Saturday, July 31, 2021

SKEWERED

Image credit: https://www.integrify.com
Are you ready for this?

“Bacon May Disappear in California as Pig Rules Take Effect,” headline.

Animal welfare organizations for years have been pushing for more humane treatment of farm animals but the California rules could be a rare case of consumers clearly paying a price for their beliefs,” per recent Yahoo news.

The state will in a few months enforce a law requiring “more space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves”. It seems the entire poultry industry has already been compliant; but most hog raisers are not.

Sorry, pork might soon just be a figment of your foodie fantasies.   

What?! No more lechon kawali, barbeque, chicharon?  What about adobo and sinigang? I grieve.

On second thought, that may well spell our freedom from cholesterol. Well, not quite, if you fancy steak or bistek.  

Image credit: Pinclipart
Being concerned with animal welfare makes sense. Well-cared for animals means healthier menudo for you and me.

Yet something is skewed. If politicians and activists disregard the most important of rights—the right of humans to exist—what right have they to champion animal or mushroom rights?

Let’s consider “right to life”. US abortion statistics: 63 million abortions from 1973 to 2017. (Guttmacher Institute’s data as reported by Christian Life Resources.) Interesting fact: California data have not been reported since 1998.

Call it right to choose. Yet, when has choice or convenience replaced a human being’s right to exist? 

Most of these cases are unwanted pregnancies. “It’s my body so I can do with it as I please,” they reason out.  

Really? To end a life because it is convenient? How about educating women to accept responsibility if in fact their pregnancies are unplanned; and ensuring that their babies are loved and cared for anyway, either by them or by others?  

Human babies don’t even come close to pigs or dogs!

A baby in a woman’s womb is not just a bunch of tissues as some doctors claim. Unlike an animal, to  which the pronoun “it” applies, a fetus is a “he” or a “she” once determined through ultrasound at approximately four  months.

God, being infinite, already foreknew that unformed baby way ahead of his or her birthdate.   

David (Psalm 139: 13,14b,15,16)  said, “For  you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made… My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”


The Lord told the prophet Jeremiah (1:5): “Before I formed you in the womb, before you were born, I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

God’s purpose makes everyone’s life worthwhile—worthwhile saving, keeping, preserving. As is—male or female.

Genesis 1:27—“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”

Baffling, isn’t it? While politicians and special interest groups rave about animal rights and other so-called rights, they won’t bat an eyelash about trashing human life or upholding the truth. Man is born male, woman female. Period. They even penalize those who refute their skewed narrative.   

And these laws are messing people’s lives. Just three examples: Parents prevented from meddling if their school-age children opt for sex change. Abortion extended to nearly full-term babies. Transgender males now allowed in women’s sports.

Good thing some US states are fighting back.

But isn’t it utter folly!? We’re being skewered by a godless ideology hiding behind the cloak of laws. So we better watch it or we’ll suffer the full brunt of ‘justice’, warn their proponents.

What happens when a country’s man-made laws take precedence over God-ordained laws, or its citizens idly or willingly go with this flow? Disaster, perhaps.

It’s simple: Unwise leadership yields bad laws. Israel, exhibit A. The nation suffered God’s wrath when  evil leaders reigned, yet flourished under godly leadership and wise laws. Corrupt leadership is a malignant tumor which permeates the very core of our being—the family.     

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows,” Galatians 6:7. 

PRAY, yes! But also DO, when it is within your power to do something about it. May the Lord relent and not judge us according to our folly.   

Thursday, July 22, 2021

WHAT IS LOVE, REALLY?

"The Little Prince" asks the meaning
of love. Image credit: 
https://www.columbiaarts.org/
events/the-little-prince/

What is love? Paul tackles that in 1 Corinthians. 

As I read about it, this came to mind: what is the opposite of love?

Self-indulgence? Selfishness? Arrogance? Envy? Hatred? Anger? Rebellion? 

Not one word qualifies but all of them seem to make up the whole bunch of what love is not all about. And what they're a product of. 

They are varying degrees of what love is not. Self-indulgence leads to selfishness to arrogance to envy to hatred to anger to rebellion as one's self-esteem gets provoked by pride. The Bible cautions us again and again about not falling into any of these. 

The best cure-all antidote? Love! 

I love the way Paul tackles it in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Noticed something? Paul did not talk about sensual or physical love. Because God is the source of love. Its object is our greatest good—to save us from perishing and make us enjoy eternity with Him. 

"For God SO LOVED The world that He gave His only begotten Son, but whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

Love comes full circle in God! So it could/should never be used as an excuse for self-indulgence, or extra-marital or same sex relationships—which the Lord cautions us against. 

Because love used against itself leads to many more waywardness—carousing, rebellion, division of families, destruction of lives. The meaning of love has so been perverted in our current generation that many among the young no longer recognize love for what it truly is. 

God is love! (1John 4:8)

Apart from God's intention, love becomes a perversion—contrary to everything He is. Only through His Word can we truly love. 

Oh that we may teach our children to love God and His Word so that as they mature and develop relationships outside of the family, they may love the way God wants them to love. And live within His grace! 


Saturday, July 3, 2021

ACTIVATE

"Make your verbs work!" My two-cents worth for corporate types and writer wannabes attending my Effective Writing seminars. 

For example, instead of, "She is fond of surfing," write, "She loves to surf." Why not this:  "The sun shone," in place of, "The sun was shining." 

Verbs trapped beneath "is", "are", "-ing" weaken your writing; so as much as you can, activate them to make your prose livelier, flowing and thus easier to read. 

With that tiny grammar tip, let's segue to my main point: 

Do you know that we can also trap God's word, making it of no effect or passive in our lives? Yet, the Bible says that the Word of God is alive and active. The Word sees action in the believer. 

We may call ourselves Christians but is His Word demonstrated through us? 

"My son, if your receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom, and inclining your heart to understanding..." (Proverbs 2:1-2) "then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." (verse 5)

We may know the drill. Read the Bible. God to church. Listen to preachings. Pray. 

We even share and read verses. Words, words, words! 

We're bombarded by biblical blogs and vlogs. (Like what I often do! 😊) Worship songs accompany our driving. 

Yet, do they see Jesus in our actions, in our attitude, in the way we treat others? 

To reflect Jesus, one must first be His son—verse 1, "My son..." 

We become sons of God through Jesus alone! 

John 1:12—But to all who did receive Him, who believe in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. 

Sonship is a gift He confers on those who trust in Him and bow down to His Lordship. No one else should come close. 

It is a privilege which we must handle with care and awe. Only then can we acquire wisdom and thus be upright, doing what is right by Him, even if everyone goes the opposite way, as the rest of Proverbs 2 teaches. 

Proverbs 2 outlines the following keys to activating the Word in us: 

Treasure His commandments, v 1. Have you hidden His teachings in your heart so that when tempted, your auto-mode is to cling to Him? You obey Him no matter what, because you've been assured: He's for you, not against you. And He'll give you the victory. 

Make your ear attentive to wisdom and incline your heart to understanding, v 2. Activate your ears too. Be quick to listen to His voice. 

Call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, v 3. Pray. Cry out to Him. He's online 24/7! He never takes a break or have a tantrum or a bad hair day. 

Seek His Word like silver or hidden treasure, v 4. Miners tear through tons and tons of earth for precious diamonds and rubies. Dig, dig, dig. That too is how you get a revelation of God's Word—His greatness, His promises, His perfect will and plan for you. 

You are the light of the world, says Jesus. Light hidden from view makes darkness still dark. Drive without your car lights on at night. You'll not only endanger pedestrians and oncoming cars; they'll even curse you. Sadly, many unbelievers call Christians out—because their lights flicker! 

Would you choose today to be light? Then be His son first. 

Pray: Jesus, I confess you as my Savior and Lord. Forgive me for my sins. Holy Spirit, guide me, lead me and teach me. Activate your Word in me. in Jesus' mighty name.