We live in an increasingly faithless world. It is a secular world of shifting values and growing egocentrism. If Jesus came back today, how many people of faith would he find? And would you be one of them?

The Bible makes it very clear that God is looking for faithful people. In 2 Chronicles 16:9 it says, “For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them” (LB).

God is seeking faithful people because He wants to bless them. He wants to show his love through his great power. Our faithfulness is the key to unlocking his blessing in our lives.

Jesus said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 NIV). God wants to pour blessings into all areas of your life – in your family, in your career, in your finances, in your health, in your relationships – but He will do it according to the level of your faith. If you have great faith, you will have great blessing. If you have a little faith, you will receive a little blessing. But if you have no faith, God’s blessing will not be in your life.

Sadly, faithful people who really trust God and live for Christ day in and day out are hard to find. The Bible says, “Everyone talks about how loyal and faithful he is, but just try to find someone who really is” (Proverbs 20:6 TEV).

Psalm 53 says, “God looks down from heaven at people to see if there are any who are wise, any who worship him. But they have all turned away; they are all equally bad. Not one of them does what is right, not a single one” (vv.2-3 TEV).

When sin entered the world with Adam and Eve, we were all corrupted. None of us do what is right all the time. But faith is the key to victory. The greater our faith, the more victory we will experience in our lives. “Every child of God can defeat the world, and it is our faith that gives us the victory …” (1 John 5:4-5 CEV).

Last Saturday, I attended a Church service that somehow brought some insights in my life. It was really a blessing for it enlightened me about things that I have pondered before. I wrote about tithes before and how perplexed I am about how it works. But that service was an eye opener. It was something that I need to hear. Something that was meant to happen but I wasn't able to anticipate it. It's funny because it was not the Church service my work mate invited me. He was supposed to invite me on the next Church service wherein a great speaker was to share a powerful testimonial. But I believe it was no accident that I was able to attend that. Because it helped me clear my mind about offering and giving. It was supposed to be a series of service about Wealth and Possessions: Biblical Perspective. It contained a lot of valuable wisdom and knowledge that I believe a Christian must know for the growth of his/her faith. 

The title of his 'speech' is 'Concerning the Collection' and it talks about giving to Christ. The sole core verse that centers upon is 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

"Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me."

Before, I really did not put into heart the teachings of the Bible about giving 10% of your income or blessings to the Lord. I mean I didn't think it was important. I thought you just give to your heart's content and it's not necessary. That was before I didn't know anything about it. And then I had a Bible study way back in my home town where they gave me glimpses of giving 10% of your income. They said it was a requirement and there are verses in the Bible stating so. But the explanation wasn't enough. I was still bothered and perplexed about some things which I wrote about before. And what happened last Saturday was an answer to all of my speculations about it.

It made me realize that giving to the Lord is what He wants us to do as a Christian. The pastor gave some points about this. Pardon me for I cannot put them into words the way the pastor shared it and how clear and concise he was. But he stated that as a Christian, this is what we ought to do with both our hearts and minds put  into it. It also made me realize that it's not about the 10%, but we ought to give proportion to our blessings. It's not necessarily 10% because that would confine us to offer only 10% and it would become like a chore or something. Rather, it should be more than that. It should be given whole-heartedly and would serve as an offering of thanking God for the blessings that He has given us. If He has blessed us more, we ought to give more. Grace abounds the law. That is why we ought to give more than the 10% which was the law. When Jesus Christ came to this earth, it was because of God's grace to us. 

The pastor shared a lot of stories that were related to the topic at hand and they were so inspiring. He even said that no one is too rich to sacrifice and no one is too poor to give. This was shown in a Bible story about a poor young woman and a wealthy person who each gave something to the Church. And what he said was right. He made us realize that it is essential as a Christian to give to the Lord. He also enlightened us on where to give. He also mentioned that giving should not be on a whim. Not based on feelings. Not when you feel like giving. Not when you have enough. But rather it should be commitment to God. It is something that a Christian must do every week because that's what the Bible tells us. But it should not be something that is done just because of that sole reason alone. It should be done because you want to glorify God and that your offering speaks your faith towards God. 

Here are some principles of giving that the pastor enlightened us:
I. Giving is universal for all believers.
II. Giving is regular.
III. Giving is a personal act.
IV. Giving is intentional.
V. Giving is proportional to your blessings.
VI. Givingd is an unpressured response.
VII. Giving is responsible.

Today, I had a life-changing event. Well, it's not really that huge or big in the context of something actually happened that was so profound in how this world interprets. For me, it was a life-changing event because it stirred up my mind and gave me realizations that I believe is not just coincidence. But rather, it is a calling from God.

After days of mediocrity and feeling the cycle of the triviality of life is turning up its wheel again, what happened made me closer to the Light that is Jesus Christ. These past few days, nothing special really happened. But I admit that God had made changes recently in my life and he has answered my prayer. I am grateful because of it. I truly am. But somehow, the spark of my faith seems to fade. I acknowledged the good changes that recently happened in my life and I'm grateful for it. But, it seems as though I seem not to care. It's as though I have taken it for granted. I have not done enough things to show my gratitude to God. I have not poured out my heart to Him in the sincerest way and the deep connection was lost. When I pray, they were very short and my heart was not truly into it. When I have my quiet time, I just write the things in my head and they are not speaking directly to the Lord. When I read my Bible and my inspirational books, I just read them and not truly absorbing what's in it like I'm not understanding them. It was a time of mediocrity, normalcy, and ambivalency. It was a time when I was going through the course of time, just going with the flow, doing the things I ought to do and just plainly following the cycle of life. I was just staring into space, I could feel God's presence, but that's just it. I'm not doing anything at all. I wasn't sad. I wasn't happy either. I was just feeling normal. I worry about typical stuff like money, work, and friends. Even my family seem so distant. But I'm not worried about them. I'm just going through the motions of time. 

But what happened today made me think. It gave me realizations. It instilled in me fear. It instilled in me the drive to do something for the glory of God. It instilled in me that God is watching me and He wants me to create a ripple. A big ripple that will bring the people closer to Him. 

Nothing really big happened today. It's just that my workmate shared something to us that I know I just can't ignore and do nothing after that. It was about a girl who died and came back to life again. The story was never finished because there wasn't enough time for it to be finished. But she promised to give me a copy of the story once she has it. Anyway, it was about a girl who died and was brought to heaven and hell. She said that it was a true story. I remembered way back that I have read this similar kind of story. But I was very speculative at that time, I really did not embrace or absorb the story in its entirety and I had some doubts about it. But when my work mate shared it to us, it really had a big impact on me. This time, I believe it to be a true encounter and I want to know more about it. 

One of the things that bothered me about the story is the fact that there were a lot of people in hell. There's no doubt about it. Not with this crooked generation. I can see, hear, and feel it everywhere. That's why I have to stand my guard always and pray to God that I will not sway or be far from Him. Also, most of the people there were popular. Michael Jackson was even there. The girl asked why and the angel told her it's because he sold his soul to the devil for fame. I'm not really a fan of Michael Jackson so I wasn't really bothered by it. 

The girl in the story also saw someone she didn't thought could be there. For that person was near to being holy. Even my work mate when it was shared to her was shocked by this. The girl saw Pope John Paul II there with a snake around his neck. I was also shocked by this fact but it was not hard to believe. I'm not really a strict firm Catholic believer so it was not hard to imagine. I have my speculations with the teachings of Catholicism itself.

I was actually even more shocked by the fact that there is a place in Vatican itself where there are full of fetuses. There was even a documentary about it but I have yet to find it. My work mate said that nuns and priests also crave for the lust of flesh. Hence, the fetuses. Just thinking about it makes me sick. It's awful. And to think that the Catholic Church itself is very strict in implementing laws against abortion, but they are doing it themselves. In secret. It's awful. 

But what baffled me the most is that she saw an 8-year-old boy there. Why? How come? What is an 8-year-old boy doing in there? It was sad. The girl in the story cried when she saw him. If I was her I would've cried too. He's too young. But then my work mate told us that once you reached the point where you know what is right and wrong, you are accountable for your ways. She is right when saying that. But aren't we all given chances to change our ways and reach out to God before we die? I believe that God is merciful and His grace abounds and God forgives and repents our sins. But seeing an 8-year-old in hell is just too sad. 

The story of the 8-year-old is just like this--the boy was watching Dragon Ball and the mother gave orders to her child. The boy disobeyed her and the mother got angry. The boy ran outside and was hit by a car. I really don't know much of how the story goes because our work mate shared it to us in fragments. We were just in a chat room where everyone can respond and speak there mind and the story was not really shared in a way that we can fully comprehend. But I will wait for the copy and read it myself. 

Also, my work mate told us that we should be wary in the shows that we watch since some of them have hidden agendas in making us turn away from the things we ought to watch or do. She also stated that Dragon Ball is one of the cartoons with hidden sexual meanings that are not good for kids. Now this is probably one of the things that is hard to do. I am very fond of movies. I really am. But as a Christian, I know that I have to let go of the movies that I once liked since they contradicted to my beliefs (I'm into animes and such and psychological and bloody horror films O.O). She also said that we should honor our mother (or parents) which is actually in the Old Testament in the Bible. 

So that's the reason why he went to hell. But how about those other people who commit even more awful crimes than these, but they are given chances to change their ways and reach to God. Doesn't that boy deserve chances to change his ways too? But I guess we can really never tell the time or hour when our life is taken away from us. That is why we should always be ready and prepared.  

As what I have deduced from this new knowledge, I realized that, when you think about it, it's very difficult to go to heaven and one mistake can lead you straight to hell. It goes with a Bible verse that says something like narrow is the way to the Light but wide is the path that leads to destruction. So very true. 

When I heard about the 8-year-old boy, it just made me realize that much is required of us. It just says that only those who are truly worthy and deserving will go to heaven. Untainted. Unflawed. Pure. Holy. 

With this realization, it then actually made sense to what I have previously read about. It was about HOLINESS. It is something that perfectly describes God. Something difficult to attain. Something that is required of us. Being holy means surrendering your whole life to God. Being holy means being pure and undefiled by sin. What embodies holiness is the essence of Jesus Christ's life. 

From my understanding, this means giving up on things that does not contribute or disturbs your relationship with Jesus Christ. This means living a life that is pure. Living a life with Jesus Christ in your mind. That you are living your life for Him and Him alone. This is what greatly affects me. I know that I have my faith in Jesus Christ. I truly believe in Him. I read my Bible. I do my best to go to Church and to live a Christian life. But it's not enough. I have my shortcomings. A lot. I also feel persecuted a lot. That's probably why I don't do things for the glory of God that much. I just keep quiet because I don't want arguments. And I feel bad about it. I'm just too sensitive. Especially when it comes to attacking who I am as a person. Especially when I'm surrounded by people who are very different from me and who I feel contradicts my beliefs and the things I value. I need courage. I need strength. For Jesus Christ. And all I can do is pray for these things to unfold in my life. I pray that I will be strong enough to share God's message and to not be afraid of being persecuted but to handle it maturely and with grace. I really admire people like my work mate and my college friend who actually opened up this beautiful door for me. They had the guts to share what they believed in to the people around them without being afraid. I pray that someday I will be able to do that. For now, I think that the only way that I can talk about this stuff is to people that I have a deep connection with and that I know is someone who listens to what I have to say. Somehow, I have a hard time of sharing it to people when I feel that they cannot see what I am trying to say or if I feel that they refuse to understand it and be moved by what I have to say.

As I have read this gospel, I thought that the days of Moses must be really really strict and regulated. It's more like dictatorship and no one seems to be exempted from the Holy Law. The law is the law and people are forced to follow them or else they will perish. But those days are unlike these days. Ever since Jesus walked on this earth, things have drastically changed. For the better or for the worst. For the better for the children of God and probably worst for those who haven't acknowledged Him as God and Savior and refused to follow His ways. What impresses me with this writing among others is that if these old laws are applied to our time, it would be deemed as downright cruel and merciless. And to think that these came from God himself. Handed down to the prophets He has entrusted them with. But this shows the Holy side of God. This shows the Holy Laws. No wonder that no one will survive if they have been shown by the true Holiness of God. When they came face to face with the Holiness of the Lord, they will not survive. No one will. This is the power of God.

When Jesus came to this world, He followed all of God's Holy Ways. His Holy rules and regulations. And He was able to do them without blemish. Without flaw. Without sin. And He was able to follow them with love, mercy, and compassion in His heart. He obeyed God that He gave His own life for all of us. To save us from our sins. We were the ones who are supposed to die. I mean, not one will survive. Everyone of us because everyone has sinned. But God saved us all. And gave us a purpose to live this life. That is why we are alive. It is because of Him. Now some may contradict. Some may believe. Some may be skeptical. Some may be bitter. And some may be self-righteous or self-centered. That is because we have free will. Which is in itself, one of God's gift to us. It is because of this that we make different choices. Different decisions. Even if we feel like we don't have control over external stimuli, we do have a choice on how we are going to react with the circumstances we are presented with. And people have different reactions given the circumstances. For the better or for the worst. It's a matter of believing. Believing that there is someone out there who understands us and who has given us lots and lots of chances to realize His truth. Trust me, it's not an easy thing to do. To believe and trust Him with all your heart. Not easy especially if you have been bombarded with troubles here and heartaches there. Not easy when you feel so lonely, betrayed, heart broken, ridiculed, criticized, and experience pain. Not easy when you feel like you're all alone in the world and you feel like no one cares for you. Not easy when you feel insecure, despised, and seems like every bad thing has happened in your life. Not easy when life doesn't come as you planned and every plan you make fails. Definitely not easy at all when you constantly feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. It's hard. Really hard. To keep yourself composed. To keep yourself be free from the chains of this world. To keep your integrity and faith. Really really hard especially if the world is moving towards a different direction (for the most part).

This is life. It may be different for each and every one of us. But we all have our shares of sadness and joy. We all have our shares of pain and pleasure. You may compare yourself to someone you think is more successful and more happy than you are, but you can never really tell. You cannot tell what he or she has really gone through. You only know the surface. You only know what he or she wants you to see. Or what he or she doesn't want you to see (in the eyes of others). That's why it's never a good thing to compare yourself to others if they are better or worse than you. Because you don't know what they're going through. But no matter who you are, the one thing that is the most important of this life which a lot have forgotten, is your soul. Because when everything else is gone, your soul will stay. And there are only two places where it will go. And that's when you realize all the choices you made when you are still alive. That's when you realize the value of the life you lived in this ever fading world. That's when you realize the one thing that's truly important in your life.

As for me, I know I'm not living a perfect life (which is not nearly important in the context of perfection in this world) and neither can I say that my faith in God or the understanding of His word is perfect, but while I'm still alive, I still have chances and choices to make things right as much as possible that is directed  towards His ways and I'm praying and hoping that I will constantly battle my demons out and contribute to the evangelism of God's glory. Amen.

If you only love on and off like a light switch, you do not love others like God wants you to love. Jesus said, “If you only love those who love you what credit is that to you?” (Luke 6:32 NIV).

His point is this: anybody can love those who love them. Becoming a master lover means you learn to love the unlovable. It’s when you love people who don’t love you, when you love people who irritate you, when you love people who stab you in the back or gossip about you.

This may seem like an impossible task and it is – that’s why we need God’s love in us, so we can then love others: “We know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 John 4:16 NIV).

When you realize how much God loves you – with an extravagant, irresistible, unconditional love – then his love will change your entire focus on life. If we don’t receive God’s love for us, we’ll have a hard time loving other people. I’m talking about loving the unlovely, loving the difficult, loving the irritable, loving people who are different or demanding.

You can’t do that until you have God’s love coming through you. You need to know God’s love so it can overflow out of your life into others.
Love must become your lifestyle, the habit of your life. But it starts with a decision. Are you ready?

Your life is worth far more than you think, and by learning to love others with the love God gives you, you will have an influence far greater than you could ever imagine. If you will commit to this, you will experience love as God means it to be, filled with hope, energy, and joy.

My prayer for you is “that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love …” (Philippians 1:9 NCV).

                                                                               ...GOD BLESS...

"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth...Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man."

                                                                                             - Ecclesiastes 21:1, 13 -

"I can't help the way I am -- I'm an alcoholic!" Those were the words I heard as I struggled to help a woman out of her automobile. I had just come upon the scene of an accident. Two young men were lying unconscious on the road, having been thrown out of their little truck by the impact of this woman's care which had plowed into the back of their pickup at high speed." Can anybody help the way he or she is?

A growing amount of scientific evidence traces a biological link between some of our emotional problems and our parents. What we are coming to understand is that all people are not born equal. Just as some inherit strong physical bodies, some inherit stronger wills and personalities. Some of us inherit a disposition from our parents which makes us more susceptible to some things than other people, but can we excuse the alcoholic from wreaking havoc on the highway, or excuse the murderer who says he is not responsible because he grew up in the slums of the inner-city and never knew the love of a caring parent?

God says that certain things are wrong so that we learn not only what makes for happiness and fulfillment in life, but we also understand that there is forgiveness for our wrong choices, our willful acts of disobedience, our sins. With God's help I can change.

We may require a lot of help and compassion from those who are close to us, but change is the door to hope and life. Don't ever--even for a moment--let yourself think, "I can't help the way I am" because you can, with God's help and the help of those who surround you.

                                                    from Today can be the BEST DAY of Your Life, Harold J. Sala

"He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered."
                                                                                                       - Proverbs 28:26 -

So we must not trust ourselves but we should give all our trust to God; To entrust all aspects of our lives to Him. Whatever happens to our life, whether good or bad, know that God is always there watching over us; within us; guiding us. Trusting Him means not worrying about tomorrow; not worrying about the here and now; not worrying about this life. But why do people still worry? Is it perhaps they still lack faith? Is it perhaps their trust is not strong enough? Who in the world has not ever experienced becoming worried? Sometimes people worry without knowing that they are already worrying. It's in the subconscious mind of everyone. But if your faith is strong enough to conquer this part of your mind, then I don't think you will worry as much as before. Although you worry, but not as much. Not that you are now more aware. Not that you are now more conscious of the thoughts in your mind. Not that you already know there is Someone out there who will make everything alright (even if you don't feel right and things are going from worse to worst). That's what walking wisely means. Being careful of your thoughts and being able to distinguish the difference between worrying and trusting. 

Lord Jesus, I thank you for giving me another life to fulfill your will in me. I thank you for giving me a new chance to work on my ways and to keep on trying despite the circumstances that you have given me. Thank you for the countless blessings that you have showered upon me. Help me to realize them and to feel blessed for having such gifts.

Thank you for the everyday experiences that have helped me grow and become closer to you. I know I have failed you many many times and yet you never gave up on me. You never gave up even if I have done things that are against your will. You have been faithful and loving as a very caring Father. This is my way of showing You how grateful I am to have a God, a Father, a Saviour like you. Even these very words are not enough to show how grateful I am and I can keep on continuing to say these words because you are always the same.

Thank you for the joy and happiness that I have felt in this life. They make me realize how wonderful and loving you are. They make me realize that I am loved and that you have never abandoned nor forgotten me.

Thank you for the pain and suffering that I have gone through. They make me grow closer to you. They make my faith and trust stronger to you. They help me to rely and cling to you when everything else fails.

Thank you for the love and care that you've shown. Thank you for bringing me to this point. To make me feel the love that you have for me very deeply. Thank you for the numerous miracles that you have done to me. I would've want to share them ever since I became aware but they are too many to even count. From the simple struggles that I have, when I cried and called  Your Name, you never failed to answer me in a way that has left a very deep sense of joy in me. Something that will forever alter my life in profound ways.

Thank you for your Holy Word. Your words of encouragement and guidance. Your words of love and faith. Thank you for speaking to my heart through it.  Thank you for being a kind and loving God. I am really so glad that I have known you like this and I pray that it will become stronger and stronger until my world ends. I pray that I will never let the cares of this world sway and stray me away from You. I pray that you protect and guide me always especially at times when I feel like I'm losing myself to the world. When at times I feel like I am compromising myself just so that I can fit in. When at times I feel so down and hopeless and waste my life away. And at times when I feel too much worldly happiness that I tend to forget the things that are most important.

At the bottom of my heart, this is my heartfelt way of saying and giving thanks to you.

Thank you Lord for everything.

I love you so much and I pray and hope that my relationship with you as my ever loving God will never fade into the darkness.

"Be still and know that I am God."
        - Psalm 46:10 -

Two prospectors went to a desert in search for gold. They carefully noted every landmark, because to be lost could mean certain death. One night a great storm drove them into a cave, and from there they watched the lightning flash. Soon the rain began to pour and floodwaters gushed across the desert, ripping up cacti and completely changing the terrain.

One of the prospectors cried out in panic, "All the landmarks are swept away and we are lost!" But the other man calmly said, "Wait! Soon the storm clouds will be gone, and we will see the sky." Sure enough, the clouds rolled back and when the two old prospectors saw the stars, they found their bearings.

The prospectors have faded into history, but the panic that one feels when the landmarks are swept away is still in the hearts of many today. People see the landscape of humanity destroyed and are quick to panic. As the prospectors had to wait and look up, so the solution to your concern lies in looking upward.

Two things give me peace amidst the storms of life. One is by looking at the stars in the heavens, I realize that the God who placed them above, eons of years ago, is the same today. Second, by remembering the ruins of ancient civilizations, I realize that the problems confronting me are not here to stay. They are merely part of the challenge of life, and they, like the civilizations of the past, will not be with me forever.

It is by looking upward that gives us our bearing when the circumstances of life are chaotic. There is the anchor of a loving God who never changes. He speaks to our hearts today amidst the thunder and roar of life.

Before, the Israelites have to offer a certain amount of money as an offering to God to atone for their lives. Today, we have Jesus Christ who redeemed us from our sinful selves. 

Today, we offer 10% of our  monthly income to God in mass offerings. I didn't know it was like this before. About the 10%. I should offer a certain amount of money and that I should do it heartily and not because it is required of me. I was confused by this notion since if I want to give with all my heart, I can give any amount I want. But then it makes sense. Since you will be giving with your heart, the amount you give shows how big your heart is. 

If you give exceeding to the 10% that is required of you, then you give it all with your heart, surely it shows that your heart is really full. But then, it would defy the law of the Book since 10% is only required of you. It is also important not to add or deduct anything in what the Bible says and while it speaks for the heart, it also has some holy Laws that one must follow in order to perfect one's faith. But if you give according to the 10% and you give it because it is required of you and not totally giving your heart throughout, it will be a lie. It will be as if you are just giving out of respect. Out of fear. Out of following a certain law for the sake of just following it. It would be untrue and it will only become a vicious cycle of giving 10% every mass offering with the meaning of it gradually fading away. 

So in regards to this, it is important that one must offer with all their hearts and it must not be less or more than 10%. I am still confused with this notion still. It's been a long time since I haven't had a Bible study with someone of higher knowledge regarding the Bible and I really crave for this. I got to know these from a pastor whom I had a Bible study with when I was way back in my home town. The Bible study really helped me grow spiritually and right now, I feel like my spiritual growth stagnates as I have no one to hold on to whenever I would stray or stumble. Or someone to remind me of these spiritual things. I just rely on my own and on God. But being on my own, there are times when I feel so helpless and I forget. There are times when I have no sense of direction and I don't reach out to God. These are the times when emotional turmoil lurks on me and procrastination strikes at its best.

Right now, all things will come into being in its own time. It's just not the best time for me these days and I'm struggling in my own skin. I just hope that things will be for the better and I hope I will soon realize the importance of the awful things that seem to be happening to me right now. I thank the Lord because I know that He is still with me in these trying times. God knows my heart and my struggles and it will only be a matter of time that everything will be healed. I just have to trust in Him and pray that my faith will never falter even if this will take too long. I figured that this will make my faith stronger in Him as time passes by slowly and all of these will make me a better person.