Author: Don Magsino, BSc, MBA, GDL

Don Magsino MBA is taking Masters of Laws (LLM) after completion of a law degree at the University of Law in London, United Kingdom. He is the Head of Immigration at Queen's Park Solicitors - a London's law firm. He finished his Masters and graduated MBA at the Ateneo De Manila University Graduate School of Business. He completed his Biblical Studies in Theology at the Cathedral of Praise, Manila. He is a lawyer and an Associate Pastor of Maranatha Jesus Is Coming Ministry International (Est. 1980).

Be friends with good people

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and you get into trouble.” Proverbs 13:20

Tama ang kasabihan: “If you tell me who your friends are, I will tell you who you are.” Maraming napapahamak minsan ay hindi sila mismo ang may kasalanan kundi ang mga kaibigan nila. Sinasabi rin ng Bible na: “bad friendships corrupt good character.” 1 Corinthians 15:33. Kaya never underestimate ang mga tao na hinahayaan mong maging bahagi ng iyong buhay dahil hindi mo alam ang peligro at sakit sa ulo ibibigay nila sa iyo. Some of them will soon demand your precious time, talent and treasures simply because they you allow them into your life. Wag ka lang basta accept ng accept ng friends kahit sa mga social medias dahil once na naging friend mo na yan, mahirap mo na silang i-unfriend.

On the other hand, having good friends is also one the best things that we all need especially these days where many uncertainties occur. The Bible also say: A friend nearby is better than relatives far away. -Proverbs 27:10

Ang susi to being wise or mabuting tao ay ang pagkakaroon ng mga kaibigan na may mabubuting kalooban.

Ang tanong: “Paano ko malalaman na mabuting tao siya?” Simple lang ang sagot dyan. Nasa Bible din: “A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:18. Makikita mo naman sa tao kung maayos sya sa pamamagitan ng kanyang pananalita, gawa at pakikitungo sa kapwa. Kelangan maging mapagmasid ka din, obserbahan mo din ang mga tao gusto mong maging kaibigan. You will know them by their ‘fruits’ Matthew 7:16. May mga tao maayos makitungo sa iyo sa simula, but the longer you stay with them, May mga tao maayos makitungo sa iyo sa simula, but the longer you stay with them, the more you see their ‘true colours’. Lalabas at lalabas ang totoo nilang kulay, so to speak. If you find that a person is not the personality you want to acquire or inherit, be ready to walk away. Let them go and do not be a part of their troubles. You don’t deserve the fools to ruin you. It would be better to be on your own, than to be with people who lack integrity. Ingatan mo ang iyong pangalan. Wag mong hayaang masira ang pagkatao dahil lang sa iba.

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold. -Proverbs 22:1

Surround yourself with people who will lift you higher and celebrate your success and be there for you in the bad times. Dito mo makilala ang totoong mga kaibigan sa panahon ng kagipitan. They will stay with you, believe in you and be there for you when nobody else wanted to. Good friends are like precious stones. Huwag mong hayaan masira ang mabuting samahan dahil sa mga maliliit na bagay lamang. Cherish and treasure those people who are ready to love you and care for you, and do not need explanation why you do what you do. Yung mga tipong i-encourage ka nila dahil kilala ka nila na kahit nakatawa pero alam nila na down ka at maraming problema.

The Gift

When the Wise Men visited we all know from the Biblical story that they have gifts. All three gifts are ordinary offerings and gifts only given to a king. The three gifts had a spiritual meaning: gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) as a symbol of death.

The first symbol of Christmas is giving. God’s gift to mankind is Jesus. Men offered gift to God. John 3:16 is very clear that God gave His only begotten Son. Ganoon din ang mga hari noon, si Maria, si Jose, nagbigya din sila sa Diyos ng may kusang loob. Yung mga Hari sila ang dumating, sila ang may regalo. Uso kase sa atin yung, “sa maybahay ang aming bati…” perwisyo sa daratingan at very stressful sa may bahay. Sina Maria at Jose, walang handa. Silang mga dumating na hari sila ang may dalang aginaldo.

Wakasan na natin ang kaugalian na sa panahon ng Pasko ay wala tayong ginawa kundi magbigay ng stress sa iba na kahit walang pera ay kelangan magbigay dahil lang Pasko! OMG.
– Tama na ang pamamasko sa mga bahay-bahay dahil nasisira ang spirit of Christmas.
– Magpunta lamang sa mga ninong at ninang hindi yung kahit sino na lang kahit hindi naman kilala maghihintay ng P20 or P50. Nagmumukha tuloy limos ang pasko sa mga bata or abuloy sa mga matatanda.
– Mamasko lang kung imbitado. Hwag mang-ambush sa bahay ng may bahay. Kung di kayo expected, wag kayo pumunta.
– Kung mamasko wag ng magsama ng ibang tao na hindi naman kilala ng mga ninang at ninong. Nagiging hanapbuhay na kase ito ng marami kaya ang iba nagha holiday na lang sa ibang bayan para lang makaiwas sa mga ‘intruders’ or unexpected guests na nakikilala ka lang pag pasko. 😞
– Tapos yung mga credit card, ‘buy now, pay later’ kaya pag January ang dami nasa hospital na dahil sa heart attack dahil ubos na ang pera tapos buong taon na naman babayaran ito. OMG again!
– Kung walang pang regalo, wag pilitin kung wala kang pera talaga. Bakit kelangan i-pressure ang sarili dahil lang nakaugalian na?
– Focus ka na lang sa pagpapasalamat sa Diyos dahil Christmas is about Jesus coming into the world. Wise men brought gifts for the Baby as a sign of respect and tribute to the King Jesus. Let’s bring a gift to Jesus – maybe our repentance for wrongdoings we have committed. Magbago tayo at magsisi. That’s a good gift to God.
– Do not seek or demand gifts. Wag tayong mang-stress at hwag tayong magpa stress.
– Gift-giving should be voluntary and not to be obligatory.
– Kung matanda ka na, alisin mo na yung ‘papasko ko…’ dahil hindi na ito dapat.
– Sobrang naging money-centered or ‘commercialized’ na ang christmas. Now, let’s put Christ back into Christmas.

But why are these Wise Men became wise indeed. It may be attributed to their social status quo, IQ and educational achievement. But let me say why they are wise in another light. We shall refer to Matthew 2.

1. They Sought The Lord

“Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Verse 2). Wise men still seek Him. Especially with the time clock of humanity running out. Wise men will seek Him now. There will be time when He won’t be able to be found Thus, the prophet Isaiah said, SEEK YE THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND, call ye upon Him while He is near.” (Isa. 55:6)

Have you sought the Lord? Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? God’s gift is eternal life. What a gift to receive this Christmas. Ask Jesus to be your Savior today!

2. They Worshiped Christ

“… for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to worship Him.” (Verse 2). “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, AND WORSHIPED HIM.” (Verse 11)

Again, Isaiah the prophet told us that Jesus Christ is God. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: … and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, the Prince of Peace,” Isaiah 9:6. Only God is to be worshiped. That’s why the wise men worshiped the Lord Jesus (See Luke 20:41-44.) The wise still worship the Lord.

3. They Were Directed By The Bible

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” Psalms 119:105. The Bible is for direction in life. In this story, the wise men followed the direction of the prophet Micah, who told them that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. It’s amazing to think that Micah would write about the little town of Bethlehem as the birth place of Christ 500 years before Christ. He didn’t know, but God knew and told him what to write. The Bible is the Word of God, and not the word of man. You can trust your life with it. Be sure to read it and study it.

4. They Gave What They Had To Give

“… and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts gold, frankincense and myrrh.” (Verse 11) in a day of selfishness and greed, it is still “More blessed to give than to receive,” Acts 20:35. The Christian will be wise to be a giver, for “God loveth a cheerful giver,” 2 Corinthians 9:7. A wise lady once said to me, “The first thing to put in the offering plate at church is yourself: God wants us. When He has us, everything we have will be His also.”

5. They Followed Gods Leadership!

“And being warned of God … they departed into their own country another way.” (Verse 12) God has something to say about everything. It is always best for the individual and the human race. Men’s troubles today stem from his NOT following God’s Word. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord …” Psalms 37:23.

You will realised that these gifts were given and intended to baby Jesus not to Mary and Joseph. The Wise men knelt and worship Jesus not Mary, not Joseph but to Jesus.

The Gift of Mary

What did Mary give? She gave her womb despite of what people may say at pag-tsismisan sya na nagkaanak sa pagkadalaga, but she gave her body as a ‘container’ for the King to be born. God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured!

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Sometimes God’s favour is not the same as if winning a lotto! God’s favour is different to ‘easyness’ of life. Magkaiba yon.

But Mary’s response to Gabriel is found in Luke 1:38: “I am the Lord’s servant, be it unto me according to your word.” She said impliedly that “I don’t understand and yet I trust the Lord, dahil ako ay isang alipin lamang ng Diyos. ”

Mary offered her womb.

The Gift of Joseph

Joseph gave his home. He also does not understand, but he agreed to take Mary as his wife, even though Mary becomes pregnant by the Holy Spirit. That’s Joseph’s offering, that’s his gift.

Joseph offered his home.

Hotel has no gift

We all know that when Mary and Joseph was knocking as baby Jesus is going to be born. They don’t have a room. They didn’t let Jesus in. They don’t have a gift.

What about you? Do you have a gift?

Life is God’s gift to man; what we do with it is our gift to God. You have something precious. You‘re at a moment in your lives when you can take what you have and make something significant from it. You have two creators: first, our Father in Heaven, and then yourself.

Repentance is one – let’s change for the better.

Let your light shine and be the salt of the world.

The Problem of Worry

Most of the things couple fight is about money. We all worry about being unable to provide for our needs and our family’s needs. People who don’t have money fight over money. But do you know that people who have lots of money also fight over money.

Everybody is worried about things which we should not. Poor people worry about how to get money. Rich people worry about how to get more and more money.

Being content is a virtue. Not everyone is truly content with with his or her life. Often times we are unsatisfied and seek more for what we don’t have and who we are. Worry is a thief. It steals your time, it steals your joy, your peace, and it steals your energy. Pero pwede naman na hindi magpatalo sa pag-aalala also known as ‘phobia”.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? – Matthew 6:25-26

Worry is disobedience.

Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. – Philippians 4:6 (AMP). The Bible is clear that we don’t have to worry. If we do still worry, then we are disobeying God!

Worry is unbelief

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow. – Matthew 6:34. When we do worry still, we implied by saying: “God, I don’t believe you love me and care for me…” Worry and trust cannot live together in the same house. As long as trust abides, worry can never enter. When worry comes in, trust has already left! Worry starts where faith ends.

Worry is Foolishness

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” -Psalms 14:1. When you worry you’re saying: “There is no God who understands me.”

Worry can lead to illness and sickness

Stomach ulcers and other physical problems can often result from needless worry and anxiety. Not only is worry spiritually unhealthy, but it is also physically unhealthy. Worry can never help us, but it can harm us.

Worry does no good.

Worry has never been able to help anyone. Worry has never accomplished anything. Worry has never solved even one problem. Worry can look at problems but it can never solve problems. Worry is useless and unprofitable. Worry does absolutely no good. The Lord Jesus said it this way, “Which of you by being anxious, by worrying can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). What is the answer to this question?

A woman killed herself and her children because of worry

Tell about the story of a wife in China, who killed herself by drowning upon knowing her husband died. She worried that nobody will be able to provide for her and her two children. She killed herself and her two children in the river. But her husband faked his death! Her husband was still alive.

What you can do?

Shake it off and give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. -1 Peter 5:7

If you’re tired, Jesus is inviting: “Come unto me those amongst you who are heavily laden and I will give you rest.”

You’re not designed to carry the weight of this world. It is not your job! It is God’s job. What he wanted is for you to trust Him.

My friend handed me a tall glass of water and told me to hold it. The longer I held it, the heavier it felt. Finally my hand grew tired, and I had to put the glass down. “I’ve learned that worry can be like holding that glass,” she said. “The longer I worry about something, the more my fears weigh me down.”

I encourage you today; make the decision to let go of worry. Instead of thinking about your problems, think about the Word of God! No weapon forms against me shall prosper. If God is for me, who can be against me.

This diagram has changed the way I see problems and I hope it does the same to you.

How To Apply For A UK Visa as a Partner?

Getting married in the UK is not always an answer to getting a UK visa. Marami ang mga may maling akala na basta daw kasal na, e ok na. In fact, there are even TNTs who supposed to be married in a wedding ceremony, invited friends and families on their big day, but surprisingly, arrested and detained by the Home Office Enforcement Police. Kaya maganda alamin natin kung paano mag-apply ng visa as a partner in the UK.

First thing you have to do is to make sure that your relationship is genuine, subsisting and intended to be permanent. Ibig sabihin dapat genuine or totoo ang relasyon at ‘subsisting’ -nagpapatuloy. Bagamat maganda na kasal talaga but there are times when the Immigration Office will say:

we believe that you are lawfully married, but we do not believe that your relationship is genuine and subsisting.

Imagine kasal na pero di pa rin sila naniniwala totoo kayo!

Pwedeng kasal na, pero hindi pa rin naniniwala ang Home Office na totoo at nagpapatuloy ang inyong relasyon. There are many documents you can provide to substantiate your claim and increase the merits of your application. Tandaan na ang magic number sa Home Office to establish a committed relationship is 24 months cohabitation. Dapat dalawang taon (2 years) na kayong magkasama sa iisang bubong.

In a legal framework, you must provide documentary evidence to confirm cohabitation. Kelangan may mga documents throughout those intervening years to prove mutual devotion hindi pwedeng wala or kokonte. The more the better, I would say – lalo na kung lampas na dalawang taon na kayong nagsasama. It is very important to submit original documents as photocopies will not be considered as valid. The burden to demonstrate that your relationship is durable is upon and your partner.

Provide these documents:

Letter of support from your partner – say how and why the relationship started and developed; why this relationship is special; why the partner is special, milestone of the relationship – for example moving in or going on holiday together and their future plans; provide reasons why leaving the UK is not feasible – for example due to medical and health reasons or any care arrangements in the UK that relocating and migrating outside the UK is not an option (this is very important);
Your personal statement about the relationship as well
Letters from friends and family – why do they believe the relationship is loving, can they confirm that the couple are living at the same address? have they been in some parties and occasions that the couple were together? what will be the impact if the TNT applicant is removed from the UK?
Financial documents – provide payslips; bank statements, certificate of employment, P60 tax certificates
Tenancy Agreement /Council Tax
Letter from the landlord
Proof of relationship – photographs of the relationship with captions;
Marriage certificate, if applicable
Birth certificate of the child, if applicable
any joint bank accounts or joint financial investments
letters from any church or organisation membership
Evidence of contacts – communications, Skype, Facebook Messenger, chats.

It is always a good practice to incorporate case laws and legal principles into the case. That’s what lawyers do to get the ratio or reasons for many cases and apply it to the Applicant’s personal circumstances.

In many of my application, I normally put the case of Chikwamba [2008] UKHL 40 where the House of Lords held in a nutshell that it would not be necessary to require a Zimbabwean migrant to return to Zimbabwe and apply from there to return to the UK. It is disproportionate and unjustly harsh.

The success is always of course dependent on a case to case basis. But I find that if you can articulate why returning to your country of origin is unreasonable – then say whatever you feel, meron ka bang mga anak dito, may inaalagaan ka ba? or may sakit? or may kintatakutan ka ba? Because those and many more could fall under compassionate circumstances.

In Court, I normally prepare my own case and legally represent my client before a judge. There are many case laws that can assist in making a strong application such as: Razgar, Agyarko, Huang, Chikwamba, Zambrano, Chen, Jeusenne, EM Lebanon, MA Pakistan, TZ Pakistan or Mostafa etc – an astute lawyer can use these case laws to corroborate with the Applicant’s case or appeal along side with the provisions of the Immigration Rules such as EX1, Gen 3.1 and paragraph 276ADE can come into play. Dapat din na Suitable at Eligible ang Applicant. Ibig sabihin walang criminality, deceptions and fraud. An applicant must be a person of good character. Napakahalaga nyan.

Also, if there are any qualifications, educational and professional achievements that you can offer to the UK, make a CV and say that you can be an ‘asset’ to the UK if and when given the opportunity to work here legally. I also include a Sponsorship Undertaking to ensure that if and when a visa is granted, the Applicant will not be a burden to the public purse by asking additional benefits.

If you read Section 117B of the Immigration Act 2014, it says that:

It is in the public interest, and in particular in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom, that persons who seek to enter or remain in the United Kingdom are able to speak English and are financially independent, because they are —(a) are less of a burden on taxpayers, and (b)are better able to integrate into society.

An Applicant needs to provide also a certificate that he or she has a good command of English. There are many institutions that provide English Certificates which you can find online.

______________________

By: Lindoven Magsino of Queen’s Park Solicitors | Mobile: 07446888377 | Email: donm@queensparksolicitors.co.uk

Why God doesn’t kill Satan once and for all?

We have heard before that if we want to eradicate malaria, we must kill all the mosquitos. This principle is now rampant to many countries like the Philippines where all drug lords and drug dealers and drug addicts are killed to eliminate craziness and lunacy that affects family, other people and the society as a whole.

Why would good people suffer?

We have to understand what the Bible says: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So walang mabuting tao. Lahat tayo ay nagkasala. In fact in the book of Isaiah 64:6 NLT: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind.”

What about those innocent children and victims of harassments? Sa mga tao na ito, may plano ang Diyos.

Una dito ay ginagamit ng Diyos ang mga ito para tayo ay lalong manalig sa Kanya. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Kasama sa buhay ang mga trials at mga pagsubok na dapat nating daanan lahat. Si Hesus ang nagsisilbing ankla (anchor in English) na habang tayo ay namamangka sa isang maalon dagat, alam natin na hahawakan tayo ng Diyos. Pero paano natin malalaman iyon kung hindi natin mararanasan ang malalakas na hampas ng alon at daluyong ng buhay? Pag nalampasan natin yon, makikita natin ang kabutihan ng Diyos sa ating buhay at tayo man ay magiging kalakasan din sa mga tao nakakaranas din ng mga pagsubok na naranasan natin (2 Corinthians 1:4).

Pangalawa dito ay napapatunayan na totoo talaga ang ating pananampalataya sa panahon ng mga pagsubok. How do we reach when we are innocent? Do we still trust God that He will fight for us? Those with faith in Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2), will not be crushed by suffering but will come through the trial with their faith intact, having been “tested by fire” so that it “may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7, ESV). Kung totoong anak tayo ng Diyos ay hindi tayo magagalit or question His goodness; rather, they “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2), knowing that trials prove that they are truly the children of God. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

Ikatlo, gusto ng Diyos na maalis din ang ating pagtingin sa mundong ito at ituon ang ating makalangit na buhay. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36), so ang mga anak ng Diyos ay dapat hindi iniisip na ang mga kapighatian na nararanasan natin dito ay katapusan na ng buhay. This is just temporary. We are all strangers here but our final destination is in heaven.

Can God stop all the problems in the world? Yes He surely can. But we need problems so that we all become sharp (ibong adarna) and humble (it humiliates us). Kung wala tayo problema, magiging tamad tayo at walang inspiration to live life – we won’t have something to look forward to.

Life’s difficulties test you to the fullest. One of the worst things in life is to have life untested. The greatest joy of a lawyer is to win in any court litigations and legal arguments.

God does not want us to live life with ease but strength to face life’s challenges. Paul said, take this thorns of the flesh away from me three times. But God said to him: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

You never know what you’re made of until you are truly tested. Samson never knew how strong he was until the lion roared. David never knew he could kill goliath until he knew how to kill lions and bears. Lahat tayo ay nagkaroon ng bad choices in life but that we can only learn something in the process. But in life, it is said that these are greatest teachers:

broken-hearted;
financially broke; and
failures.

I learned from those experiences and it made me a better person.

Let’s go back to our main topic why God does not kill Satan once and for all? Can God stop Satan? Of course! But why not?

We know that God will one day defeat Satan by throwing him into the Lake of Fire where he will be tortured day and night forever (Revelation 20:10), but sometimes we wonder why God has not destroyed Satan already.

There was one time when the servants asked their Masters if they can uproot the weeds that destroys the garden. The weeds grow up along with the good plants. But why did the Master say “not” to uproot them?

First, we have to understand God’s absolute sovereignty over all creation including Satan who can only move within the parameters God set. May hangganan kung hanggang saan lang pwedeng kumilos si Satanas. “The LORD of hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand’” (Isaiah 14:24).

Second, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). The book of Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” Kaya kung anak ka ng Diyos maghintay ka lang kung anong plano ng Diyos kay Satanas dahil isang makikita mo that justice shall be served and we will all thank God habang isinasaayos ng Diyos ang lahat ng bagay.

Third, to question God’s plan is to question the character, the nature of God Himself which we do not have the right. In Proverbs 25:2 it says: It is God’s privilege to conceal things. In Isaiah 64:8 it says that we are the clay and He is the potter. Kung anuman plano ng Diyos, lagi nating isipin na yon ang the best. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). He reminds us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Anuman ang mangyari, ang magagawa lang natin ay sundin, magtiwala ay sumuko sa Diyos kahit hindi pa man nauunawaan ang lahat ng bagay. Kung kelan man mamamatay si Satanas, Diyos lang ang nakakaalam dahil kasama pa si Satanas sa plano ng Diyos. Ang mga sili labuyo masarap yan kainin pag kasama ang ibat-ibang sangkap.

Minsan nagtanong ang mga servants, tatangalin na po ba namin ang mga damo na tumutubo kasama ng mga trigo? Sabi ng Master, wag muna. Laging may plano ang Diyos.

You Are the Author Of Your Story

Our verse of the day is Romans 4:16

16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” ^c He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ^d 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Genesis 12:

The Call of Abram

1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 §I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed

These two verses teach us simple things: by Abraham trusting God to leave his current circumstances and go to a place God leads is difficult. Do you trust God even you don’t know the outcome? Or are you trying to find good food, in a rubbish bin?

Don’t be afraid when you leave Mr or Miss Wrong, you are allowing yourself Mr. or Miss Right.

The most difficult time in life is to get stuck into something and you don’t have a chance to get out of. Sometimes, God will shake the nest, when He does, be ready to fly.

The Boiling Frog

The boiling frog is a parable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.

That departure of Abraham from Ur (part of Iraq now) to Canaan (now part of Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Syria) was the turning point.

What makes me fascinated about Abraham commitment and obedience to God is that it made him and his children prosperous.

As a parent, your decisions now, your obedience to God now will have an impact to you children and your next generations!

We are the modern Joseph where God will send to a place so that our family will experience the best things in life because God.

Genesis 26:5

God’s Promise to Isaac
…4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, 5because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

Dahil sa pagsunod ni Abraham, pinagpala ng Diyos ang kanyang lipi. Do your best today in your life, for the sake of your children’s future. 50 years or 100 years from now, we are all gone in this life, but your next generation can trace back that there was once a person in their life that brought them to a better place, because you made a right decision to be right with God. Tell the old man planting durian, “I maybe old and will not eat the fruit of this, but my children will.”

Kaya madalas sinasabi sa Bibliya: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Talk about Jacob’s mistake. He was a cheat and a liar! But because of Abraham, Jacob was also blessed.

Filipinos must change the way we think

Maraming Filipinos pag nasa ibang bansa, sumusunod batas, pero pag nasa Pinas hindi. Bakit ganon? Sa ibang bansa especially Canada and UK, pag bumababa ang mga bata school bus, lahat ng sasakyan nakahinto yan. Kahit mga bibe (ducks) lang ang tatawid sa kalsada, hihinto ang mga sasakyan. Sa Pinas hindi ito nangyayari. Yung mga asong nasa tabi na ng daan ay talagang hahagipin pa ng mga driver para maipulutan.

We have to change the way we think so that we all enjoy the benefit of it. I believe in the saying:

If you can change your mind, you can change your life.

Kaya dapat ang tao handang makinig at kung kelangan ay handang baguhin ang mga maling kaisipan kung may nalaman na sya at natuklasan na ang bagong idea ay mas magaling at mas kapaki-pakinabang. Marami ka isip ng iba:

candado, cerado (Spanish)

When we know something, it opens up new doors of opportunities. Pero minsan mahirap ng baguhin ang naunang kaalaman. Kaya madalas kung sinong naunang nagsumbong doon ka na kampi. Pero ang isang tao matalino at may mas mataas na karunungan, handa kang ipa-challenge yung information na nauna mong nalaman. You must keep changing your mind, lalo na kung nauna ay passé na or kelangan ng baguhin dahil baka mali or hindi na angkop sa new way of life. Dito mo makikilala ang mga tao na umuunlad sa buhay – sila yung mga kumilala sa mga superior and better understanding and surrendered their old way of thinking. We must change the way we think.

In Romans 12:2 it says: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Do not habitually conform to old ideas. Just because something is old does not always mean better. Do not always conform with those which are conservative. Bihira na nakabubuti yung conservative thoughts. Conservative came from the word: “to conserve, to preserve.” Kaya kung ano na yung nakasanayan, gusto mo i-conserve or i-preserve. Yan ang conservative.

I was watching a TV documentary of those Aetas from Mindoro. Dahil may crew ang GMA7, kase yung anak ng Aeta eh mataas ang lagnat. Pag dating sa bayan, sabi ng doktor na kelangan magamot ang bata kaagad kase nangaganib ang buhay. Kelangan turukan para hindi lumala. Aba, sabi ng amang Aeta, hindi na po. Ibalik ko na lang ang anak ko sa bundok dahil doon may arbularyo na magtatapal ng mga dahon at pauusukan lang daw nila ang bata para gumaling. But the medical expert disagreed that by going back to the mountain which will take them another 15 hours by foot, the child may die along the way! Old ways of thinking are difficult to die.

Kahit sa conservation of our cultural heritage, sa Batangas, Cavite, Tarlac, Laguna, Maynila – nagko-conserve tayo ng mga ilang bahay for us to appreciate the past culture of our ancestors and for reference purposes only. Pero hindi naman pwede i-conserve lahat at lahat na lang historical houses na lang ang buong bayan. We must change from past to the present and the future. Due to growing population and housing demands, we must build new developments, real estates and high-rise buildings that conserve energy and those that maximise space.

Ganoon din sa pag-iisip, it is not always good to be conservative. Keep changing with your religious mind. Kase ang Diyos malaki at malawak. Hindi Sya kasya sa isang simbahan lang. Yung nalaman mo noong nasa Sunday school ka pa, kelangan na ma-improve. Yung alam mong biblical interpretation 10 years ago, dapat ma improve na din yan at lumalawak yan. Ang pagkakakilala mo sa Diyos 20 years ago, umaasenso, lumalalim at tumataas. It is not always good to be conservative – there will always be room for growth, for change or for development.

Being a conservative is not always a virtue. Kaya tingnan mo kung sino yung mahihirap kasama sa buhay, yung mga conservative, yung mga manang at matatandang binata or matatandang dalaga or kaya yung mga sarado ang isip – usually over-protective to the point na nawalan na ng kalayaan ang buhay. Kelangan nilang ipako ka sa old lifestyle , style of dressing, life and thinking, na tapos na noong araw at hindi na epektibo ngayon.

Ganoon din sa relihiyon or sekta. E wala naman religion na perfect. God is so big and He cannot be contained in one dogma or doctrine. Hindi Sya pwedeng solohin ng isang relihiyon lamang otherwise ang isang tao ay magiging dogmatic because of the doctrine being followed by the religion. Marami nagsasabi sila ang tama at ang iba ay mali. Sila lang daw ang pupunta sa heaven at ang iba sa impyerno lahat. Magiging judgmental ka na tuloy dahil mali sila ikaw lang ang tama. Magkakaroon ka ng self-righteousness dahil banal sila lahat demonyo. May mga relihiyon at sekta na hindi pwedeng maghawak ng Bible ang mga members…dapat ministro at pastor lamang ang pwede para walang makaalam ng totoo. Pero how do you know the truth if we are to deprive people of having access to the truth? Kaya marami ang blinded by the doctrines but some did not come from the very teaching of Jesus. We must use God’s given gift of brain to change the way we think, baka we are following a wrong path. Baka yong sinasabing ‘tamang daan’ ay hindi naman pala tama, kundi maling daan. Kelangan tini test din ang lahat ng bagay so we know that we are on the right tract. Don’t practice blind obedience.

Maraming mga oligarchs and elites and even the ‘people in the high places’ in the religion would like the people to be ignorant so they can manipulate them. Even though religion can and may bring people closer to God but the German economist and philosopher, Karl Marx, said:

Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

Minsan kahit maling pananampalataya sinusunod na rin ng mga tao dahil yun na ang kanilang nakagisnan. Kung saan daw sila pinanganak, doon na sila mamamatay. They did not change the way they think because they did not have the opportunity to know the truth. In John 8:32

You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free

The word ‘free’ is there which means that somewhere somehow, there is something which is imprisoned. That can be the way we think, our thought. When a concept or idea is confined in a container, it is in prison…but the truth must be known so the wrong thought can be freed.

Kaya minsan pag tiningnan mo sa Pilipinas ang daming dapat nating baguhin. Gusto ng mga pulitiko na maraming mahirap, maraming pobre kase jan nila kukuhanin ang mga boto. Yan daw ang demokrasya. Pero marami sa mahihirap walang pinag aralan kaya their judgment is also poor. Hindi na nila alam kung sino ang magaling at may kakayahang mag govern ng bansa. Yung iba basta kilala, at maganda ang asawa, artista or sport personality, iboboto na kahit wala namang abilidad na magpatakbo sa gobyerno. Paano tayo uunlad nyan kung yung mga nasa show business na lang palagi na -elect natin. Hindi na magwagi ang mga deserving but poor candidates. Tingnan mo sa UK, wala tayong mga tarheta masyado na nakakabit sa mga puno, walang mga banners na naglalakihan sa panahon ng eleksyon, walang trapik dahil yung mga pulitiko nagpapasikat sa paghuhukay ng mga daan. Filipinos must change the way they think. Kelangan natin alamin sino talaga ang mga karapat-dapat na opisyal ng bansa.

We must change the way we think because it also affects our behavior, it impacts our actions. Pag nag-isip ka ng masama sa kapwa, mag-iiba ang trato mo sa kanya. Iba ang pananaw mo sa kanya. For example:

Lahat ng negro maiiitim, maitim din ang budhi.

Ang asawa ko, bungangera!

Ang asawa ko hindi na magbabago!

Parang masama pakiramdam ko, mukhang hindi ako makakarating sa church.

Wala naman ako alam, kaya wala akong gagawin sa church ministry.

Wala akong pinag-aralan kaya hanggang ganito na lang ako sa pagiging domestic worker.

How we think determine our future kaya sinasabi ng Diyos na we have to change the way we think by the ‘renewing’ of the mind because it will transform our behavior. Minsan maling paniniwala na hindi tayo magtatagumpay. I always encourage many Filipinos to change the way foreigners see us. Mag-aral kayo, magsikap kayo upang mabago ang paningin ng mundo sa Pinoy.

As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not.

He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away. “Well,” trainer said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The man was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto an old belief that we cannot do something, simply because we think we will fail and we won’t make it?

It’s time to break free. Change the way you think!

donmagsino

A blog on what matters for Filipinos