YOU NEED PLASTIC SURGERY!

"H" is stressed rotten. Job-related? 

Partly, yes - because she is in Sales and meeting her periodic quota sometimes feels like hanging on for dear life while a storm, just like Yolanda, surges. 

But her stress decibel has lately been compounded by plastic. 

www.bubblenews.com

You see, "H" has been happily flashing her just-acquired credit card - utang dito, utang doon - so in just a few months, she amassed debts which her katiting or puny salary could not pay off. 

How does a plastic tragedy start, especially for yuppies so eager to take on life and its rewards as soon as that first paycheck comes?

Let "H" tell you herself: "I was walking into a mall when this debonair-looking guy sidled up to me. But more than his good looks, I salivated at the prospect of having a credit card; so I immediately signed up; and voila, I was off shopping as soon as I received it." 

About.com says, "Part of the allure of debt is the fact that you can get the emotional high from getting new things now, without having to deal with the pain of parting with the money now. It can feel like you're getting something for nothing."

A lot of yuppies get sucked into credit card debt simply because of naiveté. 

The prospect of acquiring - gadgets, fashionable clothes and blings, and more hanging out with barkada - becomes so strong especially when one gets a sense of independence and "world-here-I-come" rush once he gets a job. 

Little did "H" realize the fine print details would hang her head on her own guillotine.

"Pay only the minimum amount of ____," is the first thing you read on that credit card billing notice. 

"Yey, that's so easy!" your consumer mind rejoices. 

"I know I purchased ten times more than that," your memory insists. But you follow the "minimum" suggestion anyway because that looked just fine. 

So you shopped some more and paid the minimum, a vicious cycle which throws you into an even deeper well from which you could not climb - because your interests and penalties for late payments have mounted beyond belief and relief. 

What does the bible say about being in debt? Proverbs 22:7b says that the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Romans 13:7-8: Pay to all what is owed to them... revenue to whom revenue is owed... Owe no one anything..."

moneyplansos.com

During these times when the fear of getting robbed is very real - that's why we don't carry much cash anymore - is it still practical to follow these biblical principles? 

God wants you to ask for wisdom especially today when more eye candies abound. His principles still apply - restraint, faithfulness with little, growing from glory to glory, not being too hasty to reach the top if you're not yet ready for it. 

A credit card is a convenient alternative to cash especially if you're disciplined enough to purchase within your earning capacity and won't compromise your future pay. If you buy something on installment, like a house or a car (Who buys these in cold cash nowadays?), make sure you can afford the monthly payments - otherwise, you face house foreclosure and eviction, or your car impounded. 

God promised in Deutoronomy 28 that He will bless you if you fully obey Him, "granting you abundant prosperity" wherever he plants you. Surely, being weighed down by debt is not part of that.

www.clker.com

Another godly wisdom: Be content. Blings, designer bags, cruises, etc., are all good - momentarily making you happy; but these are nothing compared to the peace that passes all understanding in Jesus if you obey Him. He promised to bless you anyway. But there's a time for everything!

Someone today needs to make a decision to go under the knife. Plastic surgery may be painful but it may be your door to freedom from debt. 

(For more on financial stewardship, read "Going Up? Making Right Choices at Work," a book written by this author for yuppies.)  

Originally published at: http://cbnasia.org/home/2014/02/you-need-plastic-surgery/

FILIPINO MIRACLE AT SOCHI

AFP/www.interaksyon.com

A beautiful swan perfectly at home in his pond. 

That's 17-year old Michael Christian Martinez - skating so gracefully yet passionately on ice to prequalify for a medal in the current 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. 

Dubbed as a charismatic performer, Martinez "ranks 30th in the world and fifth in the 2013 World Junior Championships in Milan, Italy," reported GMA News. 

At this writing, Olympic commentators say he's a shoo-in for any of the medals in the Games' freestyle event for men. (Note: He landed 17th place at the end of the competition.)  

How could that be? Michael is Filipino. Isn't the Winter Olympics the natural domain of those living in countries with frigid temperatures like Canada or the United States?

Michael perfectly demonstrates God's amazing power at work in those who trust Him. The Manila Bulletin quoted Michael's Facebook entry prior to his performance: "Please pray for me. My event starts tonight." 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," God assured the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9. "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

Michael was an asthmatic child, per GMA News: "I literally grew up in the hospital... very sick. I couldn't take up any sport. I tried outdoor sports when I was younger, but I easily got asthma attacks, so I stopped," Michael recalled.

But he discovered the health benefits of skating. He didn't just learn the game however. He excelled in it, persevering through "training 15 hours during low seasons and 25 hours in high season." 

www.abs-cbnnews.com

Michael credits his mother for her support: "Better to spend the money on skating than in the hospital," GMA quoted her as saying. 

A famous actress once said, "The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness."

Don't these mothers' hearts reflect our heavenly Father's? 

Jesus is our Savior, Lord, Teacher and Encourager.  And He allows us to experience the good with the bad - to train and strengthen us. 

Michael's training must have been rigorous. You'd never guess the falls, bumps, injuries and frustrations he must have been through. 

But today, you watched him glide, bend, spin, triple axle and triple loop ever so smoothly on ice - the first Southeast Asian to compete in a setting totally alien to people in these parts. 

Paul says in Romans 5:3-5a: "... we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame..."  

The first Filipino miracle in Sochi has shown us how.

Originally published at: http://cbnasia.org/home/2014/02/filipino-miracle-at-sochi/

MUG SHOT

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Two disturbing images must have caught your eye in recent weeks: 

• A young Hollywood heartthrob's mug shot after his arrest for drunk driving and a host of other charges.
• Someone's black and blue and unrecognizable face - that of a popular local entertainer - mugged by crazed individuals supposedly avenging the "rape" of their lady friend.

Being popular, they certainly hogged airtime, not only on television news and tabloid programs, but more predominantly on social media. 

They're tsismis time fodder, making many working people's forays to the office pantry more animated. Tayo pa,  obsessed with celebrity and gossip. Quite entertaining, you see.

"Unlucky for them since they're always under the glare of klieg lights and hounded by the paparazzi," one might say. "Being high-profile people, they should have been more careful, choosing their friends, the things they do, and the places they go to, so they don't get embroiled in controversies."

I wonder if heaven has a gallery of our mug shots. Heaven sees what the paparazzi and those nosy TV reporters miss. Our photos may not have been splattered all over mass media and Facebook; but that doesn't mean we've been declared scot-free or holier-than-them. 

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.

I used to think myself "good".  But come to think of it, how could I be good if pride, murder, lust, anger, envy, cheating and a lot of other imponderables percolate in my mind constantly - like hot tsokonut titillating my carnal-bound mind?  

Jesus (Matthew 5:28) says, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Meeting her for the first time, Jesus told the Samaritan woman (John 4:18), "... you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband." 

But Jesus did not accuse her; offered her living water instead (v.13-14):  "... but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst... a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

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Jesus is not accusing us either. Not yet -- while we're still here and have a chance to repent and acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior before we cross over the great divide. We need not be declared guilty, with Jesus as our advocate. And the time to accept this offer of acquittal is now.

He came to save the lost. You and I are lost apart from Jesus. Romans 10:4 - Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 

"Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame," Romans 10:11  . The law accuses but Christ saves - our mug shot forever shredded from our heavenly dossier, and our folder stamped with, "Not guilty!" by the blood of the Lamb. 

"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us,"  Psalm 103:12. Start with acknowledging Him as your Savior and Lord.

Originally published at:   
http://cbnasia.org/home/2014/02/mug-shot/

GREAT NEWS YEAR

*(see photo credit list)

What and how many gifts did you receive this Christmas? 

I'm sure that whatever they were -- cheap or expensive, useful or not -- you gladly received them, especially if they came from loved ones.

But did you savor the best gift of all -- Jesus? Unequalled. Irreplaceable. Our friend for all the seasons of our lives.

Jesus has no expiry date like some of the gifts which we briefly appreciated -- because we either immediately consumed them, stashed them (no use for the immediate future), or recycled them for others because budget or time prevented us from shopping for everyone. 

Through Jesus, God gives us brand new grace every day, just like freshly squeezed orange juice. New sweetness. New tanginess. New refreshing. New nutrition.

*(see photo credit list)

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

As we welcome the new year, the one who sits on heaven's throne reminds us: 

"Look, I am making everything new! Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true." (Revelations 21:5)

I don't know about you, but I'm just plain sick and tired of sitting through replays -- recollections of my self-produced soap operas: bitter or ill feelings about others, regrets, unforgiveness, resentments, fears, worries, sad experiences, and the litany of apologies for things I failed to accomplish. 

Frankly, even if I sent out invitations, no one would attend my pity parties. 

But only Jesus would. That is, if I allowed Him to be the Star of the party; with self pity and self-centeredness relegated to the bleachers. My old self may scream and rant, but if I get into the habit of having Jesus as my anchorman, center-of-the-universe-me should soon revolve around the Son who really is the Master of this universe. 

Because if He permanently resides in our hearts, we too must let Him be: Lord of even our emotions and thought processes. 

In His presence is joy forevermore, strength, peace, and an assurance that even if the earth rocks-and-rolls to the beat of a 7.5 earthquake or a tsunami of a problem comes battering, you can believe that He will keep you safe in the palm of His mighty hand. 

Jesus is still the great news ever, even as we welcome the new year.

Many believe 2014 will bode well for many, it being the year of the horse, "whose spirit stands for an energetic, warm-hearted, intelligent and able attitude," says a website.

But would't you agree that placing one's hope in or even identifying ourselves with a zodiac sign or any created being is a bit of a stretch? The horse is just that -- a horse, wielding nothing more than horsepower, or what your airconditioning motor fires out to cool your room. 

*(see photo credit list)

Anchor your life on Jesus who completed the work -- all we would ever need for life and godliness -- for us! He says in Revelations 21:6: "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega -- the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty, I will give freely from the springs of the water of life."

He has our past, present and future covered. How refreshingly and thirst-quenchingly cool is that!

May Jesus, our Great News ever, be the center of 2014!

*Photo credits: blogs.constantcontact.com; zazzle.com; geijvontaen.deviantart.com

JESUS IS GREATER

coltondhowell.tumbler.com

(Originally published in the Campus Crusade for Christ  newsletter)

It's all too painful. This nation dubbed as the happiest in the world must be reeling from some kind of multiple sclerosis, its head not knowing left from right, right from wrong. 

"What were they thinking?" might be a question all of us wanted to pound our lawmakers with, after the 10 billion peso Napoles-cum-lawmaker PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Funds) scam blew in their faces. 

So all this time, we were being taken for a ride? Our taxes not spent for their intended purpose? No wonder our politicians cheat and bribe and even kill to get elected. And no wonder barrio folks don't even have access to clean drinking water and electricity. 

What is so current about electricity if it sputters and dies on a daily basis and people just could not go about their normal way of living—or making a living? And we're surprised that they brave mega-populated Metro Manila to get a job—any job! 

You have, of course, read all the back and forth on why typhoon Yolanda was more tragic than it should have been. With communities summarily destroyed and thousands of families grieving—for their dead, their presumed dead and their stolen past—experts say the physchological cost of rebuilding will be astounding. 

One would assume that if the Philippines hosts more than 20 typhoons a year, we'd be a more organized event planner so that when Yolanda's cousins come bursting, we'd be ready with our battalions of to-go defenders, responders and aid. 

Oh, we could list a litany of laments. And I'm sure you're sick and tired of that. Enough! 

Haven't we gotten the message yet? Isn't it too obvious, as obvious as the clear morning light, that this merry or sorry-go-round of tragedies and social ills could not be solved or remedied by politics or pow-wow? 

Businesses could only do so much. Every child must have access to education, but even that is not enough. As a matter of fact, we're one of the best exporters of labor—highly skilled, professional and English speaking workers. 

Because neither employers with their strict code of ethics, nor education with its teachings on life values and principles, can tame the wild pasaway beast inside. 

Just look at how drivers cross the red light or take the lane supposedly for oncoming vehicles. Consider the under-the-table shenanigans not only in government offices but also in businesses. Note the statistics of separated couples or teenage pregnancies. 

And yet, even more developed economies are not immune from all these nor the natural calamities which batter us year in and year out. All these are signs of things to come. 

Matthew 26:7,8,12 remind us that there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; that there will be an increase in wickedness and that the love of many will grow cold; and yet, these are just the beginning of birth pains. The earth as we know it will no longer be the same. 

www.sodahead.com

Yet, we still have hope for our nation: 

Psalm 33:12—Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. 

Isaiah 9:6—For to us a child is born,  to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. 

It has been a constant refrain, and we all need to ring it louder as the day of His coming draws near: Preach Jesus. Live Jesus. Model Jesus. 

And let's continue to pray for our leaders, because unless Jesus takes the lead over their lives, the lord greed and I-Me-Myself—with no regard for the welfare of our people—will continue to consume them. 

For many of us at the Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) and the people we've reached, Jesus has indeed become our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. Wouldn't it be nice if Jesus would be all these—not just a name in their consciousness—in the lives of our loved ones, neighbors, communities and most especially our leaders?

I became a believer when someone from CCC shared Jesus with me. I didn't know I was lost until I found—rather I've been found by—Him. Like everyone of our kababayans walking around and believing themselves to be gods and masters of their destinies, I realized soon enough that I was INDEED a sinner, but could be saved and transformed by His grace. Then I realized: My heart has been changed, and could indeed OBEY Him!

That's the gift everyone needs to receive this Christmas and all the days of their lives. 

Jesus is Immanuel, the God who is with us!

Change? Yes! Only Jesus can make it happen. Because He resides in our hearts. He is our Shelter. Let the rains and the winds batter. If the greatest One lives in me, of whom—or  what—shall I be afraid? 

We as a nation need never be afraid.

CHRISTMAS WITHOUT THE PERIPHERALS

www.etsy.com

Let me be a party pooper as you prepare for your next Christmas affair. 

You've by now prettified your house, bedecked your Christmas tree with tinsels, balls, flowers and ribbons. Maybe even invaded Divisoria or Rustan's -- depending on your budget -- to make sure you didn't miss anyone in your Christmas gift list. 

And not to forget the parties! What food to prepare. The presents. What fineries to wear. For half a dozen parties, reunions and nights out. 

Just listing all the above made me woozy. Does Christmas have to be this stressful? I ask that every Christmas time. And someone always reminds me: 

"It stimulates the economy -- all this buying and selling."

"Life would be a complete bore if we didn't have this long holiday of feel-good carols, partying, niceties and gift-giving."  

How about answering this question: Is it good for your soul? A definite, "Yes!"

Delete the stress, Christmas is a must! Christmas celebration as we've all been accustomed to may be demanding, frenzied and tiring, but it is all up to us to ferret out the diamond from the rough. 

Go ahead, shop, party and relish all the puto-bumbong, bibingka, castanas and jamon served before you. I enjoy every bit of these even if my doctor scolds me later for laryngeal over-use and heightened cholesterol, sugar and triglyceride levels. 

And because you may have received your bonus and have some extra cash, bless your loved ones and others in need. 

But remember that all these are just the garnishings of Christmas.

If by chance any of these peripherals could not be served, Christmas remains to be the most important event for anyone and for humankind.

Think of our kababayans who lost their loved ones and material possessions to the recent typhoon and last year's typhoon Yolanda. Consider the poorest nations of Africa who don't even have access to clean water, good nutrition and decent medical care because their leaders have abandoned them. 

We don't even need to go far. Metro Manila teems with poor people living in shanties and boxes for their shelter under bridges. 

Jesus came that the those living in darkness may see the light (Matthew 4:6). 

One way or the other, we are all in darkness -- beset not only by material lack but emptiness of the soul. Hopelessness, addiction of some form, lust, greed, selfishness -- the list is endless. Statistics have proven that the most number of suicides occur during this season, especially in rich countries! So the tinsels and trimmings don't make for gladness.

Jesus knew precisely what we needed: Immanuel, meaning God with us! Sin has separated us from Him. So He gave us Jesus. Confess Him as our Savior and Lord and He starts to take residence in our minute-by-minute existence. 

He's not after being celebrated as a pageant king only at Christmas time or holy week or just on Sundays. He wants to be our Resident Physician, Teacher, Provider, Strength, Peace, Grace, Mercy and whatever else you need to fill your empty life with, 24/7.

Isaiah 9:6 -- "For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

www.examiner.com

Luke 2:13-14 -- Angels appeared with a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." 

Christmas is all about God's peace to those who please Him. Wouldn't He be pleased if we received Jesus as our most cherished gift? With or without the peripherals, CHRISTmas won't just be merry, but joyful. 

Have a merry Christmas! Remember, Christ is the reason for the season. 

A THOUSAND WHYS

www.inewmedia.org

Why? Why? Why?

When calamities strike, we look around for someone or something to point a finger to.

Is global warming to blame? So why aren't the responsible parties doing something to stem its tide?

Was the government negligent, not preparing enough with quick rescue-search-aid-response—when we know that more than 20 typhoons regularly visit our country every year?

Scientists responded: "Blame the higher sea level in these parts. Mix that with hot tropical temperatures and you have a recipe for disaster like what we're always experiencing, year in and year out."

These past few days had all just been a cacophony of questions.

One such question has been hard to answer: "Why would God allow this?"

God needn't justify Himself. But it's only when we seek Him would our questions be answered. God wants us to remember... 

Deutoronomy 8:7-9a: "He's bringing us to a good land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills, a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey, a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing..." 

Hopelessness, hunger and lack is never our kababayans' end state. Tribulation is just part of the process. One day, we will reunite with those who have gone before us—even those who perished in this recent tragedy—and all of our whys will be answered. He will turn everyone's mourning into rejoicing. 

But Jesus himself gave us a heads up. He didn't want us to be ignorant. We have been warned. Tribulations will come, their intensity magnifying as the end draws near. 

In Matthew 24, He spoke of the end of days and how people's hearts will turn from him—but promising to keep in perfect peace those who trust Him. Old testament prophets and His Revelation describe terrible days ahead. The earth as we know it will perish, but in its place will be established a glorious city with Jesus as King and we will eternally rejoice with Him. 

So do not be clueless about what lies ahead. Jesus has constantly been knocking at hearts. "I am the Answer." "The Way, the Truth and the Life." (John 14:6) He promised to save those who would call upon His name. 

I don't doubt at all that when tragedies strike, those who call on His name—as if hanging by a thread or kapit sa patalim—will be saved. Remember the thief crucified with Jesus? He promised to bring him to paradise ASAP!

It's all too hard to comprehend—the devastation, dead bodies strewn all over, the overwhelming desperation. All these are heart-wrenching; so we ask, "Where is God? How could He allow such horrors?" 

Oh how we mourn, and search for answers everywhere. There just seems to be no answers. I just could not comprehend it. But going back to His Word reminded me of these...

God wants us to remember:

He is our Maker. Remember, we are but dust! He breathed life into clayey form, naming it Adam. Unless we're willing to concede that you and I are but created beings—and that Jesus, the Word, is our blueprint for success—then we will be in constant pride mode, shaking our fists at heaven whenever a tragedy occurs. 

That's what He's been doing all along—reaching out to us. "Look to Me. Heed My instructions. Repent. Humble yourselves." And He will restore back to you what the locust has stolen, or what the waters and the wind have broken—either in this life or our ultimate destination, our eternal home. 

From the beginning of time, He had a plan. Even when man sinned, He wanted him back. God loves us, that's why He sent Jesus to save us from ourselves. But God's business is not just about rescuing us from the natural elements—though that is not impossible with Him—but for us to be restored back to Him so that we can be rescued into eternity. 

He is more interested in saving us from our pride so that when or before our end comes, we can be sure of our eternity with him. 

So will things get worse? Yes! Should we be fearful? Yes, in the natural. But there is no fear Christ. He promised to hold our lives at the palm of His hand.

He's been patiently knocking and nudging and whispering and calling. Do not trust in your money or your dwellings or your education (Deutoronomy 8:12,13,17). Entrust your life to Jesus. Savior. King. Lord of all and Lord of whatever deep pit you may have sunk into. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Proverbs 1:7. He will instruct us to live our days productively, successfully. 

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And we can demonstrate His love and compassion to those who hurt and cry and are hungry and naked. 

During times like these, let's allow ourselves—those who are now praising God that we've been spared from this calamity—to become the Jesus they have been searching for. Then they will have hope, and know in their hearts that Jesus loves, heals, cares, provides, embraces and saves.

Jesus, heal our hearts. Heal our land. May no other name be glorified.