Blossomming to Metamorphosizing ... A Glance of Maximo Oliveros

Started with a chaotic atmosphere and with music rioting on the background. Fast paced frames to slow mo of scenic spots of Manila's urban poor. Reminded me of a regular brouhaha days in the Philippines. On some accounts, I can relate but for some, I cannot, but though I can't, I still have an idea on how it feels to be living in shabby places like those.

Here lives Maximo, a jolly and contented young lad with a lass' heart, who by the way he carries his headband(or was it hairband?), and skimpy sando's or spaghetti straps gliding and preening his way on the eskinita, amazingly, profoundly, remarkably etched in my mind and in my heart.

Directed by Auraeus Solito (kudos direk!) and stimulatingly written by Michiko Yamamoto, 'Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros' ('The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros') is a real non real story that weaves the life of the central character Maximo or 'Maxi', as his friends call him, with the lives of the people he truly loves: his father excellently played by Soliman Cruz (my former director in Folk Arts Theater, I'm so proud of you direk! hope you still remember me),'astig', serious brother Kuya Boy (Neil Ryan Sese), the funny smart but very caring Kuya Bogs (Ping Medina, cutey!!!) and the kind hearted cop, Victor Perez (JR Valentin) who robbed Maxi's sanity(haha!).

Conflict began when one of Maxi's brother Kuya Boy killed a 16-year old innocent student when the former snatched the latter's cellphone and Maxi is somehow confused, due to his love to his family, to keep his loyalty with them rather than squealing the truth to his crush/love Victor the cop and his knight in shining armor.
Things from here unfold the dark nature of poverty and injustices. Until a new chief came to the scene who will eventually change the truning point of Maxi's life.

One of the most heart tugging scenes that caught me is Kuya Bogs utterly and 'touchingly protective' love to Maxi.

Then there also goes the slain on one of Maxi's important guy on his life. The events that follow make me lose my sanity. (Nyahaha!!! I cried hard before I went to sleep).

No matter how Maxi tries to make everything back to normal again, it cannot be and would not be because the one person who's a major source of his strength was gone. His family can't be whole anymore. It's a sad reality. But reality though.

Futhermore on the tear jerkers in the movie is the acceptance of Maxi's brothers and father on him. It melted my heart. Not really centralizing on Maxi being gay but the point that it's so hard to sometimes to accept your own family's ugly side, especially on Filipino society's perpective of having a gay son, Maxi's family's unquestionable love is a rare thing in this world now. Not only Maxi's family but also on Maxi's acceptance of his father's and brother's illegal business.

(Wishlist#1 : brothers like Kuya Boy and Kuya Bogs to whom i can make lambing and who will touchingly protect me...
Wishlist#2 : A tatay like direk Soliman/ Mang paco with whom I can hug and can express my daughterly affection.)

Rating for this movie is perfect 5 out of 5!!!! A must see!!!!



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MY SOUL WAITS FOR THE LORD

Psalm 130
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.

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Everyday in the Word: 12 June 2007

1 Kings 9-10
The Lord Appears to Solomon

9:1 As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and the king's house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.


4 And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins. [1] Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the Lord has brought all this disaster on them.’”
Solomon's Other Acts

10 At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king's house, 11 and Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, they did not please him. 13 Therefore he said, “What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?” So they are called the land of Cabul to this day. 14 Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents [2] of gold.

15 And this is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon drafted to build the house of the Lord and his own house and the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem and Hazor and Megiddo and Gezer 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and had killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon's wife; 17 so Solomon rebuilt Gezer) and Lower Beth-horon 18 and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, [3] 19 and all the store cities that Solomon had, and the cities for his chariots, and the cities for his horsemen, and whatever Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. 20 All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel— 21 their descendants who were left after them in the land, whom the people of Israel were unable to devote to destruction [4]—these Solomon drafted to be slaves, and so they are to this day. 22 But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves. They were the soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, his chariot commanders and his horsemen.

23 These were the chief officers who were over Solomon's work: 550 who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

24 But Pharaoh's daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her. Then he built the Millo.

25 Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar that he built to the Lord, making offerings with it [5] before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 And Hiram sent with the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to Ophir and brought from there gold, 420 talents, and they brought it to King Solomon.
The Queen of Sheba

10:1 Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. 3 And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, 5 the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.

6 And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, 7 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. 8 Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” 10 Then she gave the king 120 talents [6] of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a very great amount of almug wood and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug wood supports for the house of the Lord and for the king's house, also lyres and harps for the singers. No such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

13 And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants.
Solomon's Great Wealth

14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, 15 besides that which came from the explorers and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of the west and from the governors of the land. 16 King Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold; 600 shekels [7] of gold went into each shield. 17 And he made 300 shields of beaten gold; three minas [8] of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. 18 The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and at the back of the throne was a calf's head, and on each side of the seat were armrests and two lions standing beside the armrests, 20 while twelve lions stood there, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. 21 All King Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold. None were of silver; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. [9]

23 Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 24 And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. 25 Every one of them brought his present, articles of silver and gold, garments, myrrh, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 And the king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycamore of the Shephelah. 28 And Solomon's import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king's traders received them from Kue at a price. 29 A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the king's traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.
Acts 8:14-40

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall [10] of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south [11] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [12] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Psalm 130
My Soul Waits for the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

130:1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
2 O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
8 And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
Proverbs 17:2-3

2 A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully
and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.
3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and the Lord tests hearts.

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Psalms 46:10

Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

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Everyday in the Word: 11 June 2007

The Ark Brought into the Temple

8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 1 Kings 8
4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Solomon Blesses the Lord

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord [1] has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, 24 who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

33 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.

35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

37 “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates, [2] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.

41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.

44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

46 “If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace). 52 Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon's Benediction

54 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices

62 Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.

65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days. [3] 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Acts 7:51-8:13

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
The Stoning of Stephen

54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together [4] at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Saul Ravages the Church

8:1 And Saul approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city [5] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city.
Simon the Magician Believes

9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles [6] performed, he was amazed.
Psalm 129
They Have Afflicted Me from My Youth
A Song of Ascents.

129:1 “Greatly [7] have they afflicted me from my youth”—
let Israel now say—
2 “Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
yet they have not prevailed against me.
3 The plowers plowed upon my back;
they made long their furrows.”
4 The Lord is righteous;
he has cut the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be put to shame and turned backward!
6 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
which withers before it grows up,
7 with which the reaper does not fill his hand
nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
8 nor do those who pass by say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Proverbs 17:1

17:1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting [8] with strife.

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Everyday in the Word: 10 June 2007

1 Kings 7
Solomon Builds His Palace

7:1 Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

2 He built the House of the Forest of Lebanon. Its length was a hundred cubits [1] and its breadth fifty cubits and its height thirty cubits, and it was built on four [2] rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. 3 And it was covered with cedar above the chambers that were on the forty-five pillars, fifteen in each row. 4 There were window frames in three rows, and window opposite window in three tiers. 5 All the doorways and windows [3] had square frames, and window was opposite window in three tiers.

6 And he made the Hall of Pillars; its length was fifty cubits, and its breadth thirty cubits. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

7 And he made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgment, even the Hall of Judgment. It was finished with cedar from floor to rafters. [4]

8 His own house where he was to dwell, in the other court back of the hall, was of like workmanship. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh's daughter whom he had taken in marriage.

9 All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, even from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court. 10 The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. 11 And above were costly stones, cut according to measurement, and cedar. 12 The great court had three courses of cut stone all around, and a course of cedar beams; so had the inner court of the house of the Lord and the vestibule of the house.
The Temple Furnishings

13 And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same. [5] 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice [6] for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates [7] in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth, [8] and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths. [9]

27 He also made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house.

40 Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the Lord: 41 the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, and the two latticeworks to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; 42 and the four hundred pomegranates for the two latticeworks, two rows of pomegranates for each latticework, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; 43 the ten stands, and the ten basins on the stands; 44 and the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

45 Now the pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels in the house of the Lord, which Hiram made for King Solomon, were of burnished bronze. 46 In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. 47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not ascertained.

48 So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the Lord: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, 49 the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; 50 the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and fire pans, of pure gold; and the sockets of gold, for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the Most Holy Place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple.

51 Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.
Acts 7:30-50

30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [10] 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
Psalm 128
Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord
A Song of Ascents.

128:1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord,
who walks in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;
you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
around your table.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord.

5 The Lord bless you from Zion!
May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life!
6 May you see your children's children!
Peace be upon Israel!
Proverbs 16:31-33

31 Gray hair is a crown of glory;
it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the Lord.

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1 Peter 3:15

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

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aN aWesomE eXperience

Many times in my life I believe or make myself believed into something I've learned from other people. I 'go with the flow' as we say. There are also situations in which I don't respond immediately because I know I really don't get the exact point or essence of those. But last Friday, during the church service, I've had revelations from the Lord. Revelation of Himself and talked to me. Though inaudible because I believed the Holy Spirit was the one at work, I felt He communicated to me something that cleared the question that's been troubling me these days. And God let me recall in my mind these verses:

Romans10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are
justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.


Ephesians2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and
this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Because of AM, I must admit, my question on Jesus' deity had been fueled by his non-stop depicting of Jesus' questionable position as being the Lord. To riposte his belief, I researched quite seriously to point out to him that he is wrong. Becoming busy gathering proofs of my belief, I forgot the faith that is one of the factors that saved me from eternal death. The grace of God, His gift of salvation is the reason why He had chosen me to be saved. And without acknowledging His Son's blood at the cross to redeem me from my sins, I will not be saved. Yes, I wrote in one of my posts that I met Christ when I was third year high school, but did I since then did not doubt of His majesty and power to saved me from Hell in where I rightfully belong? I am admitting that I have questions as to the how's and why's of Jesus' and the Bible contains the information I needed. But it is only bounded in my mind, because I just know these things. But did I believed wholeheartedly? I don't want to boast in the eyes of our Lord because even if I don't speak on such matters, I know my heart contains doubts and fears, but then, our Lord is overflowing with grace and mercy that He didn't allow me to forever endure the troubling thoughts inside my head. The answers are in the Bible. God's revelation of Himself is there. And salvation comes when we acknowledge the truth that He laid before us. The trinity is so hard to comprehend with the human mind but it is only by faith we can grasp it. Mystery it is but is there any verse that points out there's no such thing as trinity in the Bible? Many had already tried to oppose the truth but God is at work. He had laid the truth already. Now I know the primary truth, I believed on it with all my mind, heart and soul. There are many things I still ought to learn through the word and push the complacency out of me.

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Every Day In the Word:June 9

1 Kings 5-6
Preparations for Building the Temple

5:1 [1] Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram always loved David. 2 And Solomon sent word to Hiram, 3 “You know that David my father could not build a house for the name of the Lord his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet. 4 But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side. There is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5 And so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord said to David my father, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.’ 6 Now therefore command that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. And my servants will join your servants, and I will pay you for your servants such wages as you set, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

7 As soon as Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.” 8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message that you have sent to me. I am ready to do all you desire in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. 9 My servants shall bring it down to the sea from Lebanon, and I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you direct. And I will have them broken up there, and you shall receive it. And you shall meet my wishes by providing food for my household.” 10 So Hiram supplied Solomon with all the timber of cedar and cypress that he desired, 11 while Solomon gave Hiram 20,000 cors [2] of wheat as food for his household, and 20,000 [3] cors of beaten oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. 12 And the Lord gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. And there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.

13 King Solomon drafted forced labor out of all Israel, and the draft numbered 30,000 men. 14 And he sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in shifts. They would be a month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram was in charge of the draft. 15 Solomon also had 70,000 burden-bearers and 80,000 stonecutters in the hill country, 16 besides Solomon's 3,300 chief officers who were over the work, who had charge of the people who carried on the work. 17 At the king's command they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. 18 So Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the men of Gebal did the cutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.
Solomon Builds the Temple

6:1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord. 2 The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits [4] long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. 3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and ten cubits deep in front of the house. 4 And he made for the house windows with recessed frames. [5] 5 He also built a structure [6] against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around. 6 The lowest story [7] was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

7 When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.

8 The entrance for the lowest [8] story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. 9 So he built the house and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the house of beams and planks of cedar. 10 He built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, 12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon built the house and finished it. 15 He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16 He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place. 17 The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long. 18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen. 19 The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord. 20 The inner sanctuary [9] was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid [10] an altar of cedar. 21 And Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, and he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. 22 And he overlaid the whole house with gold, until all the house was finished. Also the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high. 24 Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. 25 The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. 26 The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. 27 He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house. 28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. 30 The floor of the house he overlaid with gold in the inner and outer rooms.

31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olivewood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided. [11] 32 He covered the two doors of olivewood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers. He overlaid them with gold and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

33 So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olivewood, in the form of a square, 34 and two doors of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. 35 On them he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work. 36 He built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.

37 In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv. 38 And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.
Acts 7:1-29
Stephen's Speech

7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Psalm 127
Unless the Lord Builds the House
A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children [12] of one's youth.
5 Blessed is the man
who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. [13]
Proverbs 16:28-30

28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plans [14] dishonest things;
he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
.

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tALk to mE...

Chris, my bestfriend- best buddy - boyfriend, and I talked last night. I shared to him my thoughts about this friend of mine in the office which I am praying to be won for Christ. Really, I'm serious in praying for Him. But you see, this officemate of mine has an idea of a logical explanation who God is. Much of the officemate, (let's call him 'AM' to refer to him, for easier typing also). Well, I am just talking regarding AM with Chris and I dunno how come he thought that I am facing it by my own, winning AM by my 'own understandng'?



AM indirectly challenges me and encourages me to know the God I believe into in a much deeper level. I am not in a so called logical pursuit of Him, or explain Him, rather explain my belief. I just want to know Him so that when there will come a time that I meet someone who is eager to know our Lord, I could tell this person how great and magnificent our God is! Chris somehow took it as I am 'relying alone on my own understanding' of who God is, what can He do, and how will He work. I am a little offended of what he is trying to say. I am not lacking of faith nor changing the way I see the Lord in a negative way, but I am just trying to improve my relationship with Him.

Yes, I do study doctrinal topics now about the Bible, because I believe I need and I must know these things because I believe on these things!

Well, I got his point. Reality is, there's a small part of me which tells I should study the doctrines so I can have answers on AM's questions. But it's not entirely because of that. OK. Yeah, sorry Lord, for my conceitedness. My heart's content should get rid of even tiny bit of presumptuousness. I don't want my witnessing to AM to be purely doctrinal because we will just argue or even debate on our beliefs which is the least thing I would want to happen.

I think I shall highlight first my relationship to the Lord. I mean, if really I am a believer and a follower of Jesus' examples, I should strive to be better and let people see that what I am talking about are the things that I applied in my life. My life should be a good testimony so that I won't contradict what I tell to people.

To have a deep relationship with the Lord should be like a way to know him and to know how He did things in Godly way and to be eager to follow His examples. Not just only to have a ready answer for someone who has questions about Christ or the Bible, rather, how Jesus change my attitude, my perception, my heart, my whole life!

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ESV Bible Online

Hi peeps! Just came across this website that I find very helpful for the followers of Christ Jesus our Lord to dwell in everyday. The title of the link is Everyday in the Word. I opt to post it here in my blog the daily texts from the Scriptures featured in ESV instead of the RSS Feed alone. Let's say I would love to keep a daily tract of which part of the Bible I already read.

I hope you guys may find it also interesting. I will still continue to post for my daily devotionals as it is still important to speak about how the Word of God communicated to me.

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Every Day In the Word : God's Instructions

1 Kings 2:1-3:3
David's Instructions to Solomon

2:1 When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack [1] a man on the throne of Israel.’. 5 “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging [2] in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war [3] on the belt around his [4] waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty [5] they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”
The Death of David

10 Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon's Reign Established

13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar [6] the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31 The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom

3:1 Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt. He took Pharaoh's daughter and brought her into the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the Lord.

3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places.
Acts 5
Ananias and Sapphira

5:1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you [7] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
Many Signs and Wonders Done

12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Arrested and Freed

17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Psalm 125
The Lord Surrounds His People
A Song of Ascents.

125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore.
3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
on the land allotted to the righteous,
lest the righteous stretch out
their hands to do wrong.
4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
and to those who are upright in their hearts!
5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways
the Lord will lead away with evildoers!
Peace be upon Israel!
Proverbs 16:25

25 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death. [8]
.

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John 8:12

JOHN 8: 12

12Nang magkagayon, nagsalitang muli si Jesus sa kanila. Sinabi niya: Ako ang ilaw ng sanlibutan. Siya na sumusunod sa akin ay hindi lalakad kailanman sa kadiliman. Siya ay magkakaroon ng ilaw ng buhay.

12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."


Following the Light

The scripture is taken from the Book of John in which the chapter is titled ‘The Validity of Jesus’ Testimony’. My aim for today’s devotion is to highlight the 12th verse. The Lord Jesus is proclaiming Himself as the Light of the World. The One who brings the right path towards an eternal life.



First , what does it mean when Jesus said “Light of the World”?

The world, we might say, is the reality going outside and maybe inside our very own home. On the other hand, world that is physical, or the world in its connotative meaning, means the people who are living, including you and I. According to WORDWEB, my fave online dictionary, world means:

• Everything that exists anywhere
• All of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
e.g. his world was shattered"; "we live in different worlds"
• The 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
E.g. "he sailed around the world"
• People in general considered as a whole
• A part of the earth that can be considered separately
e.g. "the outdoor world"; "the world of insects"
• The concerns of this life as distinguished from heaven and the afterlife
e.g. "they consider the church to be independent of the world"
• All of the living human inhabitants of the earth
e.g. "the entire world loves a lover"
• Involving the entire earth; not limited or provincial in scope
e.g. "a world crisis"

The passage is more likely referring to all the living humans on the earth. To support this is His second statement that goes ‘whoever follows me’, pertaining to the people who have his or her own free will to follow the Light. These people who can either choose to remain in the dark or have the Light of life which also means an eternal life. (John 3:16, ‘whoever follows the begotten Son of God will never perish but will have eternal life’.)

How will I apply it in my daily living? Maybe I should answer how to follow Lord Jesus, in the light of my work and situations I am facing right now.

Currently, I am getting somehow bored of my work. I am practically doing nothing, not because I am lazy, but because there’s no so much work to do. Besides, my bosses sometimes ignore my suggestions. So, what am I to do? Argh.

And now I am again thinking, what am I good at? I wish I am in the right place, exerting my efforts on the right company, maximizing my potentials with the pool of excellent people. What am I doing here in this kind of company who doesn’t even value on a professional looking business card? Argh.
I don’t want anymore to grope in the dark… I don’t want to guess or even to mi-ni-mi-ni- mi ni mo my next career move. Please Lord, shed me some light.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Right, I should give God my trust! Wholeheartedly! This is what he instructed me to do! Because I now am starting to doubt what He is planning to do on me, I am, naturally begin to be impatient! Awww.. the natural Ice is getting bored and is quitting… Do I want myself to be called a quitter? Just for my comfort and stability?

I’ve thought of these questions because before this job, I have other offers. And there are zillions of better companies in which I could work for rather than this one. But this is the challenge. Do I really trust my God wholeheartedly to not lean on my own understanding, apprehensions, intellect, reasons, interpretations, perception, realization that He planned for me to where exactly am I???

Wholeheartedly is defined as characterized by unreserved enthusiasm, passion, or commitment. No reservations! With enthusiasm! With passion! With commitment! Passionately, unreservedly, totally, unstintingly, unequivocally, one hundred percent, unswervingly, committedly.

Questions!

1. Do I trust God with a great enthusiasm and also, am I excited in what He’s going to do with my life?
2. Do I trust God with a real passion? Trusting Him alone 100 percent?
3. Am I committed on trusting Him?


If I follow Him, I will never walk in darkness. Why is it I still stumble? Still feel lost and don’t know what to do with my life? Careers to pursue? Priorities to concentrate? Simply because I am not following Him faithfully everyday of my life and because I am not trusting Him wholeheartedly. Yes, I did accept Him to be my Lord and Savior but to the other things in my life, I still cling on those not yet surrendered part of me. Which I think is my impatience and being stubborn and trusting Him only 99 percent. Not 100 percent. Argh!

If I don’t want to feel lost anymore, He has solution with this. Trust Him 100%, don’t let any human, confined and limited mind overshadow things that God can do and He will make my path straight. He will reveal things to me. Clearly. If I will just trust Him and His instructions and don’t doubt, not even a miniscule, He will guide me towards His original plan for me, which is to prosper me, to give me hope and future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

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Weaknesses Part I

Dumadalaw na naman sa akin ang mga negatibong mga kaisipan. Negatibo ba o realidad? Hndi ko na alam. Sabi nila, para daw malaman mo kung ano ka at ang paraan sa kung paano mo ia-asess ang sarili mo, magsimula ka sa mga weaknesses mo... Ano nga ba ang mga weaknesses ko?

1. Antukin.
Ang pahinga daw ay para sa mga taong nahahapo lamang. Hindi naman ako pagod lagi
pero parang feeling ko adik ako sa tulog.

2. Walang Disiplina.
Magse-set ako ng mga rules para sa sarili ko na hindi ko naman nasusunod. Gaya ng
devotion. Arrgh! Sabi nga sa 'Romans 5:3-4

'because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character;
and character, hope. '

... at... okey... wala ng anumang contention and i admit na I'm really wrong and
actually, I know how to start, I know how to be disciplined yet I neglect to do
what is right. Sabi nga ng isang maxim:

“Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a
destiny.”

to be continued...

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wanted: perfect boss!

Boring ang work. Pero sabi nila wag ka ng magreklamo at magpasalamat ka na lamang sa kung anong meron ka ngayon. Actually, grateful naman ako sa work ko. Kaso lang, nalulungkot ako kasi I don't feel productive. Natatapos ang araw na surf lang ako ng surf sa internet. Nalulungkot ako kasi sineswelduhan ako ng malaki para tumambay sa office at tignan ang monitor ng PC ko, at kapag napagod titigan naman ang ceiling. Ang ganda ganda ng office. Oks na oks ang premise ng aming TV network. Kaso hindi patok! Ang prayer request ko na lang po ngayon ay sana magkaroon kami ng Marketing Manager na:


1. sobrang galing mag-lead ng tao
2. May alam talaga sa TV hindi katulad ni unanong Mr. Sunil na mukang m***ac!!! Buti na lang tlga wala na siya dito ngayon!
3. Isang taong na tipong aggressive at magpapaintindi sa aming mga boss na kailangan ng matinding pag-aaral ng Market at isang masusing research para umunlad at magbunga ang isang negosyo, kahit ano pa ito.
4. hindi uubra sa kanya ang pwede na... sana, perfectionist! para matuto naman ako sa kanya.

Ewan ko kung masochista ako, duda ko hindi naman, pero eto talaga ang ideal boss ko.

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cool nitong video nito... bago ng microsoft...

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written by my bestfriend best buddy boyfriend. glory be to the King!

Sa mga mkakatanggap ng sulat na ito, i-print mo ito at ibahagi sa
kapatiran, papurihan ang Panginoon sa pag-kilos nya sa lahat ng dako.

Araw-araw, ibat't ibang bagay ang nararanasan naming dito sa Dubai,
isang lugar na malayo sa piling nyo, kakaiba, kagulat-gulat at minsan
ay malungkot na istorya ang naririnig niyo mula dito, subalit higit sa
mga ito, mayroon ding di mabilang na kuwento ng pagpapala ang hindi pa
naisasalaysay sa inyo. Hayaan niyong simulan ko ang kuwento ng di
natatapos na pagpapala ng Diyos sa buhay namn dito.



Maraming magandang bagay sa Pilipinas, kapag nagsipag ka sa trabaho
siguradong may perang darating sa' iyo. Negosyante man o empleyado,
siguradong makakaraos din ang bawat araw mo. Simpleng simple,
pagkatapos ng nakakapagod na trabaho, okay lang kasi pag-uwi mo,
siguradong may pamilyang nag-aabang para sa'yo at salu-salo kayong
kakain ng hapunan. Kapag Sabado o Linggo, pwedeng gumala at magsimba
kasama ang pamilya… Pwede na… Yan ang sabi ko. Di ko na kailangan
umalis ng bansa, simple lang naman ang kinabukasan na gusto ko. Kaya
lang sa tuwing katapusan, isang araw lang nagiging masaya, nagsisimula
ng humarap sa amin ang Bill ng kuryente at tubig, hindi naman
kalakihan ang nakokonsumo namin, kaya lang halos sakto lang sa
kinikita namin para sa bayarin. Maya't maya ay sinisilip ko ang
lagayan ng pera – unti unting nababawasan, nauubos… Ang buong isang
libong papel kapag nabaryahan na, naku! Siguradong mamaya lang ay ubos
na. Kahit kailan hindi kami pinababayaan ng Panginoon, araw-araw
literal naming nararanasan ang pagkilos ng Panginoon. Isang bagay ang
aking napag-isipan. Tanong ng ilang kakilala at kapamilya… "Hindi ka
ba mag-aabroad?" Yan ang tanong nila. 'Hindi pa po, paghahandaan ko po
muna siguro.' Muli kong sinulyapan ang aking taguan ng pera, kinuha ko
at binilang, wala pang sampung segundo tapos na bilang ko, di man lang
nagtagal. Napaisip ako, mukhang wala akong naiipon, hindi naman ako
maluho o palabili. Halos wala pang isang libo ang naitatabi ko sa
mahigit na pitong buwan ngpagtatrabaho ko. Anong nangyari? San na
napunta sweldo ko? Ahhhhhh! Sweldo ko… Sweldo ko san ka nagpunta?!

Alam ko nung mga panahon na yun di ko man makita ang ipon ko na
inaasahan ko, ang katibayan ng pagpapala ng Panginoon ay nakapaligid
nga pala sa buong bahay namin. Sa pamamagitan ng Panginoon at
pagtutulungan namin ng aking ama't ina at kapatid, TV, Ref, DVD at iba
pa ang nagsilbing paalala ng katapatan ng Diyos sa amin. Kahit kailan
laging naisin ng Panginoon sa atin ay young Da Best, laging yung
pinaka… hindi ko lang alam kung bakit natin pinipili lagi yung simple,
yug pwede na… Buti na lang mabait ang Panginoon dahl higit pa sa
inaasahan natin ang nais niyang ibigay sa atin. Binalikan ko ang
tanong sa akin… 'Wala ka bang balak mag-abroad?' Wala pa yung sagot
ko… Minsan pa nag-isip ako at muling sinulyapan ang ipon… wala pa rin…
Nanalangin, nanalangin at nag-abang. Naikwento ko itong pinag-iisipan
ko kay Aiza (Gf). Kinuwento nya nagbabalak siyang mangibang bansa
upang tumulong sa Ate niya para sa pamilya nila. Naisip ko na lang…
buti pa siya… Makalipas ang ilang araw,naisip ko na bakit hindi pa
kaya ako sumabay sa kanya, pwede naman… kahit saan talaga gumagawa ng
paraan ang Panginoon… Tapos na ang pag-iisip, gusto ko ng mag-abroad,
sa Dubai, excited na ako, pati ama't ina at kapatid ko saka si Aiza
excited na… kaya lang… yung… yung… bulsa ko hindi excited, walang
laman, wala talaga, kaya simula naman ng bagong prayer item… 'Lord,
gawan nyo po ng paraan upang magkaroon ako ng pamasahe at pocket money
papuntang Dubai. Nagsimula akong makarinig ng magagandang kuwento
tungkol sa mga trabaho sa Dubai, ang laki daw ng sweldo sa Dubai,
minsan doble, minsan triple ng sweldo natin sa Pinas. Napakaraming
kuwento rin ng mga di pinalad sa Dubai, mga inabot na ng isang taon
wala pa rng pirmihang trabaho at di makauwi sa Pinas. Hindi katagalan,
sumagot ang Diyos at may nagpahiram sa amin ng pera pamasahe at iba
pang kailangan. Kumilos din ang Panginoon at may tumulong sa akin na
kakilala (ngayo'y kaibigan) sa Dubai, sila ang nag-sponsor sa amin ng
Visa at matutuluyan pagdating sa Dubai. Hanggang sa takdang oras ng
pag-alis ko sa Pinas, sari-sari, kaliwa't kanan ang natanggap kong
tulong mula sa mga kaibigan lalong lalo na sa mga kapamiya ko. Damit,
gamot, pera, at makabuluhang mga paalala at higit sa lahat ang mga
panalangin ng mga pamilya ko sa simbahan (TBC), maging ng ilang mga
malapit na kaibigan sa BAFEM.

Hindi lang maleta ko ang punong puno, maging ang puso ko ay
nag-uumapaw sa lahat ng mga pabaon nyo sa amin.

Sa mga gusto mag-break muna, yung gustong uminom o kumuha ng pagkain o
yung mga naiiihi na, sige break time muna tayo bago ko ikwento ang
pagtungtong namin ng Dubai…

Oh, ano? Tapos na? Ang bilis naman… sige tuloy ko na ang kwento…
Ooppss Teka… sabi ng utak ko ikwento ko muna kung saan ako nanggaling
bago ko pagpatuloy ang sulat na ito. Nakaupo ako ngayon sa kama,
nagpapahinga, kagagaling ko lang sa Kish Island sa Iran, nag-exit ako.
Yan ang tawag pagtapos na yung visit visa mo dito sa Dubai at kukuha
ka na uli ng bagong visa mo for 2 months. Pero sa katulad ko,
nag-exit ako para sa Employment Visa ko. Ibig sabihin, pwede na kong
magwork sa Dubai ng maraming taon. (para ito sa kaalaman ng mga nasa
Pinas). Ayan nasabi ko na, itutuloy ko na ang kwento.

Kahit napanuod ko na ang pelikulang Dubai, at tinitigan ko na ang mga
larawan ng mga taong nagpunta sa Dubai, napakaraming bagay pa rin ang
bumubuo sa imahinasyon ko sa hitsura ng Dubai.

(Mapapansin nyong iba na ang daloy ng kwento ko kumpara sa simula ng
sulat na ito.)

Hongkong muna kami bago Dubai. Wow! Ang laki ng Airport ng Dubai, ang
ganda! Ang lawak! Ang saya… Medyo malungkot, malayo na ako sa walang
katulagd na bayan ko, mahal na Pilipinas. First time ko makasakay ng
eroplano, ang sarap ng feeling, di ko nga lang alam ang lasa. Sa loob
ng airport, may ilang Question and Answer Portion parang sa
Immigration sa Pinas. Isang mabilisang panalangin muna bago ako
humarap sa taga-tanong. Tinanong ako! 'What is your name?' Ayos! Buti
na lang alam ko ang pangalan ko. Tinanong yung address ng titirhan ko…
lagot! Di ko kabisado, idinikta na lang sa akin ng sinundan kong
kaibigan. Okay na, WELCOME TO DUBAI. Gabi yata o madaling araw kami
dumating kaya lang ramdam na namin ang init ng panahon dito. May
sasakyang sumundo sa amin mula sa Airport at hinatid kami sa munting
bahay na kasya ang humigit kumulang na 10 tao. Kumain kami at
nagpahinga. Sumunod na araw, nagmagandang loob ang pinsan ni Aiza na
i-xerox kami ng napakaraming Resume na maari naming ipasa sa mga
Company. (Sa katunayan, inaasahan ko na literal na maikukuha agad kami
ng trabaho, subalit di pala ganun, tutulungan pala kami sa paghahanap
ng trabaho, hindi ikukuha).

Araw-araw masipag nilang ipinapasa ang resume namin sa mga fax numbers
na kinukuha namin mula sa Diyaryo at Phone Directory. Kami naman nila
Aiza ay nagpapasa sa pamamagitan ng e-mail dahil ito ang karaniwang
paraan upang makakuha ng trabaho. Nag-walk-in din kami sa iba't ibang
kompanya sa mga buildings. Makalipas ang isang linggo, makakasiguro
ako na lagpas na sa 100 na kumpanya ang napagpasahan namin ng resume.
Nanalangin kami at naghintay, makalipas ang ilang araw ay nakatanggap
ng isang tawag si Aiza para sa interview. Sumabay na 'kami'(kapatid ni
Aiza na kasama rin naming pumunta ng Dubai) sa kanya at nagpasa sa
kalapit kumpanya. Mga ilang linggo pa ay unti-unti na naming
nakasanayan ang buhay dito, mula sa mga kalye, sakayan, bus, taxi, at
amoy ng mga Indiano (Pana) at Pakistan (Pakistani) na nakakasalubong
namin. Sa mga sumunod pang mga araw may mga ilan pang tawag ang
natanggap ni Aiza para sa interview, mukhang puro sa kanya na lang
yata. Bakit wala pa para sa akin. Sa bagay, Magna Cum Laude nga pala
siya. Sumunod, nagkaroon siya ng interview at agarang pinagsimula for
training, ako wala pa din. Walang nagrerespond sa mga pinasahan ko. Ok
lang mahaba pa naman ang panahon. Sinubukan kong magpasa sa kumpanya
na nagte-training si Aiza, kinabukasan pinag-training din ako
pagkatapos ng maikling interview. After two days, wag na raw akong
magtraining. Si Aiza na lang daw. Balik uli ako sa paghahanap ng
trabaho at pag-aabang ng tawag. Si Aiza naman,kahit may training na,
may mga tumatawag pa rin at nagpapasa pa rin siya ng resume. Ng
puntong ito dala ng aking pagka-inip at pagka-inggit, medyo nainis na
ako sa kanya, ang tingin ko noon sa kanya ay sobrang Bibo, lahat ng
interview pinupuntahan, lahat sinusubukan, kahit may training na sige
pa rin ng sige. Napakapursigido niyang makakuha ng mahusay at
maasahang trabaho. Inggit na inggit ako nun. Nalungkot ako at medyo
nanghina, nawalan ng ganang maghanap g trabaho, wala namang nagrerespond.

Ano bang ginagawa ko dito sa Dubai? Bilang ang bawat araw dito na
walang trabaho, mga araw na unti-unti ng nauubos ang pocket money para
sa dalawang buwan. Tama ba ang desisyon kong magpunta sa Dubai? May
kasiguraduhan ba ang kinabukasan ko dito?

Naalala ko ang bahag ng Bible Study namin sa G3 nila Pastor Erwin, isa
sa mga pinakamusay na desisyon sa buhay ay yung desisyon na hindi
sigurado, walang kumpletong plano, planong hindi plantsado. Madalas sa
atin hindi natin pipiliin ang ganitong klaseng desisyon. Mahirap
mangahas, masyadong illogical gawin ang bagay na di mo alam ang
mangyayari. Sinong tao ang tatalon sa isang balon na hindi mo alam ang
hangganan. Technically, hindi pwede ang ganitong klaseng desisyon,
hindi praktikal. Hindi biro ang humiram ng libo-libong pera at umuwi
sa Pilipinas na butas ang bulsa. Ang desisyonh pinili ko, alam kong
alam ninyo na, na di ito lubusang sigurado. Subalit alam na alam ko na
sa butas kong desisyon, may malaking lugar ang Panginoon para
kumilos., gumawa at ipamalas ang walang tigil niyang pagpapala. Ito
ang mahusay na desisyon na maaring kumilos ang Panginoon, sa ating
Pananalangin at pagtitiwala sa Kanya, makakaasa kang ang kinabukasan
mo at ng pamilya mo ay hawak Niya. At bakit nga ba ako malulungkot?
Bakit ako manghihina? Sabi ng pangako ng Diyos, 'Tumawag ka at
diringgin kita, at aking ipapamalas sa iyo ang mga bagay na higit pa
sa inaasahan mo'. Mula sa Pinas, baon namin ang panalangin ng buong
simbahan maging sa mga taga-Bafem may nanalangin, pati aking pamilya.
Sabihin mo sa akin, sinong tatalo sa kapangyarihan ng ating Panginoon.
Pagkatapos mabuksan ang isip ko, kinabukasan nakatanggap ako ng tawag
para sa isang interview. Yehey!! Eto na 'to!Kinuha ko yung address at
pinuntahan ko. Sa interview, british ang nakausap ko sa Advertising
Company. Kaya lang 10 years experience daw ang hanap nila. Tinignan
niya ang ilan sa mga gawa ko, di niya type, parang baguhan daw. So
iyon ang unang interview ko. Ok lang. Mabait naman siyang magsalita at
marahan niyang sinabi… 'you're not the one we're looking for…
goodbye…' Pagkalabas ng building, may tumawag sa akin na intereview
daw. Ngayon na agad. Nang tinanong ko yung lugar, hindi ko alam. Medyo
malayo yata. sabi ko tomorrow na lang. Pumayag naman para daw
makapagtanong ako paano pumunta dun. Kinabukasan nakabihis na ko at
paalis nam tumawag ang mag-iinterview at sinabing wala daw ang
pinaka-mag iinterview sa akin. Nasa Singapore daw at nasa meeting. So
sabi niya next week na lang daw. After 30 minutes, di na siya
nakapagpigil, tinawagan niya ako at siya na daw ang mag-iinterview sa
akin. Muli akong nagbihis at nagdala ng Resume. Oo, ako ang may dala
ng resume, wala siyang kopya ng resume ko at di ko alam kung paano
niya nalaman ang cellphone number ko. Pagdating sa interview, masaya
siya. Tinanong ako kung ako kung ano ang dati kong trabaho, at kung
paano ako nagtatrabaho, sinagot ko ang tanong niya at maya maya
tinanong niya ako kung marunong daw akong tumugtog ng instrumento.
Sabi ko marunong, keyboards at drums. Sabi niya nakita daw niya ang
blog ko sa internet (parang small website) at nakita niya na member
ako ng prais team. (www.portfolio.dave.blogspot.com) sab ko lang Yes.
Pagkatapos nun tinanong ako kung handa akong iwanan ang pag-dedesign.
Sabi ko, ito ang pinakahilig ko pero handa naman akong sumubok ng mga
bagong bagay. Ilalagay daw nya ako sa Marketing Department. Tinanong
niya ako ng inaasahan kong salary, sinabi ko na gusto ko yung gusto ko
at tinapatan niya ng higit pa sa expected ko. Bago matapos ang
interview, magsimula na daw ako ng training for 1 week. Sobrang iba sa
alam kong trabaho pero may mga ilang design pa rin akong ginagawa.
Pagkalipas ng ilang araw, nalaman ko na lang na Born Again pala yung
boss ko, naririnig ko siyang kumakanta ng Christian Song, tinanong ko
kung bakit alam nya yon, sabi nya bakit hindi, 'eh Born Again ako'.
Nang dumating yung pinaka-boss, ininterview uli ako at finally,
official na akong tinanggap sa company. Ng sumunod na araw, pumirma na
ako ng contract. MAY TRABAHO NA 'KO! Sobra ang saya ko, nagpunta na
agad ako sa CR at duon nanalangin.

Mula ng dumating ako sa Dubai, regulatr akong nagsisimba sa Christian
Church. Minsan, nakasalubong ko yung pinaka-boss ko sa company sa may
hagdan ng simbahan. Christian din pala siya, Deacon ng simbahan.
Nagkakuwentuhan kami at masaya siya para sa akin. Balak daw niyang
magkaroon ng Bible Study sa opisina.

Walang katulad mgpala ang Panginoon. Pag nagbuhos Siyam tuloy tuloy.
Dahil sa Marketing Department ako naka-assign, ayon sa contract, ang
position ko sa Company ay Marketing Coordinator, next to the Marketing
Manager. Halos nabisita ko na ang karamihan sa mga major malls in
Dubai, maging sa mga mall sa Abu Dhabi nakapunta na din ako. Major
distributor kasi ng MATTEL toys ang company namin. Toys gaya ng
Barbie, Matchbox, Hotwheels, Power Ranger at iba pa. Itong buwan ng
May ay nagkaroon kami ng Events na Power Ranger Show sa mga malls.
Dalawa sa mga show na ito ay ako ang naging HOST. Sa tulong ng
Panginoon, na-impress lahat ng mga katrabaho maging ang pinaka-bossing
namin. Sabi nila, 'I'm proud of you…'

Hindi ito ang inaasahan kong buhay sa Dubai, di ko inakala na
pagpapalain ako ng sobra. Nag-exit ako sa Iran upang palitan ng
Employment Visa yung Visit Visa k. Napunta ako sa pangit na hotel ng
una, marumi, sira-sira, subalit pinakita lang pala ng Panginoon yon.
Kinabukasan, nalipat ako sa isa sa pinakamagandang hotel sa Iran, at
napakabilis ko na nakuha ang New visa ko. Nandito na uli ako sa Dubai,
patuloy na namamangha sa kadakilaan ng ating mapagmahal na Ama.

Itong kwentong ito ang dapat na malaman niyo dahil ito ang ginagawa ng
Diyos sa buhay namin dito. Marami pang di sguradong mga bagay ang
haharapin ko dito, pero handa na ako, walang tatalo sa Panginoong
Hesu-Kristo.

Sa Panginoon ang lahat ng papuri

Chris

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