Alright, brand new day, brand new ONE-LIFE-TO-LIVE devotion to think about. Today's challenge:

Write a letter or prayer to God, being as honest as you can about your present disappointments and frustrations. Consider how these problems or issues might be preparing you for a more fruitful season.

Umm... yikes. This is a bit... well... challenging. The truth is I could write about my disappointments and frustrations with myself everyday for the rest of my life. Not only do I have a lot of material now, but I'm sure there will always be fresh disappointments for me to discover, hehe. But anyway, I'm gonna pick one so this blog doesn't turn into an encyclopedia.

Here goes...

Father,

Thank you for who you are in my life. Thank you for choosing me, for saving me.Thank you for calling me to yourself. Thank you that your call is irrevocable and that nothing can separate me from your love. Thank you for your promise to continue to work in me, to continue to change me, to continue to mold me in the likeness of your Son.

Father, I'm sorry Lord for how little I delight in you. I'm sorry that I settle for earthly, shallow pleasures when you invite me to drink of the river of your delights. I'm sorry that I constantly look for my joy elsewhere Father, instead of dwelling in the source of all joy. Father, it frustrates me how little I desire you and how much I desire other things. It frustrates me that many times I find more pleasure in sleeping than I do in reading your Word. It frustrates me how there are sins that still seem desirable to me, though I know that they end in destruction.

Lord, help me. Change my desires. I cannot do this on my own God. I thank you that you will never despise a contrite, broken heart. Lord, my heart is broken. You are my only hope. Fix me. Give me the right heart that takes pleasure in the right things. Help me to delight in justice, in righteousness, and in love, because in these things you delight. Above all else, help me delight in You. I pray to be satisfied in you above all things. May I find my ultimate joy in You, my Lord, and my God.

This I pray, in Jesus' name,

Amen.

The lead pastor's of the fort recently committed to blogging everyday in line with the One Life to Live campaign... okay fine, we committed to it last week, but that can still be considered recent right? I mean most people believe that human life is a recent phenomenon in the universe (Yes, I'm rationalizing).  I'm the last one I believe to jump on the blogging campaign. But here I am. I'm supposed to try to blog everyday for 30 days and answer some of the questions that are on the devotional page. Anyway, question for today:

How would you describe your current season of life? Does it feel like you’re buried beneath frozen tundra, emotionally hibernating? Or is it more like spring, with signs of new life in view? What does it mean for you to accept and honor your current season?

After reading the question, my brain felt for awhile like it was buried beneath a frozen tundra.                                           TUNDRA -------->
 
But now that my mind's thawed out, I can say that there are lots of new things in this season of my life to be excited about and to look forward to. New relationships, new opportunities, new responsibilities, new revelations, new outlooks, new challenges. And I think that honoring this current season in my life will simply mean doing what I'm called to do in every season of my life, and that is to continue to rest in and rely on God. Regardless of the season, that is what remains the same. It's the connection with God that allows one to make the most of every season one finds himself in.

Isaiah 30:15
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."

Ey guys! I don't typically blog like this coz... well, wala lang. But I'm just gonna let those of you who are interested (meaning mom and dad) know what's been up over here, hehe. =) The past couple of days has been spent going around Bali. I've been to Densapar, Cuta, Ubod, and now I'm back in Cuta (don't google any of that coz I've probably spelled them all wrong). Here are the highlights:

1. Went white water rafting in Cuta. Pretty fun. I just realized how awesome rivers actually are. They are powerful! We were going down that thing really quick! And the river was massive! I was reminded of a verse: "How precious is your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And you give them to drink of the river of Your delights." Now that I've been on a river, It's pretty mind-blowing knowing that God has a river of delights that I can freely drink from.

2. We went to this place called Tanah Lot, which is a temple on a cliff. I didn't go in the temple coz I think you had to pay extra. And besides that, the view from the outside was amazing in and of itself. It's really hard to describe, and I'm gonna sound dumb if I try, I'll just upload pictures when I can, hehe.

3. The market has been an interesting experience for me. Not to sound too weird, but it really reveals the depravity of man. I'm serious! It's so strange that both the buyers and the sellers blatantly lie to each other while they both know fully well that they're lying to each other. I mean, the sellers tell buyers that they're selling stuff at a price that's extremely jacked up, while buyers say they're only willing to buy the thing for a really dirt cheap price, while both parties know that they'll negotiate til they reach a price somewhere in between. It's ridiculous. Why can't the seller just say the price their willing to sell it for from the very beginning? And why can't buyers just be honest about what their willing to pay? Hehe, I'm telling you, humanity is pretty messed up and we really need Jesus! Either that or I'm reading too much John Calvin... probably both.

4. The best part of the trip by far has been bonding with some of my best friends. It's been a long time since we've just hung out, and it's great to be able to spend three weeks with them. They're really such a blessing. So this is to Mon, Marco, Trina, and Nica. I love you guys, you all rock my socks!

Anyway, til next time!

People say that travelling often helps you learn new things about yourself. Well, from my brief experience so far, I can say that it's true. I learned something new about myself already. And that is that I hate plane rides.

Apparently, I'm one of the few people in the world who is adversely affected by flights. In fact, I don't think I've ever experienced a worse headache than the one I experienced on my way over here. It literally felt like my brain was going to explode for pretty much 4 hours straight. I was starting to worry about getting an aneurysm coz I couldn't imagine how much longer the veins in my head would be able to take the pressure (to any doctors reading this, don't worry,I know my explanation is probably wrong, hehe).

In the midst of this, I remember really praying and asking God to take the pain away. I remember really petitioning God to protect me, and I was quoting all the verses and remembering all the prosperity preachings (all silently of course, as not to freak out the people beside me). But after probably an hour of this, I got really tired and kinda frustrated. But it was at this time that I felt God really speak to me through a Matt Chandler preaching. In the midst of this pain, I just felt God ask me, "Do you know that I love you?" And I thought, "yeah, that's why you ought to shield me from this!" But then I felt God prodding me again, "Do you know that I love you?" And I thought, "Is this one of those 'feed the sheep' moments? Coz Lord..." And again, I felt him speak. "Do you know that I love you?" And when I finally focused on the question, those words just came into focus. "I LOVE YOU." God loves me. The God of the universe loves me. Anything that ever happens to me has to first go through the God who loved me so much, He was willing to give up His Son for me. And even if my brain did explode, my God loves me so much that He would raise me from the dead so I could dwell in His great love for all of eternity.

You know, despite the revelation, the pain didn't immediately subside. My head still throbbed like crazy. But a deep peace and joy entered my heart. The truth is that A DEEP REVELATION OF THE LOVE OF GOD CAN MAKE THE MOST PAINFUL MOMENTS BEARABLE... EVEN JOYFUL. This is my prayer for all of those going through tough times. I know that a simple headache is nothing compared to the pain that others go through, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. But I believe God's love is so great, that it can cover the most difficult of situations. I pray that you be so deeply rooted in the love of Christ, that you will be able to feel blessed even during those difficult times.

Psalm 40:11
"You, O Lord, will not withhold your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me."

In my last blog, I talked about what Christmas is all about for me. In a jiff, it's really all about the wonderful gift that God gave us in Jesus Christ. But being given a gift is only the beginning. What a person does with the gift is just as important. After all, there are many things we do with gifts. There are some gifts that we keep to ourselves. There are some gifts that we bury somewhere in our closets that never see the light of day. There are even some gifts that we refuse from the get go. So, the question that needs answering is, What do we do now that God's given us Jesus?       

I believe there are three things that God's inviting us all to do:

1. Receive

Like all gifts, we are given the option to either receive Jesus or refuse Him. The bible says that receiving Jesus is the key to being accepted into God's family (John 1:12) and to receiving eternal life (John 3:16). But the receiving doesn't end with the initial decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. God continues to shower His blessings upon those who believe Him (John 1:16). I believe we ought to humble ourselves, acknowledge our absolute dependence upon Him, and continue looking forward to receive provision, strength, and wisdom from our Heavenly Father.

2. Repent

Over the years, I've received a fair share of gifts that I didn't really like. They just ended up in some dark corner of my room and the truth is, they in no way affected the way that I lived. While I appreciate the thought, the truth is, I lived as though I might as well not have received them. Good gifts result in a change in the lifestyle of the receiver.
Jesus is truly the best gift that's ever been given. And to really receive this wonderful gift, we are called to change as well. We are called to repent, to decide to continually turn away from sin and turn toward God. Though this may seem like an impossible task, the wonderful thing about the gift we've been given is that the gift itself is what will enable us to repent. It truly is the gift that keeps giving.

3. Relay

This is a gift that is meant to be shared. Those who have received Jesus are called to relay the message of His love and His grace. And this is not just for those "uber-Christians," but this is a mission that every believer should take part in. You were blessed to be a blessing, and there's no greater blessing out there than Jesus Himself. =)

The word Christmas is associated with a whole host of things. When some of us think of Christmas, we think of all the lights and decorations that suddenly appear all throughout the city. For a few, maybe thinking about Christmas instantly brings a certain song to mind that really captures the feel of the season. For others, maybe Christmas can’t be separated from thoughts of the food you enjoy every Noche Buena. There are many things that come to mind when we focus on Christmas. But if you guys are anything like I was, Christmas really means only one thing: gifts.

Honestly, I grew up believing Christmas was about gifts. As a kid, it was all about being given gifts. Being given great toys meant Christmas that year was the best; being given socks and shirts meant a tantrum and a very strongly worded letter to Santa Claus. As I grew up, I learned that Christmas wasn’t just about being given stuff, but about giving gifts as well. I started off by giving my family and friends presents that I thought they’d appreciate. Then as I grew even older, I began to understand that I couldn’t limit gift giving to just my loved ones, but that I needed to give to the unfortunate as well. And so charity became a part of what Christmas meant to me. But all the while, the nature of Christmas in my mind stayed the same. Whether it was gifts I’d been given or gifts I myself gave, Christmas to me was still all about gifts.

But as I reflected upon Christmas recently, I realized that I was off the mark.

I now believe that Christmas is not about really about gifts per se. It’s not about the gifts we are given by our friends and family. It’s also not about the gifts we give, whether to loved ones or the less fortunate. As wonderful as these things are, they both miss the point. Eating food that tastes good is great, but at the end of the day, eating is not about taste, it’s about nourishment. And a person who eats only for the taste will miss out on reason for eating and will end up feeling (and looking) pretty disgusting. In the same way, we can be given the best gifts in the world or we ourselves can be the most generous givers and still miss out on the essence of Christmas.

Christmas is not about the gifts we are given. Christmas is not about the gifts we give.

CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE GIFT GOD GAVE.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

God gave up His one and only Son for you and for me. The God of the Universe thought a relationship with us was worth the cost of His Son’s blood on the cross. And through His blood that was shed, we have that which we all long for deep down: forgiveness. Jesus is the precious gift we’ve been given. He truly is the reason for the season. I hope that no one loses sight of the fact that Christmas is and always will be all about Jesus. A Christmas without Christ is not Christmas at all. May this season bring a greater depth in our appreciation for the wonderful gift we've been given and a deeper understanding of that love that surpasses all knowledge. =)

     Kids really have the weirdest dreams, don’t they? I remember as a kid, I was always fascinated by medieval wars depicted in fantasy books. I wasn’t really interested in guns, but I was enthralled by swords and wizards and dragons and the like. I always imagined how awesome it would be if I were a warrior in back in those days, vanquishing foes left and right, able to fight the evil dragon, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance, and in the end, coming away with the victory (and the uber-hot princess, of course).
     While I may not still be that same kid flinging a plastic sword around, the truth is, the desire for battle is still there. Only today, I feed it vicariously through Leonides and his brave 300, or Kratos and his magical blades, or even Aragorn and his defense of Middle Earth. I feed it through the exploits of these individuals who accomplished impossible feats through their own strength, their own skill, and their own courage. And though these films and games all excite me and awaken dormant desires within me, they also lead me to a rather unpleasant realization; if a warrior is someone who relies on his own strength to win impossible battles, then I am no warrior. After all, I can’t even count the number of times I’ve lost the battle in my own heart. But perhaps, the problem lies in the definition.
    David was a warrior. David was made head over the men of war by King Saul, and it was said of David that tens of thousands fell by his blade (1 Samuel 5-7). When David was still a shepherd, he used to defend his flocks against lions and bears by himself. And while he was young, he accepted a challenge that no one else in the entire army of Israel accepted: the challenge of Goliath.
    “"Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us."
    Not a single member of Israel’s army dared answer the giant. Yet, a young shepherd boy took up his stick, five stones, and a sling, and marched on to fight. What was it about David that gave him that kind of courage? Was it his own strength? His own abilities? His own skills? David himself gives us the answer:
    “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:45-46)
    David was a warrior, but not because of his own abilities or his own courage or his own strength. David was a warrior simply because he trusted God. God was the source of his abilities. God was the source of his courage. God was the source of his strength. And that enabled him to be the warrior that he was.
    Kids really have the weirdest dreams, don’t they? And yet, many times these dreams point to something true. There is a battle to win. There is a dragon to fight. And there is a need for warriors. I believe we’re all invited to be those warriors. Regardless of our backgrounds, each of us is called to fight. And the question has never been “are we strong enough?” The question remains, “who do you trust?” And I believe that if we put our trust in God and hope in His unfailing love, there is no battle that will overtake us. We will come away with the victory… and the uber-hot princess. =)


Psalm 18:31-35

For who is God besides the LORD ?
       And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength
       and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
       he enables me to stand on the heights.

 He trains my hands for battle;
       my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

 You give me your shield of victory,
       and your right hand sustains me;
       you stoop down to make me great.


 

   

If you're gonna watch one movie this year, this is the movie to watch! Wow, i can't sleep! it's 2am and all i wanna do is go back to the theater and mug the dude with the film and watch it again! Instead, i have to wait another 18hours before i watch it again! drat! hehe, oh well, i'm really rambling, basta, if you haven't seen it, you gotta go!

And for those of you who need a little reminder of the magic of the transformers, check out the attachment. =)

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" - Luke 10:2

For those of you I haven't told, I just arrived from a mission trip to Malaysia. If you're surprised that I took part in a mission trip, I really don't blame you. Just eight months ago, if someone had invited me to spread the word in a foreign country, I would have laughed until I ran out of breath. And yet, here I am, back from what was the most important and powerful event I've ever been a part of. While I'm sitting here writing this, I can't help but think about the one question I kept asking myself while I was at the camp, "Rich, what on earth are you doing here?" 

The fact of the matter is, I don't have what it takes to be a missionary. If you look at my credentials, you'll quickly discover that I have none. I've only been Christian less than a year. I haven't done ANY ministry work in the Church before this trip. I haven't gone through any of the ENLI classes. I haven't even finished reading the entire bible!  And yet, there I was, witnessing God work in the lives of these young people. I watched in awe as they began to worship God, though many of them didn't even know about Him til the camp. And I saw through my tears as many raised their hands and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the first time.

Am I to be thanked in anyway for this turn of events? Umm... No. Seriously speaking, I was a mess. Half the time, I didn't know what the heck I was doing, and the other half, I was mucking up what I thought I was supposed to do. And yet, despite all my iniquities, I saw God work at the camp so powerfully. God's hand was moving, and even though He was using less-than-ideal tools (i.e. me), He was able to produce something miraculous anyway. Don't get me wrong, I was with an absolutely awesome team of missionaries (Dan, Joseph, Iris, Lana, and Voix, you guys are all awesome!) and the Pastors that headed the trip were excellent as well. But the fact of the matter is that something was going on at that camp beyond any of our own abilities. I learned through this trip that it doesn't matter how incapable we are or how weak we may be. God can use anyone who is willing to be used. After all, it's never been about our own wisdom, or our own brilliance, or our own power. It's always been about God, and it will always be about God. The bible says His power is made perfect in our weakness. I'm living proof of that truth.

I guess the point is this: there's a great need to spread to love of Christ. There are so many people who don't know Him and who don't know the wonderful gift of eternal life that He willingly bought for us with His blood. There are so many people in need of the message that we have. The question is, Who will go? God's promise for those that go is that His grace will suffice for our weakness, His wisdom will suffice for our lack of understanding, and His favor will suffice for our limitations. As Jesus told Peter and Andrew, "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." I pray that we all learn to rely on Christ's strength and allow ourselves to be transformed into fishers of men by the amazing love of Jesus Christ.

For those of you who don’t know, my family and I are moving out of our home. We’re temporarily moving back into the village of my childhood, while looking for another lot to build on permanently. And in the midst of moving, one comes across all sorts of odd and forgotten things. And I recently rediscovered one such thing.

It was a Christmas present I received a couple years ago. It was supposed to be some silver sphere that floated due to magnetism and I believe I was supposed to be able to make it spin in mid-air. Problem is I could never figure out how to make it work because there were no instructions given. All that was there was a picture of the thing floating on the box and the many pieces inside the box that I was supposed to put together with absolutely no guidance. I tried, but I soon discovered that the pieces did not make sense to me. Soon, the gift I was given was relegated to the status of paperweight, and then soon after that to junk.

What if, in the place of instructions, the manufacturers left this note: “In order to respect your freedom, we the producers of the Magnetic Floating Sphere have decided not to include instructions. We do not want to limit your options so you are free to do with the parts of the Magnetic Floating Sphere as you wish. Enjoy!” How would you react to this imaginary scenario? To tell you the truth, I’d be pretty steamed.

“Just tell me how the freakin’ thing works! I don’t wanna spend most of my time experimenting with its parts! What if I hurt myself? What if I break it in the process? What if I end up using this gift to play catch when it was meant for so much more? How irresponsible of these guys to make something without including instructions!”

Yet why is it that I sometimes react negatively to the instructions I receive from God about the way His gifts are supposed to be used? Why is it that I find myself at times rebelling against His instruction and refusing to obey? The gifts God gives are so much more complex than any human gift could ever be. And the stakes are so much higher. Yet for some reason, I expect to be instructed with human gifts but not with the gifts I’ve received from God. Why is that?

CS Lewis once wrote, “Neither the temporal succession nor the phantom of what ye might have chosen and didn’t is itself Freedom. They are a lens.” It seems like we sometimes have the tendency to confuse having more options as having more freedom. Because of this, we sometimes feel that instructions are limiting. But I believe that freedom is in the choice made, not in the possibilities. I believe that when God is giving us instructions, He actually respects our Freedom rather than denies it. And the more we choose according to God’s will, the more Free we will be to enjoy the many gifts that God has given.

Psalm 73:24 says, “You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. (NLT)” God is not an irresponsible manufacturer. He designed us and He has told us how we are to live. He gave us gifts and He has told us how they are to be used. His promise is that His instruction will always be available to us. And what an undeserved honor it is to be able to receive instruction from the Creator of the universe Himself. I pray that we never take that grace for granted. May we always live in absolute gratitude towards our gracious God, who continues to direct our steps and show us the way of life. =)

More often than not, a person’s first time at something involves less than greatness. Whether it be a person’s very first attempt at mariokart or a person’s very first time on skates, firsts are commonly involved with the lackluster elements of the experience. “Oh, lets play this beginner’s stage since you haven’t played before,” or “Make sure to skate slowly just to get the hang of it.” And as a result, first experiences are usually not immersive, but instead are merely opportunities to dip your toes in the water. But every so often, one comes across a first time that is so powerful, it has a lasting effect on the one involved. Well, this was the case for me yesterday, as I attended my very first punk rock show, which was headlined by one of the most influential bands in punk, NOFX.

While the experience can be reflected upon from so many different vantage points, a key moment during the concert has fueled me to write. It was in between songs during the NOFX set. The singer, Mike, was speaking to the crowd in the fashion I’d heard from various live recordings. “You know there’s something really weird about you Asians,” he said in his typical I-don’t-give-a-rats-ass manner. “We were just in China recently. And in China, there are Billions and Billions of Atheists. I like that! But then we come over here, and the Philippines is 80% Christian. What the hell is wrong with you guys?!” Wow. As if the initial rant wasn’t enough, he went on. “This next song is for all you Christians, and Muslims, and Buddhists, and Hindus, coz all of you guys that believe in a God are WRONG. You’re just plain WRONG,” at which point the crowd erupted in cheering.

The rest of the night stopped being about music, about hanging with friends, or anything else. It simply revolved around that moment, and not in the manner in which I would’ve thought. I wasn’t angry at the singer for expressing his own beliefs. I actually felt convicted, for both myself and for my Christian brothers. Why is it that this atheist can step in front of thousands of people and shout out his utter disbelief in God while most Christians cringe in fear at the prospect of admitting their love for Jesus Christ? Why is it that this atheist can openly bash the faith of his audience while most Christians can’t even utter Jesus’ name in a conversation without feeling embarrassed? Why is it that this atheist can come into foreign nations and speak boldly about his lack of faith while believers can’t even proclaim their faith boldly to their friends? To take Mike’s question seriously, what the hell is wrong with us? After all, we Christians are supposed to believe that an all-loving and all-powerful Father is backing us up. 1 John 4:4 says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Romans 8:31 says “So what shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” If that’s the case, then why are so many Christians content to just sit back and watch as the world continues to rant and rail against everything we believe? We should be talking about our love of Christ openly and boldly, not in arrogance, but always in love. And it is for that reason that I would like to proclaim publicly that I love Jesus Christ, and I desire to know Him more than anything on earth. Though my life will never be a worthy testament to His goodness, I believe that He is Lord, and that his sacrifice on the cross was enough to save me from my sin. I believe He died for me, and I believe that He rose again, so that all who believe may have eternal life. And the only reason I can say this all is because of another first, the most important first I’ll ever experience. 1 John 4:19 “We love God because He first loved us.” I pray that all of you who read this get to experience that life changing first.

Everyday life is just filled with a plethora of questions waiting to pop up on us. Majority of these questions are pragmatic, easily answered ones, such as “When’s that paper due again?” or “What time is the Cavs game on?” or “Which pair of boxers shall I put on today?” But every so often, we are confronted by questions that deserve much more attention. And I recently found myself face-to-face with one such question quite unexpectedly.

It was after watching the Holiday with three other friends (Why I ended up watching that movie is another profound question altogether). After the movie ended, we decided to head over to a house to hang out. On the way, the conversation somehow shifted to the topic of the bible. A friend and I ended up giving our partial testimonies about how we found so many answers in the bible, when all of a sudden, one friend asked, “You mean like the answer to the question of theodicy?” If any of you are like me, you’re asking yourselves, “What in the world is theodicy?” Luckily I didn’t have to pretend I knew, as the one asking volunteered the word’s meaning. “You know, the question as to why a good God allows evil in the world.” Riiiiight… Theodicy…. After adding that to word to my vocabulary, we began to talk about it. The four of us ended up having an extremely interesting conversation that covered a gamut of topics. I went home feeling rather good about the whole thing, glad that my friends and I could have a conversation about things consequential. But when I reflected on the night’s happenings, something began to dawn upon me. I began to realize the significance to the question asked, not just to my friend, but also to everyone who wants to believe in an all-powerful, all-loving God. After all, the problem of suffering is one we all need to come to terms with if we are going to have an honest and genuine faith. It is in this context that I decided to write this blog. This is not an attempt to answer all the questions regarding the subject, as there are some answers that I believe we will not have until we finally meet God and ask Him in person. (Deuteronomy 29:29). And no, I do not fancy myself an expert who believes to be taking on this problem once and for all. But I do believe God gave us reason for a reason, and I believe that we are meant to use our God-given intellects in the light of the gospel to look for these answers. God never asked us to have blind faith, and I believe that examining the Word of God with a sincere heart and an operating intellect can lead us in the right direction. So I am in effect simply sharing where I feel I am being led in the hopes that these reflections may be of use to some other believers struggling with this valid question.

My reflection begins with God and creation. The bible says that our God is a holy, righteous God (1 Pet 1:15-16, Psalm 4:1, Psalm 71:19), and subsequently, when God created the universe, he created a place that was good. And when He created man, what he created was also good (Gen 1:31). But man was not like any of God’s other creations. He created man special. He created man in his own image and likeness, which means that man was given a share of God’s authority and that man was given freedom. God did all of this out of His immense love. In fact, He created man so that He could share a loving relationship with him (Deut. 6:5, Deut 7:9, 1 John 3:1). This is why man was made free. For man to enjoy a loving relationship with God, he had to be given the freedom to choose to love God or not to love, for love is, as many of us have heard, a decision. And so God gave man one rule: Don’t eat the fruit from this particular tree. God provided man with all He needed and more, and still, man chose to disobey and do what was forbidden. This was how sin and evil entered into the world. When man chose to disobey God, he chose to love himself more than God, and therefore, He chose to be selfish and to oppose God’s will. Man’s choice was fundamentally against God’s pure, loving, good, and pristine nature. Now because of God’s nature and God’s power, anything contrary to His nature would either be destroyed in His presence (Lev. 10:1-2) or totally cut off from Him, which is tantamount to death (Rom 6:23) because God is the source of all life. And so when man fell into sin, He instantly deserved to die. But because God loved man so much, He permitted man to live on, far enough away from His presence that he might not be destroyed, but not totally cut off so that man may still live. By allowing man to continue living, God also allowed evil to exist, for it is man that chooses to do evil. For the real solution to destroying evil is destroying man. But this for me is to me precisely why God allows evil to exist. He allows evil to exist because, although God is pained by evil (Psalm 78:40, Gen 6:6), He still loves us, the fallen ones, who have delighted in evil and have made ourselves at home in evil. Destroying all evil would entail destroying us, and God in His infinite mercy, decided instead to give us the opportunity to come back into His loving presence before His judgment of the world. God decided He would instead show man the depth of His love in the hopes of drawing man back into His presence. And how did God show man His love? He did it by choosing to pay the price of our sinfulness with His own blood (Rom 5:8).

God is a just God, and as such, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Someone had to pay for the sin that man brought into the world and because we were the ones who sinned, naturally, we were supposed to bear the cost. And that cost, as already mentioned, is supposed to be death, plain and simple. But because God is loving and merciful, He decided to let His own son pay the price so that we might be spared. So instead of destroying evil on earth and us along with it, God chose to have His son come to the earth, die the death that was supposed to be ours, and in doing so, put those who believe in right standing once again with God (1 Pet 2:24, Phil 3:9, 2 Cor 5:21). At the end of the day, I believe that God allows evil to exist because we have all done evil. We have all done what is evil in His sight, and yet He allows us to live because He loves us. Ironically enough, one of the greatest mysteries of theology seems to point us back to one of the simplest truths about God: God is love.

Hopefully this will have helped a few come across some answers. Perhaps for others, this did nothing but raise more questions. But regardless of where you are in your search, I’d just like to encourage you. God will not let you seek in vain. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” While I hope this has been helpful, I don’t expect it to contain all the answers. Heck, there are questions that I’m still asking myself about the subject. But despite that, I’m still holding on to God’s promise that He will reward me for seeking Him out. And this is the promise He has for all of us. So lets continue seeking Him. Lets continue searching for His truths. Lets continue asking Him our questions. And in all of this, lets believe that He who promised is faithful. And in time, God promises us that He’ll reveal to us His answers because He is faithful… and there’s no question about that.

I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. - Psalms 91:2-4

The case has finally been dismissed. On behalf of my family, I'd just like to thank you all for your prayers and your support. You guys have really been a source of strength for myself and for my family. And what the devil intended for evil, God, in all His glory, has worked for good, for it was through this experience that I truly realized what a wonderful group of friends God has blessed my family and I with. Mon, Trina, Franco, and Bea, thanks so much for the work you put into this case. I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart, and I am really moved by your love and concern for myself and my family. I will always remember your generosity. And on a more casual note, I'm really glad that those sleepless nights were spent with some of the friends who mean the most to me.

Most of all, I'd like to publicly thank God for His faithfulness to my family. He continues to lavish us with His goodness and continues to show that He is true to His word. His faithfulness will always be our shield.

"In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."

Yes Lord, you have conquered the world, and we thank you for it. All praise and honor is yours, forever and ever.

Ey guys! Just wanna let you know that I might not have a phone for the next few days so if you need to reach me, you can... umm... be creative? i don't know, hehe, point is, for the next couple of days I might not be able to reply or anything. And I may need to get your numbers again, hehe, sorry for the hassle.

Anyway, take it easy!