Astronomical anomaly sows tumult, mass hysteria

A strange, radiant light has been recently reported to be hovering above Bethlehem’s night sky in Judea, prompting the Babylon-based Mysterious Astronomical, and Geophysical Incidents (MAGI) bureau to dispatch a team of astronomers to investigate the incident.

“It may be a planetary conjunction, a comet, or a nova. No one really knows for sure,” according to MAGI’s press statement circulating in newsrooms yesterday. “Weird events are reportedly happening out there; it may be a Divine sign that the political turmoil in Judea is coming to a head.”

Bethlehem, a nondescript locale 6 miles south of the Judean capital city of Jerusalem, is the scene of a spate of bizarre events which has spurred the Royal House of Herod in Jerusalem to impose stringent security measures in the area. A group of shepherds were reportedly rounded up for rumor-mongering. One of them allegedly confessed that an intergalactic visitor named Angel Gabriel urged them to visit a newly-born baby who is reportedly the true heir to the throne of David.

Similar “angel” tales abound in the area and may have links to the appearance of this strange light. Some locals have attributed it to references of a heavenly vision in the Jewish Scriptures. “It’s the Shekinah Glory, the dwelling presence of God on earth! That’s why it is so bright!” exclaimed an innkeeper who refused to be identified for fear of possible arrest.

Authorities have dismissed these reports as a product of “mass hallucination” and “hyperactive imaginations” brought about by “bouts of melancholia” that often afflicted randy shepherds long accustomed to chasing loose women. “How can they claim that it was an angel? Angels are supposed to have wings, eh? Besides, how could a baby mount a revolt?” asked Herod Antipas, son and likely heir of Herod the Great, in an ambush interview two days ago as he was leaving the Temple’s entrance.

Palace insiders disclose, however, that the king’s orders for vigilance in the town of David betray a growing concern over a perceived political threat. Chief priests and teachers of the law were allegedly executed after linking the purported birth of the Messiah-king in Bethlehem to a prophecy.

In a related development, the Judean health ministry is currently validating reports of unsanitary birthing practices in Bethlehem. Rumors of a young girl’s birth to a baby boy in an animal stable have prompted local health authorities to evaluate child-delivery services and facilities. In recent months, the influx of census registrants and taxpayers has put a strain to the fragile infrastructure in Bethlehem, resulting in overcrowded houses and inns.

Bloggers’ note: We have just presented a likely news story that could have headlined a newspaper at the time of Jesus’ birth, if newspapers were already in existence back then. We find little difference in the worldview described in the gospels and the one we see today: any good news, especially of the miraculous kind, is met with sensationalism at best and skepticism at worst. All too often, we simply find it hard to understand, much less believe, that a Very Important Person was born 2,000 years ago in the most humble of circumstances only to die for inconsequential mortals like you and me. Perhaps we are too caught up with sentimental scenes of shepherds and kings hovering over a new-born baby in a manger. Or maybe too engrossed with our gift lists to bother seeing beyond Santa Claus and puto bumbong. Yet the message remains the same despite the passing of time: the Messiah came to this world to die…so that we may live and be reconciled with God. The Christmas crib leads us all the way to the cross at Calvary. On Christmas day, instead of being swept off by the revelries, why not take the journey back to understanding what Jesus’ coming means to humanity? Take the Bible as your navigator and discover what your Savior has done for you. We invite you to join us in the succeeding pages and find out why we rejoice in Jesus Christ.

AN EVANGEL OF L♥VE

I had first met Toni in an Internet prayer website; later on I learned that due to a previous severe injury to her vertebra there is no medical reason why she should be walking around and actively serving the Lord in counseling ministry, not to mention her loving husband, Peter, as well as raising their four godly children. After ten years she has just finished writing Reclaiming Victory In Jesus Christ, a bible-study book for pastors and anyone who wants to fulfill the Great Commission. Their website is http://reclaimingvictory.org/.

The church they pastor is Rushing Wind Fellowship in Tigard, Oregon.

Here is her true story that she shared with me last Christmas; with her permission, it is my joy to share this with others.

THE HUMMELS
by Toni DePaoli

My father’s parents lived very simply in a small, run-down duplex on the old side of New Rochelle, New York. Come Christmas time, that little apartment became the Mecca of delicious old-world cookies and pastries. Besides the Christmas tree that Grandpa would string with Grandma’s cookies, their only other decoration was the nativity set.

Grandma’s nativity was a limited edition set of fine porcelain made by Hummel. There were three wise men, Mary and Joseph, baby Jesus in his manger, a cow and donkey, a couple of shepherds and an angel. Most of the pieces stood about eight inches high and were painted in muted earth tones. Each Christmas Grandma would make a grand production of displaying the Hummels in her place of honor for all to see…on top of their portable television set.

Grandma would always take the time to walk me up to the nativity and lovingly point out one piece or another. Each visit, I was promised that someday this wonderful nativity set would be passed on to me. I would just sit and stare at them with little-girl wonder year after year. For twenty five years I would watch those pieces with the same awe. My sentiment for them would deepen with each holiday. As I grew and left home, memories of Grandma and Grandpa would always be of big Italian meals, Christmas cookies and the Hummels.

My family had many changes as I grew. My parents divorced and remarried. I moved to Oregon when I married in 1980. Grandpa passed away in 1984. Finally, in 1990 Grandma passed away on the day she finished knitting a baby sweater for my fourth child, my first daughter who would be born a month later.

Soon after, my father called me and asked me for a favor. “You were always promised the Hummels. I know that. But I would like to hang on to them for now. I want to put them out each Christmas just like mom did, but you will get them…I promise.” It truly never occurred to me that the Hummels meant as much to others as they did to me. How could I deny him this tradition?

Understanding his attachment, I voiced a concern. If Dad were to display the Hummels every Christmas, it would establish a tradition with his new family. I pictured them growing as attached to the nativity as he and I were. I couldn’t even imagine giving up this wonderfully tender part of my history with my grandparents; it was all I had left of them.

My dad promised that, no matter what, one day he would see that the Hummels would be in my possession. He had even come up with a plan to mail them. He would put each figure in a small box filled with foam and then put each small box in a huge box and surround it with packing “popcorn”. Each box would be mailed separately. He was certain that this would insure the safe arrival of each valuable piece on the long trip from New York to Oregon.

Five years later, my father, who was rarely sick and even more infrequently went to the doctors, called to tell me that his concerned wife had coerced him to get a checkup because of the flu like symptoms he had experienced for quite some time.

After telling me about his appointment, Dad told me to keep a look-out for a box he had sent. He would often send little gifts for the kids or me. His boxes had a reputation all their own and always brought a laugh. No matter how inexpensive the contents, sometimes he just sent a pencil, Dad would send everything receipt requested, unrealistically insured and packed in enough popcorn to feed a herd of elephants. The popcorn was his own twist because he loved to think of my four little ones gleefully spreading it all over the house…which they did with gusto. It would always give him a big belly laugh when I’d recount how I’d find packing popcorn under someone’s pillow or in their shoes.

Dad called a few days later to tell me that he had advanced liver cancer. He was given a prognosis of six months to live. I was devastated. How could this be? The man was never sick! That night and many others to come I cried myself sick.

A few days after Dad’s call the postman came to the door and handed me a large box. As I took it from him I could hear “clink, clink, and clink!” Whatever was inside was broken. The package wasn’t insured, which was very unusual for my dad, so I figured it wasn’t anything important, just some funny little joke of his.

My children crowded around as I opened the box to see what used to be inside. I had been squatting next to the box as I opened it. When I saw its contents I fell flat back with a thump and just stared openmouthed. To my absolute horror I saw what was left of the Hummels. It was obvious from the first glance that the pieces were shattered.

For whatever reason, Dad had simply wrapped each figure in a paper towel, put them all together in the box, one on top of the other with just a couple handfuls of “popcorn” thrown in for good measure. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Like a widow piecing through the ravages of an earthquake looking for her loved ones I pulled each piece out of the box. I cried as I lifted Mary with her shattered dress and arm, her head hanging down being held on by the inner material used to support the fine porcelain. As I lifted every paper towel the pieces disintegrated in my hands. The cow was in at least twenty pieces. It sounds silly, I know, but I sat on my floor and cried over that old cow.

My children looked on with wide eyes while I choked back sobs. Joseph, like Mary, had his head broken off and was hanging by a string. My four-year-old daughter thought Joseph looked like our friend and commented sadly, “Look, Mommy. Mike Banke’s head falled off!” It made me laugh and then cry all the harder.

I was sick with grief. All the years of hoping and waiting for this wonderful set, and now look at it! It was like losing Grandma all over again and now, if possible, it made my father’s coming death all the more devastating. I couldn’t look any more. I closed the box and set it in my room.

When my husband came home that night he knew something was wrong as soon as he opened the door. My four little heralds ran to meet him with the news. He thought they were just rambling until he looked at my face. I couldn’t even talk to him. I just choke up and turned away. The kids led him to the bedroom and pointed to the box as I numbly followed behind. Peter knew how much the Hummels meant to me. When he looked inside at the shattered contents he got choked up and said, “Oh, Honey. I’m so sorry. Oh, Honey, Honey, look at this. Oh, no! What happened? “

Later that evening, when I could talk without crying, I told my husband that even though the Hummels were destroyed I couldn’t bring myself to throw out the shattered bits. I wanted to keep them in the box for now until I could figure out what to do.

A few days later I spoke with my father. He asked if the Hummels had arrived. I simply told him that they had gotten there, but never told him HOW they arrived. I just thanked him and said I hoped it didn’t cause any problems between him and his wife. He assured me it didn’t and then said, “Well, honey, now you can keep the tradition going and pass them on to your children. Grandma would be so happy.”

I hung up the phone and the tears flowed again. In fact, every time I would look at the box in my closet or tell one of my friends about it, I would get all choked up. The box stayed in my closet, filled with broken pieces, stashed away under important papers and old clothes.

Two years passed and one day my husband arranged for a babysitter for the kids and said he was taking me for a ride with him to Dundee, Oregon, a one-traffic-light town stuck between other little towns. We didn’t know anyone there and the town wasn’t known for any particular place of interest. Why on earth were we going to Dundee? Peter just smiled and led the way.

We pulled up to a simple house and a young woman met us at the door beaming. Peter introduced her as Kelly and she greeted me with familiar warmth, even though I didn’t know her from Adam. I looked confused at Peter and he just smiled. Then Kelly said excitedly, “They’re in the dining room. Go on in.” Peter bowed as if he were the headwaiter of a great restaurant and gestured for me to go ahead.

There on the table was a Hummel nativity identical to mine. I wistfully looked at it and said, “Oh, look! It’s just like Grandma’s.” Peter, who got all choked up, said in a husky voice, “It is Grandma’s.”

My heart skipped and my eyes watered and I whispered, “What do you mean ‘it is Grandmas’?” Peter explained it grieved him to see me all broken up about the Hummels. Because he knew how much they meant to me he had searched and searched to find someone to restore the broken pieces. Kelly’s talent was her ability to repair broken porcelain and glass. She smiled and said it was her therapy.

I could not believe it. This truly was Grandma’s Hummels, those shattered splinters, completely restored.

From a distance, you would never be able to tell there was a break or a crack. I walked slowly toward them as if in a dream. I absolutely could not believe what I was seeing. Upon very close examination I could only see a slight line around some of the necks, otherwise the paint was the same and each figure was whole.

I didn’t want to touch them in case they would shatter. Kelly assured me they were as good as new and safe to handle. She went on to tell us the painstaking process she had gone through. Her greatest triumph was when she had one little piece to find, a pinky finger, which was stuck inside one of the pieces of popcorn. She explained that the only true difference was that the pieces, which before were possibly worth thousands, now had no value.

Grandma’s set. I almost couldn’t breathe as I looked through tear-filled eyes. There it was. Grandma’s Hummels. Kelly charged us less than $80 for the priceless gift my husband had just given to me.

Through the years, God has woven a story in my heart created by the Hummels. Only one of the twelve pieces wasn’t broken; the baby Jesus. God is always there, whole, when everything else seems to be falling apart. When my life seems shattered, totally in splinters and looks beyond repair, He is the one who can put all of the pieces together to make something even more precious than it was before.

Each Christmas, just like my father and his parents before him, we lovingly set out the Nativity set in a special place. Each year I turn the cow upside down. Underneath you can see the many cracks where the pieces were fit together. Those cracks bring a flow of liquid love to my eyes for a husband who shared my grief and brought such joy, for the love of generations that were and the generations to come that will love the Hummels.

-The End-

We Need a Little Christmas from the movie Auntie Mame
Sung by The Lettermen
Courtesy of YouTube

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD…”
- Isaiah 61:1-2

My Search for the Messiah

I searched for the Messiah in churches and cathedrals with their stained-glass windows, high-ceiling domes and jutting spires as though reaching out to heavens in supplication…

But I realized that the Messiah could not be confined on cold marble, pale ceramic, twisted metal, and other handiworks of men because the earth is God’s footstool.

I searched in vain for the Messiah on the pollution-smeared skies above, the denuded mountaintops, the garbage-filled beaches, the sadness mirrored in eyes of animals doomed to die…

But I could only see the shallow traces of His creative powers in the natural world that continues to groan from its bondage of decay.

I searched for the Messiah in other people’s company, hoping that they have innate goodness in their nature that would lead me closer to my quest…

But I found out that humankind is inherently evil and humanity has been mired in sin since Adam’s fall and there is madness in the hearts of men.

I searched for the Messiah in the pleasures of this world and the path that I hoped would lead me to success, glory, and fulfillment in life…

But I realized that the search for worldly pleasures and wisdom was just the “vanity of all vanities”; that there’s nothing new under the sun; that everything is meaningless; and the same destiny overtakes all: death.

I thought I could find Him by capturing the essence of Christmas festivity which commemorates His advent…

But I got lost amid the swirl of shopping frenzies of the crowd, images of Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman in a winter wonderland, and the gross materialism that have obscured the significance of His incarnation.

I looked deep inside of me, trying to discover or awaken the so-called miracle in me, as what the New Agers and “feel-good” preachers foist on the unsuspecting crowd…

But I only became too acutely aware of my own sins and shortcomings and the great chasm between me and God.

I searched for the Messiah on the pages of the Scripture without the guidance of the Holy Spirit…

But I could not understand why He has not returned after leaving this planet 2,000 years ago.
I did not find the Messiah.

In fact, He was the one who found me. I was in His heart and mind before the foundation of this world. He has always loved me before the advent of time. “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, He predestined us to be adopted as His sons …” (Ephesians 1: 4-5).

He was thinking of me -an inconsequential sinner, when He left His glorious place in heaven to be born in a lowly manger.

His thoughts were with sinners like me headed for eternal damnation when He endured the pain, the shame, and the humiliation while hanging at the cross.

And all I ever needed was to respond to His love and grace by asking Jesus to enter my life and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Now, I know that the Messiah lives in me as He walks with me through the snares and vicissitudes of life. I have finally realized that He has not really left this world but the Holy Spirit continues to live in the hearts of millions of believers as His kingdom advances to the end of this age.

I'm Dreaming of a Brown Christmas

Peanuts, a syndicated comic strip created by Charles M. Schultz running from October 2,1950 to February 13, 2000, the day after the Lord called Schultz home. It is considered to be one of the most popular and influential in the history of American popular culture.

In the 1960s, Robert L. Short interpreted certain themes and conversations in Peanuts as being consistent with parts of Christian theology, and used them as illustrations during his lectures about the gospel, and as source material for several books, as he explained in his bestselling paperback book, The Gospel According to Peanuts.

On December 9, 1965, the classic television special A Charlie Brown Christmas was aired by the CBS network. On many occasions, Peanuts dealt with religious themes. Here Linus van Pelt, the comic strip’s young theologian, quotes the King James Version of the Bible (Luke 2:8-14) to explain to Charlie Brown what Christmas is all about. In his personal interviews, Schulz mentioned that Linus represented his spiritual side.

Schultz was raised in the Lutheran faith. As a young adult and then later he taught Sunday school at a United Methodist Church: he remained a faithful member of the Church of God (Anderson) for the rest of his life.

- Source: Wikipedia.

Let me share with all people of goodwill [or: on whom God’s favor rests] this delightful excerpt:

A Charlie Brown Christmas
courtesy of YouTube.

CHRISTMAS CONTEMPLATION

This Is My Body Which is Broken for You

This is the season when the city is bedecked with star lanterns, tinsel buntings on Yule trees and boughs of holly, and a billion twinkling lights. Buyers and sellers are engaged in a paroxysm of purchases and sales of Christmas gifts for friends and family. Little if any room is prepared for Christ in the hearts of believers who are commemorating His birthday – except perhaps for crèches that are dusted by some from storage to be displayed is some innocuous corner for a few weeks.

As silently calm, bright, even joyful as these Nativity scenes are, they conceal the underlying bitter sweetness of the time: the strenuous forced trip to Bethlehem caused by an oppressive tax census by an occupying foreign power, the tarnished reputation of Mary of Nazareth for her unwed pregnancy [though the Child was divinely conceived], and the difficult [but fully human] delivery in a filthy stable with no one to midwife except the devoted and loving husband Joseph. Forty days later, when Jesus was presented at the Jerusalem temple to be consecrated to the Lord as Mary’s firstborn, an old prophet, Simeon, prophesied, "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." [Luke 2:34-35] Some two years later, the slaughter of the innocent male infants in Bethlehem two years or younger was ordered by King Herod the Great in an attempt destroy God’s promised Anointed King. It was a very bitter sweet time.

Inconceivable but true. “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Jesus, always fully God, became fully Man from zygote to embryo to fetus to His glorious birth. Then, “He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” “We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [Luke 2:52, John 1:14]

We delight in celebrating birthdays of family and friends, saved or unsaved, because they enrich and gladden our lives. The birth of our True Brother and Faithful Friend is much, much more than that. Full of grace and truth, He teaches us a better, righteous way of living; He restores broken hearts, forgives sins, heals diseases, casts out demons, and redeems us from darkness and death by making possible our rebirth in the Holy Spirit. He fully reveals to us the living, loving and luminous image of God [John 14:9, Colossians 2:9]

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” [Isaiah 9:2] “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” [John 1:4] That is the eternal life. “…so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” [John 3:13-15]

When Christ came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;” …. "Then He said, 'Here I am, I have come to do Your will.' He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." [Hebrews 10:5, 9-10] “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” [Philippians 2:6-8]

His tortured death on the cross is the penalty He took on our behalf for our sins, once for all. “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by HIM, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” [Isaiah 53:4-6]

So, that body, born one bitter sweet night in Bethlehem was lifted up on the cross on a hill in Jerusalem, died for our sins, was buried and rose to life again, exactly as God promised. Jesus commands us to constantly remember His body, broken in our behalf and His blood poured out for us. [Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-26]

Because we shall behold that Body again. "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. [Revelation 22:20]

- End-

Jonseb, Tuesday 18 November 2008.

Mark Lowery sings

'Mary, Did You Know'

Courtesy of YouTube

Nearing the Midnight Hour

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him" (Matthew 25: 6)


Darkening sky slides in the deafening absence of sound
as the grayish haze hides faintly-lit stars, beside

the neon-smeared pool, an old man gazes beyond
a swath of the stellar sea, comic book on hand,

as though watching the inky blackness swallows
a cruising capsule-crib, ahead of which flies up,

up in the sky, a hero’s tale that is faster
than a speeding bullet, but there is another story

more compelling, he reminds himself: a bloodied,
impaled body hung limply between the dark,

shrouded sky and the sin-stained ground,
his dying breath ascending like flickering mist

but weighed down instead by the sins
of us all, until the tale gets to the part

of the empty tomb, the body rising above
curdled clouds, below which gaping mouths

grapple for words, the way endless silence speaks
in volume, there is this other way that his dying,

and rising means everything, not just believing,
not just a mystery that keeps him waiting,

but how his scarlet sins turned white as snow, even
as he ponders the promises veiled in portents

and oracles, clues remain hidden between
the lines until the advent of the end-times, nothing

to flush from the pink urinals’ sludge, but how
he sips the cityscape’s bitter after-taste, even

the tisane from slanting rains he sniffs
for indelible signs of his coming, for all

signs are flowing traceries of prophecies
he used to say before humming lullabies

of longing, for there seems to be no end
from this lengthened spell of solitude, this slow

infinite waltz of waiting, even as Orion chases
the Pleaides night after night, hurtling headlong

across charcoal-coated sky, below which
the downbound train of worn-out faces, crashes

on the final bend, the screeching sound a faint
echo of thundering hooves, as his sunken eyes

continue to stare at a patch of the dark sky,
waiting for the rider on a white horse, with a robe

dipped in blood, to descend from the clouds, it is
starting to drizzle, the gentle breeze cools

his craggy face, a thunder rolls overheard,
its sound as audible as the last trumpet call.

REFORMATION DAY AND HALLOWEEN by Jonseb

On Oct 31, 1517 Martin Luther -- priest and Augustinian monk, lawyer by education, and professor of theology in the University of Wittenberg -- nailed the Ninety-Five Theses on the Power of Indulgences on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. It was an invitation to discuss by debate the commoditization and commercialization of indulgences: these are church produced documents that remit -- partially or in full -- temporal punishment in purgatory for sins which have already been forgiven spiritually. His argumant was based on the idea that Sacraments of Confession, Penance and Reconciliation have become a commercial transaction instead of a repentant change of heart. This minor matter became the catalyst for the Reformation. Copies of the 95 Theses were sent by Luther to Albert,the Archbishop of Mainz, [his immediate boss], Pope Leo X [his big boss], as well as his contemporary professors in other universities.

It was not unusual for anyone to post announcements on important matters on church doors, which were a kind of bulletin board at a time when there were no newspapers. Neither was the date chosen by Luther. Crowds of all sorts of people were due to flock to the church. Since 835 A.D. the following days -- November 1 and 2 -- were designated as All Saints Day and All Souls Day respectively in the liturgical calendar of the Holy Roman Empire. This was officially decreed by [King] Louis the Pious, issued at the request of Pope Gregory IV. During the time of imperial persecution the early Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr's death for Christ (known as the saint's "birth day") by serving an all-night vigil, and then celebrating the eucharist over their tomb or the shrine at their place of martyrdom.. By 270 AD the practice had developed to to a joint commemoration of all martyrs since the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. Frequently, a number of Christians would suffer martyrdom on the same day.

In the Roman Church, the date was originally assigned to May 13 [since 610 AD]. By a strange coincidence, this day was also the culmination of the 3-day Feast of the Lemures [May 9,11,13]. This had been practiced by pagan Rome from antiquity. During this Feast, the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were propitiated, exiled or exorcised. It was the date when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon -- the temple to all the pagan gods -- at Rome to the Blessed Mary and all the martyrs; the martyrs became known as All Saints or All Hallows. Then in 835 AD, Gregory IV moved the date of this holy day from May 13 to November 1, perhaps to accommodate the Celtic converts who obstinately kept celebrating their pagan festival of Samhain – their new year and harvest festival. They believed that on October 31, the the boundary between the living and the dead dissolved: the dead become dangerous for the living by causing problems such as sickness or damaged crops. Costumes and masks were worn to mimic the evil spirits or placate them. Gregory IV’s decision is consistent with the policy of leaving pagan festivals and buildings intact (such as the Pantheon), while overlaying a gloss of Christiian meaning. However, no reliable documentation exists indicating that this was Gregory IV’s motivation.

All Souls Day is distinguished from All Saints Day in that it commemorates the souls of the dead Christians who have not yet been purified and finally arrived in heaven. Thus, on display at the Wittenberg Castle Church on October 31, 1517 were numerous relics collected by Frederic III [aka ‘the Wise’], Elector of Saxony, who later became Luther’s political protector. It was believed at that time that viewing a relic and donating something for the preservation of the Castle Church would earn the viewer/donor a commutation of 100 days in purgatory per relic for himself or for a dead relative or friend.

Luther’s objections and resevations about these beliefs were strongly resisted by some and strongly supported by others. In 1520 he was officially denounced and excommunicated by Pope Leo X in the bull ‘Exsurge Domine’. He escaped the fate of being burned a heretic -- as Jan Hus was in 1415 – only through the foresight and cleverness of Frederick the Wise.

The ensuing conflict eventually solidified Luther’s theological ideas into the five principles of the Reformation. These are:

v Sola Scriptura, ("by Scripture alone"). This principle recognizes the Bible, the word of God, as the only infallible and authoritative basis of faith, notwithstanding human and church traditions. As Martin Luther said, "The true rule is this: God's Word shall establish articles of faith, and no one else, not even an angel can do so."
v Sola fide ("by faith alone") teaches that justification- being declared right by God - is received by faith only, without any mixture of or need for good works; though saving faith is always evidenced by good works [James 1:18]. "Faith yields justification and good works" rather than "Faith and good works yield justification."
v Sola gratia ("by grace alone") teaches that salvation comes by God's grace or "unmerited favor" only — not as something merited or earned by the sinner,
v Solus Christus ("Christ alone") affirms that Christ is the only mediator between God and man, and that there is salvation through no other, Mary of Nazareth, the Apostles, the saints and the angels notwithstanding .
v Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone") teaches that all glory is to be due to God alone. No human being should be exalted for his or her good works, but rather praise and glory should be given to God who is the Author and Perfecter of people and their good works.

In response, the Council of Trent was convened in Trento -- three times between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 -- by Popes Paul III, Julius III and Pius IV. The ecumenical Council, after 18 years of deliberations, – and not allowing the few invited reformers to speak their views nor even vote -- entirely rejected these 5 principles proposed by the Reformers and pronounced an eternal anathema [curse] on all who believed and taught as Luther did. Likewise, the Lutherans, as this first group of Reformers were known, also pronounced an eternal curse on the Roman Church.

On October 31, 1999 the Roman Church, represented by Pope John Paul II, and the Lutheran World Federation signed The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification. In effect, the Roman Church and the LWF, are apparently in agreement on Sola Fide without saying anything about the four other Solas. The excommunications and eternal curses of both groups relating to the doctrine of justification were mutually lifted. Confessional Lutherans, such as the International Lutheran Council and the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, reject the Declaration. So do all present day churches that developed from the Reformation [except for the World Methodist Council].

Most of these churches have retained the celebration of All Saints Day, though many have moved it from November 1 to the first Sunday of November: but for most of the secular world, Oct 31 and the following days, it is the Haloween season [a contraction of All Hallows Evening]. In the Philippines it is known as ‘Undas’, perhaps from the Spanish word ofrendas (offerings), which are made on this day in Portugal, Spain and Mexico. Here, the day is devoted to visiting the graves of deceased relatives, where prayers and flowers are offered, candles are lit and the graves themselves are cleaned, repaired and repainted. In rural areas, candles are lit in houses all through the night to assist the spirits of the dead find their way in case they wish to visit. Elsewhere, in the USA and Europe, in the affluent gated-communities of Greater Manila, it is a season of tremendous fun, especially for children who come Trick-or-Treating!

While no one in the secular world believes anymore in the reality of restless, wandering spirits of the dead, goblins, ghouls, witches, vampires, zombies and the like, the memory of these is celebrated in the costumes, masks and visitations of children collecting teeth-decaying obesity-causing candies and goodies from house to house: these houses vie with neighbors with artistic décor of cemeteries, skeletons, jack-o-lanterns, haunted houses and anything with a scary motif. Cinemas feature horror movies that entertain viewers by making them scream in terror. Halloween is fast overtaking Christmas as a season of humungous retail sales. Just as in Luther’s time the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation was commoditized and commercialized, the day set aside for commemorating the Christian martyrs, Blessed Mary and all the beatified saints has become commoditized and commercialized for a great many people.

Halloween may be harmless, innocent fun. Maybe. Surely it is not in accord with St. Paul’s message: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” -- Philippians 4:7-8, NIV

The Dark Night of Halloween: No Joker's Caper

Have you noticed the increasing popularity of Halloween celebrations in Metro Manila during the past years? I do. It’s particularly interesting because this custom/practice is "borrowed" from Western culture. When I was a kid, my usual brushes with anything that comes closer to this "celebration" were the usual doses of tales revolving around "patianak", "kapre", and other creepy creatures etched deep in Capampangan folklore. "Trick or treat" was entirely alien to us (at least those of my generation), as alien as the "manlalague" of the stories told during brownouts and moonlit nights when there was nothing else to do but plumb the innermost recesses of imagination to kill boredom (only a few families in the neighborhood had TV sets then).

Fast forward to the future. The practice of "trick or treat" and costume parties during “ ‘tis the season to be scary” has become commercialized to the extent that shopping malls have been promoting this practice with a target market in mind: kids. Merchandise shops try to promote this supposedly "fun" activity to encourage parents to buy costumes, candies, toys, and other Halloween stuff. But do they realize that they may be sacrificing a young child's psychological and spiritual growth in the altar of crass commercialism?

A few years back, we bought grocery items from the newly opened shopping center in Pasig. Sales clerks donned spooky attires ranging from "Scary Movie" costumes to headless priests. My wife interviewed some of them who admitted that who admitted that management directed its employees to wear grotesque costumes and make-up during Halloween week. They formed a beeline leading to the supermarket, causing a young girl to scream her lungs out at the frightening sight. At the food court, another girl tried to hide under the table, her innocent face contorted in tearful terror when these costumed “creatures” started prowling each nook and cranny of the mall. The adults with her tried to hush her up but to no avail. Later on, they were forced to drag the poor girl outside the establishment.

I was incensed by the fact that insensitive mall operators have no qualms on what they could possibly do to a poor kid's psyche. Kids tend to have hyperactive imagination. Would they be able to sleep soundly at night knowing that horrible creatures may be lurking a few paces away from one’s bed? What if they would have recurring nightmares? And what about those kids who were encouraged by their naïve parents and merchandisers to wear witches' costumes and masks of the devil? Are they not being subliminally led to believe that it's cool and cute to be on the "dark" side? When they grow up, wouldn't it be easier for them to embrace occult practices? I cringed once to a remark I overheard a few years back. A teenager gleefully told her friend that "Halloween” is the "dark flipside" of Christmas in a snippet of a conversation.

The connection between Halloween and its pagan and occult associations is well-established. In the booklet The Facts on Halloween by John Ankerberg and John Weldon, the authors noted that “it is generally agreed that, in church history, Halloween took the place of a special day celebrated by ancient Druids who were the learned or priestly class of the Celtic religion. These people engaged in occult arts, worshipped nature, and gave it supernatural, animistic qualities”. The writers further noted that “although Halloween as commonly practiced today is a seemingly innocent time for most youngsters, it is a very serious observance for many witches, neo-pagans, and occultists. Reading through various histories of Halloween, one is struck by the large number of superstitions and divinatory practices involved”.

The Scriptures is full of stern warnings on these practices and beliefs. God cautioned the Israelites: “Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.” (Leviticus 19:31). “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD…” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).

The booklet’s authors pose the following questions which could never be easily brushed aside if one claims to be a professing Christian: If the purpose of the Christian life is to glorify God, is it really possible to glorify God by imitating, however innocently, what occultists do on their special day? How does God, as He looks down on Halloween night, in full awareness of the events that have happened historically and today, view little children, especially Christian children, dressed up as ghosts, devils, witches and goblins? Is Halloween a deliberate mockery of God by letting God’s own children participate symbolically in celebrations that are tributes to the devil, pagan gods, and all kinds of evil?

Reflecting on these questions, I was tempted to unleash our dog to bite these unscrupulous mall operators and shop owners. I could only utter a prayer for protection from all evil influences that continue to corrupt the minds of humans. May the good Lord continue to help us keep the perspective that everything is in God's control and that He would not allow His children to fall from the precipice toward the dark side.

Discovering Your Life

Discovering the Bible

On Sunday, October 5, 2008, the Rejoice in Jesus Christ Discipling Group will host a 90-minute presentation of two segments – The Old and The New Testaments – of the DVD production by the Christian History Institute “Discovering the Bible”. It will be presented at 3:00 PM, either at the Third Floor Food Court at St. Francis Square Bldg, or in the Fourth Floor Old Worship Hall of CCF at the same building. The event is open to all who wish to discover God’s written message of His love for everyone. It is part of RJCDG’s program of fulfilling its part in Jesus’ Great Commission to all His disciples.

Among the many evangelists and apologists [legal defenders] for Jesus and the Christian faith is Lee Patrick Strobel. He is a holder of a journalism degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School, and had been investigative journalist for 14 years at the Chicago Tribune. In the early 1980’s he set out to write a book to disprove the truth of the Gospels and the resurrection of Jesus in particular. He researched and thought about this for two years, mainly to disillusion his wife who is a steadfast believer and follower of Christ. By the unfathomable grace of God, the book he ended up writing was The Case for Christ, proving the authenticity of the Gospels, historically, scientifically and archaeologically, especially the resurrection of the Lord.

Other books he has written are: The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity, recipient of a 2001 Gold Medallion Book Award, The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ, and Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, co-written with Garry Poole as a discussion guide for Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ, the recipient of the 2005 ECPA Christian Book of the Year award. He also became a teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, from 1987 to 2000, and of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California from 2000 to 2002, and now writes and produces Apologetics and Evangelical TV shows. His website is http://www.leestrobel.com/.

Here is a video interview of Lee Strobel by Jerry Johnston discussing the apocryphal and pseudepigraphal Gospel of Judas which inspired the Gnostic fiction “The Da Vinci Code”.

Is the Bible Reliable as a Historical Document?

END

Visit the OMF booth at the 29th Manila International Book Fair

I know I'm going to send like an ad here but I simply can't pass up this opportunity to invite you to the 29th Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City this Sept. 12-16, 2008. Glenn and I have been regular patrons of the book fair for about 3 years now (Glenn, being a book junkie, has been into it for years).

What's interesting for growing Christians like you and me is the proliferation of Bibles and Christian books being offered at discounted prices by Christian book stores and publishers during this period. OMF, for one, usually puts up a big exhibition area and offers a host of books that you might find interesting.

If you really want to dive into the Scriptures, do invest in the study Bibles (e.g. Life Application Bibles) and commentaries (strongly recommending Nelson's Old and New Testament Survey for newbies on Bible commentaries, these are 2 separate volumes) on sale at the OMF booth. (Personally, I get a lot of help from the notes in my NIV Study Bible and commentaries like these.) There are reference books a-plenty which can help you a lot in your studies. This is the best time to avail bagsak presyo discounts, I think they go as high as 50-75% off.

OMF also offers a great selection of Christian-themed literature, both foreign (if you're hankering for Philip Yancey books) and local (if you want to complete your Ed Lapiz collection), and on various topics like apologetics, eschatology, leadership, relationships etc.

For more details, check out their web site at www.OMFLit.com. You may also drop by www.manilabookfair.com for additional information.

Philip Yancey on Prayer

Philip Yancey is one of the best-selling evangelical Christian authors [14 million books in worldwide sales] His recent works include The Jesus I Never Knew [1996], What's So Amazing About Grace [1998], In the Likeness of God [2004], When We Hurt : Prayer, Preparation & Hope for Life's Pain [2006] and Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? [2006].

I have received as a gift The Jesus I Never Knew: I couldn’t put it down until I finished reading. The scholarship is impeccable, the style, superlative and the content, almost God-breathed. If you wish to invest in eternity, beg, buy or borrow any of Yancey’s books.

Here is a video of Philip Yancey's thoughts on prayer, courtesy of YouTube.

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
– Jesus Christ, in Matthew 21:22

GREG LAURIE, God's Amazing Grace When The Lord Calls A Loved One Home

Greg Laurie is senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a ‘mega church’ based in Riverside, California. Harvest holds numerous crusades in the USA and other parts of the world annually, when thousands receive Christ Jesus as personal Lord and Savior.


Christopher Laurie, eldest son of Pastor Greg Laurie and Cathe Laurie, died in a car accident on July 24, 2008. He was only 33 years old and had served as the art director at Harvest Christian Fellowship for the past three years. In addition to his parents, Christopher is survived by his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Stella, as well as his brother Jonathan. Christopher and his wife are expecting another daughter in November.

Here is Greg’s amazingly grace filled and courageous testimony on July 27, courtesy of GREG’s BLOG, http://blog.greglaurie.com/.

"But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

-- 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 (New Living Translation)

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

A Journey to God’s Redemption

Book review: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (1997 edition. Fiction. Published by Multnomah Publishers, Inc. Chicago, Illinois. 464 pages).


Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
He has injured us
But he will bind up our wounds.

Hosea 6:1 NIV

Romance novels were the stuff of life during my pubescent years. I suppose it was typical of my age back then when budding girls begin dreaming of their Prince Charmings and happy-ever-afters soon after they discover the changes in their bodies. I practically breathed them, ate them, fantasized about them - even if it meant holding one book in my hand and a flat iron in another while I did my chores, much to my mother’s annoyance. Long before my classmates got tired of their Nancy Drews, Bobsey Twins and Hardy Boys, I was already jumping from one Mills & Boon or Harlequin novelette to another in a heartbeat. When they did finally come around to Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High, I was already getting quizzical, how-weird-can-you-get looks as I dived into Barbara Cartlands (with an Austen or Bronte on the side). At that time, a girl wouldn’t get caught with a historical romance paperback, even if it were a classic.

These books kept company to a lonely, scrawny girl living behind nerdy glasses and not much else. They initiated me to a world of grown-ups and the intoxicating but naïve dreams of romantic love and sex, eventually paving an escape from growing-up pains aggravated by my parents’ failed marriage and the ensuing chaos. As my world grew bigger and brought in the radical ideas of university life, I soon recoiled from the shallow and repetitive themes of these stories and learned to distrust them. Like the rest of us, I discovered that real life was more than waiting for Mr. Right.

So it was an unexpected turn when I, already in my 30s, picked Redeeming Love from a shelf of a discount store. Already a Christian at that time, I was half-repulsed by what I initially perceived as a saccharine title matched by an illustration of a young woman with wind-blown hair in a period ensemble. But I was prevailed to take a closer look when I saw the author’s name; I had seen, though never read, Ms. Rivers’ And the Shofar Blew at a Christian book store before. Curious, I read the blurb on the back cover: “a powerful retelling of the Book of Hosea”. I raised an eyebrow. Hosea and his unfaithful wife? I immediately brought it home that night but decided to read it much later. Yet when I did, it was hard to put down.

Set against the depravity of California’s Gold Rush in the 1850s, Redeeming Love is the story of a prostitute named Angel whose life makes a turning point when she meets Michael Hosea, a frontier farmer. No two people could be more alike: she, a lost soul tormented by her past but barely surviving out of her hatred and wilful pride; he, a gentle, hard-working man who loves the Lord and obeys His will even to the point of self-sacrifice. Michael heeds God’s call to take Angel as his wife and love her. Like the unfaithful Gomer, Angel runs away again and again from the loving arms of her husband. Like the prophet Hosea, Michael goes back and rescues his headstrong wife each time she leaves him – even when she betrays him. Through supernatural love and patience that only a man with a heart for God can muster, Michael gradually overcomes Angel’s defences and ultimately brings her to redemption – the kind that no man or woman can give, but only by a loving Savior.

Like most romance novels, Redeeming Love is an unpretentious read. The prose is straight-forward, the plot simple and the characters – except for Angel – lacking in complex attributes or backgrounds. One will not find the high-brow narratives of a Gabriel Garcia Marquez here. The beauty of the story-telling, however, lies in its purpose. The author clearly intended to breathe new life in the Biblical story of Hosea and Gomer, to fashion it into a tale that modern readers can relate to and maybe persuade them to adopt as their own life story.

Ms. Rivers, in fact, admits that Redeeming Love is a statement of her faith. Prior to her conversion as a born-again Christian in 1986, she had carved out for herself a career as an award-winning romance novelist. After she accepted Christ in her life, she found it difficult to write novels that were consistent with her new-found faith. Finally, she surrendered to the Father’s will and opened herself to His word, soaking herself in home Bible studies. In one of these sessions, she encountered the Book of Hosea and divine inspiration instantly hit her. In 1991, Redeeming Love was released, heralding a stream of Christian-inspired fiction which includes her best-selling Mark of the Lion series and her 2007 novel, The Last Sin Eater, which was made into a movie directed by Michael Landon, Jr. and distributed by Fox Faith.

The book, indeed, reads as a journey to Christ. The author divides the story into four main sections: Child of Darkness, Defiance, Fear and Humility. The section titles denote the stages that Angel the prostitute treads in her journey to redemption. It may well be the author’s. In fact, it could be anyone’s – if, like me, they come to see a little of Angel in themselves as she struggles to break free from her sinful past and fails, as she runs from God’s unrelenting love time and time again, as she finally surrenders to that still, small voice inside her, and finally as she is made clean by an all-powerful kind of love that only comes from the Father. It is no surprise, therefore, that I find myself in tears toward the end of the book. I was so reminded of God’s passionate pursuit of me that took all of 30 years of my life to accept and understand.

And this is basically the point of the Book of Hosea and the entire Scriptures itself. God loves us so much that He was willing to do everything, even die for us, to bring us to an abundant life. John 3:16 sums up the message: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

If the Bible is a love letter, then God is the passionate lover, the faithful and forgiving husband of an adulterous wife. When God commanded the prophet Hosea to take the adulterous Gomer as his wife, and to buy her back and be reconciled to her even after she has sold herself to her lovers, He was teaching us the very thing He did for us: that as unworthy and unfaithful sinners that we are, He came back for us and paid for our freedom for a price. Simply because He loves us.

Redeeming Love seeks to bring its readers to an awareness of God’s unending grace. Husbands and wives will recall their marriage vows and realize how they mirror God’s love covenant with His people. Some will be reminded not to condemn people living in sin in the same way that He has reserved judgment for all of our trespasses. Others will be simply awakened to that open invitation He has made 2,000 years ago when He chose to die in our place.

Ms. Rivers has opened a new world of Christian fictional genre that I am truly excited about, not only because it brought romance to a higher level, but also because these books create excellent opportunities to gently introduce Christ to a doubting generation. Go ahead and read Redeeming Love. You will discover all these and more when you take that next step to read for yourself God’s love letter in the Bible. A note of caution, however: in writing this book, Ms. Rivers needed to develop a prostitute’s life and the relationship between a husband and wife by including narratives that may be sensitive for young readership. Unless it is in the hands of a responsible young adult, parental guidance is recommended.

*For more information on Francine Rivers and her books, please visit www.francinerivers.com.

Marian statue, bigger than Statue of Liberty

Please read Exodus 20:4-5.

'Nuff said.

Below is the excerpt from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) article plus the picture (courtesy of PDI).

Marian statue, bigger than Liberty, to rise in Batangas
By Lito Zulueta
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:01:00 07/21/2008

MANILA, Philippines - What promises to be the tallest Marian structure in the world is set to rise in Batangas City, "overlooking the horizon," its builders claim in an architectural plan shown to the Inquirer, "like a beacon of light, a proclamation of love and faith, a steadfast companion and guide for the traveler on earth."

If the words make it appear the structure is a lighthouse, then it may be considered as one. Standing over Montemaria, "the mountain of Mary" near the Batangas coast, the projected Marian shrine is projected to look out over the South China sea and be seen from miles around, especially by ships and vessels off shore.

The shrine is being erected in honor of "Mary, Mother of the Poor" by a foundation promoting the ministry of healing priest, Fr. Fernando Suarez.

But what would make the Marian structure the tallest of its kind in the world is not the church, but the statue atop the shrine. The statue is being made by Eduardo Castrillo, the Philippines’ most prolific builder of public monuments.

According to Castrillo, the shrine would stand 110 meters, but 92.9 meters (or 204 feet) of that would consist of the statue of Mary, Mother of the Poor. When finished, it would be taller than the statue of Liberty in New York, said the sculptor.

The height of Liberty from base to torch is only 46.5 meters or 102.3 feet. From foundation of the pedestal to torch however, it rises 92.9 meters, much like Castrillo’s projected statue.
Smaller-scale sculptures of the Apostles of Christ would grace the top of the shrine, like the statues of atop the St. Peter’s Basilica or the Tria Haec (Faith, Hope and Charity) and icons of western civilization by Francesco Monti atop the University of Santo Tomas Main Bldg.

Nick Vujicic - STRENGTH, HOPE & JOY IN CHRIST

This article is reprinted from

http://www.inspiring-quotes-and-stories.com/nick-vujicic.html

Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limbs

You may have thank God for your many blessings, but what if God seems to be unfair to you in some ways? What if He dealt you an overwhelming impediment for life? It wasn’t until I saw Nick Vujicic's story that such thoughts ever entered my mind. He is an amazing inspiration.

Nick is a young man of 22 years of age. He is a resident of suburban Brisbane, Queensland. He has a positive approach to life and is outgoing and friendly, with a happy and cheerful personality. He has a smile that makes anyone feel comforted and at ease. But life hasn’t been easy for him.

His parents, both lifelong Christians, had eagerly anticipated the birth of Nick Vujicic, their first child.

Nick Vujicic was on the morning of the 4th of December 1982 in Melbourne, Australia. However, the last two words on the minds of his parents was "Praise God!". That is because their firstborn son had been born without limbs! All his mother could say was, “Please, take him away!”

There were no warnings or time to prepare themselves for it. The doctors were shocked and had no answers at all! There is still no medical reason why this had happened.

The whole church mourned over his birth and Nick Vujicic parents were absolutely devastated. Everyone asked, "If God is a God of Love, then why would God let something this bad happen to not just anyone, but dedicated Christians?" Nick’s father thought the baby wouldn't survive for very long, but tests proved that Nick Vujicic was a healthy baby boy just with a few limbs missing i.e. no legs, no arms.
Understandably, Nick’s parents had strong concern and evident fears of what kind of life he would be able to lead. The first biggest hurdle was for his parents to be at peace and trusting that God was in control. It took them a number of months of tears, questions and grief before that complete trust overtook their hearts. God provided them strength, wisdom and courage through those early years and soon after that Nick was old enough to go to school.

There are a few people who assume that because of Nick’s physical disability that it meant that Nick Vujicic would also be mentally disabled. The law in Australia didn't allow Nick to be integrated into a main-stream school because of his physical disability. God did miracles and gave his mother the strength to fight for the law to be changed. Nick Vujicic was one of the first disabled students to be integrated into a main-stream school.

Nick liked going to school, and just try to live life like everyone else. But it was in his early years of school where he encountered uncomfortable times of feeling rejected, weird and bullied because of his physical difference. It was very hard for him to get used to, but with the support of his parents, he started to develop attitudes and values which helped him overcome these challenging times. He knew that he was different but on the inside he was just like everyone else.

There were many times when Nick felt so low that he wouldn't go to school just so he didn't have to face all the negative attention. Nick was encouraged by his parents to ignore them and to try start making friends by just talking with some kids. Soon the students realized that Nick Vujicic was just like them, and starting there God kept on blessing him with new friends.

There were times when Nick felt depressed and angry because he couldn't change the way he was, or blame anyone for that matter. Nick went to Sunday School and learnt that God loves us all and that He cares for you. Nick understood that love to a point as a child, but he didn't understand that if God loved him why did He make Nick Vujicic like this? Is it because he did something wrong? Nick felt like he was a burden to those around him and the sooner he go, the better it'd be for everyone. Nick Vujicic actually wanted to end his pain and end his life at a young age, but he is thankful once again, for his parents and family who were always there to comfort him and give him strength.

Due to his emotional struggles, he had experienced bullying, self esteem problems and loneliness, God has implanted a passion of sharing his story and experiences to help others cope with whatever challenge they have in their life and let God turn it into a blessing. To encourage and inspire others to live to their fullest potential and not let anything gets in the way of accomplishing their hopes and dreams.

One of the first lessons that he learnt was not to take things for granted. Nick Vujicic had that wake up call around the age of twelve and realized just how much he was blessed with. He took his foot for granted, his family and the fact that he wasn't born in a third world country, with all the blessings that God had freely given.

And we know that in all things God works for the best for those who love Him.
--Romans 8:28

There is no such thing as luck, chance or coincidence that these "bad" things happen in our life.
Nick had complete peace knowing that God won't let anything happen to us in our life unless He has a good purpose for it all. Nick Vujicic completely gave my life to Christ at the age of fifteen after reading John 9. Jesus said that the reason the man was born blind was "so that the works of God may be revealed through Him." Nick truly believed that God would heal him so that Nick could be a great testimony of His Awesome Power. Later on Nick was given the wisdom to understand that if we pray for something, if it's God's will, it'll happen in His time. If it's not God's will for it to happen, then He has something better.

Nick Vujicic is now 21 years old and have completed a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Financial Planning and Accounting. Nick is also a motivational speaker and love to go out and share his story and testimony wherever opportunities become available. Nick Vujicic had developed talks to relate to and encourage students through topics that challenge today's teenagers. He is also a speaker in the corporate sector. In recent years, Nick has learnt to become independent and can now take care of all his personal needs. He can do everything from brushing his teeth, combing his hair, dressing up, taking care of my personal hygiene and even shaving. He get around the house by jumping around. Outside the house, Nick get around in an electric wheelchair. Nick love to swim, fish and play soccer. Nick has a passion for reaching out to youth and to keep himself available for whatever God wants him to do.

Nick Vujicic has many dreams and goals that he has set to achieve in his life. He wanted to be a witness for God, to become an international inspirational speaker and be used as a vessel in both Christian and non-Christian venues. He also wanted to become financially independent by the age of 25, through real estate investments, to modify a car for him to drive and to be interviewed and share his story on the "Oprah Winfrey Show". Writing several best-selling books has been one of his dreams and he hope to finish writing his first by the end of the year. It will be called "No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!"

Nick Vujicic also finds time for such normal pursuits as swimming, music and fishing. How do you fish if you don’t have arms? He has a fishing rod with an electronic reel.

You might think these goals are too far-fetched. However, Nick Vujicic believed that if you have the desire and passion to do something, and if it's God's will, you will achieve it in good time. As humans, we continually put limits on ourselves for no reason at all! What's worse is putting limits on God who can do all things. We put God in a "box". The awesome thing about the Power of God, is that if we want to do something for God, instead of focusing on our capability, concentrate on our availability for we know that it is God through us and we can't do anything without Him. Once we make ourselves available for God's work, guess whose capabilities we rely on? God's!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

God has a Great Purpose for your life! As far as your unanswered prayers, remember that God is Faithful. What are we to do when we are seeking but not finding?

Take courage my friend for the Battle is the Lord's and I urge you to keep striving for the truth. For it is the truth that will set you free and the Peace of God that surpasses all understanding will reign in your heart. May the Lord Bless you as you diligently seek Him and grant you Godly Wisdom and Strength through your journey.

-END-

Video of Nick's Day in Jesus' Joy

Courtesy of YouTube

“Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
--Nehemiah 8:10 [New Living Translation]

Night Sky at El Nido

It is a rarity to gaze upward toward a pollution-free sky, for a change. My wife and I live in Pasig so we seldom see more than a sprinkling of stars on the clearest of nights. When I was growing up in Pampanga, I enjoyed looking up at the sky with all its luminous orbs. But I just took for granted this awesome spectacle not knowing that such a sight would not last. The creeping air pollution has since blemished the night sky in my home city. And after spending sometime in Metro Manila, I have begun to long for the view of the night sky unstained by pollution and city lights.

Stargazing is one of the common things between my wife and me. A vivid image which left a lasting impression on her was when she was in her teens on the viewing deck of a ship bound for Cagayan de Oro. Another one was at Panglao Island in Bohol a few days after her birthday in 2004 where the stars seemed to be balls of fire scattered across the sky like shiny grains of sand.

I also experienced this moment of wonder when I stayed overnight at the Clark Freeport. It was like traveling back to the time when I was a kid gazing intently at the Ursa Major constellation and trying to locate its ‘pointer stars’ – Merak and Dubhe – as these, in turn, would lead me to the faint north star, Polaris. Looking back to that instance, God seemed to be asking me the same question which he posed to Job: “Can you direct the sequence of the seasons or guide the Bear with her cubs across the heavens?” (Job 38:32).

So in this idyll of quiet grace, 400 kilometers away from the cityscape that is Manila, we prowl the beachfront’s expanse. Gone for a moment are the grimed, cavernous structures that seem to jut out like a murky, mountain trolls with their facades of concrete, glass, and steel; the irritating noise; the dank, scummy side streets of the city; the lights and the pollution that obscure a clear view of the evening sky.

Low, dark and ragged clouds melt in a spectrum-filled sky above Bacuit Bay. The fire of dusk drizzles its steady spatter of warm, amber light, as it begins to pull down the shade of the night. Our faces are soaked with late afternoon radiance as we gaze at the spot where the horizon kisses the sea. The huge limestone peaks at the edge of the cove look like the mounds of the leviathan and the behemoth that are locked forever in sepulchral silence. The cove’s water is surprisingly free from any floating debris. The air is breezy. A fog bank rolls afar toward the island of Miniloc.

Dapples of the moon’s lambent glow begin to transmute blotches of dewdrops. The cool early evening breeze strokes the crisp aroma that hangs in the air, faintly scented, in the late, summer sky. Hornbills native to the place emit their loud kreik-kreik call, as they begin to roost at trees near the swimming pool while the wings of balinsasayaw (or swiftlets) living in limestone cliffs’ cracks and crevices hum above the bay.

After some time, innumerable sparkling stars, leaping into radiant flames, start to puncture the night sky. Star lights shimmer in the dusk like elven gems ablaze with argent glow, caressing us with a soft fire or something not yet fully ignited. King David could have been awed by the same vision when he uttered that the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork (Psalm 19:1).

The constellation Orion, with the Canis Major in tow, rises up above the horizon as it begins its nightly chase of the Pleaides star cluster across the heaven. In the stellar canopy, we know that God “directs the movement of the stars—binding the cluster of the Pleiades or loosening the cords of Orion.” (Job 38:31). In this misted bliss constellating with lights, I am reminded that “it is the Lord who created the stars, the Pleiades and Orion. He turns darkness into morning and day into night.” (Amos 5:8). What is amazing is the fact that God “determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Psalm 147:7).

I also recall a passage in the Book of Job when the stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy (Job 38:7). I try to strain my ears, trying to capture what is beyond the visible; hoping to catch a quiver of those heavenly voices singing praises to God. Stir of hollow echo rustles the empty silence, as if to utter a forgotten line from an ancient psalm. Maybe, it is just the soft murmur of the surf undulating gently among the rocks.

A lone, streaking meteor puts up a stellar show. Shards of bonfire spangle swaths of sky. Sometimes, it makes me wonder why sprays of stars’ dust had to traverse vast, lonely places across the outer space only to flicker for brief moments above this secluded spot. Perhaps, the appearances of meteors are gentle reminders of the period in history when the Son of God left His heavenly place and entered space-time and “…became human and made his home among us”. (John 1:14). The Light of the world (John 8:12) continues to burn in the hearts of believers and has influenced social, scientific, humane, and cultural advances in civilization in the last 2,000 years. The apostle John prophesied about this: “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:4-5).

Light often emanates in unnoticed spots. Like in a distant star-speckled bay.

Or in a feeding trough inside a stinking stable somewhere in the obscure town of Bethlehem.

Hoax Being Peddled on the Internet

An e-mail has been in circulation during the past few days about a certain Brazilian seer who goes by the name of Juseleeno Nobulega DaRoose. He reportedly predicted that on July 18, 2008, “Philippines will get (sic) 8.1 earthquake, thousands of people will die”. His supposed claim to fame is a series of unfortunate events that he purportedly predicted. His future predictions even go as far as the year 2043!

I tried to google this name and look at other search engines. Negative. This could only mean that it is a fictitious name.

However, a certain Jucelino Nobrega da Luz was identified in a Chinese website:
http://fuzzyface.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!94E609F82A595B8F!1702.entry. The blog writer wrote: “This guy is a b_s_t artist from Aguas de Linoia, near Sao Paolo. To help you judge the accuracy of his predictions, he predicted that China would begin to experience economic grown in 2008. So he doesn’t even read the newspaper! He also said that China would be hit with devastating floods in February of 2008. He failed to predict the cyclone in Burma or the earthquake in China. His trick is to write letters about things that happened in the past, then forge a postmark on the envelope to make is appear as if he had written the letter before the event took place. He has been exposed for this fraud in the past”.

So what I did was to double check the information by accessing the website of this Mr. da Luz at the following: http://www.jucelinodaluz.com.br/previsoes_2008_english.htm.
The site lists his so-called “prophecies” for the whole 2008 which does not mention a July earthquake in the Philippines.

This could only mean that an unscrupulous individual wrote a farcical e-mail message. My wife pointed out that the e-mail message itself is full of grammatical errors and hence, the veracity of facts and the authorship are suspect.

What is galling is the fact that this e-mail is being forwarded to several persons without checking and assessing the merits of the content. Some individuals even add a few lines like “bahala na ang Diyos (God’s will be done)” and “God holds our future” but keep on forwarding the e-mail nonetheless.

If we have faith in God, why do we have to forward such a dubious e-mail to others? Why can’t we simply trust God to take care of everything? Do we doubt God’s mercy and grace? Why do these people have to plant doubts and instill fear on other individuals?

We had second thoughts of sending replies to our colleagues because we know that we risk offending them. But I guess as Christians we have to draw the line somewhere, mainis man sa atin yung tao o hindi.

Of all people, the first one who sent me this was my own sister from Pampanga. I wrote back to my sister to remind her of the following:

1. Despite all the advances in science, earthquakes could not be predicted with reasonable accuracy.

2. Only God knows what will happen in the future. He declares the beginning till the end and His will or counsel stays. “…I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please” (Isaiah 46: 9-10).

3. A prophet is the one who can predict future events with 100% accuracy. In Israel during the Old Testament, if you declared yourself a prophet and failed to forecast accurately, that "self-proclaimed" prophet would be put to death. This implies that to be able to predict future events 100%, your knowledge should come from direct revelation from God. In Deuteronomy 18:20, it is written: “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."

4. The Bible is all-sufficient, that is, we cannot expect additional revelations from hereon.

5. Therefore, anyone who claims to predict the future is not from God. Remember that the apostle Paul warned us of individuals who would preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you (Galatians 1:8). This also refers to false prophets who would arise in latter days as Jesus warned in His discourse at the Mount of Olives: “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24:10-11).

6. In recent times, not even Jeane Dixon, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce and Madam Auring had an accuracy of 100%. No human has ever done that after the apostle John's revelation at Patmos.
7. Remember that God holds the whole world in His hands.

The main message to my sister: Trust God that whatever happens, He is in control.

But we thank the Lord for this, at least now there is an opportunity to discuss these things and invite others who profess to be Christians to reconsider stuff that is easily being passed around out of good intentions.

Finding love, peace and joy in Christ!

Here are testimonials on cardboard from Hillside Christian Church members of Amarillo, Texas.

Ephesians 5:8-10
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

Courtesy of YouTube

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

-- from Jonseb, 20 June 2008.

Desiderata for Christians

Go placidly and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amid the noise of war drums and rumors of war and the haste in which people conduct themselves in this world as they run to and fro. And remember the type of peace that peacemakers sow while they raise a harvest of righteousness.
As far as possible surrender all your cares and worries to God and He will give you rest, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Be on good terms with all persons including the down and out of the society. Remember that Jesus did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners, to repentance.
Preach the gospel of truth quietly and clearly —not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Listen to the testimonies of others, even the seemingly dull and the ignorant; they too have their stories to tell on how they personally encountered Christ.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons who would preach a gospel other than the one that was preached to you, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be people who are better or lesser gifted than yourself, both materially and spiritually.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans, even though you would not be the one who would reap the soul harvest. It is still for God’s greater glory.

Keep interested in your own effort to witness to God’s power in transforming lives through His love and grace, however humble it is since you will receive power from the Holy Spirit; it is a real possession in these changing times as we come near the end of this age.

Exercise caution in your ministry and your personal life; be self-controlled and alert and always pray for guidance and deliverance, for the world is full of trickery, and your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many persons enter through it; but everywhere life is full of heroism. Therefore, nurture your faith which comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Be led by the Holy Spirit. Especially, return God’s affection. Never ever doubt God’s love and faithfulness; for in the face of occasional bouts with spiritual aridity and disenchantment, He is good and His love endures forever.

Take delight in God’s statutes since these are your counselors; flee the evil desires and surrender the things of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.

Nurture strength through the Holy Spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune, for He will teach you all things and what you should say. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings: the advent of the four horsemen of Apocalypse; natural disasters; man-made calamities; and the triumph of evil. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His own child. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

You are a child of God, no less than God’s one and only Son gave His life for you so that you’ll have eternal life. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the creation waits in eager expectation for you to be revealed.

Therefore, be thankful for being at peace with God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; in the noisy confusion of life, may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With all its sham, drudgery, bondage to sin, the fall and decay of creation, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Strive to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to you—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Remember that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.


(Based on Desiderata by Max Ehrmann and various Scriptural verses)

Notes:


1. “make disciples”: Matthew 28:19
2. “rumors of war”: Matthew 24:6
3. “run to and fro”: Daniel 12:4
4. “ peacemakers who sow”: James 3:18
5. “will give you rest…yoke is easy”: Matthew 11:28-30
6. “not come”: Mark 2:17
7. “preach the gospel”: 1 Corinthians 1:17
8. “preach a gospel other”: Galatians 1:8
9. “enemy the devil”: 1 Peter 5:8
10. “for wide”: Matthew 7:13
11. “faith comes”: Romans 10:17
12. “He is good”: 1 Chronicles 16:34
13. “statutes”: Psalm 119:24
14. “flee the evil”: 2 Timothy 2:22
15. “teach you”:John 14:26
16. “what you”: Luke 12:12
17. “but those”: Isaiah 40:31
18. “endure hardship”: Hebrews 12:7
19. “be completely”: Ephesians 4:2
20. “one and only”: John 3:16
21. “the creation”: Romans 8:19
22. “who reconciled”: 2 Corinthians 5:18
23. “may your”” 1 Thessalonians 5:23
24. “all the days”: Proverbs 15:15
25. “finish the race”: Acts 20:24
26. “He who began”” Philippians 1:6