And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.”
–2 CHRONICLES 19:2, NKJV
Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.
And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.
–JUDGES 8:22-23, KJV
Gideon spoke the right words there; but afterward he did something that became a stumbling block to Israel: he made an ephod that became an object of worship for Israel.
We could always say the right words, but actions weigh more.
I remember Jesus’ parable of the two sons. Their father asked them to work in his vineyard. The first son said he WON’T GO, but afterward repented and went to work. But the second son said he WOULD GO, but afterward changed his mind and did not go at all.
There’s a very familiar saying, “Action speaks louder than words.” It may now be a worn-out expression, but it holds truth in it.
We don’t obey by words. We don’t care by words. We don’t believe by words (as it is written, Faith without works is dead). We don’t love by words.
I believe that great words are spoken in silence before the eyes of those who see. And God knows whether we are sincere enough to mean what we say and do what we say.
Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.
Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
–JEREMIAH 13:15-18, KJV
I am racing against time; it’s past 12 a.m., I should have been dreaming in Sleep City by now.
My hands seem to have grown numb with their exhausting date with the keyboard and mouse. My uncomfortable seat has become more uncomfortable. My back is aching, my eyes are tired. The Internet traffic is terrible, and Windows Internet Explorer is saying Not Responding.
Just a while back, I was trying to finish my assigned tasks. They were not the usual assignments I ordinarily do in connection with my work (which requires me to go to the office at times), and they have to be finished as soon as possible. When I have to rush something, “as soon as possible” means I need to extend my working hours. There’s no other way, there’s no shortcut for me because I do things festina lente, which is one of my undeniably obvious traits.
So because I’m slow at doing things, it means: When I’m doing a very difficult task, the stress is prolonged.
Right, I’m tired now, I can feel it. But you know what? I’m happy and thankful.
While I was working earlier, I was already feeling tired. But something hit me: It’s wonderful when you have something to look forward to, and I thank the Lord for giving me this warm insight. So, on remembering I wanted to check my blog and write about something, I began to feel like I can wait forever. I just love to write, and I’m happy for every opportunity I get.
Now that I have written something with a smiley, I’m looking forward to lying in bed, hugging my soft pillows and blanket, and thanking God for the day’s blessings and everything until I reach Sleep City. 
God promises us forgiveness for what we have done, but we need His deliverance from what we are. He conquered death at the Cross and He went to heaven. At the same time He is in heaven, He is with us.
I don’t understand at all, but I know it works. I’ve experienced His presence in the deepest hell that men can create. I’ve tested the promises of the Bible, and believe me, you can count on them.
I know that Jesus Christ can live in us, in you, in me, through His Holy Spirit. We can talk with Him, we can tell Him everything. You can talk with Him out loud or in your heart when you are alone, as I was alone in solitary confinement. Or you can talk with Him in a cell with many others.
The joy is that He hears each word.
–CORRIE TEN BOOM
~~~~~~~
NB: I transcribed this from one of her films.
Ang conversion ni Saul (Acts 9:1-9) ay isang kagila-gilalas na ironiya ng tadhana sa ilalim ng kamay ng Diyos.
Si Saul (na naging si Paul noong huli) ay isang Pharisee, isang sekta ng mga paring Hudyo na naniniwala sa mga anghel at resurrection. Napakasigasig niya sa pagsunod sa nakagisnang religious tradition. Maalam din siya sa aral ng Law and the Prophets ng mga Hudyo. Ngunit dahil sa labis niyang kaalaman na nakabatay lang sa mga ritwal ng relihiyon, hindi niya naunawaan na ang Messiah na matagal nang hinihintay ng buong Israel (si Jesus, ang Kristo) ay dumating na.
Samantala, ang mga disipulo naman ni Jesus ay nagpatuloy sa pagpapalaganap ng ebanghelyo o mabuting balita tungkol sa Kaligtasan at Buhay na Walang Hanggan. Sa mabilis na paglaganap ng Kristiyanismo sa kanyang bayan, kumilos si Saul para mapatigil ang inaakala niyang pananampalataya ng kahibangan. Inusig niya ang mga Kristiyano at ipinabilanggo ang mga ito. Hinayaan din niya ang malagim na pambabato sa Kristiyanong si Stephen hanggang sa mamatay ito.
Ngunit isang araw, habang patungo sa Damascus para makapagpabilanggo pa ng mas maraming mga Kristiyano, nagpakita si Jesus sa kanya at sa mga kasama niya sa anyo ng isang maningning na Liwanag, isang Pillar of Fire.
“Bakit mo Ako pinag-uusig?”
“Sino po kayo, Panginoon?”
“Ako si Jesus…” at mula roon nakilala niya Siya. Nanliit siya sa katotohanang ang Siyang inaakala niyang pinaglilingkuran niya ay Siya pa lang inuusig niya.
Nabulag siya dahil sa Liwanag at pagkaraan ng tatlong araw matapos ipanalangin ni Ananias, isang disipulo, ay nakakitang muli. Doon nagsimula ang pagpihit ng landas niya mula sa pagiging tagapag-usig ng Kristiyanismo hanggang tagapagtanggol at tagapagpalaganap nito.
Ipinakikita lamang sa atin na ang Diyos, gaano man tayo kasama o kababa, ay hindi tumitingin sa nakaraan natin kung tayo’y Kanyang pinili para maglingkod sa Kanya. Gaya ng ang mabuting balita tungkol sa pagkakaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan ay para sa lahat ng taong tatanggap kay Jesus bilang Diyos at Tagapagligtas.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
–JEREMIAH 17:9-10
Our office manager forwarded this email to me last month. I read it quite late but found it timelessly funny anyway.
Read it slower than usual. If you’re familiar with how children write, punctuate, and spell words, you can add that to your imagination while reading this.
Here it is (unabridged):
Can you imagine yourself to be the nun that is sitting at her desk grading these papers all the while trying to keep a straight face and maintain her composure!
PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING. IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU’LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST. KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.
1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.
2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH’S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.
3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.
4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.
5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.
6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.
7 MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA ! WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS .
8, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.
10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.
11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.
12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.
13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.
14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.
15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.
16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.
17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.
18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.
19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.
20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.
21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.
22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.
23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.
24 ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.
25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
–HEBREWS 11:6
There is freedom in Christ. But it’s not the kind of freedom that the world offers.
There is peace, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding [Philippians 4:7]. No evil circumstance can erase this peace from the believer’s heart. This is very valuable in life, especially in times of trouble and confusion. But it cannot come to us without us surrendering ourselves to Christ our Lord and Savior. We need to totally surrender to Him.
But when we truly surrender every care, every thought, everything to Jesus Christ, we do not hold anything back. He sees what’s in there, in the heart. So if we fully surrender, He sees whether we have really emptied up or withheld even an iota of something back.
And then He will fill us up. If we have really, really emptied up.
If you asked for and then were given advice, it won’t do you any good until you followed that advice. You can always appreciate and compliment someone’s words of wisdom, but you won’t ever benefit from their true value until you apply them to your own way of living.
That’s the same with the Holy Scriptures. We can quote the Word as often as we wish, we can memorize helpful verses as often as we desire, we can always thank God for giving us His precious Word, we can always praise Its literary beauty and marvelous power. But until we apply the Word to our own life, we will never benefit from its true value and significance.
There are lots of devotional materials and Christian literature available today. But the Holy Bible remains the best book one could ever read and have in their own life.
# 4
Let your life be your Amen to God’s Word.
