Love Priorities

Before the season ends, let me share something about love. :)

Recently I’ve heard a pastor preached about this topic. Although every time he preached, I’m disturbed by what he preaches, perhaps because at some point, I don’t agree with some of his points. One of his messages talked about this “Love Priorities” and I think one of his text verses are from Matthew 22:34-40. From what I get and what I don’t agree with him, is plainly stating that there are three main love priorities one Christian must remember, when I believe there are only two, stated from the verse itself. His points are: First, one whom we should love first is God, which I agree with. Second priority would be God’s representatives, which I kind a find difficult to see or understand. Then third priority is God’s people. Whereas, what I believe is simply first: God as our main Love of our life as Christians. Secondly is: Others, loving them the way we love ourselves. That’s the bottom line. Period.

How he defines God’s Representatives are those who are in authority over us; parents, teachers, pastors, presidents, etc. I do understand that we all should love these people, but to rate and to measure one’s love over another seems absurd to me. Or to choose them over someone who is lower in rank seems really ridiculous. I believe its non-sense in the Christian realm and God’s Principles. One of the arguments made me really think is when he placed a situation where your mother and your son is at a life-death situation wherein you must choose between the two. He pointed out that the mother should be the first one to be prioritized rather than the child, because the mother is God’s representative. Hmmmm??? Really made me debate within my own mind from all the things I’ve learned, it doesn’t make sense. If I am wrong then perhaps it’s best to give me more Biblical insights ‘cause I remember some verses that would go against the principle.

As I have said from the verse Matthew 22:34-40, there is only two points or say two Love priorities. First: God. Second: others. That’s it, no additional or subtraction. I believe the problem here is, how do we define LOVE. The first point, loving God is definitely one hard thing to do amongst us Christians. For our love can never be compared to the way God loves. God’s love is unconditional, while we love conditionally. We may love unconditionally but that kind of love mostly comes from God. Or I mean its source comes from God Himself, because God is love. Sometimes how we show our love to God seems to be impossible. Definitely it is. How can we love Someone like God. From I Corinthians 13, we find some products or fruits of love or manifestations of what we call love. But if we place God as an object of our love, it makes a different situation. The question “How do we become kind to God?” or “How can we be patient to Him?” Seemingly human as we are it’s hard to imagine putting the object of our love would be “God”. But still we are commanded by God to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. And how do we do this? John 14:15

John 14:15 (King James Version)
If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Obedience is the only way by which we can really show our love to God.

Second point: Loving others. Loving others is more probably a possibility to be applied and can be manifested. But perhaps the manifestation of this differs and may vary according to our own conditional thinking and feelings, ruled by our own will and decisions. But to love unconditionally, like our God is something extra ordinary or perhaps divine.

I would like to site the story of Hosea, who loved a woman who is known to be a prostitute. God commanded Hosea to love this woman, according to how God loves Israel at their times. But the real hardest thing to do is to love even if the other has betrayed that love. The wife of Hosea went back to her old ways but God said to Hosea to love her back. And so Hosea did and took her back with a price. That’s the picture of God’s love. And indeed God’s love prevailed even with Israel turning back on their God. God also judged Israel and gave Israel punishments but still He is willing to love them again.

Hosea 3:1
[ Hosea's Reconciliation With His Wife ] The LORD said to me, "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes."

Now this kind of love is definitely rare and perhaps not commonly found amongst Christians today. This kind of love doesn’t look at the rating if you are to be loved or not; whether you are at highest position or not; or you are older or younger; But simply you love, the way God loves. I believe, rating who should be loved first amongst others, is not the kind of love God is teaching us or showing us, for love gives, even if it means giving your own life. So the question if placed in a situation where you need to choose between your mother and child? Hopefully God would not let me be in the kind of situation. But if I’m really been placed in such? Perhaps it will depend on the wisdom God gives me.

Rez Valdez

Yo! guys! check out what I found at Youtube!

Its Rez Valdez and he's now old... but still has good songs! :)
Love his songs, and i wish i could learn how to play it in guitar. hihihihi!
Definitely his songs were one of the great Tagalog Christian songs I've ever heard.



Tupang Ligaw

Malapit na namang lumubog ang araw
Dilim ng gabi’y darating na naman
Sa paghimlay mo isip mo’y naglalakbay
Nakatanaw sa kawalan

Lumipas na naman ang isang araw sa buhay
Takbo ng buhay mo’y di mo namamalayan
Sa bawat sandaling darating at papanaw
Buhay mo’y tila parang kulang

Koro:
Kayamanan at lahat ng kalayawan
Wala pala itong kabuluhan
Kung si Kristo ay wala sa iyong buhay
Para kang isang tupang ligaw

AD LIB
Sa bawat sandali darating at papanaw
Buhay moy’s tila parang kulang

(ulitin ang koro 2x)
Para kang isang tupang ligaw
Para kang isang tupang ligaw

Sung and Arrange by: Rez Valdez

Some pix & vid ... care to see it?

More video hehehee! mas-uso raw ang video blog ngayon :)

Pictures from our visit to Taba-ao, Kapangan, Benguet

visit to Taba-ao, Kapangan, Benguet

Pictures from LBC banquet 2009

LBC Banquet 2009

Mixed pictures from the cell of my mother...

pictures from cellphone of my mother

First time? part 1 (part 2 and 3 on my youtube account)


Engr. Eugene Villarico with his musical saw!

Current Pictures

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The Evil Days!

There are two things I have in mind for now. One I may have already shared it earlier and the other is a new one I’ve just encountered recently. Let me start off with the new one.

As some of you read the news from Yahoo site a few days / weeks earlier, or heard from news programs, atheists are now spreading their advertisement throughout Italy, Spain and Britain talking about their own concept / philosophy and trying to persuade other people about God’s existence. It’s quite alarming but it’s also a sign and fulfillment of God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:1-7
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

The advertisement (if I remember it right) states “There is probably no God, so stop worrying and enjoy life.” Recently as well, I was given a DVD disc containing some kind of a movie or perhaps a documentary video talking against the belief or religion of Christianity, although I did not view it all but just the introduction. Simply from the introduction in itself, the philosophy of thinking about self is being established and encouraged; my desires, my dreams, my goals... in other word a self-centered idea or principle. Although this philosophy have been here for a long, long time, it may have just started to influence and perhaps recruit others to have the same philosophy, principle, and practice.

But God’s Word has already warned Christians of these things that even professed Christians can be drawn by it. Unless Christians have forgotten it and have not take heed of it. Be warned and be careful for these events are the reason why God’s Word or Christ or Apostle Paul warned us.

Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

The principle to love self more than God is definitely the human flesh principles. And, it’s far from the principles of God. Here is where a “line is drawn”. Professing Christians must decide whom to follow. Will you continue to follow Christ, who died on the cross for us all, or will we be like the wife of Lot who looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah?

The second one I wish to share is about Obama becoming the new President of United States. This is not an old story, as I have shared past posts about it, but anyway, it’s also an alarming event in History for me. I’m quite astonished at how people respond to this event. It seems Obama is so great that he can influence the whole world. It just hit me. I wonder if Obama is the anti-Christ? Seeing his platforms, his ideas and principles, it is totally far different and not aligned to God’s ways and principles. Of course, I don’t know. But seeing how one person can affect and create a world-wide hope. That is something I don’t see every day. Although as I have said, I’m not saying that he is. But perhaps I can take it as another sign of that coming day.

By these things, the spiritual battle heats up and for Christians to stand firm on their faith for the evil days are here.

Ephesians 6:13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The Irony of Ironies

The Christian Realm has a lot of ironies. How ironic it is that the common man can’t seem to understand.

The irony of our Salvation maybe one, as God requires nothing more of us to be saved, but to simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. By God's grace and through one's faith, one is saved (Eph 2:8 & 9). Basically, this is one ironic belief if one compares it to other religions or beliefs, as most religion requires to do something, to earn salvation. Be a member of this, do this and that, and other things that entails one personal act to earn one's salvation. But God’s Word proclaims the other way. As Ephesians 2:8 & 9 explains that the gift of Salvation is a gift God gave, and it is by only receiving this gift through faith that we attain Salvation. Not by works. And, if by so we do expect works to save us, Christ laying down His life is worthless and of no use. God’s Word says that without shedding of blood, there is no remission (discharge or relinquish or release) of sin (Heb. 9:22). This is the gift God gave and it’s for man to receive it or not, accept Christ or reject Him.

One of the ironies, man may never accept is God lifting up the meek and the humble. The world declares that the strong shall survive and the weak to be left out. The one who has power, possession & fame shall attain greatness. But God declares that the one who is the greatest in His Kingdom shall be the servant of all (Mark 10:44). The first shall be the last and the last shall be the first, truly an ironic philosophy or principle of God, but only to man’s own knowledge and understanding, for the foolishness of God is the wisdom of men.

1 Corinthians 3:19 (New International Version)
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness";

But perhaps the saddest irony in the Christian realm is not because of God, but because of man who profess Christ as his Lord, Master and Savior. One who claims to have a Great and Magnificent God yet his life shows no sign of the Master’s hand. One who claims that his God will provide, yet worries too much for his everyday needs. One who declares God is his strength, yet in times of trials and temptations he falls and have no heart to get up.

But certainly the greatest irony of all these things perhaps, is that even from our failures, weakness and iniquities, God continues to give grace, fulfills His promises and is willing to forgive.

1 John 1:9 (New International Version)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.