my feet have hit the cold floor
Check my reflection, I ain't feelin' what I see
It's no mystery
Whatever happened to a passion I could live for
What became of the flame that made me feel more
And when did I forget that...

I was made to love You
I was made to find You
I was made just for You
Made to adore You
I was made to love
And be loved by You
You were here before me
You were waiting on me
And You said You'd keep me
Never would You leave me
I was made to love
And be loved by You

The dream's alive with my eyes opened wide
Back in the ring You've got me swinging for the grand prize
I feel the haters spittin' vapors on my dreams
But I still believe
I'm reachin' out, reachin' up, reachin' over
I feel a breeze cover me called Jehovah
And daddy I'm on my way
'Cause I was made to love...

I was made to love You
I was made to find You
I was made just for You
Made to adore You
I was made to love
And be loved by You
You were here before me
You were waiting on me
And You said You'd keep me
Never would You leave me
I was made to love
And be loved by You

Anything I would give up for You (nanananana)
Everything, I'd give it all away (nanananana)

I was made to love You
I was made to adore You
Made just for You

learning to breathe again :)


And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14b)


i love physics.

i love math.

i love to complex systems (that's a research field).


In fact, i am learning how to study again, thanks to a report that i have to give in less than four hours (!!!). i am learning how to do research again, thanks to oodles of free time and a chunky government scholarship now that i am a full-time graduate student.

i am learning how to breathe again.

:)


who knew that i would be in my element doing this?

who knew that this is what i was made for after all?

who knew that this is how i would glorify God?


:)



...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good
purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

September 9, 2007

when in doubt...err on the side of grace? (updated)

here's my replies to comments #8 and #10 (by "REB") in an article in ThinkChristian.Net about some attitudes (not in general yet sadly very commonplace) of the Church towards non-Christians (not-yet-Christians):



comment 1

Hi everyone :)

REB: “Speak the truth in love.” (A lesson that i continually learn graciously from my Heavenly Father.)
You said, “The church is full of sinners!” i say, “Exactly!” So please do not make the mistake of casting the first stone. We can be firm in our convictions based on God’s standards of perfection (“Be perfect as He is perfect”!) but always remembering that we cannot be perfect apart from His work in us. “While we were still sinners [God loved us] and Christ died for us.”
With all due respect, i sense a lot of judgement and not much grace in your words. God is both just and merciful; and like what Christie Siganos wrote, “there is only one judge!” We cannot and must not judge others; while as God’s ambassadors to the rest of the world, we have to share both His righteousness/justice, AND His love, that “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from”.
This is the same “Jesus” “in the Gospels” and the same “LORD of the Bible”. We have the responsibility to report the complete story and share about all the attributes of God; especially since the one defining moment in history is when Christ died for us undeserving, unworthy, sinful creatures. :)
=====================================================
comment 2

From REB: "By focusing on my comments alone, you present a lopsided view yourself. I can assure you, that if I saw people over emphasizing judgment, then I would try to balance it out by speaking of the other part."

So we're both "balance" people? :) (That's what i'm trying to learn nowadays...)

i don't think it's lopsided to remind people of the full Gospel that we're both mentioning. :) But this post is talking about those outside the Church who have not yet experienced God's grace (or haven't realized it yet), as opposed to those in the Church who are God's not preaching judgement. (So we do agree after all! Because it's the complete Gospel! :) )

In the same way that we must judge ourselves as you said (or constantly ask God to reveal to us specific areas where we need improvement), and reflect as a Church on whether we have lost our saltiness already....we need to reflect on why should the world turn to us anyway. Like what Clay wrote, "Jesus met people where they were": He drew people to Himself, as they were, but without ever condoning their sin. (Tough act to follow!) But again, we must test our saltiness in dispensing God's righteous judgment and God's loving grace. But note that judgment has different incarnations in other religions and in the secular world, while grace is scandalous, ridiculous, and found nowhere outside the Bible. :) Jesus' teachings are full of grace because the people in His time (and everyone else) already knows about judgment and is all too ready to give it.

We don't have to ignore sin and judgment of course. Actually, i've heard some say that for people to appreciate the Good News of the Gospel (grace!), they need to learn about the Bad News first (judgment!). Makes sense! Also, grace would not make sense if there's nothing to forgive --- Jesus told the adulteress that He is not condemning her, yet His last words were "Go and sin no more," an honest assessment of her past combined with an incredibly empowering goal for her future. In reaching out to people mentioned in the blog post (the people we used to be! people who are as sinful and imperfect as we are!), we need to get back to Jesus' way.

i agree with you, i've heard of a lot of churches and movements that suddenly say <***> is ok and so on, overriding the Bible's explicit statements that <***> is sin. And it's alarming because naturally, people who do/have <***> would of course go to grace-only-but-unBiblical "churches" instead of grace-with-judgement-as-the-Bible-says ones. i worry, but we know God will back up those who preach Him and not their own ideas :)

Christ's example, not church-ianity

This was part of a great insightful comment by "Clay" in ThinkChristian.Net:

As a church, our churchianity often gets in the way of our Christianity. Jesus met people right where they were (followers, scoffers, and questioners alike). We should take a lesson.

failing to do right

from the Daily Bread column of the Philippine Star

Failing to Do Right
Sunday, September 9, 2007

To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. — James 4:17

In his book Eight Men Out, Eliot Asinof records the events surrounding the notorious ”Black Sox” scandal of 1919. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox baseball club were accused of taking bribes from gamblers in exchange for intentionally losing the World Series. Although they were never convicted in a court of law, all eight were banned from baseball for life.

But one of those players, Buck Weaver, claimed that he had played to win despite knowing about the conspiracy. Though Weaver’s performance on the field supported his contention, baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis ruled that any player who had knowledge of the scandal, yet chose not to stop it, would still be banned. Weaver was not punished for doing wrong, but for failing to do right.

In his letter to the first-century church, James wrote, “To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (4:17). In a world filled with evil and darkness, followers of Christ have the opportunity to shine their light. That often means we must resist the urge to do nothing.

When faced with the choice between doing good and failing to do anything at all, we must always choose to do what’s right. — Bill Crowder

Heavenly Father, help me to honor You throughout my life by being a light in this dark world May it never be said that I failed to do what I knew to be good, just, and right. Amen.

READ: James 4:13-17

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. — Edmund Burke


The Bible in one year:
• Proverbs 6-7
• 2 Corinthians 2

September 6, 2007

"Humanitarian"

If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? --- old joke


i came across this photo from today's issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer:




FAREWELL KISS. Navy Ensign Jeffrey Legaspi, 27, kisses his 4-month old son Genesis Matthew before deployment to Basilan with the 1st Naval Mobile Construction Battalion and the 355th Aviation Engineering Wing of the Philippine Air Force as part of the government’s humanitarian offensive.


How can an offensive military attack ever be humanitarian?!?!

To be fair, perhaps i am just not seeing the bigger picture here. Please correct me if i am wrong; i just interpret this as, "killing people for their own good"? (i do hope i'm wrong!!!!)

"Humanitarian" is a father kissing his son goodbye. Isn't it time we treat the rest of the world we treat our sons and daughters, or anyone else we love dearly?

"Oh," you might say, "but these people are my friends, my family..."

Exactly. It's high time we love everyone else.

September 5, 2007

please pray for my best friend...

the strength to obey God...
the peace to continue...
the will to follow His...

i was jolted by this message:



Ate teci..i just want 2 thank u 4 always being there 4 me, and 4 being so patient w me, and 4 always praying 4 me..i want u 2 be the very 1st 2 know..now i have acceptd God's will..i'l break up with **** 2mrw..pls continue praying 4 me..honestly ths is 1 of the saddest tyms of my lyf. but at the same tym, im at peace..Daddy in heaven wil take care of my heart..

we prayed, for a long time, and then i advised her to pray (again :) ) and get some sleep. she'll do it tomorrow. so all you readers, please pray for her (and him) too. much thanks! God is with them through all of this. :)

September 4, 2007

lessons on time travel

here's something i just gave a talk on, after a film showing of Disney's Meet the Robinsons...
i realized that...we need to focus on more real issues instead of chasing what may or may not be true.
but that statement might sound paradoxical, coming from me, because isn't the issue of God something that may or may not be true?
hmmm...
....
....
well, i can live with time travelers, and i can live without them. it doesn't really much matter either way. (besides, nobody has claimed to have gone to the future or the past, except for God maybe, but then that would be the issue of God again more than the issue of time travel for you and me...)
but i have got to meet the real, living God. not only is that "issue" real to me, it is the fundamental thing in my life. :)
but how about those who haven't encountered God (yet)? it's understandable if God is like the option of time travel: "could be, but so what? as far as i know, doesn't look like it's true anyway... "
for the unbelievers, skeptics, the curious: even the slightest chance (for good ol' argument's sake!) that God is real and that we have an eternal soul leads us to care. as in really really care.
unlike the issue of time travel, the issue of God is literally a matter of life and death...and afterlife. very very important.
(dang. i should've preached this! but there's a perfect time and place for everything. hopefully those students would get to read this blog entry...or something. well, God, it's up to You, You're sovereign over all this :D )

materialism disputed (and debunked?)

Thanks to the friendly ads here at Gmail, i got to see this article on C.S. Lewis and Materialism.
(i barely scanned it though...maybe someone can read and review it for me? thanks... :D )

September 1, 2007

learning to listen, trying to talk: communicating with God is two-way

The titles are linked to the articles themselves :)


1. Is That You, God?
Learning to recognize your Father's voice.
by Alicia Bruxvoort

2. The Busy Woman's Guide to Prayer
(No matter how packed your daily planner is!)
by Cheri Fuller

3. A New Dimension
Fresh ways to deepen your prayers for your loved ones
by Julie-Allyson Ieron

workin' for the Boss

(something that i immediately decided to use for our Bible study group...and not just because it was only four hours away :D )


Ministry@Work
by
Penny Schlaf Musco


"Any job can be an outreach—it's all in your attitude."