wait!
stop! please read my tabulas. it just might change your life. really.
Posted by stephen at 10:18 PM as a stickied post | 6 companion/s
November 17th, 2004
January 28th, 2005
it's all about you
It's all about You, Jesus
And all this is for You
For Your glory and Your fame
It's not about me
As if you should do things my way
You alone are God
And I surrender to Your ways
Yes... I am very blessed today. For one thing, my mom allowed me to attend youth group (on the condition that I go home right after the praise and worship). So, I hurriedly went to the youth center of the church and there they were singing. Well after the songs, our youth minister's sister came up and said our minister would be late so those who had something to share had time to speak up. At that time I decided that I should be leaving so as not to get scolded by my mom.
Anyway, I had already walked for 5 minutes away from the place and all I kept thinking about was that first line of the chorus of the song. And you know, I'm not allowed to join youth group because my family is Catholic (although I'm not). This time, I had begged my mom because I so wanted to go back there. And so I was convicted by that line, "It's not about me". I decided that I should go back and share my testimony about not having to satisfy ourselves always and everything.
Well, I ran back towards the youth center, and guess what? When I arrived back there they were about to start singing again (I think our minister called to say he would not be able to come anymore). And so, it was God's way of making me come back so I could join in the worship again.
And praise God! What a worship session it was! Wohoo! I feel so happy. Thank God! Praise His name.
And all this is for You
For Your glory and Your fame
It's not about me
As if you should do things my way
You alone are God
And I surrender to Your ways
Yes... I am very blessed today. For one thing, my mom allowed me to attend youth group (on the condition that I go home right after the praise and worship). So, I hurriedly went to the youth center of the church and there they were singing. Well after the songs, our youth minister's sister came up and said our minister would be late so those who had something to share had time to speak up. At that time I decided that I should be leaving so as not to get scolded by my mom.
Anyway, I had already walked for 5 minutes away from the place and all I kept thinking about was that first line of the chorus of the song. And you know, I'm not allowed to join youth group because my family is Catholic (although I'm not). This time, I had begged my mom because I so wanted to go back there. And so I was convicted by that line, "It's not about me". I decided that I should go back and share my testimony about not having to satisfy ourselves always and everything.
Well, I ran back towards the youth center, and guess what? When I arrived back there they were about to start singing again (I think our minister called to say he would not be able to come anymore). And so, it was God's way of making me come back so I could join in the worship again.
And praise God! What a worship session it was! Wohoo! I feel so happy. Thank God! Praise His name.
Currently feeling: so superly blessed!
Posted by stephen at 10:37 PM | 3 companion/s
January 27th, 2005
dead faith?
Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the January 27, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
IN EVERY major catastrophe, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries almost always respond immediately. Sadly, the Vatican state is seldom there to be counted, despite of its huge resources.
I read in a Reader’s Digest article that the Vatican is the world’s richest state with billions and billions of dollars just lying idle in its vault. What is this wealth for if not used to eradicate poverty, or to fund medical research to prolong life and eliminate diseases, or to pursue programs promoting peace and harmony? Is it not written in the Bible that you cannot love God and the Mammon or serve two masters at the same time?
Our country has gone through so much misery and hardship, so many calamities such as the Pinatubo eruption, the Ormoc flash floods, the recent Aurora, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan landslides and mudflows, but I have yet to hear how the Vatican has responded to all this. Except with lip service, like prayers and expressions of sympathy and solidarity.
The Holy Father constantly prays for peace and prosperity yet we remain a world torn by wars and mired in abject poverty. In the Philippines, thousands of Masses and prayers are said every day, especially for our leaders, but corruption goes on. The funny thing is the Church hierarchy imposes so many burdens on the faithful but hardly lifts a finger in times of disasters. Isn’t faith without deeds dead?
Are Catholic Church leaders the children of God or masters of deception and hypocrisy, experts only in the business of accumulating material wealth (through Masses, sacraments, sponsorships, solicitations, donations, offerings, etc.), too often in violation of biblical injunctions?
I beg the Catholic world to follow the teachings of the Bible.
DELFIN M. QUIAMBAO JR., Poblacion San Nicolas, Concepcion, Tarlac
---------------------------------------
Finally, I have found someone who has the same idea I do. I do not think that having a lot of assets is bad. Indeed it is good to be rich because we can help others. Just like God said, to he whom much is given, much is expected. What I am disappointed is the fact that the Catholic church does not use the money it amasses in helping the needy materially.
I pray for the Catholic world to follow the teachings of the Bible.
IN EVERY major catastrophe, the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries almost always respond immediately. Sadly, the Vatican state is seldom there to be counted, despite of its huge resources.
I read in a Reader’s Digest article that the Vatican is the world’s richest state with billions and billions of dollars just lying idle in its vault. What is this wealth for if not used to eradicate poverty, or to fund medical research to prolong life and eliminate diseases, or to pursue programs promoting peace and harmony? Is it not written in the Bible that you cannot love God and the Mammon or serve two masters at the same time?
Our country has gone through so much misery and hardship, so many calamities such as the Pinatubo eruption, the Ormoc flash floods, the recent Aurora, Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan landslides and mudflows, but I have yet to hear how the Vatican has responded to all this. Except with lip service, like prayers and expressions of sympathy and solidarity.
The Holy Father constantly prays for peace and prosperity yet we remain a world torn by wars and mired in abject poverty. In the Philippines, thousands of Masses and prayers are said every day, especially for our leaders, but corruption goes on. The funny thing is the Church hierarchy imposes so many burdens on the faithful but hardly lifts a finger in times of disasters. Isn’t faith without deeds dead?
Are Catholic Church leaders the children of God or masters of deception and hypocrisy, experts only in the business of accumulating material wealth (through Masses, sacraments, sponsorships, solicitations, donations, offerings, etc.), too often in violation of biblical injunctions?
I beg the Catholic world to follow the teachings of the Bible.
DELFIN M. QUIAMBAO JR., Poblacion San Nicolas, Concepcion, Tarlac
---------------------------------------
Finally, I have found someone who has the same idea I do. I do not think that having a lot of assets is bad. Indeed it is good to be rich because we can help others. Just like God said, to he whom much is given, much is expected. What I am disappointed is the fact that the Catholic church does not use the money it amasses in helping the needy materially.
I pray for the Catholic world to follow the teachings of the Bible.
Posted by stephen at 03:54 PM | grow with me
November 23rd, 2004
about faith..
verse: "stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with the readiness of the gospel of peace. in every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is god's word" -ephesians 6:14-17
these are trying times. at every corner, the evil one is lurking, waiting for a chance to catch us off-guard. he uses our weaknesses against us and pits us against our shortcomings. he tries to reason us with human wisdom, deceitfully appealing to our human natures.
but god is great. he is all-powerful. he is loving. he has not left us without something to defend ourselves with. in fact, it is he who will win our wars for us. it was he after all, who won for the israelites against the egyptians.
in our everyday battles, let us shield ourselves with our faith. let us pray always to him to give us the strength of heart to stand firm. and let us fight back not with the arm [for of what worth is human strength?] but with the "sword of the spirit", the word of god.
love god. always.
these are trying times. at every corner, the evil one is lurking, waiting for a chance to catch us off-guard. he uses our weaknesses against us and pits us against our shortcomings. he tries to reason us with human wisdom, deceitfully appealing to our human natures.
but god is great. he is all-powerful. he is loving. he has not left us without something to defend ourselves with. in fact, it is he who will win our wars for us. it was he after all, who won for the israelites against the egyptians.
in our everyday battles, let us shield ourselves with our faith. let us pray always to him to give us the strength of heart to stand firm. and let us fight back not with the arm [for of what worth is human strength?] but with the "sword of the spirit", the word of god.
love god. always.
Posted by stephen at 07:58 PM | grow with me
November 21st, 2004
in god's eyes
"jesus said to them, 'you are the ones who make yourselves look right in other people's sight, but god knows your hearts. for the things that are considered of great value by people are worth nothing in god's sight.'" -luke 16:15
the rat race. are you in it?
what drives your life? your ambition?
why do you do the things you do?
how often do you judge yourselves by others?
these are all important questions we must ask ourselves.
sometimes, we forget that we are living this world for the next.
sometimes we forget that it is jesus who is the ultimate judge.
many of us have willing spirits. but many of us are not strong enough to make the stand. we allow ourselves to be dictated upon by the societies we belong to. we do not talk to our friends about jesus because we are afraid of being ridiculed. we go along with our barkada's immoralities because we do not want to be excluded. we hide our bibles because we are afraid of being called bible freaks.
we study hard so that we gain the respect of our fellow students. we work hard so that we gain the respect of our colleagues. we give whatever we do everything we have so that people will think highly of us.
now, that's all well and good if only we still give to god what is rightfully his.
look into his eyes, and judge yourself.
the rat race. are you in it?
what drives your life? your ambition?
why do you do the things you do?
how often do you judge yourselves by others?
these are all important questions we must ask ourselves.
sometimes, we forget that we are living this world for the next.
sometimes we forget that it is jesus who is the ultimate judge.
many of us have willing spirits. but many of us are not strong enough to make the stand. we allow ourselves to be dictated upon by the societies we belong to. we do not talk to our friends about jesus because we are afraid of being ridiculed. we go along with our barkada's immoralities because we do not want to be excluded. we hide our bibles because we are afraid of being called bible freaks.
we study hard so that we gain the respect of our fellow students. we work hard so that we gain the respect of our colleagues. we give whatever we do everything we have so that people will think highly of us.
now, that's all well and good if only we still give to god what is rightfully his.
look into his eyes, and judge yourself.
Posted by stephen at 08:03 PM | 1 companion/s