Bad Eye Day

This week I have an infected lower eyelid. Last week it was the upper lid of my other eye. I'd love to show some pictures but, let's keep those disturbing images to ourselves  ;)

So what's the cause? Allergies? Fatigue? Malnutrition (!) ?

Sin?

Filipino folklore says a person gets an eyelid cyst or sty from peeping around. So I'm already used to someone cracking that joke when they see me with a "bad eye". Then I'll come up with a witty retort...

But these past few days I do feel God drawing me gently towards Him again. Thank God I still feel Him. Thank God He does not let go but He does not force anyone to love Him either.

I've been busy. But that's not an excuse. One's hands can be busy but still have a heart, mind, and soul connected to God, our One True Love. It's humbling to admit that I have to be "forced" to STOP moving, to experience the lack of joy in going after anything else, before turning back to Him. 

I had to apologize, and I need to claim His forgiveness. 


"Your eye is the lamp of your body. 
When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. 
But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 
See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 
Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, 
it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you."
--- Jesus  (Luke 11:34-36)


Ultimately, God the Son says we just have to do two things: Love God, and love one another. This season, both my relationship with God and with others needed a major reboot.


"Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven... 
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
--- Jesus  (Luke 6:37,38)


I've heard the above passages many times and really taken them to heart. I think. Lately I've been seeing more of the depths of my evil nature, which makes my physical condition a very appropriate (ironic? sublime? gentle? funny?) reflection of my spiritual condition.

Continuing from the same passage above:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye
and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’
when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye,
and then you will see clearly
to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
--- Jesus  (Luke 6:41-42)


These days my eyes burn with tears, and it's not because of the dust around me. I'm filled with shame and sorrow for the filth inside of me.

But tears cleanse and purify.

On my way home tonight, I was surprised at how CRISP and clear my vision was. I still had my cyst, and that offensive nature... but I can see much clearer now.


"For judgement I have come into this world,
so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind...
If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin;
but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."
 --- Jesus  (John 9:39,41)


For some people, it might seem like a miracle to be finally made aware of their own sins! (*Ouch!*) But it's still not enough. There is no use realizing you're on the wrong way of a one-way road, if you don't do anything about it.
 

"This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:
God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not live out the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, 
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned,
we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us."
--- John  (1 John 1:5-10)


To have healthy eyes, they must be kept clean. Feed them with the right nutrients. Don't make them suffer in darkness; keep them in the light.

Take care of your eyes and they will keep on showing you the truth about your surroundings, and even about yourself.

And now, to take care of my eyes by going to sleep. Good Night!

Heaven, Hell and In-Between? (On purgatory)

Yesterday, I was talking to two colleagues about sin and faith. We're all scientists and teachers (!) so we just delve right into theology, history, and philosophy with mouths that move almost as fast as our brains. (Wow I'm so humble. :p )

What we're learning from each other is great enough. But even better is that there's an atmosphere of mutual respect and just an eagerness to understand God better to live more fully for Him. :)  Awesome. And there is an appreciation for how this same God moves in different groups and cultures to draw all people to Himself. Indeed He is real and He is simply the Greatest. ♥

So this morning the discussion continued via email, focusing on purgatory. I'm reposting my reply below because I hope it will help shed some light on what Jesus' life, death and resurrection means for us today, especially in our (Philippine) culture. 

======================================== 

Hi bros!

Yes ---, it's refreshing to talk to you and --- yesterday. One God and One Spirit indeed. After our talk I was inspired to tweet and post this :)

All human institutions are prone to error. But nothing is beyond God's saving, redeeming Power, Truth and Love. #OneGod

Before anything else, I'll just take back what I said yesterday, careless words ---  about venial vs. mortal sins as determination whether one lands in purgatory or hell. I don't believe in purgatory so I just carelessly said that. Sorry, my mistake.

Starting question / Food for thought: The concept of purgatory --- when did it start being taught?


========================================


I'll comment on this point:  

"Some Fundamentalists also charge, as though it actually proved something, "The word purgatory is nowhere found in Scripture." This is true, and yet it does not disprove the existence of purgatory or the fact that belief in it has always been part of Church teaching. The words Trinity and Incarnation aren’t in Scripture either, yet those doctrines are clearly taught in it."

The concept of purgatory is not only unmentioned in the Bible, it is in conflict with what the Bible explicitly teaches. Christ says that on Judgment Day, he will separate the sheep and the goats (either you're in or you're out) (Matthew 25:31-46). He also gave the parable of a poor man named Lazarus who died and went to heaven, while a rich man died and was sent to hell. The rich man requested Abraham for some water, and Abraham said "...between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." (Luke 16:26).

Jesus is the only one who can and already saved us from hell. Upon being saved, indeed we are now being sanctified and are growing in Christlikeness. Indeed, no follower of Christ suddenly becomes perfect like God, but isn't it great that we are improving, becoming more like Him, even in this life, before we die?

Questions: Is perfection a requirement to eternal life? How do we attain this perfection? Wouldn't this just point us back to Christ and the cross? Nobody is perfect, everybody is sinful, we all need a Savior. Even when we follow Christ we are still imperfect sinners, but what can purgatory do that Jesus has not already done? (Why not just go back and claim Jesus' forgiveness for all the sins I have done today?)


========================================


I'll also comment on this point:

"After all, if a guilty soul is merely "covered," if its sinful state still exists but is officially ignored, then it is still a guilty soul. It is still unclean."

Is this implying that Jesus' death and resurrection are not enough? Let's be careful now! 

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" --- John the Baptist (John 1:29,36), also according to Old Testament prophecies

Yesterday we were talking about consistency which points to authenticity. I respect the authority of the Catholic Church (!) but again, let us look into the consistency of this teaching. When I trusted Jesus as my Savior, I let Him save me by His taking the punishment for my sins. That means I am saved, covered, and yes, clean. That's my belief, based on my understanding of the Bible. I'll explain below. If there is disagreement, let's talk about it (find time! :) ).

Many times Jesus told people, "Your sins are forgiven... You are healed... Today you will be with me in paradise." Period. Jesus never said, "You need a period of purging first." It's just yes or no. Even when He charged Peter and the apostles (which I know Catholics love to quote!) --> "Everything you bind on earth will be bound in heaven... Everything you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 16:19, Matthew 18:18) It's yes or no. In or out. He never said maybe, and He never taught it.

It's true that Jesus sometimes told people to do something (ex: go wash in the pool, or show themselves to the priests), and we can argue that their healing and/or salvation is conditional. (That might be a longer discussion for another time.) But my point here is, there's no maybe. Either they were healed or not. Either Jesus assured them of heaven (like the thief beside Him on the cross), or not. Yes or no.


========================================


So, can we just view this present life as purgatory?

Indeed, nobody attains perfection when they get baptized, pray a particular prayer, do this or that. Nobody becomes a Christian and suddenly achieves perfection. Essentially, every moment we are being called to be more Christlike --- so I think non-Catholic Christians just (implicitly) see this present life as purgatory... only in the sense that one is walking with Christ and becoming "more" like Christ (thereby being "better and implicitly "more" perfect...?)

But non-Catholic Christians (I'll call NCC?) don't really perceive perfection as a goal, because it implies "I want to be like God" which is both impossible and dangerously idolatrous (like Satan tempting Eve). And NCC don't view death as the moment when you achieved perfection such that you may already "graduate". So that's where the analogy of this life and purgatory ends. (Well, it's not really an issue for NCC, but I'm just trying to apply the concept of sanctification here...)


========================================


To summarize: Humans are imperfect and sinful and all deserve eternal punishment for our sins, which means hell. We cannot save ourselves because no one (human) is good enough. Only Jesus, fully God and fully man, can take our place and receive our punishment such that we can also receive His righteousness. For all my sins (past present and future), I can receive my just punishment (hell or eternal existence away from God), or I can let God save me (receive Jesus as my Savior, that He died in my place so I can receive His righteousness). 

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:23-26)

As you quoted "nothing unclean shall enter heaven", in the same way that "no one can see God's face and live " (Exodus 33:20). And people who become Christian are still imperfect and prone to sin. But these all just point back to Christ as the solution: not just for our salvation but also for our redemption and sanctification: 

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he'd made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-10)

So Christians are not perfect, only cleansed, forgiven, and *continuously* being sanctified to be more like Christ. We can call this sanctification a "purging", but the formal Catholic definition of purgatory (a state of purification before entering Heaven) is not what the Bible teaches (each person has an eternal destiny, either with God in Heaven or away from God in Hell; with no middle way or in-between state).


========================================


Thank you guys for hearing me out! :) Thank God I was able to read this message (--- sends a lot, I just couldn't get to read them!). And thank you for listening.

God bless, and see you next week ^_^

Your sis in Christ,

Teci :)

Light rising from the east (On the Corona impeachment)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5206/5342516928_db54dff241.jpg

The Chief Justice of the Republic of the Philippines was impeached by the Senate last Tuesday in an unprecedented 20-3 vote. GMA News gives a comprehensive overview here.

http://philippinesgoforgold.blogspot.com/2012/01/chief-justice-corona-impeachment-trial.html

Former Chief Justice Renato Corona was perceived to be allied with the former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and therefore in conflict with current President Benigno Aquino III. So how tricky to have a trial of Executive vs. Judiciary, as presided over by the Legislative branch, and where everybody in an ideally fair trial could be seen as partisan.

http://www.thephilippineisland.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/pres_Noy_Aquino-1_03.jpg

I wasn't able to follow this trial at all except for the final day itself, where each senator gave his vote and an explanation thereof. I was impressed and enlightened in particular by Senators Drilon, Escudero, Lapid, Legarda, Osmena, and of course the presiding officer, Senate President Enrile. More memorable moments here.

The main reason for Mr. Corona's impeachment was non-disclosure of properties in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth. The fascinating thing is, the prosecution won despite itself. They lacked evidence and they were ill prepared. Many senators simply pointed out the facts: a "lowly" court employee dismissed from government service for the same act although on a much smaller scale, and a simple pie chart showing the amount of Mr. Corona's undeclared assets compared to those he did declare. Other senators were convinced to convict, ironically, because of the witnesses of the defense: Ombudsman Carpio-Morales and Mr. Corona himself.

The trial was smoothly concluded but questions lingered about the lack of due process. In my humble opinion, the technicalities of the law were overruled but justice and truth prevailed. Our country has already gone through two peaceful "extra-constitutional" revolutions in the past quarter century. This could mark the third. I believe we're maturing with each revolution; that we're getting the spirit and the letter of the law.

Also, every now and then I hear my Christian brothers and sisters declare (yes, prophesy) righteousness in this land. President Aquino was elected on a platform of righteousness and reforms are certainly being instituted now. For example, the dispute pitting Aquino's own family versus the farmers who tilled their land is now settled. Moral accountability is now demanded of our public servants. 

Of course, there is still much to be desired. Some analysts see a darker future after this trial: quite possible. But a brighter future is equally possible. At the very least, the resolution of this very trial evokes hope in me. That we are already on the road to moral and economic recovery.

Politics and public affairs. (To use our latest tourism slogan:) It's more fun in the Philippines  :D

P.S. More lessons from the impeachment trial here.

P.P.S. It might sound like I voted for President Aquino last 2010 but I didn't. I'm just an eternal optimist  ;)

P.P.P.S. I'm optimistic but not blind. P-Noy needs to lead the people in righteousness and not just boot the people who aren't. On the same note, I should stop talking about righteousness and get back to my appointed duties (i.e., schoolwork). Toodles!

That's why we call it "change".

We have a tendency to look for flaws in others... especially if those others are associated with a so-called perfect God.

When something goes wrong (and it will), we find ourselves saying, "Well, well, well... not so holy/good/righteous/perfect (etc.) now, are we? Tsk, tsk..." --- in sinister sneering tones, the condemnation from Satan himself, whose name literally means "enemy".

But should Christians even claim to be perfect? Jesus Himself said, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone." (This passage is further explained here.)

What we follow, we become. The Bible says, we can be transformed more and more into the likeness of God Himself, as we follow Him in Spirit and Truth (the power of the Holy Spirit and the Truth of God's Word).

We don't become gods, with His powers and perfection; rather we become more godly, with His characteristics and character.

There's this common (mis)conception that some people are holier-than-thou: no problems, no fears, no temptations, no sin. Raised on a pedestal impossibly high, the natural tendency is to fall, and the devil laughs.

Yes, we are human, but our God is superhuman:

• "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone."
• "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
• "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Following the righteous and holy God means turning away from what is unrighteous and unholy.

• No hypocrisy --- Yes, sin can be fun but it slowly kills; while living for God can be difficult but is fulfilling and rewarding. If we say God is our God, and we don't follow, isn't that what constitutes hypocrisy?
• No claims to perfection --- We can only follow Him by His transforming power in us; we can choose to follow, and it gets easier. (The wise man hears God and builds His house of faith on the foundation of obedience.)

That's why Christ is called the Redeemer.

The Cristo Redentor in Brazil. Image from here.

He transforms, He renews, He reclaims the original design.
He forgives, He cleanses, He enables us to draw closer to Him.


We're not perfect. But that's why Christ redeems. That's why we call it "change".

This Cristo Redentor image is from here.

Heart guarded, eyes forward, feet straight

Keep your heart with all vigilance,
     for from it flow the springs of life.
Put away from you crooked speech,
     and put devious talk far from you.
Let your eyes look directly forward,
     and your gaze be straight before you.
Make level the path of your feet;
     then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
     turn your foot away from evil.
- Proverbs 4:23-27

Company motto: Don't be evil!

I read this short Forbes article about the top man of the top company in the world --- admitting a strategic mistake and choosing the higher road in another issue. Well done Sir. May your tribe increase :)

[Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google] also said that Google had developed facial recognition technology but decided not to pursue it: “We built that technology, and we withheld it. As far as I know it’s the only technology Google has built, and, after looking at it, we decided to stop.” He explained that “I’m very concerned personally about the union of mobile tracking and face recognition,” fearing that it could be used “in a very bad way.”

 Apparently Google’s “Don’t be evil” philosophy—that exact wording is apocryphal, by the way—still obtains. As does: Do make mistakes, but admit them. Which is, all in all, also a very good idea.

On the road to a righteous nation.

See the official story here: House votes, 212-46, to impeach Gutierrez

The Philippine House of Representatives voted 212-46-4 in favor of impeaching the Ombudsman. Merceditas Gutierrez "betrayed the public trust by inexcusably failing to act promptly on the complaints filed and to file the appropriate cases in court against high ranking government officials.” The many issues of corruption that haunted the previous Arroyo administration could have been addressed and even justly punished, had the Ombudsman done her duty. To add to the drama, the main beneficiary of the Ombudsman's neglect, former president Arroyo, now sits as a representative where the Ombudsman's fate is being decided.

My family "accidentally" tuned into the live coverage of the Congress impeachment vote around midnight yesterday. It seemed important enough: the nation's legislators were still around that late; something important must be going on. True enough, the deputy speaker started calling off the representatives one by one to cast their vote. The reporters said at least 90 votes were needed to advance the impeachment to the Senate, but we lost count. What's happening? How many "yes" votes do we have?

A landslide 212 representatives voted to impeach the Ombudsman. In a country where corruption is widely practiced and even encouraged, such events are truly miraculous. Thank You Lord for bringing righteousness to our nation. The prayer (and the fight) continues. :)

His steadfast love

These days, I have been crying out for love... steadfast love.


For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
- Hosea 6:6


Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the LORD,
that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.
- Hosea 10:12



This morning, God answered my prayers with more of Himself. :) Indeed. He is the only One.

I am thankful for being reminded of this psalm. It includes one of my "life verses", verse 5. But the entire psalm is full of gems, which I've already posted in the past (see here) --- I really should start considering it as one of my "life psalms". Here are the passages that continue to encourage and strengthen me.



Psalm 118 - Your Steadfast Love Endures Forever


Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever!
(v. 1 and v. 29, the psalm starts and ends with these lines)


In my anguish I cried to the LORD
and He answered by setting me free.
(v. 5)


It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
(v. 8-9)


The LORD is my strength and my song;
He has become my salvation.
(v. 14)


The right hand of the LORD exults,
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!
(v. 16)


I shall not die but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has disciplined me severely,
but He has not given me over to death.
(v. 17-18)


I thank You that You have answered me
and have become my salvation.
(v. 21)


This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
(v. 24)


You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
You are my God; I will extol You.
(v. 28)


The LORD is God,
and He has made His light to shine upon us.
(v. 27)

A Prayer for Righteousness

A Prayer for Righteousness


I pray for righteousness, O God,
in our beloved Philippines,
in the land of our birth.

For so long we have looked
at what our leaders do, or not,
at what our leaders can, or not.
We are so quick to blame them
for everything that goes wrong;
We are so quick to forget
every good thing they have done.

Forgive us, O God,
we, the citizens of the Philippines.

Long have we pointed or overlooked
our leaders' transgressions
yet refuse to change our own ways.

Long have we blamed our leaders
without taking responsibility for our own misdeeds.

Long have we suffered, and know it,
yet choose every day
the easier way,
to continue the way of slaves.

I pray for Your righteousness, O God,
for our leaders,
but more importantly,
for the rest of us.

Enlighten and enable us to do right
as parents, as children,
as teachers, as students,
as workers, neighbors, friends,
as leaders, as followers,
as one nation.

Lead us to the right path, O God,
forgive us for going astray.
Be the light in our midst
in the work of our hands
in the fruit of our crops.


May we indeed honor and live for You,
our One True King.


Amen and Amen.



Photo credit: http://www.capetownskies.com/4370/15_sunrise_raysb.jpg

Praying and Fasting for the Philippines

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! I know you're already praying, but this is the time God is gonna pull down the SPIRIT OF CORRUPTION, and God is going to release the Spirit of truth and righteousness into this nation, because 'Righteousness exalts a nation.'

You can read the complete prophecy regarding the Philippines here:

http://disciple.multiply.com/journal/item/61/The_Latest_Cindy_Jacobs_Prophecy_for_the_Philippines


Hope you can join in praying and fasting for the Philippines, especially with the coming national elections. I am forwarding this from a group of intercessors that started in our local church but is rapidly growing each day :) We sign up to pray and fast for one day each week, and we update each other (via text/email) about the specific issues we can pray for our country, and how God answers (a fiiting verse, personal revelation, even breaking news).

I just joined this week and it's been a big blessing to me already. Not only am I learning to honor God as a Filipino, but I also remember to pray beyond my own needs and wants. Like a fellow intercessor says, it's not about being a big burden but about joining God as He works in and through our nation in these critical times. :)

If you would like to join, just go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/prayerwarriors2010/ :) Truly, we don't need to formally sign up, we can pray and fast where we are, but it's encouraging to hear about how God is speaking and moving through others as well :)

Thanks and have a great weekend!


More love, power, wisdom and truth,

Tessa :)

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.


=)

prophets and politicians

A TALE OF FIVE HERODS

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

by Philip Yancey

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)

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

prayer is for all seasons

from James 5:13-16, NIV. i need to be reminded of this at all seasons as well :)

• Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.

• Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

• Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

• Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

• The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

careful; might be false prophets…

Dear friends, don’t believe everyone who claims to have the Spirit of God. Test them all to find out if they really do come from God. Many false prophets have already gone out into the world, and you can know which ones come from God. His Spirit says that Jesus Christ had a truly human body. But when someone doesn’t say this about Jesus, you know that person has a spirit that doesn’t come from God and is the enemy of Christ. You knew that this enemy was coming into the world and now is already here. -- 1 John 4:1-3

You can tell God’s children from the devil’s children, because those who belong to the devil refuse to do right or to love each other. –- 1 John 3:10

Your prophets deceived you
with false visions
and lying messages--
they should have warned you
to leave your sins
and be saved from disaster.
-- Lamentations 2:14

Those prophets refuse to be honest. They tell my people there will be peace, even though there's no peace to be found. They are like workers who think they can fix a shaky wall by covering it with paint. -- Ezekiel 13:10

Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you. -- Matthew 7:15

You can tell what a tree is like by the fruit it produces. You cannot pick figs or grapes from thornbushes. Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts. Bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart. -- Luke 6:43-45

False messiahs and false prophets will come and work great miracles and signs. They will even try to fool God's chosen ones. -- Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22

You are in for trouble when everyone says good things about you. That is what your own people said about those prophets who told lies. -- Luke 6:26

Sometimes false prophets spoke to the people of Israel. False teachers will also sneak in and speak harmful lies to you. But these teachers don't really belong to the Master who paid a great price for them, and they will quickly destroy themselves. -- 2 Peter 2:1

Many liars have gone out into the world. These deceitful liars are saying that Jesus Christ did not have a truly human body. But they are liars and the enemies of Christ. So be sure not to lose what we have worked for. If you do, you won't be given your full reward. -- 2 John 7-8

=====================================================================

to safeguard against false prophets:
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. -- Acts 17:11

:)

twenty-three =)

(all from that well-known psalm. =) baa =) )

• The LORD is my shepherd. (baby baaaa!)
• He restores my soul. =)
• I shall not want. (nothing else to need or ask for =) )
  
• He makes me lie down in green pastures. (makes: God places me in such circumstances; it's not my doing!....green: abundant)
• He leads me beside still waters. (peace-filled)
• He leads me in right paths.
• Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. =) (the only thing that matters =) )
• Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. =) (i needed outside help for this one: the rod and staff are not there to hurt me but to protect me from those who would harm me. so that's why it's comforting!...)
• My cup overflows. =) (not just full, but overflowing!)
• You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. =) (not just preparing for me, but enabling me to overcome! yeah!)
• You anoint my head with oil. (God Himself will promote me =) yay =) )
• Surely goodness and mercy and steadfast love shall follow me all the days of my life. (it's definite; it's lifelong...and beyond.)
• I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Amen =) )

no more.

with eyes wide shut…

…and my whole being already wincing in expectant pain, i waited for the stones…

…to come crashing down…

…on me.

They never did.

i open one eye.

And then another.

My muscles start to relax. A little.

“Has no one condemned you?” He asks.

“Wait, sir,” i replied. “This can’t be right. I’m sure if we just wait a little longer, some of them might return. Yeah, that’s it. Or maybe someone else would show up. You know, someone who really hasn’t sinned and all…I know the type…” My wary eyes start looking for them already.

“If no one has condemned you, then neither do I condemn you.”

That’s nice, i thought. (Unlike the adulterous David, i still hadn’t realized then that all sin is against God and God alone.) i was still looking over His shoulder for the human law-enforcers who were duty-bound to punish my all-too-human crimes against my fellow humans. After all, isn’t that what justice is all about?

“You just want everything to be fair,” my brother once grumbled. Grumbled! What’s wrong with that?! Ah, but that was when i thought i could fulfill all the dictates of the law. Apparently i couldn’t.

And so here we were.

“Go,” He continued, “and sin no more.”

What?

No way.

No. Way.

FIRSTLY, i STILL have to be punished for my past before being allowed to move on.

SECONDLY, He KNOWS my track record for bad behavior; how can He TELL me to just go and…um, not be me anymore?! Sometimes He tells people to go and sell all they have, and/or glorify God, and/or tell everyone the Good News. But now, He’s just telling me to

Go and sin no more.

Boy, that’s hard.

(Can i just be punished and get it over and done with already?)

But not a stone touched me.

i realized that no matter how painful punishment is, i was more comfortable with the idea of justice rather than mercy, of law rather than grace. my mind was still fixed on the old way of doing things. here i was, talking with God who became man, and i still didn’t get why He came in the first place.

Truly, God is just --- sin will be punished.
BUT God is merciful --- a sinless Jesus was punished in our place on Calvary.

Truly, God is Lord of all, whether we acknowledge it or not.
BUT His commands are for our sake; His plans for us better than what we can ask for or imagine.

Truly, God gives us the (dangerous) freedom of being able to accept or reject Him.
BUT God also gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him, to empower us to do the right thing.
And --- that’s right --- to empower us to go and sin no more. =)

Truly, there will be consequences for our actions, right or wrong: either way, people will be affected, and we will answer to God on the day of judgment.
BUT with Christ i am a new creation. =)

i am still far from sinless. But each day --- hopefully! --- God is molding me to become more like Christ.
With Jesus, each decision, each action is an opportunity to sin no more. =)

And so here i am. i called out to God for help only when faced with imminent death, but i stayed because of His undying love. No stone of judgment touched my flesh, but more importantly, His unfair, irrational grace changed my heart of stone into a heart of flesh.

No more, He said.

Truly with God all things are possible.
=)

new.

Remember not the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
Isaiah 43:18,19

Behold, I make all things new.
Revelation 21:5

…I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be My people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.
Ezekiel 36:25,26-29

[The LORD] set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:2,3

For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
But be glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create…
Isaiah 65:17,18

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
All this is from God…
2 Corinthians 5:17,18

For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
Galatians 6:15

…To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Colossians 3:5-11

For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Hebrews 9:13-15

Since all these things are to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to His promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:11-13

And they were all amazed, so that they asked among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
Mark 1:27

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35

be holy :)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy. [Lev. 11:44,45; 19:2; 20:7]"

Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of the Lord stands forever. [Isaiah 40:6-8]"

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

1 Peter 1:13-19, 23-25, 2:11-12, 3:1-6