Jeremiah

“What are you doing, O devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why shade your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life.”  -Jeremiah 4:30

The family is up and about for church and she’s once again having a difficult time deciding what to wear. Forty pairs of shoes, twenty pairs of pants, hundreds of blouses and dresses, yet she still can’t decide. The fashion police scares her, and on the worship center’s red carpet, she gets the attention of the paparazzi congregation, and focuses to live up to that ‘responsibility’. Everyone is ready for church except her.

This modern day scenario may seem funny and quite true in our respective families, but it is as well reflective how we Christians today tend to be like the Israelites. This Christian worships the glamor of the world. She has given way to modern-day idols. Her God has become herself, and to please her desire and please people have taken over meeting, focusing and experiencing God.

Jeremiah Chapters 4-6 depict Israel’s sin, Jeremiah’s frustration and describes God’s anger. Israel has given way to the gods of other nations and wore jewelry and gold to favor gods, instead of God. They have forgotten their identity and forgotten God’s love, mercy and compassion to their nation. God saw the nonsense Israel was doing, and this spurred God to give them an intense awakening.

We go to church and our focus is on our appearance. We go about our business in school and work and our focus is on getting ahead. Does this describe you?

Application

Do we wait for God’s wrath to realize that we sometimes choose the world instead of Him? Pray and ask for forgiveness now.

Tests, Trials and Thanksgiving

I answered God's call for my life earlier this year. He led me to finally give up my career, and study in the Seminary (International Graduate School of Leadership) to become a Pastor. God has been affirming this decision in so many ways: through different people, through circumstances, and through His word. But despite my me being in the seminary, despite experiencing God's affirmation and despite enjoying my ministry involvements, it has not been easy at all both emotionally and spiritually. It just started to get difficult. 

Here are the reasons why:

1. The First Test

I was at LSGH to pick up my brother when all of a sudden, smoke came out the sides of the hood of my car. It was not engine overheat, it saw something else. I finally opened the hood of my car to see that the engine of my Chevrolet Optra was on fire. The wiring, the plastic engine cover, everything was being consumed fast by the flame. It was spreading really fast. I finally was able to pour water over the engine. Soon after, LSGH security personnel rushed to my car and doused the car with the fire extinguisher.

2. The Second Test

While the Optra was on rehab, I used our Toyota "Macho" Crown. Toyota will always be the most reliable car company in my book, but for some odd reason, even after making sure that same morning that the car was in good running condition, as fate would have it, our  macho stalled and broke down along J. Vargas. P2,000.00 down the drain for towing fee.

3. The Third Test

Maybe because of old age or fluctuating electricity, our PC was not functioning normally. The CPU was re-starting on its own. Our PC needed a new Motherboard and Memory. That's P3,650.00 down the drain, again. I had my own laptop yes, so this was not as bad as it seemed. I didn't really need the PC. But then the Fifth test happened...

4. The Fourth Test

I was able to arrange and plan for two events that day. The Youth Worship and the Healing Seminar. I had things set and prepared already for both events: The practices, songs, the band, everything! But due to a last minute unavailability of personnel, I had to reluctantly step in. I had to stay in church when I should be at the Department of Foreign Affairs for my passport renewal. My event was supposed to start 8AM and finish at 9AM, but I ended up leaving church 10:15AM! I only had a few minutes left for my 10-11AM timeslot in DFA. To top it all of, traffic was bad southbound of EDSA at that time. 

5. The Fifth Test

Two cars were already out of commission: The Optra and the Crown. Thank God, we still had the Hyundai Tucson. You'd think I already had my fair share of car troubles right? Wrong. While I was having lunch with a friend, my car parked along Scout Ferndandez (Tomas Morato), got victimized by the "Basag Kotse" and stole the following items inside my car:

• Three Bibles (Two NIV's, One KJV)
• Apple I-book 
• Books for school
• Lexus Flash drive
• Lexus 2011 Planner
• Handouts
• Paper works
• Assignments
• Reflection Papers
• Youth LIVE Worship Team Training Files

So as you can see, it has been difficult for me emotionally and spiritually. All this was happening in less than a month's time. Things just kept piling up, one after the other. But losing my laptop was the most difficult thing to bear. My sermon outlines, my papers, my unfinished songs and recordings. All gone. A big part of my life was inside that laptop. Now, it's probably being sold in some stall somewhere in Quiapo or Greenhills.

But in spite of everything that had happened, just as God had promised, God was there for me and my family every step of the way. Here's how:

1. The First Thanksgiving

Due to three of our cars breaking down, my mom thought of buying a new car to ease our transportation difficulties as a family. After much prayer, my mom was able to get a great deal from Hyundai Dasmarinas, God gave us a new 2011 Accent. My mom prayed and sought wisdom from the Lord. God gave her an answer, and the car she wanted. 

2. The Second Thanksgiving

God provided us great Christian friends who encouraged me (and my family) during my time of need. On the evening of the Tucson incident, my ministry leaders took me out for a meal at Burger King for some comfort food and I received encouraging text messages from numerous friends! The best thing people did for me though was, they prayed for me. They took time to talk to God just for me.

3. The Third Thanksgiving

Even though traffic was bad Saturday morning southbound of EDSA, I managed to make it to DFA just-in-time to finish everything I needed to do all in just one hour. I will receive my new passport on the 25th of the month. 

3. The Fourth Thanksgiving

Just this Sunday morning, without warning or even specifically asking God for anything, anonymous person/s from chuch who found out about my story, informed me that they wanted to give me a laptop! My jaws dropped to the floor when I found out about the news. In just a span of two days, God responds in a BIG way. So after Sunday morning service, I went back to GCF for my package. I opened it and this is what I received:

• Lenovo IdealPad Z370
• A4Tech Optical Mouse
• Belkin LCD Cleaning System
• Dicota Lenovo Laptop Bag

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is who my God is. It is indeed really difficult to understand why bad things happen to people, but it is comforting to know that God understands what we are going through, He hears our heart longings and needs even before we ask, and He provides. 

As it is written in Job 42:1-6 (NIV):

¹ Then Job replied to the LORD:
² “I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.

³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
I will question you,

and you shall answer me.’

⁵ My ears had heard of you
but now my eyes have seen you.

⁶ Therefore I despise myself

and repent in dust and ashes.”

Thank you GCF Ortigas family! Thank you Lord!

Trust

Psalm 20: 7

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

In the NBA, success is measured by consistent per-game production, by total wins, and ultimately by championships. Michael Jordan was able to meet and achieve these parameters exceedingly. But it was not always smooth sailing for Michael. He had to go through years of disappointment against the “Bad Boys” of the Detroit Pistons, or the “Big Three” of the Boston Celtics. Individually he was an immovable force, but his flaw as a leader always got in the way. Michael learned this the hard way. He learned by losing. So in 1991 against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, he wowed the basketball world not by his off-balance shots and board-shattering dunks, but by his maturity as a leader. He finally passed the ball to John Paxson who made open shots in crucial situations, and allowed Scottie Pippen to share in playmaking and scoring responsibilities. He finally trusted, and had faith and confidence in his teammates. In his first finals appearance, he led the Chicago Bulls to their first franchise championship.

In the same way, David and his army did not rely on their protective equipment and weaponry to succeed in battle. They relied and trusted on God. They put their faith and confidence on the Lord who had always delivered them time and again against their enemies. David always had this confidence, faith and trust in the Lord during times of great adversity, even at an early age when he faced Goliath (1 Samuel 17: 45-47).

Application

We should always have confidence, faith and trust in the Lord in all things. We should remember how the Lord will always be faithful in our time of need.

US Vacation Blessings

1. Watched a playoff game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks.

2. Went to NYC and visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

3. Shoes, shoes shoes!

    Left to Right: Me in Zapato del Barcos, sister on Orange Classics and little brother on OTWs.

Thank you Lord!

Atonement

Leviticus 16: 30

“Because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from your sins.”

One of the things I learned working for a Japanese company is the value of discipline. To promote this kind of environment, unique programs are created by the company, supported by all levels of the organization, from janitors up to the President. One activity exemplifying this is “Yoshi Yoshi”. Before crossing a street inside the plant, employees must follow these procedures: Look, point to right and shout “Yoshi”. Look, point to the left and shout “Yoshi”. If the street is clear, then the employee can cross. Anyone caught not complying can be verbally reprimanded on the spot. It’s so simple to do, right?

The problem is, there will always be employees who just can’t seem to follow even the simplest of procedures. Employees who continuously make mistakes will never be tolerated. If an employee repeatedly fails to comply, there is a chance that employee will eventually be fired and let go.

In the same way, God gave us the bible as our employee handbook. It contains rules and procedures we must follow. But unlike the corporate world, despite repeated mistakes, God through his love will not lay us off and will not fire us. There is always a second chance, just as Moses time and again doubted himself (Exodus 3-4), God never gave up on him. Just as the Israelites through the atonement they received, can always come before the Lord, we too have Jesus Christ, the atonement for our sins.

Application

Remember that just as the Israelites offered up sacrifices for their sins, we too have Jesus, the perfect sacrifice. Through him, we are made clean. Through him, there is no shame.

Elijah

1 Kings 18:21

Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing. 

During King Ahab’s rule, Israel was under a state of calamity not because of natural environmental disasters like the recent earthquake in Japan, but they were rather under a more devastating and destructive force: a spiritual calamity. Israel was not worshipping God anymore. Temples were being built for Baal not because of a foreign rule that forced its construction and erection, it was because of King Ahab himself, who constantly disobeyed prophetic warnings, murdered Naboth, married Jezebel and worshipped Baal. No wonder the Bible records and remembers Ahab as being "more evil than all the kings before him" (1 Kings 16:30). Elijah saw this happening and confronted his people, and challenged his people to finally realize that there shouldn’t even be a comparison that needs to be decided or be reflected upon. God is the only God, the same God who brought them out of Egypt. The true, real, living God of Israel (1 Kings 18:16-45).

In the same way, we today have found other gods that have taken the Lord’s place in our lives. Whether its money, success, fame, career, even relationships, our worship of the Lord has shifted to the worship of everything and anything that is of this world. We have allowed ourselves to forget God’s faithfulness and have instead focused and put our efforts in everything and anything temporal. Nothing spiritual, nothing worth eternal.

Application

Is God still the center of your life? Pray to Him and ask for forgiveness. Let Him know by word and by deed that you worship Him alone.

Inconvenient

Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NIV):
⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. ⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Following Christ means being an inconvenient friend, means being ready to let go of people who would rather hear what they want you to tell them, rather than hear the truth.