When I Was Young

When I was young, I never experienced closeness or memorable times with my father. So I promised myself that, when I become a Daddy myself, I will take care of my children in a more caring way. And that's exactly what I do now whatever it takes. My friend Darren texted me the other day and told me that he remembered me and my 4-year-old Angel when he recently watched Will Smith's movie, ""The Pursuit of Happyness." "Parang ikaw yun ha!" (that's like you!), referring to the loving single Dad in the movie. God has taken a past scar and turn it into a present star for me and my own kids! God has given me three beautiful children - Christine (13), Paul (9), and Angel (4). Right now, they can't be on their own yet. But someday they'll be. And I press on toward building good memories with them of a Dad who truly loves them and will not exchange them for anything in this world.

"Lord, I Focus on You"

"Lord Jesus, rather than focusing on me, I choose to focus on YOU and what You have promised to do in my life as I trust You. Today I will step into the great future that You're preparing. In Your name, I pray, amen."

Ros Ruiz

Here's a story of a real-life person called Ros Ruiz. Back in 1980, she was first woman to cross finish line of the Boston Marathon. But race officials became suspicious about her victory. So they began to investigate. They found that Ros cheated and obtained a fraudulent qualifying finish in the New York marathon prior to the Boston event. The Boston athletic disqualified her and awarded first place medal to Gareau, another runner. What's most amazing is that even years later, Ruzi did not learn from her mistake. Two years after her appearance in the Boston Marathon, Ruiz was arrested and charged with stealing cash and checks from her employer. A year later she was convicted for trying to sell two killos of cocaine to an undercover police officer. When asked why she'd do those illegal things, she'd deny. As Josiah Stamp said, "It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of our responsibilities." Right now, we don't know what Ros is doing. Back then, she was doing a lot of moving, but she wasn't getting anywhere. We pray and hope that she learns to accept responsibility for her actions. The fight to take responsibility and change occurs within.

Could You Be Messiah to Me?

I invite you to hear Gary V's beautiful song "Could You Be Messiah?" It was sung during our church worship services today in line with the biblical message of the pastor. It's a song that can draw you much closer to our Lord. Here's the lyrics:

"Could you be HEALER?

to a heart that's been wounded

in a battle that's never seen?

could you be TEACHER?

to a mind of confusion

tell me what does this for me?

are you DELIVERER?
of an imprisoned feeling in chains

can you set my spirit free?

And just one more question

allow me this question,
could you be MESSIAH to me?

could you be MESSIAH to me?

could you be FATHER?

to a soul that's been abandoned
by a world too busy to hear?

could you be FRIEND?

to a helpless survivor?

can you take away my fears?

I heard them all sharing

this newfound conviction in them
Are you all they made you to be?

And just one more question

allow me this question

could you be MESSIAH,

please be MESSIAH to me..
Now I've been looking for someone like you

and I'm so tired, I'm tired

I've read every book,

and I've sang every song

my mind may be right

but my heart feels so wrong

Tell me how much further can my life go along

which way do the road leads

where do I belong?

Are you FORGIVER of my most unknown secrets?

PROVIDER of all that I need?

can you be BROTHER?

the one who knows better

can you now stand in the lead?

When all this is over,

all the thunder and lightning in the daylight

just what will I see?

The answer to my question,

to all of my questions..

Could you be MESSIAH to me?

Could you be MESSIAH to me?

Could you be MESSIAH,

please be MESSIAH to me... "

Listen to the audio of this song online HERE.

"Lord, I'm excited!"

"Lord, I'm excited about this new thing you've given me! Thanks a lot for the blessings I've been receiving from You these past few weeks. I believe You for more great days ahead as I trust You to do more in and through my life. In Your name I pray, amen."

Letters to My Son Paul (1)

My Dearest Son, PAUL:

I love you and I'm glad that I'm your Dad. I'll be writing you a series of letters from here on as long as I live. You may be too young now to fully grasp the meaning of some of these early letters. But these are "forever documents," my son. You can access and read these pieces of your Dad's heart even when I'm gone and you're already very old.

This particular time is a very difficult period for our family. If you follow what happened, evil was done. And this brought untold hurt and pain to our family. Sin marred God's ideal that we remain a whole family. And I'm sorry, son, that this happened. Even then, remember this: As we give God all the pieces, He will mend our broken hearts. The promises of God give us hope, and they give us strength and comfort.

On the outside, we have much online/offline evidences, witnesses, and photos to cause arrest, imprisonment, and even capital punishment based on the laws of our land. But we don't need it, son! God's justice is more than enough. My son, whatever happens, it's God's will that you don't give in to bitterness and revenge. Forgive. Turn it over to the Lord. "In all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Learn from Joseph, son. How was he able to hang in there? It's his great faith. Joseph knew that God is in ultimate control of the final outcome. He can take all our mistakes and also all the sins committed against us, then turn them around for our good. As Joseph once said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives" (Genesis 50:20).

In this storm, God says, "I'm with you." Let this truth stabilize your life, my son. There's a reason for it all. You and I and your sisters are going to make it safely to land!

My love and prayers for you, son,

Dad

The Kind Worth Loving With All Your Heart

I have always seen this pattern in Scripture. God allows or takes something away, only to replace it with something much more precious ..... I read the story of a father who gave his son a watch. The son loved the watch. But days later, the father asked for it back. He refused. At the dinner table, night after night, he would pout, resist, cry, not wanting to return the watch to his father. One night, because his father insisted, he decided to let go. He reluctantly handed him back the watch. To his dismay, his father tossed it into the fire! Then he reached into his pockets and produced a more beautiful and expensive golden watch. The father had it all along for his son but wanted the son to give up what was good so he may give him the best ..... Like the father in the story, I trust that my heavenly Father will be gracious to give me the more precious one. The kind worth giving up everything else for. The kind that is pure and deserving. The kind that belongs to and pleases God. The kind worth waiting for. The kind worth loving with all my heart and soul.

"Lord, I Set Apart Everything for You Today"

"Lord, I set apart my mind, my passion, my eyes, my ears, my motives, my discipline, my every part of my body and life for and unto You today. In Christ's name, amen."

Randy Alcorn: Consequences of Immorality

In a magazine article entitled "Consequences of a Moral Tumble,", writer Randy Alcorn says that whenever he feels vulnerable to sexual immorality and adultery, he finds it helpful to review its consequences. Here are some things he mentioned in the article:

* Grieving and displeasing the Lord who saved me ....
* One day having to look Jesus in the face and give an account of my actions ....
* Inflicting untold hurt on my faithful spouse and friend ... losing his/her trust and respect ....
* Hurting and damaging my beloved children ....
* Destroying my example and credibility with the children and nullifying both present and future efforts to teach them to obey God ....
* Causing shame to my family ....
* Forming memories and flashbacks that could plague future intimacy with my spouse ....
* Wasting years of ministry for a long time ... maybe permanently ....
* Undermining the faithful example and hard work of other Christians in the community ....
* Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the enemy of God and all that is good ....
* Possibly bearing the physical consequences of such diseases such as AIDS, herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, even causing death ....
* Possibly causing pregnancy with personal and financial implications, including a lifelong reminder of my sin ....
* Causing shame and hurt to my friends, especially those I've led to Christ and discipled ....

And this is just a partial list of consequences! Indeed, God's call is for us to give greater thought to the painful consequences than to the passing pleasures of sin.

Hebrews 11: 25, 26 - " ... choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt for he was looking to the reward."

Hebrews 13: 4 - " ... God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."

Gospel Music of Dennis Jernigan

This Is My Destiny

Just a Bonus

"Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen trouble." (Psalm 90: 14-15)

Moses was so afflicted in his days. He had to suffer for 4o years babysitting a stiff-necked, sinful people. Slander from Miriam and Aaron. Pagan kings waging war against him and God's people. For the next 40 years, he witnessed the first generation who came with him out of Egypt die. What a heartbreak and hardship! Yet, Moses sticked to his God-given calling and task.

So, what kept Moses going? What's the secret? Each day, each morning, he would talk to God face to face. He would drench himself in the presence of God! With that divine presence and power, he was thus able to deal with any suffering or test of his faith.

Like Moses, I'm being honest before God about my pain and suffering. But one thing keeps me going -- God's unfailing love that satisfies me every morning. My deepest soul satisfaction is not from a woman, wealth, or anything else. It's from God.

"My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26)

"O Lord, be gracious to us; We long for You. Be our strength every morning. Our salvation in time of distress." (Isaiah 33: 2)

As I satisfy my soul and heart with God's love, to have a faithful woman or the blessing of wealth will just be a bonus!

Wise Texts & Quotes

Each day, I never fail to receive wise text notes and quotes in my cellfone. These can serve as seeds for growth in the soul. They're sent to me by friends. Let me share a few of them here.

"Carrying a lantern into a forest at night doesn't guarantee you'll see all the trees. It only means that you can see a few steps ahead of you, far enough to keep your footing sure. Likewise as the Lord lights your path, He may not shine all the answers to the shadowy questions in your mind, but He will give you all the light you need to scale life's obstacles with confidence and agility."

"Faith is the instrument that gives us the ability not to panic. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry. Do the math. Count your blessings. Laugh every day. It's like inner jogging. There's no key to happiness. The door is always open."

"What is the secret of success? Taking pain, said the nail. Keeping cool, said the ice. Driving hard, said the hammer. Being updated, said the calendar. Not being lead, said the pencil. Being sharp, said the knife. Making light around you, said the fire. Sticking to it, said the glue. Being bright, said the lamp. Being on time, said the clock. Saving a drop, said the faucet. Learning from it, said the mistake."

"What you want is not always what you get, but in the end, what you get is better than what you wanted. 'The Lord satisfies your desires with good things' (Ps 103:5) "

"Sometimes, God breaks our spirit to save our soul. Sometimes, He breaks our heart to make us whole. Sometimes, He sends us pain so we can be stronger. Sometimes, He sends us failure so we can be humble. Sometimes, He sends us illness so we can better take care of ourselves. Sometimes, He takes 'everything' away from us so we can learn the value of everything we have."

"The phrase, 'Do not be afraid,' appears 365 times in the Bible. That's enough assurance from God that every day of the year we can put our trust in Him."

"When rocks block your way and mountains make the going difficult, remember: a rock can be a stepping stone while mountains give the most perfect view. Walk in faith!"

"The warrior never cries in the field of battle but always cries in the ministry of prayer."

Ganoderma Lucidum

I love coffee. Lately, I discovered the world's healthiest coffee - gano coffee. Better than my usual Starbucks! It's coffee mixed with the 4000-year-old "King of Herbs" called "ganoderma lucidum." This coffee is a world renown anti-cancer, anti-aging beverage. It can prevent cancer, high blood pressure, urination difficulties, arthritis, rheumatism, hyperacidity, impotency, liver cirrhosis, tuberculosis, migraine, sinusitis, slow down aging, diabetes, kidney stones, among others. Isn't that a God-given miracle drink? Just email me at drangelosubida@gmail.com if you wish to know more about it or have gano coffee talks with me!

Should We Fear Falling Away?

Sometimes, I get confused. I wonder whether some people are truly saved in the first place. Can one just "appear" to be saved but not really sincere in the faith? Is there a difference between genuine Christians and those who merely dabble in Christianity for a time (1 John 2:19; Romans 8: 38, 39).

The Bible says that true Christians don't remain unrepentant. Yes, a true Christian may have moments of weakness or temporary lapse of faith. They may stumble, but not for long, they return again to the Lord. So, if one still intentionally sins or persists in disobedience against God over time, what is that? May it be that one merely tasted God's grace but have not truly believed?

One time, a Filipino bestseller book writer (Nelson D.) wrote me a note, reflecting on the behavior of a persistent adulterer who claims to be a believer. He said, "... it is getting harder to reconcile her behavior with her professing being a Christian. In matthew 18:17, Jesus taught that if a believer still would not repent even after being told of his sin by the church, he is to be treated as a pagan and a tax collector, ie. as if he is an unbeliever."

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: 'A dog returns to its vomit,' and, 'A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.' " (2 Peter 2:20-22)

Grace

I wish to call these days God's school days. Let me share a bit about one of the major subjects I'm currently taking up with professor God.

Elisabeth Elliot once wrote: "Am I speaking to someone who has been abused, abandoned, divorced, cheated, lied about, deceived by a business partner, rejected by your children, your spouse, your parents, the church people? Forgive, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."

Those words seem easy to say, aren't they? But they can be so hard to do. Forgiveness is always a good idea especially when you're telling someone else to do it! But when the time comes for us to forgive, the task seems unbearable.

What are we supposed to do with all those memories? What happens when that instant replay reminds us over and over of how we were mistreated, betrayed, or abused? Is it naive to think that we could really forgive someone when our emotions rage with bitterness?

Today I learned three things that I can do in order to forgive one who has done something which you might think is unforgivable.

First, if I'm going to be able to forgive the heavy offender, I would have to fully receive the grace of God. Until I receive grace from God and His forgiveness of me, I will not be in a position to forgive somebody else.

The second thing? I must acknowledge the wrong done. I name it, whatever it is. Name it in the presence of Christ. I need to be truthful and straightforward to Christ.

Number three, I lay down my rights. Forgiveness is the unconditional laying down of the self.

And now, number four? What do I do with that person? Here God is talking to me like a professor with 4 points below.

Point number one is "If that person asks forgiveness, forgive." Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us." In other words, Jesus is saying, "You must give to that other person exactly the measure of grace that you are expecting Me to forgive you for." All of us know that we have sinned against God many more times than we have ever sinned against people.

Point number two? If he or she does not repent, I forgive him or her anyway in a private transaction with God. There's a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. You can forgive without being reconciled.

Number three, I pray for the offending, sinning person who will receive judgment from God.

And point number four, I ask for grace to treat that person according to God's will. I stand with Christ for the other person.

"Lord, I Believe You For Greater Things"

"Lord, You said to Abraham, father of all nations, "I'm going to bless you so that you can be a blessing.' I pray for the same thing. I ask that You bless me and our family with greatness, so we can turn around and be a blessing to other people. I've endured so much trouble, Lord, and unspeakable evil was done to us. But no matter, I believe You still have a great plan for my life. You want, Lord, the latter part of my life better than the first part of my life. Nothing is too hard for You. I claim what You said in Your Word, 'Be confident of this: He that began a good work in you will continue to perform it until it's perfectly complete." I believe that, Lord. With You working on our behalf, You will take us to places that other people said are impossible to experience this side of heaven. Thank you, Lord, for planting a new seed of victory inside me today. In Christ's name, I pray, amen."