On Passing The CPA Board Exams

First, please allow me to quote Philippians 3:12-14, Apostle Paul said,

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

I consider passing the CPA board exam nothing but a favor from the Lord. Like Paul, I understand that this, though seem a great achievement to us, doesn’t completely make or break us.

Passing the CPA board is like taking a cruise in the pacific. You may be astounded by the size of the ship, but no matter how big it is, it’s frustrating to know that it’s only a speck on the face of the ocean. Not only that, you will even get more frustrated that the stir it caused on the water seem to vanish rapidly without leaving a trace. Everything comes to pass. The day that you pass the board exam, people will talk about it, but afterwards it will be gone like an old song never to be revived. Same is true with failing. So unless we allow the praises and criticisms of people to define who we are, passing or failing doesn’t make any difference. But what is important is the learning that we had during the race and every gem of lessons we take along the journey.

As I strain forward to my career path, I can’t help but recall what had taken place in my life during college and the review, even the time elapsed from graduation to review.

Accountancy was never my first choice. It’s the 3rd to be exact. 1st was Computer Eng’g next was Broadcast Communication or Journalism whichever is clearly determinable. It only seemed good to me when the result of the UEP Guidance & Testing Office showed that Accountancy as the most appropriate one for me. I didn’t know whether it assessed me right, all I know is I heeded the result. First year was a test, I wasn’t about to enroll though the result was good due to financial constraint but a cousin of ours offered to help us out. The same scenario of hanging on and almost giving up seemed to last until 3rd year when finally my sister and brother graduated college and I was the only one studying. From time to time, I saw that God was always a silent partner in my study, helping me out in finances through my cousins, showing me that I could excel in my subjects that seemed like giants to me, getting achievements I thought would only be a wishful thinking.

After graduation, I thought of working to save for the review. Unfortunately I can’t. I have to help out my family and had almost given up the hope of going into the formal review. I got the chance of enrolling last November 2009 of which the exam is on May 2010 but since it’s a weekend session, I couldn’t attend a Sunday service so I gave up by the end of January. I passed the buck to the fact that it’s a difficult way of reviewing though I know right then, my heart wasn’t prepared for the board exam. So there I transferred to Manila Ocean Park with the same desire to save, it was helpful though because the pay was good but still it didn’t work. During that time I was contemplating of resigning to finally have a formal review. I prayed that the Lord would just show me the way out.

With my desire to glorify God through the CPA Board Exam, making my family proud and standing up as a testimony of God’s faithfulness, I resigned from Manila Ocean Park and say, “Lord, now am stepping out in faith. I don’t have enough money I know but please help me.” When my previous employer learned that I was resigning from MOP, she offered me a part time job. I grabbed it and enrolled in a morning class while working in the afternoon. I realized by that time it was God’s time for me to take the exam. I just don’t know how to do it with the schedule at hand. When I enrolled, I had 4K with me hoping that partial payment could cost that much only. But I found out it costs 8K. I had used the discount of Cum Laude in my first review; nevertheless I asked if I can still avail of the discount. Praise God because I was given 50%! In short I enrolled with the help of few friends in college and high school. Lagare ako everyday. Morning review, afternoon work naman, evening answer handouts or rest nalang. I didn’t expect much from myself during the review, I was a bit sour-graping and say, “Am a working reviewee, what do I expect?” Somehow it helped me be at peace because I know I have to depend so much on God rather than myself. Then I realized that God would never allow me to review fulltime because He wants to use this opportunity to once again prove His faithfulness despite my shortcomings..

The review brought me to total dependence upon Him and it was a good experience. Even in the actual board exam, I was at peace in taking every subject. There were questions that seemed difficult but no matter how difficult the subject is, peace just simply engulf me to the point that whenever we went out of the examination room, we were saying, “Thank God, we're gonna be CPA’s na!” True enough, God really answers prayers. Somehow I expected it, or even more dreamt of being on top but unfortunately I fell short. What surprised me was the rating I had. I was expecting a just-to-get-by grade but God is ever faithful, He gave me even more that I felt so undeserving.

During the course of the review, I resolved to God that I should pass His test aside from the CPA board exam. Three things that I learned and considered vital not only in the review or studying in the undergrad but also in each area of life.  For ease in memorizing, I’d use the acronym of CPA. Let’s have it backwards though, first is letter A.

A – Attitude: It connotes our character, how we deal with each issue in life, our attitude towards our dear professors and our beloved parents, our perception towards the subject we’re taking no matter how difficult it may seem, and the most basic of these is our attitude toward every test or examination. After all, we say that life is a series of tests so we better learn the values of overcoming them the right way while we are young.  Attitude also includes how you persevere in achieving your goals. It is also of equal importance to all these that you have the right motivation in whatever you’re doing.

The first time I took the review, I know my heart wasn’t prepared and my attitude wasn’t right. I only took it for the purpose of utilizing the scholarship granted by the review centers. I couldn’t appreciate most of the reviewers and even the subject itself. I felt the Auditing Problem was so slow-pacing, the Business Law to be boring, not to mention that I was mad about the green jokes of the Taxation reviewer, the seats were hard and has no cushion in it, when you sit you have to find which is a comfortable position because the space is very small that even when you pass through the aisle you have to go through sideways! “Ganun kasikip!” At the end of the day, I stopped not even making halfway. When I finally decided to review second time and really take the exam, I prayed hard that God would prepare my heart and that I would really put my heart in this endeavor. And there, I started to like every bit of the review. And every time I find someone or something uncomfortable say I don’t like the reviewer, I convince myself that I have to like him otherwise I’ll end up quitting again! The odd thing with my second review was, the same reviewers I had in the first review were still the same reviewers in the schedule I took! So I say everything is really a test! And it’s better that we pass the God-given test along with the victory over the struggles we are into. The test of FAITH!

P – People: Proverbs says it all: “bad company corrupts good character.” It’s better that you surround yourselves with people of positive attitude of faith, people of excellence, people who will fuel your dreams and not dissolve it, people who will help you pursue something bigger for God, for other people and yourselves and not discourage you. Now am not saying that you label each one that he/she is like that nor that you take them off your lives. But it’s a matter of choosing who you allow to speak to your life. If you are in the realm of these people, start helping each other act positive, think positive and speak positive.

When I was in college, I thank God that He drawn to me people who have had a positive impact to my life. I was alone here in Samar during 4th and 5th year since my sister already graduated and had gone back to Palawan with my entire family. There were times that I felt the solitude but never the loneliness because I have with me people who became family to me. And even in the review, I felt I was in the right review center with the right reviewers and right group of people no matter how they may seem. I even made friends that during the actual board exam we pray together before we go to exam room, and until the job hunt we were together and hoping to be in the same company which I think will not happen.

Finally, the most important letter: C – Christ
I am not speaking nor promoting any religion here. But if within you believe that God do exist and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him, this is for you. I found this truth to be at work in every area of my life. There is always an element of God’s favor even in taking the CPA board exam. We may have known God in different ways, but He is ever faithful and just that He looks upon people with favor as He pleases.

I was not at all focused in the review considering my schedule. Instead of reviewing, I had plenty of time to rest because my body is not used to studying in extensive hours especially evening. The same study habit I had in college was carried on to review. You know, studying when there are exams! But never that I say let God do the studying for me. That’s a very bad attitude since God will not take the examination for me either. What I do is that, I review and just do what I can, say a breath prayer before or during the course of my practice time saying, “God, please help me as I study.” I understand that even given the lifetime to study the lessons, there is no way that I can perfect the 7 subjects of the board exam.

So I resolved to myself that I will just do this and whether the results turn out to my favor, then Praise be to God and even if it doesn’t still I will Praise Him. I can’t bring myself to blame the work for not having an ample time to study, it’s one thing I am thankful about because it finances my review.

If your attitude is right and your motives are right plus it’s God’s time for you to have it, by all means God will give it to you. I remember from the movie Facing the Giants, it is said there that there were two men waiting for the rain to be poured onto their field: one prepared the field and the other didn’t. And the Pastor asked the coach of the football team, “Who do you think has a greater faith that the Lord will reward?” Even you can tell, the one who prepare His field.

Let us liken ourselves to a farmer of a rice field. First he cultivates the land and removes every unnecessary thing in the soil like big rocks, weeds and dead roots. Then he prepares the seedbed to scatter the rice grains until they sprout to few inches. Afterwards he pulls them up and transfers them to the field and does the planting. He maintains the rice field, protects it from crows and pests and waits for the harvest with an expectant heart.

As I said earlier, there is always an element of God’s favor. And the Lord is a God who rewards those who acknowledge in themselves the need for Him. Yes, we may succeed by our own, but fulfillment only comes from Him. Yes, we may get what we desire, but the Lord gives more than enough and He adds no trouble in it.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

LENTEN SEASON. What this got to do with the life of Christ and His Cricifixion? Is this what we're really celebrating or the tradition has overpowered the real essence of remembering what Christ did on the cross two thousand years ago? There's simply a lot of things we do because we're born to it but never really know what's the essence of doing it.

As we celebrate the season, let us be reminded that Christ sacrifice is enough for all our sins and there's no other blood that can ever be offered for the remission of our sins. Paul writes, "The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices REPEATED ENDLESSLY YEAR AFTER YEAR, make perfect those who draw near to worship... And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary." 

One of Christ's final words declared that what He did is enough, He said, "IT IS FINISHED!" Death is FINISHED! Sin is FINISHED! There's no other thing that we can do to repay Him for what He did!

Enjoy the rest of the season with the LOVE of the Father, the Forgiveness of the Son Jesus Christ and the comfort and dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us.

In Christ,

Jim

Sangdakot ng Biyaya

AWIT 121 [Si Yahweh ang Ating Saklolo]

1 Do'n sa mga burol, ako'y napatingin---
   sasaklolo sa akin, saan manggagaling?

2 Ang hangad kong tulong, kay Yahweh
   magmumula, sa Diyos na lumikha ng langit at ng lupa.

3 Di Niya ako hahayaang mabuwal,
   Siya'y di matutulog, ako'y babantayan.

4 Ang tagapagtanggol ng [bansang Pilipinas]
   hindi natutulog at palaging gising!

Isang kaaliwan sa akin ang marinig ang mga naturang salita mula sa Salita ng Panginoon. Sa tuwing aking sisilayan ang mga aralin na tila isang higante na kay hirap daigin, naitatanong ng aking payak na kaisipan kung papaano ko ito aaralin.

Ngunit tulad ng tinuran ni Haring David sa kanyang mga Awit, ang aking tulong ay hindi manggagaling sa aking karunungan, bagkus sa aking Panginoon na may likha ng lahat ng bagay. Sa Kanya nagmula ang lahat ng karunungan, maging ang karunungan ni Haring Solomon na walang sino man sa daigdig ang makahihigit ay Kanyang bigay.

Panatag akong ang Kanyang kamay ay laging nakaagapay sa akin at kailanman ay hindi Nya ako pababayaan. Sa Kanya ko iniaalay ang lahat ng ito!

Just the HEM of Your PRESENCE

(Mark 5) A large crowd followed and pressed around him [Jesus]. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

       The Lord deals with all of us in different ways just as he had treated the sick people in the New Testament times. But sometimes we have to intentionally touch Him like what the bleeding woman did. We have to touch His heart as we align our plans with His for our lives. We have to simply touch His glory with every simple things we do: with our corporate worship, with our giving, with our cell group and discipleship, with our family, studies, career and even with  our personal and private lives.

      Good thing about our Lord Jesus is that, He hears even the deafening silence of a humble spirit or even in the midst of the raging crowd of prayers thrown at Him. Every act of faith, every act of worship, every soul thirsty for Him to fill, every obedience and sacrifices will never go unnoticed. Crowd will not overcome Him, all sins will be blotted out and He will give us fresh start; we just have to come to Him just as we are: BROKEN.

Isaiah 59:1
  Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.

"I didn't see it coming!"

Browsing over my Bible this morning and praying that the Lord will give me His word for the day to which I will reflect, I went over the Book of Luke. I have read it many times and heard preachers preach from this book but this time I felt it's different. I resolved to learn again from the very word of Jesus Christ and His life on earth so I started from the first chapter. Chapter 1 talks about the birth of Jesus Christ, the first Christmas ever celebrated. But in the very first passage, it's the promised birth of a servant to prepare the way of Christ: The birth of John the Baptist, as foretold.

The plot of the story goes like this: There was a priest named Zechariah with his wife Elizabeth (who was a cousin of Mary), who had no child borne to them. They prayed for it but still they had none until they got old. When it was time for the LORD to bless them with a child [John], Gabriel, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah while he was doing his chores at the temple. The birth of his son was foretold by the angel but Zechariah didn't believe at once because of their old age. Because of his disbelief, he was made mute until John was borne. His wife, however, believed and afterwards conceived a child and gave birth to John.

There are few things that made impact on me, something that is very personal.

     *** Zech, my man was a priest, a servant of the Lord, ordained and anointed to perform such a heavenward duty but sad to say he didn't see the answer to his prayers coming. Sometimes, even leaders can be very disbelieving or to some extent, most Christians are. Instead that we become example of Faith, we can be those who are doubting. This only confirms that we are not excused to have doubts. I sometimes doubt and it's my prayer that the Lord will bring me to a higher level of faith and say, "I believe Lord, please help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

     *** God has His own time-table and He never forgets. We may have forgotten that we ever prayed for it, but God doesn't. He will do it in His perfect time and nothing can ever shut the door of favor once He opened it. (Revelation 3:7) I am blessed by the movie The Perfect Stranger. When Nikki got an invitation to have dinner with Jesus Christ, she was totally in disbelief. The Lord told her that she actually asked for it [to talk with Him] which Nikki forgot, but the Lord didn't.

     *** Our disbelief will not hinder the Lord from doing what He has planned doing, it can still happen, only to other people's lives who believe. Zech's wife believed and so it still came upon his family. As members of family [especially when we are the only ones Christian], it is crucial that we don't lose our faith even in the midst of unbelieving parents and siblings. Every seed of faith we do counts in heaven, and the Lord never rejects an offering of a righteous [thru Christ]. We can be the only representative of our family, our campus, our offices, our friends.

     *** It's for the Glory of the Lord that we will see it materialize. Every fulfilled promise is for the Lord's glory to be visible in our lives, every answered prayer is a manifestation of God's saving grace.

The Lord sees every single tear, he sees the sacrifices we've made...and He never cease to care.

Catching Up

Catching up. . .catching up. . .with what? almost everything. Review is a whole lot different than studying in college. There are plenty of opportunity cost - full-time earnings, ministry, relationships, rest, family, among others. Things are tough and even gets tougher. But that's how it is.When we want something, we work hard for it to the point of being inconvenienced.

I can't be hypocrite to say that review is getting well with me cause definitely it's not! I just can't let myself be drowned by all the details and lose heart. I have to stay focused despite the pressure. Whenever I answer some handouts, I am reminded of the lapses I had during college inasmuch as studying my lessons. I felt the guilt that I did not at all go the extra mile rather I stayed at the status quo. That's what we all are I guess.

These days are tough. I just pray that the Lord will grant me the strength to continue with what He has started in me. I can't deny the reality that I envy those people for being given the chance to review full time. But I am not at all bitter because with the little I have, I know that the Lord is still faithful. Maybe He doesn't want me to review full time at all because He wants me to learn the attitude of continued reliance upon His grace every single day. Maybe He doesn't want for me to be very comfortable to be complacent and trust my own wisdom and strength. I can't tell what could I be today had I given all the comforts. With this I do praise Him.

"If I Pass, I'll praise God. If I Fail, I'll praise God!"

Carrie Underwood - Temporary Home

Pavement to Christ

Months have gone by, thoughts have taken flight and have been forgotten, and now I just find myself writing this note. I forgot how it was to write, the trail of thoughts seem to conflict one after another. I feel dumb. All I know is I have to pen my thoughts just to ease myself from this melancholy. Reflect. Tick-tack, tick-tack. Think!

Pavement to Christ. You know why I titled this note this way? For some reason that I have to constantly remind myself that there is no such thing in a Christian life. Had there been such a pavement to eternity, we could have taken the easy and comfortable road that leads to Him. It's always an irony where a promise stands in this chaotic and decaying world. But that's just how it works. (John 16:33)

Saturday night was it, we were on our way out of Trinoma with Maeve & Bry when three kids were a bit disturbed. One of them was shouting quite a noise in tears, "Am so tired. Am so sick of walking!" T'was funny though. But most of the time we are liken to that kid. Our deepest complaints sometimes just echoed resoundingly in the silence. At least the kid was honest with what he feels. At least he was able to blurt it out.

Indeed the road is long. Sometimes it's rocky and most of the time we stumble in it. Sometimes it's quicksand that we go through. Sometimes there's mountain before us that we need to climb up. Sometimes there's valley of green pastures, fresh waters that we just want to find rest and thought of settling on the convenient.

We can just sit and enlist all the possible metaphor we can think of about Christian life. But something is most comforting: that the One who has gone before us will help us through it all. He was insulted, beaten down and rejected. He felt the pain at most the agony of torture. He was deprived of His throne but he reigns forevermore. His name is Jesus.

Lord Jesus, thank you that whenever we experience the pain, the rejection and insults we know that you understand better than we do. Thank you for not leaving us all the way, for being our comfort and Saving Grace. Remind me that when things seem incomprehensible, I don't need to understand everything to trust you rather I just have to simply trust and obey. Whatever you're doing inside of me. I yearn to you and lay everything bare in your hands. My dreams, my plans, whatever I aspire, may it be for your glory and praise!

Bible: The Best Fairy Tale Of All Times

Fairy Tales are for children: where good fights against evil and good always prevails; where small defeats the giant; where animals talk; where there's wonderful and astonishing palaces with Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses, Knights and Slaves; a place where impossible becomes possible; and ultimately where there's a life lived happily ever after.

Does any of these sounds reality to you? I'd say yes! Things like these are true, really. I believe the Bible is the only realistic fairy tale ever told to man. It can be the origin of all fairy tales that people are not aware of. This book compiles the best love stories a teenager wants to hear, a story of courage and bravery, of friendship and betrayal, of victory and failure, and most of all, the greatest love of God to mankind by sending His own Son Jesus to die for us and break the curse once and for all.

Let's love our Bible the way we love ourselves.

Pressed Olives

"And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of Pressed Olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually." - Exodus 27:20

The Testimony of our life weighs upon the victory we've won, the crushing we went through and the trials we've overcome. Christian walk is never without thorns and thistles. God only promised the Victory and that he carries us all the way.

Consider our lives an Olive Tree. We are planted and expected to grow where God placed us and while in the process of growing, we experience being pruned, branches cut down, drought in one season and rain in another, storms trying to uproot us and testing the very foundation of our lives. After we've overcome all these, we flourish and bud came out. The fruit of our labor starts to manifest. It grows and once matured, plucked and harvested, prepared to be crushed and pressed. Yes, crushed till the last drop of oil are extracted! It was difficult, the process was painful but in the end, we bring about the finest of oil to cause the lamp burn continually.

So whenever we feel pressed on every side - pressure from family, finances, relationships, school, ministry - consider: God is about to bring the purest of oil from us. The lamp to to burn is not only our own lamps, our passion and ministry, rather it's others' lamps. People will look on us and see good things God did into our lives and it will cause others to be encouraged, edified and moved for the greater cause. Our lives will be a value-added factor to others' lives! With this we cannot minimize the impact we can cause to the people around us. Keep the flame burning!

Alabaster Jar

Fear is in the Mind

Have you ever experienced walking along dark street where everything seems and sounds creepy: the wind is blowing cold, leaves and twigs scratching each other, cricket chirping noisily, animals howling from afar, etc.? Have you felt the tension of having goosebumps while inside the room alone feeling like someone else unseen is with you? Or have you encountered your peripheral vision deceiving you like you're seeing someone passed by your side? Creepy, eh?

I don't intend to scare, but to tell you, fear is in our mind. Our mind conceives something to which our other senses react to: having goosebumps, hearing something unusual, seeing things never existed, etc..etc. I encountered the same! And I laughed to the thought that indeed, FEAR IS IN OUR MINDS.

Some time in September 2007, we had an encounter with someone - literally someone and not a pseudo thing or an imagination - which from then on I instilled the title in my mind. I was in college then, 3rd year to count it off, we're renting as bed spacer at UEP with my sister. She had a different room though and I was with the 4J Room. Four-J to mean: Johny, Junard, Jim [me] and another "J" I already forgot. Let's make-name then, say he was Jasper (nicer name though; will edit this one when I am reminded of his name). We were in a two-decked bed. I was in the upper part and Johny was under me. Junard was in the other two-decked upper bed and Jasper was under him. The two were nearer to the door but our bed was adjacent to the door so I can easily see whoever gets in or out.

That was midnight, around 12mn - 1 am when someone was moaning quite a noise already. After few minutes, the sound got louder until someone was already shouting right inside our room!!! The voice of a guy was shouting, "Palabasin N'yo ako dito! (get me outta here!)" over and over. Then he was breaking into the door to get out, punching the wood-made wall which divided each room, and his bed! I was sitting Indian-sit in my bed and out struck. I lost for words, I was thinking, "Are we on fire?" but I couldn't smell any smoke. I started to feel uneasy so I scolded out, "JOHNY ANO YAN!? (What is it Johny?)" I could see his silhouette through the moonlight but I couldn't think of who he was. I was thinking he was Johny because he was shouting Jasper's name but underneath, Johny called up a name I didn't hear well. The thought that he wasn't Johny sank in me and I thought someone else got into our room because I can see Junard alongside in the upper bed!

What if he got a knife with him and strike us all? What if he stole something? What if we were really on fire but due to fear my senses shut down? Plenty of thoughts rushed in until Junard embarked from his bed and turn on the light. Relief  rushed through me upon seeing who the guy was. Funny thing, he was Jasper! He straightened up, fixed himself and sat in his bed still shaky and in fear. Junard opened the door which was broken because Jasper kept on pulling it without even turning the knob! People from other rooms crowded at the doorpost and even our landlord brought a gun with him. Everyone was disturbed by the incident so we asked him what happened, why he was shouting and wanting to get out, and why he was calling himself and so forth. The just said he had a dream. In his dream he was kept in a box and so wanting to get out because he felt suffocated. Sad thing was, he couldn't give any reason why he was calling his own name.

Then everyone went to bed again. I wasn't able to sleep at once and found myself writing the incident in my notebook. I lost the notebook already, glad I still have the memory. Every time I thought of this, I laugh at myself. I was scared by the thoughts, not by what was happening. And so I am convinced, we are so fearful with almost everything in life but the truth is, we're only making it up - creating ghosts we ourselves fear the most.

Jesus comforts us with this: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me." (John 14:1) so that every time we are faced with fears, doubts and worries, we will be reminded that our God is greater than all these.

♫ I Am Willing by Jeremy Camp ♫

From Passion to Transformation

<fueled by the message at Crossover, 14 October 2010 by Bishop Oriel Ballano. Dear all, as we read this note, I do pray that the Lord will speak to us, open our eyes and illumine our mind to the truth these words hold. In Jesus' Name.>

But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? (James 2: 18-20)
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (v. 26)

I have encountered couple of believers who argued as to what this verses mean. Some say Faith + Work = Salvation. Others Faith alone saves, and still others it's all in our Work. Paul is clear when he wrote to the Ephesians that salvation is of Grace, it is not of our own work lest none of us should boast. It's an unmerited favor to which we should be grateful - we don't deserve it but the Father so lavished His love for us that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be the final atonement and redeem us once and for all.

In his book, James was speaking to the believers [including us, the new generation] about practically living our lives the way Christian should. A life of Faith that develops. He was straight-forward in dealing with the content of his letter, an instruction that we should not neglect. As it is, plenty of people claim to have faith, to have known God and know what Christ did at the cross. But how about a relationship with Him?

It is an exciting and exhilarating experience to know God. However, after knowing how God loves us, how He so lavished His unconditional love and prepared an abundant blessing and a great future for us, what comes next? I've heard this line that says, "It takes a pulse to fall in love, but it takes a plan to stay in love." I dare replace the "Pulse" with "EMOTION" and the "Plan" with "CONVICTION". To say it, "It takes an Emotion to Fall in Love, but it takes a Conviction to Stay in Love." Just the same with our relationship with Christ, we are at first so emotionally drawn to the fellowship, to the people, to the church, but if we haven't gone to be convicted, the word will not penetrate and will lose its power to change us. (See Parable of the Sower, Matt. 13:1-23)

If there is one person in the Bible who is remarkable in dealing with the passion he had for Jesus Christ, it's none other than Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-9) A person of short stature, of influence for his wealth, despised by his fellow men for being a tax collector, and most of all an empty soul yearning to know Jesus Christ. But just like Zacchaeus, we will experience hindrances that will test our commitment to Christ.

1. His Stature (v.3) He was short. We don't need to elaborate on this. Petite sounds better though but no matter how descriptive you'll be about him, there's remain a problem of his physical structure. This problem speaks of a physical hindrance. Something within us which we've become accustomed to use as excuse. But the truth is, we are just making excuses and so it deters us to know Christ more intimate. The greatest hindrance to our walk in Christ is ourselves. Along the way, we will find plenty of things to excuse from the fellowship, meeting with fellow Christians on Sundays, Cellgourps or others: it could be for not feeling well (after a night full of chatting and working and going out, unless we really are sick!), personal things to do, feeling worthless, self-pity or even sin that caught us over the week! The number can be inexhaustible. Zacchaeus had all the reason to say, "Well, am just short and I can't see him in any way. People are taller than I am." But he never did.

2. The Crowd (v.3) They are blocking him! Imagine you're caught in a traffic of people while waiting for the train (LRT/MRT) to arrive say you're in the mid station. Not only that the platform is crowded, but also the train when it arrives! Seemed like no one embarks from the train yet still another bunch of people are coming over! You won't only get irritated with the train, but also with the people pushing, stepping on your foot and all! The crowd symbolizes the external hindrances in our lives. It's a constant thing. we're living in a world where everybody or everything can be too difficult for us. That is why Jesus reminds us to "take heart! I have overcome the world!" This crowd can be our finances that disables us to step out in faith for fear of lack; our parents, relatives and friends who keep on distracting and restricting us; our work that can be very taxing and eating up all our time for God; and just the same, the list can go beyond. Zacchaeus was in it. He had the chance to excuse himself and say, "I still got collections to do, remittance to the Roman empire and all these corporate stuffs." And again, he never did.

Zacchaeus got into all these two hindrances, but he never excused himself. Instead, he transformed his PASSION to know Christ into strategic ACTION. Potential can be very useless unless it becomes a Kinetic Energy. So what he did was, he RAN ahead, and CLIMB! Knowing Christ entails our effort because God will not reveal Himself through just dreaming! We have to make a move. We have to court Him! We have to know His very intentions, what breaks Him, what He ever wanted for us.

However, after overcoming these two great hindrances, still another stood to shake him:

3. The Antagonists (v.7). People were mumbling, "He [Jesus] has gone to be the guest of a sinner." Not only did Zacchaeus suffered the disadvantage of being not blessed with a growth hormones and the crowd, he experienced the people's judgmental look! Dear friends, walking with Christ is not a bed of roses and so is walking without Him. But let's ask ourselves, which extremes do we prefer, a life of thorns with Christ or a life of thorns without Him? A life of Joy in Christ or a flickering happiness with the world?

People will be mocking us, test us and all the more. But it's comforting to know that what Christ suffered at the cross and while on the way through from His birth down to His Death and even until now far outweighs what we are about to experience in this world. Jesus said, "Whoever receives you [us] receives Me and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent me [Father]." On the other hand, "Whoever mocks you, rejects you, ridicules you, and persecutes you do the same to Me and the One who sent Me [Father]."

Take a good CHEER! We are NEVER in the Losing End!

As We STRUGGLE. . .

Biblical Passage: Genesis chapter 32

Every struggle we face is an opportunity to Encounter God. It is in this season that we find ourselves broken and in need of a Savior. Our victory over life's adversities is not because we are wise nor strong. Our victory comes from the Lord.

Jacob struggled with God and he was blessed when he stood the test. God didn't come to Jacob just to have wrestled with him. He did it on purpose! But He didn't just came by surprise and blessed Jacob either! So are all our struggles in life. When Jesus left his human status on earth, he left with a word that in this world, we will experience struggles, adversities and alike. Everything that happens to our lives is never without the knowledge of our Father. Even Job experienced life in difficulty with the all-encompassing knowledge of God.

In all these struggles, our attitude should be like that of Jacob. His words, "I will not leave you until you bless me," speaks of a yearning from God to turn the situation to his favor. What God tells us with the problem at hand? How will we learn from these? What will we become out of these? The blessing depends on how we react on the situation. The problem itself will not make or break us, but our attitude towards it does!

Looking into the words of Christ when He said, "Take heart, I have overcome the world," (John 16:33) is such a comfort to the disciples and to us who are called. Victory is WON! He is Risen from the dead! We are made automatic Conquerors through the Victory of Christ at the cross.

Jacob was changed after his encounter with God. When faced with many struggles in life, be it financial, relationships with parents, siblings, leaders, friends, etc., school, or even ourselves, we should be changed for the better after we've overcome the test because it is the only concrete manifestation of an inward victory.

Facing the Dead-End

I am with you and I will watch over you wherever you go, and i will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what i have promised you." 

- Genesis 28:15

Many times we find ourselves lost and away from the presence of the Father because of the sin that so entangles us. But looking back to the traces of our journey, God has never really left us all the way through. While we are running away, He really never allowed for us to be very far from Him. There is no point too low for God not to reach us for His hands are never short not His ears too deaf to hear. He's always able and willing to bring us back to the land He promised us.

Along the way, we will find ourselves at one time or another in the realm of discouragements, pressures one every side, persecution, ridicule, threat. But it's comforting to know that God is always at work in our lives and never will He leave us until He's done what He promised. So whenever we feel like God has already left us alone, let's first ask ourselves, "Has God fulfilled all that He has promised me?" If the answer is NO, then it's not dead end yet. We're never alone. He must be busy fixing the details of our lives...we just have to obey and submit to His will.

Like Jacob, when he received that revelation at Bethel, the first thing he did was to acknowledge God's presence in his life; then he made a commitment to the Lord. So must we. When it's dead-end zone, the only thing that drivers do is to reroute himself back. However, life has no returning point. But the way out is much easy...it's just on our knees.

Chosen Generation (Chris Tomlin)

Rich in God's Sight

What are we living for?

The question may seem aged over time for you. But when you look into it on a personal perspective, What is life to you really? What have we done to make our lives remarkably significant in our walk on earth? And the most defining of all, how do we identify ourselves here on earth?

Let's find answer in the light of the Bible:

Luke 12:13-21 (New International Version)

The Parable of the Rich Fool

 ¹³Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." ¹⁴Jesus replied, "Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?" ¹⁵Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."
 ¹⁶And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. ¹⁷He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
 ¹⁸"Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
 ²⁰"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
 ²¹"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."


>> Now if I have to ask you, "What are you lliving for?", what would be your answer?

I'd like to present to you an argument of life that has been an intricate design of man: The Desire For Wealth. No one will disagree with me when I say that wealth is not bad. In fact, all people need it and way too far, WANT it! Verse 13 describes the yearning of man for inheritance - to wealth for that matter. God did design us for something, and even if we haven't gone to a realization that Deutoronomy is right when it says that it is God who gave us the ability to produce wealth, we simply desire it for inexhaustive reasons.

Some may say that they are living for their family, to support them, provide for their needs, etc. Some may also say that they are living just to get by this life and die afterwards (Well, honest people will accept the fact of their inability to find meaning in life); others, too, may be plain to say that they live up for their dreams. There are plenty of profession helping out others: Nurses, Doctors, Philantrophies, Teachers, name it! But no matter how good your deeds and motives are, when Christ is not the center of it, you lost it's real essence!

Rich and good our "ground" may seem, it is futile if it's not lived for the glory of God! What is the "ground" you cling and attached yourself too tight? Your profession? Your money? Your title? Your position, power and influence? Do any of these depicts how we identify our life? Solomon had it all, but in Ecclesiastes he wrote, "Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly Meaningless!...the Conclusion of the Matter is this: Obey the Lord, and Serve Him Only."

We may have all we desire on earth, but for what it's worth if we gain the whole world yet lose our own Soul? Thanks for reading this blog but before I end this up, I want to leave you a question to ponder: "Are you rich in the sight of God or only in the sight of men?"

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Peace in the midst of trials

BARE. That's what I can say about the title of this discussion. BARE, PLAIN, but is the most SIGNIFICANT agendum anyone would love to have.

Monday, 23 August 2010, I officially started my first day at Divelink Resort Manila Sales Office as a part time Bookkeeper. I am still connected to Makansutra Asian Food Village though as a bookkeeper there (at Manila Ocean Park), just behind Quirino Grandstand where the hijacking of Chinese nationals happened. Since I am a part timer of Divelink, I have all the chances of visiting Makan for some important turn-over and other things to do which already piled up over the weekend and my absences.

Having no knowledge of the hijacking, I made a phone call to my co-employee from Manila Ocean Park accounting dep't. (who is to replace me at Makan). From her I learned of the incidence going on outside the company. I took it very lightly, thinking it was just a prank for me not to drop by. But I came to realize, she wouldn't just do that. And boom! It was real. Praise God I didn't proceed to MOP.

It is not everyday that we face this kind of tragedy though, but small or big it may seem to one's perspective, we face moments where our security is threatened - personal security or the country's line of defense.

Prophesy was already made, In 2 Timothy chapter 3 is says there, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have NOTHING to do with THEM" ;

The incidence marked a stain of history in our dear country. As a Filipino, it left me the impression that even the most people we trust to bring us security, peace and justice can be the one giving us tragic times as this. Am not generalizing the entire policemen though, I couldn't be fair to them if I would! But am laying an argument that really, "EVIL LURKS IN A HUMAN HEART LIKE A VIPER IN ITS HOLE." We see that people can have the tendency to do things we never really imagine. That is why it is very important to be bathed and be borne in the Word of God, having an OLD SELF crucified with CHRIST.

I am now working at the sales office of a resort, and we can be affected by what happened. We cannot, however question the apprehensions of the other countries especially those Chinese people. Their government is only laying a norm of security to their people, like a hen covers her chicks under her wings. But security is never earned by being confined to a certain place. We can be secured even in the midst of battle. We can be at peace even if the whole world is raging against us.

Our PEACE, Our HOPE is under the shadow of the ALMIGHTY.

As Psalm 91 says,

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the Lord, who is my refuge —

then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angles concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. 

"JESUS SAVES!"

Walking down the Katigbak Pkwy in front of Quirino Grandstand yesterday, Friday, 8 October 2010, a certain crusade which was being organized caught my attention. I was about to visit Makansutra to finally do my clearance form the company. I changed my mind upon seeing the thick cloud covering the city and the wind blowing furiously that the dust it blown made me cough.

A considerable number of people were gathered at Quirino Grandstand. Women wearing Saya and men in long and short sleeves polo were over the place and still others were coming. I wonder who they were and from what sect they could be. Later did I know that these people were from Jesus Miracle Crusade.

"JESUS SAVES!" This powerful words caught my enthusiasm to stop and intently pay attention to the pictures posted on the wall of the grandstand. News like "Hostage freed in Mindanao" did an impact on me. I smiled at the thought. It was ironic tht the news and the words written above were there just in front of the very spot where the hostage taking last August 23 took the lives of Chinese nationals and the hostage taker himself.

Could this same words be in the heart of those families whose loved ones suffered the cruelty of death? Will the proclamation of God's saving grace int that crusade make them realize that indeed God is the God of miracles? We can't tell. While I delve at the thought, God impressed in me the verse in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."

I realize it's not for us to question why certain things happen so favorably to one and unfavorably to the others. For the Lord sends rain to both the righteous and the wicked.

All the way through, God again impressed in me the story of Daniel's friends; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3). The story tells that King Nebuchadnezzar put up a statue to which all shall bow down and worship upon hearing the sound of musical instruments. If anyone caught not doing as instructed shall be placed to a blazing furnace.

The three friends were caught not following the King's command and the news were brought to him. Nebuchadnezzar was furious and so summoned the three Godly men and commanded to bow down and worship the idol. When faced with the King's presence, they replied with courage: "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." And God did saved them!

Many times we faced with the temptations to compromise, to question God, to be bitter towards him. King Nebuchadnezzar appear in many forms. He could be our problems which we thought we cannot solve the right way and so we compromise (our tithes, relationships, etc.) He could play the role of our parents, relatives and friends questioning the very relationship we have with the Savior thus leading us to a lose heart and fall away. Or he could be the finger of the enemy poking at us whenever we make a mistake.

The attitude of the three friends made a big difference to the situations and it did touch the heart of the Lord. God saved them! There is promotion in our Faithfulness. When confronted with a problem, it should be our attitude that God is able to save us...and even if He doesn't, we will still stand upright! I love the line from Facing the Giant that says, "If we win, we'll praise God; and if we lose, we'll Praise God!" It doesn't change anything. Whether winning and losing, we'll Praise Him!

After all,
 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35-39