Father, into your hands I commend my spirit

We do not own our life, it is from God. We only live the life we are given and we have no right to end it in whatever way we pleased. And when the time comes that He takes it back, we should humbly surrender it back to Him in the manner He appointed.

On the cross, Christ demonstrated how to overcome the fleshly fear of the pain and indignity of suffering in the process of dying. By entrusting your whole being to God in the final moment of your earthly life, every bit of your suffering turns into a pure and humble redemptive act that honors and glorifies God's almightiness.

           

Be a strong mooring post

People sometimes are like boats. They need you to be a mooring post they could hold on to for strength for a while in moments of weakness. Therefore always make sure that you are firmly rooted on the Rock, lest you all will be drifted away by the persistent current of life's trials.

           

Walking with the Lord

Blessed be the places that, through His servants, the Lord visits. Blessed be the grounds that, by His servants' feet, the Lord walks on. Blessed be the people that, by His servants' mouths, the Lord speaks to. Blessed be creation; for through His servants, the Lord loves.

And at the end of your journey, when your time comes to enter My kingdom, I thy Lord shall welcome you and wash your dusty feet and anoint them with My fragrance.

           

The Powerlessness of Sin over Christ

Here is an illustration using simple chemistry conveying a profound analogy of what happens when sinful human nature gets imparted with the holiness of the divine nature of Jesus Christ. There is restoration in divine impartation.

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

          

An Imam sees the Truth

           

Why peace between Israel and Palestine is becoming next to impossible: An underlying problem

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

The human right to peaceful existence and self preservation is not just a universal right but more so it is a divine-decreed right that the almighty bestowed upon every single human being. If some group of hate-motivated people vows to destroy a race, then that race has the right to defend itself against that enemy and if necessary may even decide to use "appropriate" violence only. But it must be made sure not to involve destroying the lives of other innocent people.

But Jesus Christ, the rabbi, preach a different kind of mind-boggling heavenly standard or way of handling our enemies which seems impossible for the world to follow and obey -- even for the very people who call themselves Christians:

[Matthew 5:38-48] “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don't even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect."

[Matthew 5:3-12] “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

There are Christians (and also people of other religions for that matter) who are trying earnestly and sincerely, as according to Christ's teachings (and likewise according to the respective teachings of other people's respective religions), to help bring about peace between Israel and its neighbors. But their efforts are being criticized by groups of objecting Christians because in the worldview of these objecting groups, when it comes to Israel's situation, the world must only be seen in this way: "Our world is divided into two groups of people, those who support Israel and those who don't. There is no middle ground. You don't kind of support Israel, you either do or you don't. Supporting Israel is not a political issue, it is a Bible issue."

In other words, there is no room for mediation, peacemaking, and peacemakers. It's as if Christian hard efforts and attempts at finding [even at least a relative] peace are not meant ultimately to support Israel. What a myopic worldview. Don't we Christians think that the [unintentional] destruction of so many innocent lives of civilians in this war would not escalate more and more the hatred of many nations against Israel? Are we playing blind to the fact that even some people and some countries who are previously non-haters of Israel have now started to hate Israel's actions because of the death of so many innocent civilians? When is the human right of one nation more important than the others? When a people is at war with its sworn enemy, chances are its national conscience tends to endure and strive to hide inside itself the guilt brought about by the violation of the human rights of the innocent people who are [unintentionally] affected by the violence of the war, and that is why it would appear as if it cares less about innocent people getting injured or killed in the course of the fighting. This is the reason why Christian way of mediation is a must, and there must be real efforts at finding genuine peace -- not a myopic self-made worldview which is self-claimed and disguised as Bible inspired.

When what prevails in our mind is only our own [self] interpretation of the Bible's teachings and how the world should be perceived, we Christians [tend to] trample the teachings of our Christ.

Christians, AWAKE! Let us support Israel and all of humanity in the real way the  Christ has taught us.

           

People are shown the light, but why do they prefer the darkness?

Lord God, who is all good all the time, who is full of kindess and compassion, who is full of justice and mercy, full of wisdom and righteous in all your ways, look down on us, the peoples of the earth, for we are destroying our lives and are mercilessly killing our own kind -- race against race, nation against nation, religion against religion, system against system.

Deliver us from the prison of our own wickedness and iniquities. Let Your Holy Spirit show us the way out of this madness of bloodshed because we are so lost and helpless. Unless you help us, we all will perish in this great darkness we have created.

[John 3:19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

[John 12:46] The Lord said: "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."

[John 15:22] The Lord said: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin."

[John 9:41] The Lord said: "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."

           

Conquer evil by doing good

The greatest difficulty and danger in fighting against the works of evil is that, more often than sometimes, the same evil spirit we are fighting against could also be at work within us. And if we are not careful to examine our selves first and seek the guidance of God's Spirit, our actions will tend to be evil inspired and we end up combating evil works with evil means -- resulting in an even worse outcome.

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. (Romans 12:21)

         

There is always hope for peace

They refuse to be enemies. Won't you support them?

Despite the deep darkness that the raging war has brought into the lives of many people, yet there is still hope for peace to prevail when people would finally come to realize the futility and irony of habitually resorting to violence (as if it has become the only means) to achieve a lasting peace, and when people decide not to extinguish the light within them by refusing to be enemies with one another no matter how the religious and racial conflicts have forcefully tried to instigate hatred in everyone's heart.

But of course this is impossible by human efforts alone. This is where God's Spirit that works through the hearts of people must earnestly be sought.

[Zechariah 4:6] "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord of hosts.

------------
Support the campaign "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies" by helping them share their message to the world. But most importantly, help pray for peace in Israel and Palestine, and for the whole world. You may prefer to do a 3 O'clock daily prayer for world peace plea.

Visit their Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/JewsAndArabsRefuseToBeEnemies            

Perlas Ng Silanganan (Pearl of the Orient)

Before God formed you, He blessed and consecrated you.
 
Your are the beads of pearls nestled in the orient sea.
Like the colors of Eleazar's vestment you were clothed.
Deep blue sky and white clouds are colors in your firmament.
Colors of crimson and of gold your robe is adorned with.
With the sun and the stars, your cloth is woven.
With the Covenant you were sealed; making you His own.

You are greatly blessed; and your season is drawing near.
In and out, near and far, your seeds shall flourish.
Their fruits shall replenish and restore barren lands.
And when nations shall have seen your luster,
Eyes will see and ears will hear the Lord's glory.
          

Friendship and/or Alliance

Aren't friends supposed to keep watch of one another? Only not true friends don't like having friends looking out for them, and only fake friends take advantage and spy on their supposed friends for their own benefit. Is there really true friendship here, or merely an alliance of/for common self-interests? Who's not the true friend, and who's the fake one?

Because most nations are only genuinely interested on their own national interests, conflicts among nations happen.

"From where do wars and fightings among you come? Don't they come from the self-interests that rage within you?" (James 4:1)

"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to use it for your own selfish interests." (James 4:2-3)

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

         

Teaming Up for a Cause

Impacting the world may also be likened to participating in a dragon boat race. There needs to be a teaming up of strengths for a synchronized effort aimed at achieving a common cause.

         

Guardians of Creation

Sometimes Winners Quit

Sometimes winners gave up a fight rather than inflict further damaging injuries to their opponent when they realize that the fight is a mismatch. In the video, a Filipino mixed martial artist chose to tap out rather than win an unworthy match.

Fighters fight for glory. True victors go for honor rather than glory.

            

Have you noticed the ants?

Isn't summer season almost over? But has anyone noticed the ants labor and gather grains in the harvest? Consider their ways and you'll gain insight.

Read more at: Message - May 13, 2014            

Rejoice! Christ is risen!

Because He is the resurrection and the author of life, death has no power over Him and it could not keep His glorified body sealed in the sepulcher. With His resurrection, He triumphantly opened heaven's gate for all souls to choose eternal life. Therefore let the whole creation rejoice; for there is no other news in all of time greater than this!

          

Christ's death defies relativism

The Centrality of Jesus' Death Defies Relativism
By Amy K. Hall 
Source Link:  Stand to Reason

There are many out there who see Christianity as being mainly about teaching us how to be better people. Sadly, this includes a large number of pastors who are passing on this too-common theology of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. There’s a good possibility that many of these pastors are not doing this purposely, but because their preaching focuses on moral lessons, their congregations learn that the moral lessons are what’s important.

I’m convinced that this moralistic focus is a major contributor to a relativistic view of religion amongst Christians. After all, if the goal of religion is to teach us to be good people, one religion can do this as well as another. What reason do we have to say one is right and the other wrong if they’re all right in the way that matters?

This is why I think the religious relativism of Christians is but a symptom pointing to a much deeper problem—a lack of understanding of the Gospel, a lack of knowing that Christianity depends on something objective happening outside of ourselves rather than being just a set of good rules to live by.

The Christianity of the Bible, when it’s explicitly taught, leaves no room for relativism because it depends on an objective event that accomplished a particular purpose for us. You’re probably familiar with the pre-biblical creed recorded for us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, clearly defining the Gospel:

    Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you stand, by which also you are saved….

    For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received [and here is the creed], that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

In The Cross of Christ, John Stott points out yet another part of New Testament history that proclaims the centrality of the cross:

    The Lord’s Supper, which was instituted by Jesus, and which is the only regular commemorative act authorized by him, dramatizes neither his birth nor his life, neither his words nor his works, but only his death. Nothing could indicate more clearly the central significance which Jesus attached to his death. It was by his death that he wished above all else to be remembered. There is then, it is safe to say, no Christianity without the cross. If the cross is not central to our religion, ours is not the religion of Jesus.

This is not to take anything away from the resurrection, which is included in the 1 Corinthians creed, and without which Christ could not have “entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle,…not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood,” “into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us,” to be not just our sacrifice, but our one and only living high priest:

    Jesus,…because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

But it is to say that any proposed “gospel” that leaves out the defining historical moment of Christ on the cross is missing the point of Christianity, and to miss that point is to leave us with nothing but bad news.

         

Defying Limitations

By all the right means, go ahead and defy bad traditional limitations. But in the process, be very careful never to lose the best kept values of your culture, otherwise you will only be aiding in the rotting of your own society's roots.

         

Jesus needs no fame

Worship Generation, a clothing brand that caters to those who are proud of their faith, designed a particular print on their t-shirts with a bold message: "Making Jesus Famous".

But how about Worship Generation print instead the following message on their t-shirts:

"Fame can save no soul." (Front side)

"A disciple is what Jesus needs." (Rear side)

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

"Love one another as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)

A true disciple is the best bearer of his/her master's reputation.

         

Help Me Honor You, My King

In the ways of the world, it's the people who should die for their king, and not the other way around. But how can it be that the King of kings would die for ordinary people like you and me?! What an amazing kind of love this is! And what a great joy it would be to honor this King!

But upon self-examination, sadly and regretfully I'm realizing that there are many things I do that do not bring honor to the King.

Help me honor You, my King.

          

Love Conquers All

Adversity, enmity, hatred, conflict...? They are no match for love -- not even sin nor death.

What enemy are you facing? Conquer it the way the only true Conqueror did -- through the power of His love that He gave us.

          

A Heart To Love

"It's not much about what we are looking at. What really matters is what we see." --Anonymous

The eyes see only the obvious. Wisdom sees both the obvious and the not obvious. And what about love? It's not true that love is blind; for it sees everything. The thing is, love's nature and character drives itself to simply choose to accept despite and inspite of what it sees. --MMT

A Christian challenge to level up the kind of love we do:

"If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." --Matthew 5:46-48

         

Life Is A Journey

By MMT

 

When I was a little child and full of innocence, I heard stories about you.

When I became a boy and full of curiousity, I learned few things about you.

When I grew up as a youth and full of vibrancy, I discovered some things about you.

When I got matured as a young adult, my understanding about you created a desire in me to know you.

Now that I'm entering middle life, the wisdom I've learned from you makes me ask how much have I really known you. This drives a passion in me to experience a depth of you.

And... when I'll be in my final years, with the intimacy of the experience I would be having with you, I would be eagerly looking forward to the moment when I would ultimately be united and be one with you eternally.

Life is a journey to YOU.

          

The Spirit Within

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

"I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:27)

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful." (John 14:27)

----------

"Whatever you do the most you'll get good at it. That's how we work... If what you do the most is become angry, you'll get good at it... But if you have been practicing joy, then you will get good at it. If you have been practicing peace, then you will get good at it... And so, it begs the second question: 'What do you want?'" -- Prem Rawat

"For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) Therefore, "Delight in God's law after the inward man." (Romans 7:22 ) "Whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things... Do these things, and the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9)

          

Diplomacy and Ambassadorship

They came as total strangers but left for home with new friends and warm memories.
 
The 30 volunteers of the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), a German mission which literally means “help a neighbor group,” departed on Sunday after providing free medical services to some 4,500 people here for six weeks.
 
During the farewell party for the group, “everybody was crying. Nobody had a dry eye inside the tent,” according to Dr. Nina Stucke, 35, a resident of Cologne.
 
Read more at:

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/95973/germans-came-as-strangers-left-as-friends#ixzz2pkbCRo5w

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

When volunteers such as them are doing such noble unconditional acts of love, they are exercising authority as heaven's ambassadors.

Many nations of the world today are now becoming more focused on self-interest because of the practice of "internaltional diplomacy". They have mastered the art of defining self-interest.

Genuine godly charity is the best antidote to the world's brand of diplomacy.