Falling Into Place

“I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness." John 12:46

Thank you Lord, that my personal journey with you, (more like an adventure!) IS filled with light! I am surrounded by joy, peace, love...sounds like an ideal life, doesn't it? I have had my share of challenges, mostly health issues, like Pemphigus Vulgaris, Pulmonary Embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Thalassemia, and now Pulmonary Hypertension and Osteoporosis. 

But because I believe in Jesus, I live in the light of His presence.

Jesus reassures us that when we know Him, when we are His sheep, “No one can take you out of my hand." (John 10:28)

Thus I am confident that any trial I undergo, any challenge I have to hurdle, is all going to make me into the best Patsy I can be!!! Just as He's committed to making you the best you, you can be! 

And that’s why I can also say confidently, God is committed to our country. Any setback we have at present may seem like an insurmountable mountain, but it is only a stepping stone to a better place. Yesterday, my profile picture was black, but after praying, I realized, I am not in mourning. There is a new day coming for us. It will take time, but God is on our side. As the saying goes, “Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place.” 

New Creature

‘What God has made clean, you are not to call profane.’ Acts 11:9

All of us have pet peeves. Someone asked me, "Would you allow a man covered with tattoos to lead worship?" And I said yes I would! I used to go to QC Jail every week, and almost all the men had tattoos, and they prayed and lead worship all the time. Then there's my friend who hates bad grammar and one who even made a song about it. I was thinking that God does not have pet peeves about people. If someone came up to Him and wanted to be His friend, He would accept him. God would make him a new creation.

One of my favorite conversion stories is about the youngest Baldwin, Stephen. Stephen has 18 tattoos, and he was known as the "dumb jock of Hollywood" because of all the, well, dumb things he said and did. In his book, "The Unusual Suspect", he writes of "snorting enough cocaine to throw the entire population of a small South American country into anaphylactic shock." But he and his wife Kennya are now born again Christians and he is an evangelical Christian youth minister. In one interview he claimed, "It's real, it's changed my life, it's transformed my heart, I'm not who I was," Baldwin says. "No longer … do I feel the pressure of, 'how fancy are my shoes? Or what kind of car am I driving? Or how much money do I make?' None of that matters to me anymore … I'm having a daily experience with the spirit of God that's more priceless than anything I've experienced before."

 How did it start? When Kennya was pregnant, the couple hired Augusta, a Brazilian cleaning woman, because Kenya was from Brazil and that's what you do with a baby on the way. Kenya noticed that Augusta was always singing about Jesus and she asked, "Why is every song about Jesus?" And Augusta burst with laughter. "What's so funny?" Kenya asked and Augusta replied, "Quite frankly, I think it's a little bit funny that you think I'm here to clean your house!!!" The story came out that Augusta had a dream about Stephen and his little family. Before she accepted the job, she prayed with her pastor and some church members, and she was told in prophetic word that if she went to work for them, the couple would become believers and be involved in ministry. Now if I had been Augusta, would I have believed that was possible? I would be plenty skeptical! But God had a plan, and He used a Brazilian nanny to reach Stephen and his wife. 

It is God's desire to make us all new creations in Him! It does not matter if we are covered in tats, leprous wounds, or if the wounds are in our heart. God wants us, and He will use a Brazilian nanny, a life threatening disease, a TV show, whatever.

No One Can Take Them

“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:27-30

I know many are anxious today because of tomorrow’s election. Hopefully we will know in the next few days who will lead us for the next six years. Our choice of President is so supremely important, not only because of the havoc the pandemic has wreaked on our economy and education but the innumerable problems we face as a nation- corruption, rising prices of food and gasoline, the drug war, political killings, human rights, social inequality, etc. 

My friend Gege Sugue wrote, “One of my nagging thoughts is that VP Leni kept on pushing the H2H activity, not just to campaign and win, but for many of us to see the laylayan communities we merely talked about but have never seen, felt, smelled, touched.” In my parish and prayer community, many volunteers visited the poorer areas to talk to the people, some held parties, kid’s activities, lugawans, etc. The people were asking, “Kailan kayo babalik?” (“When are you coming back?”) I am sure this happened all over the Philippines and it would be nice if it could continue, to forge relationships, to see what can be done to help, not to give dole-outs, but to really help. We are a creative and generous people if only we had someone to lead and inspire us. 

If VP Leni loses the election, I cannot help but feel that it is because we have failed as a people to see ourselves as one body. We rise and fall as a people. We cannot have very rich people lording it over us with entitlement, who don’t get jailed even if they have stolen billions, and so many impoverished people who do not have a voice. Some get imprisoned just for stealing bread. Others cannot take care of their own children but have to go abroad and take care of foreigners’ children. Many teachers leave the country and become maids abroad because the pay is better. I know of families who have been relocated. The mother was left with the children in their “new home”, but because the father had to stay nearer his job, he started another family there! The list of heartbreaks of our people is endless. 

We must take comfort in the Lord’s words, that no one can take us out of the palm of His hand. He will never abandon us. Whatever happens in the days to come, the Lord will fight for us, we need only to trust Him. The battle is the Lord’s! But we also need to work harder to see Jesus in the poor the way God wants us to, and to lift them up as the brothers and sisters they are to us. 

Rise Up!

“Tabitha, rise up.” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. Acts 9:40

St. Peter raised Tabitha, one of the women disciples in Joppa,  from the dead. Can this happen today? 

Smith Wigglesworth was a simple man, a plumber, who became an influential preacher in the early history of Pentecostalism. He was a very boring preacher but he converted thousands to Jesus Christ and healed many people who came to his rallies. His secret was prayer and reading the Word of God. The Bible was all he read. When Lester Sumrall, an American preacher, visited him several times as a young man, he said that all they did was read the Word for 30 minutes, then pray for 30 minutes, then repeat that until it was time for a meal. 

Sometimes we do not have anything but faith, but all the time, faith is more than enough. The problem is we have little faith. Even the apostles had little faith! Jesus got frustrated with them many a time, saying, “Oh ye of little faith!” (Matthew 8:26) Sometimes we grow up with a lot of religion, but too little Word of God. We only hear it in mass or service on Sundays. The thing is “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) So the more we hear, the more faith we will have. 

If we take the time to do that, I am confident our faith will never run out and miracles will follow us. One day, Smith Wigglesworth was talking and praying with a man with two stumps for feet. Smith insisted that he get fitted for shoes. So the man went to a shoe store and asked for a size 8 pair of black shoes. The clerk got a pair and handed it to him after saying he won’t be able to wear it. When the man put one of the stumps into the right shoe, a foot filled the shoe. When he put his left stump, a left foot filled the shoe. 

Now many of us are going to think, “I don’t believe it!” We need to feed our spirits with the Word of God so we will be like Smith Wigglesworth who after a half day of praying, was said to have raised a dead woman to life! Faith comes by hearing the Word of God!

Why Do You Persecute Me?

"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" Acts22:7

 

I wonder how many times Saint Paul told his conversion story, and to how many people? It was certainly dramatic, and did not need any embellishing. How many people were spellbound and turned to God because of listening to him? What marked him as a man that God wanted on His side? Perhaps it was his passion and bravery. Whatever he did, he did with conviction. God doesn't want us to be lukewarm, sitting on the fence, waiting to see which side will win. I am sure if he was alive today, Saint Paul would not be intimidated by his enemies. 

Saul never saw Jesus, never touched Him, never knew Him. Yet Jesus accused, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Jesus was the man Saul arrested, had chained and scourged. Jesus was the woman Saul had dragged into prison. Jesus is the security guard we talk harshly to. Jesus is the child on the street we do not care to see. Jesus is the family with no place to call home. Jesus is the child in the womb with no voice we do not fight for. 

 

Lord, how many times have I, like Saint Paul, persecuted You? Open my eyes, like You opened Saul's, and make me see what I can do for You and Your beloved people. 

Finding Jesus in the Old Testament

“Do you really grasp what you are reading?" "How can I," the man replied,"unless someone explains it to me?" Acts 8:30-31

Philip was one of the seven men, along with Stephen, who were chosen to distribute bread to the widows and the community. Like Stephen, it was important to him, not only to give bread, but also to share the bread of life. In this chapter of Acts, he is instructed by an angel to go to the desert. There he meets an Ethiopian eunuch, a treasurer of the Queen of that country. This man was reading from the Book of Isaiah: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, ​​​​and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, ​​​​​so he opened not his mouth. ​In his humiliation justice was denied him. ​​​​Who will tell of his posterity? ​​​​​For his life is taken from the earth.”

Philip asked him if he understood. “How can I unless someone explains it to me?" the man answered. Philip then showed him how this passage was about Jesus. Sprinkled throughout the Old Testament are passages like this that illuminates Jesus. In Luke 24:27, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus told Cleopas and another of His followers, what was said in the Scriptures about Himself. He began from Moses and the Prophets, and it was so fascinating that they asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

If we take the time to search the Old Testament for those passages Jesus talked about , it will be like finding living water in the desert!

Bread of Life

“I am the bread of life...” John 6:35

It is no surprise that after Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fishes, and fed the five thousand until they were satisfied, crowds would follow Him. They would even get into a boat in search of Him. If that happened here in the Philippines today, I have no doubt that Jesus would have no moment’s peace. There would be people knocking on His door at night, creeping up to Him as He prayed in solitude, dogging His every step, trying to touch Him. All that for bread that would be moldy and smelly after a few days.

Jesus offers more, so much more than that. He says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Never is an “absolute”. Never means not in the past, not in the future, not under any circumstance. Only God can promise never, as only God can promise forever. We know we can depend on Jesus keeping His promises of forever because He rose from the dead. His claims that He is the bread of life, of everlasting life even, rise and fall on the truth of His resurrection. 

The truth we celebrate this Easter season is the linchpin of our Christian faith, the very heart of our faith. As Saint Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins” (v. 17).

Lord, may I not be satisfied with the bread this world offers, no matter its claims. May I hunger and thirst only for what You can give me! 

Show Us the Father

“Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” John 14:8

My sister and her husband went on a pilgrimage through one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago in 2019. The Way of St. James as it is known in English, is a huge network of pilgrims' ways that leads to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. Tradition has it that the remains of Saint James the Great are buried there.

The scallop shell, found on the shores of Galicia, came to symbolize the way, and can be found in hundreds of posts and signs along the Camino as one walks or bikes the trails. The pilgrims look for the shell printed in yellow on a blue background to know for certain they have not lost their way.

We may not know it, but we are each on a pilgrimage. We may be comfortable where we are but we do not belong here. We are all taking our own route to our forever home. So we should also look for signs along the way, to make sure we are not lost. Just as Philip asked Jesus, “Master, show us the Father,” we too should be looking for our Father along the way. Jesus answered Philip, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

Those who walk the Camino also carry the scallop shell, or the Vieira, along with them on their journey. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

I am reminded of Steve Green’s beautiful song which goes: 

“We're pilgrims on the journey on the narrow road

And those who've gone before us line the way

Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary

Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses

Let us run the race not only for the prize

But as those who've gone before us

Let us leave to those behind us

The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives”

The only way we will leave a heritage of faithfulness, is by looking to Jesus and following Him.

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Face of an Angel

“Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 6:8

St. Stephen is the first martyr and was stoned to death because the Jews got infuriated with the wisdom of his words! The members of the Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyreneans, Alexandrians, people from Cilicia and Asia tried to debate with him but they were no match for him for he was filled with the Holy Spirit. So what did they do? They concocted fake news about him, saying he blasphemed against Moses and God. They seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin, presenting false witnesses against him.  Was St. Stephen worried, or frightened? No. All who looked upon him saw the face of an angel. 

This reminds me of what many have said of Mother Teresa. Sometimes when we see Mother Teresa of Calcutta in pictures, she looks like an old crone. But my cousin said, when she saw the Albanian nun up close, she was beautiful. Some journalists have also attested to this. “The saints are the luminous reflection and attractive witness of the singular beauty of Christ, beauty of infinite love of God who gives Himself and makes Himself known to men.” (From “The Via Pulchritudinis”, 2006)

St. Stephen is an example of an ordinary man who did extraordinary things because 

he followed Jesus day by day. He just started out as a "waiter", as he was appointed a deacon by the early church. His job was to serve food to the widows and orphans, and I suppose help the apostles with other lowly duties.

Let us stay close to Jesus, and go about our daily tasks with a heart full of praise and thanksgiving. We too can be ordinary people doing extraordinary things if we keep our hearts focused on the Lord! We too can be a reflection of the beauty of Christ! 

Do You Love Me?

“Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” John 21:15,16,17

Simon went fishing with the other disciples and they caught nothing all night. They returned at dawn only to find Jesus standing at the beach, but they couldn’t recognize Him. When Jesus told them to throw out the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and they followed, they could not draw in the net as it was too heavy with fish. 

When they recognized Jesus, the Risen Lord, Simon jumped into the water and swam to shore. After breakfast of newly caught fish and bread, Jesus asked Peter, “Simon, do you love Me?” Peter answered without hesitation, “Yes, Lord, You Know I love You.” Jesus then instructed him, “Then feed my lambs.” Jesus then repeated the same question two more times, giving Peter the chance to overcome his guilt of denying Jesus three times.  Guilt can be paralyzing, can make us feel unworthy before God, and perhaps this was the reason Peter abandoned the mission Jesus gave and went back to fishing. 

We all profess to love the Lord. Sometimes we fall short. Sometimes we deny Him, not only with our words but our actions. Like Peter, Jesus does not give up on us. He continues to woo us, to invite us to show that we love Him. How? We can show we love Jesus by caring for and feeding His lambs, His sheep, His beloved people. We can feed the poor, visit the imprisoned when it becomes possible, pray for the sick, support livelihood projects, fight for justice for those with no voice, etc. So many ways to show Jesus we love Him. This should be a very important mission for us. After all, at the end of our time here on earth, the Lord will separate those who helped the poor, the sick, the prisoners, from those who did not, to bring them into Paradise. 

“I assure you when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!” (Matthew 25:40)

Stand for Truth

“Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power..." Acts 6:8

Saint Stephen was the first martyr of the Catholic faith. His story is short but very dramatic. When the Church was growing, there were some complaints that some widows were not getting their share of food. It was decided that the disciples would preach the Word, and seven men would be chosen to take care of food distribution. One of these men was Stephen. In Acts 6:8, Stephen is said to have performed "amazing miracles and signs". You would think more would have been written about this, but it is just one line, as if this was quite ordinary among the disciples of Jesus.

Apparently Stephen did not merely distribute bread to the members of the Church, or he would not have gotten himself into a whole lot of trouble. Jews from all over would debate with him, and he would be able to defend the faith with wisdom. Some men lied about what he said, and he was brought before the Sanhedrin. In John chapter 6, Jesus told the crowds to "NOT work for perishable food but for food that will last unto eternal life." Stephen made sure to follow what Jesus said. Even before the Sanhedrin, he spoke with conviction, filled with the Holy Spirit, about God's plan through the ages. This infuriated the Jewish leaders and they dragged Stephen out of the city and stoned him. This does not happen today. But are we brave enough to stand up for truth, even if we will get stoned with criticism or censure? Do we make sure what we say is backed by facts and the decisions we make are based on truth, and not by disinformation or even malinformation? Are we willing to spread God's Word in a skeptical world, in the middle of a group of friends who would ridicule us, perhaps? 

Easter Faith

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” John 6:9

I am sure many of us are praying for a miracle. I certainly am, and I am pestering God night and day for a miracle for my brother to get healed, and for a change for good in our country. Sometimes we do not see, even if God is already giving us a miracle. For my brother, many doctors have already told him, “We don’t know why you are still alive.” When there is life, there is hope, while he is trying another protocol.

For our country, I am constantly amazed at the unfolding signs around us. It took one woman to say yes to God’s call after she prayed and discerned. I am sure it was an extremely difficult decision. But I think she had God’s promise that if she made a stand, others would stand with her. And true enough, many are making a stand, many are contributing with zeal and passion whatever they can to what has become a peoples’ campaign. 

Like the little boy with five barley loaves and two fish, we give what we have into the Lord’s hand for His blessing. And lo and behold, it multiplies! So many volunteers preparing lugawans in street corners, baking pink bread to give away, putting stickers on water bottles and pink biscuit packs to hand out to riders. We buy collaterals with our own money, bimpos for tricycle drivers, aprons for market vendors, arm sleeves for riders, tarps, caps and tshirts and of course fans and leaflets to give out during house to house campaigns and walking rallies. In my parish, they have story telling activities for children and their parents, where they give out prizes for the correct answers to questions. They have dancing contests as well. So much inventiveness in this crusade. 

How I marvel at the inspiration and creativity that has been unleashed in the recent few months. It’s like a renaissance of the arts! Poems, paintings, sculptures, murals, graphic design elements generously given free to use, books, and songs! So many beautiful songs! And wonderful artists collaborating and sharing their gifts so willingly without asking for anything in return. Even if I’m not really into rock bands and singers, I’m delighted that there’s a growing interest in OPM. And how about those rallies which start out by a call for donations because there’s no political machinery to set it up? 

We see a glimpse of how beautiful our country can be when we are generous, and kind, and willing to part with our time, talent and treasure because we love our country and have hope for the future. Father, how good You are to us! Thank You for the “Easter faith” You put in our hearts to see the work You are doing in our midst. 

Obey God

“Better for us to obey God than man!” 

Acts 5:29

Many people today obey man rather than God for different reasons- expediency, political correctness in the name of tolerance, money, popularity, convenience, selfishness, etc. The apostles were different. Even in the face of death, arrest, or jail, they stood their ground.  “We must obey God rather than men!” Where did they get their courage and strength?

They knew Jesus, they were witnesses, and they had the helper Jesus sent, the Holy Spirit. Sometimes people think it is easier to follow the ways of the world. An unwanted child in the womb? Get rid of it. A tax problem? Give grease money. Caught in dilemma? Lie. Lie. Lie. Follow the path of least resistance. It is not easy to obey God’s laws. That is what the world wants us to think. But that is only when God is out of the equation. 

God is bigger than our problems, our dilemmas, any trouble facing us. I confess that I can be anxious about even the most absurd things, but sometimes it is not absurd at all, like a few months into the pandemic when we realized it was not going to end soon.

One of our employees was telling us yesterday that her friends would ask her what will happen to our business. It will probably close because we are not selling essential items. But our staff said she held on to God’s faithfulness, knowing He will take care of us. She quoted from Matthew 5:45, “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” It is only when we stop worrying and go back to God’s promises that we can relax. 

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6) “With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). 

Like the Apostles, we can know Jesus by reading about Him, talking to Him and listening to Him, and following His wise ways. And with the Holy Spirit, we can be victorious and obey Him rather than men.

God’s Love

“God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” John 3:16

The story of the prophet Hosea is amazing. The Talmud, the central text of Rabbinic Judaism, of which the Torah is part, calls Hosea the greatest prophet of his generation. And he is the only Jewish prophet who left any written prophecy.

What is amazing is God told him, this shy bachelor, to marry this beautiful woman Gomer. But God also told him that she would be unfaithful. In spite of that, Hosea, like any obedient prophet, went and wooed Gomer, loved her, and had three children with her. It went downhill after that because she left him for a succession of men. He had to rescue her from slavery and bought her at an auction for fifteen pcs. of silver and a bushel of barley!

This story of a love so great and forgiving foreshadows the story of God's love for us.

God is always asking us to return to Him. In spite of our sins and unfaithfulness, God says to us, "Return to me, your sins have been your downfall. But only return and ask me to forgive your sins, and I will heal your waywardness and love you freely. I will turn away my wrath and be like dew to you. You will blossom and bear fruit." (Hosea 14:2-10)

"That is the story of the Bible isn't it? At Bethlehem God entered the slave market  where the whole human race was putting itself up for auction, prostituting itself and its humanity to a cheapened life. But on the cross the Lord Jesus paid the price, the full price for our freedom, and bought us back. This is the story of God's love and God's heart -- His loving desire to make of His people the full persons He intended them to be." (Ray Stedman) 

“I took you in my arms; I drew you with cords of kindness, love and compassion...my heart is overwhelmed..." (Hosea 11:3,8)

This is God saying He loves us, He loves us, He loves us!!! It's a crazy love, an unimaginable love! Imagine a billionaire saying he would exchange his magnificent mansion for our hovel, his unlimited bank account for our meager savings. The Great Exchange! And it has already been offered to us!

Jesus says to us, "I'll take your poverty and give you My riches. I'll take your sin and trade it for My righteousness. I came into your decaying world to give you eternity!"

Son of Encouragement

“There was a certain Levite from Cyprus named Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (meaning 'son of encouragement')." Acts 4:36

What's in a name? This man Joseph must have been a real encourager to merit a change of name from the apostles! Sometimes God changes names in the Bible, but it's because of a future mission, like Simon to Peter (the Rock), or Abram to Abraham (father of many nations), Sarai to Sarah (Mother of many nations), Jacob to Israel (having power with God), etc. The name change had something to do with what God would make of that person. But in the case of Barnabas, the apostles called him Barnabas because of what Barnabas already was. He embodied the spirit of encouragement.

 After Saul was converted to the Christian way, and others were still skeptical about him, and avoided him, it was Barnabas who befriended and defended him. (Luke 9:26-27) He really gave Paul a chance to grow in leadership as he asked Paul to co-pastor with him in Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26) Paul and Barnabas undertook many missionary journeys. Barnabas also sold his land and gave the money to the apostles to distribute to those in need. Barnabas also liked giving people another chance, he didn't give up on them. Although Paul did not want to work with John Mark again as he had deserted them in a missionary journey, Barnabas insisted he would go with John Mark to Cyprus after a sharp disagreement with Paul. This only shows saints aren't perfect! These are real people who get disappointed, who need to work through disagreements, and fail in some way or another. And that's why we need encouragers like Barnabas!

Let's work towards a Barnabas spirit of encouragement! The Church needs more people to build others up, and bring out the best in others!

Prowling Lion

“Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

Not many people believe in the devil today, and that is exactly what this wily enemy wants. He wants us to scoff, “What? The devil? That fictional character our parents used to scare us with?” The more he is hidden in the dark, the more powerful he is. That is where he thrives, in darkness. He likes to manipulate our thoughts, and win in the battle for our minds. 

I read this true story of a man who got stuck in a refrigerator car when all his factory mates went home to celebrate a birthday. He got frantic while pounding on the walls because he believed the refrigerator car was plugged in and he would freeze to death. When he was found the next day, sure enough, the hospital report concluded he died from freezing. The odd thing was the refrigerator car was not even connected to the power supply.

The mind is a powerful thing and the devil knows how to manipulate it. I remember when my late brother-in-law, Jing, used to tell me that thoughts are like a mad dog. If you let it just roam free, it will go all over the place and can wreak destruction. We have to rein it in right away, and keep the leash tight. If we are anxious, depressed, or confused, we should not let our minds wander into places that will makes us even more morose. The Bible says, “Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

It is the Lord!

“It is the Lord!” John 21:7

After Jesus’ death, Simon Peter decided to go back to his fishing. This shows me that he was not yet aware of what Jesus wanted him to do. Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two other disciples went to go fishing with him as well. But they caught nothing, zilch.

Despondent, they rowed back to shore and caught sight of Jesus but they did not recognize Him. “Children, did you catch any fish?” When they answered no, Jesus told them, “Throw out the net on the right-hand side of the boat and  you’ll get plenty of fish.” They obeyed and went back to shore. 

John was the first to recognize Jesus. “It is the Lord!” He cried. It was curious to me that they had obeyed Jesus even when they did not know who He was. They were that desperate. They got a big catch. That was a miracle in itself because how could they find so much fish in shallow water? Another curious thing about this story is that when Jesus asked for the fish, only Peter dragged the net from the boat to the shore. They had caught 153 large fish and yet the net was not broken. 

This event is clearly a foreshadowing of the work of Jesus’ followers. We are called to be fishers of men. We will only be successful even in the shallow water of our own inadequacies, if we follow His leading as the disciples did. The net is a symbol of God’s church and the 153 counted fish? We are each, everyone one of us, counted, important, precious in God’s eyes. 

Peter alone dragged the net to Jesus because Peter had a special role to lead the fledgling Church. After the meal of bread and fish, Jesus told Peter to take care of and feed His sheep. The people Jesus chose to start His Church show me that God does not choose the best and the brightest. He doesn’t select great speakers, or even the nicest people. They all had faults and weaknesses but they were willing to rely on Him and follow Him. If we are willing to do that, He will use us. 

Believe

“Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!” John 20:27

We could read this as, “Do not perish in your unbelief, but believe.” Let us put ourselves in Saint Thomas’ shoes, or as he is most commonly called, “Doubting Thomas”. When he was told by the disciples that they had seen Jesus, he adamantly proclaimed the famous line, “Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 

Thomas was not at the crucifixion but he certainly heard all the gruesome details from an eyewitness. The imprint of the nails, and the piercing of the sword at the side of Jesus became so concrete to him, that not even the testimony of the disciples that they saw the risen Lord, convinced him that Jesus was alive! How about us? What keeps us from believing in the power of Jesus to change lives and hearts, transform circumstances for our good and perform miracles? 

In Matthew 13:58, we see that Jesus was not able to perform many miracles in His hometown because His neighbors were skeptical. Perhaps we are too much like Jesus’ neighbors. We grew up with all the Bible stories. They are too familiar to us. We are not new believers, excited and eager to delve deeper into the Word, to dig into the truth.  

How do we get out of this mindset? I think it is as easy as asking Jesus to reveal Himself in a new way to us. Just as Jesus showed Himself to Thomas, and said, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing,” He can reveal Himself to us in a unique way. 

If we just open up a little, and allow Jesus in, He will meet us where we are. 

They Refused to Believe

 "...they refused to believe it." Mark 16:11

The writer of the Gospel of Mark is John Mark, who traveled with the apostle Paul. When he settled in Rome, he wrote down Peter's recollections of Jesus' life. The last chapter of his writings are a short summary of what happens after Jesus' death, 

starting from when the women discover the empty tomb. The disciples did not believe Mary Magdalene when she delivered the news that Jesus was alive. Neither did they believe Cleopas and his companion when they reported seeing Jesus on the way to Emmaus.

Jesus then appeared to them and rebuked them for their disbelief- “their stubborn refusal to believe". Do you think Jesus is frustrated with the disciples here? Disappointed? Is He thinking they are hopeless? He can't depend on them? That they can't be trusted with the mission He wants to give them?

On the contrary, right after rebuking them, He says, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to everyone, everywhere." I can imagine Jesus being frustrated with a lot of us! We are being given so much! We are entrusted with so much treasure in His Word. What do we do with it? But then I know, because I see it in my own life, that no matter how much I fail, Jesus never gives up on me. He still gives and gives and gives! Every day, He opens up His treasure chest. And every day, we just need to be still, listen, and trust in His Holy Spirit to help us accomplish the mission He has for each of us. 

God Cares

"What is man that You should be mindful of him?" Hebrews 2:5

According to the United Nations the current world population is estimated at 7.9 billion as of April 2022 with the Philippines contributing 112,321,991 people to that number as of January this year.

How can we say then that God minds each one of us, loves each one as if there is only one of us to love? Does He really? 

Beth Moore, a preacher, likes to tell the story about when she was in a crowded airport hall and a stewardess came in, pushing a man in a wheelchair. His hair was long and scraggly, and he was just a sight that everyone followed their progress. Beth heard God say that He wanted her to brush his hair. She was quite adamant at first and didn't want to obey, but God was persistent. So eventually she went over and asked the man in a whisper if she could have the honor of brushing his hair. He couldn't hear very well so she had to repeat her question several times until the whole hall could hear, and he said yes. She had to find his hair brush in his bag because she didn't have one. It took some time before all the tangles of his matted hair became smooth. Then she got up, kneeled down in front of him, saw his tears, and asked, "Sir, do you know Jesus?”

"Yes I do. My bride said I would have to know Jesus before she'd marry me so I read the Bible and I got to know Jesus. But I've been in the hospital a long time and now I'm going home to my bride, and I thought that I must look a terrible mess and was feeling sad because I couldn't brush my hair by myself. Thank you so much. Thank you." By this time a lot of people, including the stewardess had tears running down their faces. 

Yes, God cares. He cares about what we care about. It's mind boggling to think that God would care about one man in 7.9 billion people, that He sent Beth to untangle his hair so he would feel he was presentable to see his bride. 

Lord, I know You care about me. I don't want to take for granted all the times You take care of me!