GIVE UP or GIVE IT UP

Luke 21:2 "and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins"

There are 3 phrases that are worth reflecting in the above verse.

• “he noticed” - God sees everything. Whether it’s a small or big act, God sees it. In the same respect whether it’s a small or big sin, God will see it. 
• “a poor widow” - We are like this woman but in various ways. Maybe we are poor financially, spiritually, troubled by health concerns or experienced broken relationships. We are all “poor” but God can still use us if we are willing.
• “two small coins” - This phrase is relative. The “two small coins” may not be significant to others but it may be all that the widow had. How much of your life have you given to God? Are you giving from your excess resources or are you giving "until it hurts"?

God gave up His only Son to save us. May we give most our life to God including our brokenness. 

May we learn to surrender everything to God. Because God is always in control. As Psalms 46:11 declares - “Be still and know that I am God! 

TO KILL, OR NOT TO KILL

I interviewed a couple in Pathways Radio and they had a wonderful story. It happened when they were still living outside the Philippines several years ago. During that time they were not planning to have another child. They already had three and raising another one in a foreign country will be difficult.

One day, she found out that she was pregnant. This was further confirmed after undergoing another pregnancy test in the hospital. 

They had mixed emotions but they considered the baby a blessing. She had to undergo the mandatory pre-natal screening to determine if the baby is prone to any birth defect. The surprise of having this 4th child was nothing compared to the shock they got when the screening results came out. It showed that the baby will have a congenital disorder called Down syndrome. They were still in disbelief with sad news when the hospital personnel offered a solution - “Why not terminate the baby? By law, you are still allowed to terminate it at this stage."

There was awkward silence in the room. The husband did not know how to react. The wife was speechless. The hospital staff waited for their "yes". But for this Christian-Catholic couple abortion was never an option. They said a short prayer and replied - “Sorry, we will keep this child.” The hospital staff cannot understand their decision. The couple signed a waiver to release the hospital from responsibility from the decision they made.

Trials in life are unavoidable but destruction is optional. Life is precious and should be valued at whatever stage. When you are facing a difficult situation your CHARACTER should be bigger than your CIRCUMSTANCE. You cannot always control what happens but you can always choose how to respond. Always choose what is right. Choose what is pleasing to God. Always choose to keep a positive attitude and thankful heart regardless of your situation.

Now, back to the story. She gave birth after nine months and this is where their story becomes wonderful. She gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby! Let me repeat that just in case you missed it. She gave birth to a normal, healthy baby with no Down syndrome! Truly, God rewards those who put their trust in Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus 

- alvinfabella@yahoo.com

HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR MOUNTAINS

Did you ever face a problem that looked so daunting?

It was too intimidating that you did not know how to react. These problems either make us stop in our tracks or force us to retreat back. We want to avoid the problem or the “mountain” before us. We think that we cannot do it. It is normal to be afraid but is this how we are supposed to handle “mountains”?

You always have a choice. You may retreat or you may overcome the mountain. The Israelites were in battle with the Philistines when they were confronted by this "mountain" by the name of Goliath.

1 Samuel 17:⁴ A champion named Goliath of Gath came out from the Philistine camp; he was six cubits and a span tall. ⁵ He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a bronze breastplate of scale armor weighing five thousand shekels, ⁶ bronze greaves, and had a bronze scimitar slung from his shoulders. ⁷ The shaft of his javelin was like a weaver’s beam, and its iron head weighed six hundred shekels. His shield-bearer went ahead of him.

Goliath stood about 9 ½ feet tall & wore a bronze armor that weighed 5,000 shekels (approximately 125 pounds). His whole armor alone weighed close to 200 pounds. This warrior was MASSIVE! The problems in our lives may appear as MASSIVE. They may look invincible. Maybe you have a friend who was diagnosed with cancer and you say to yourself - “my friend cannot survive this”. Maybe you are buried in financial debt and you think – “I cannot pay this off!" These trials are your mountains and they will frighten you. That's how the Israelites felt in the presence of Goliath. 

1 Samuel 17:¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard this challenge of the Philistine, they were stunned and terrified.

There are several points in this story that will teach how us to overcome our mountains. But for this write-up let us focus on this single point - "Review your life and recall how God has been helping you". When you do this you will find the courage to overcome your mountain. 

Imagine a job interview scene. This is how the next scene transpired with King Saul as the interviewer questioning the applicant David. King Saul was afraid for David. But David assured his king that he was ready.

1 Samuel 17:³² Then David spoke to Saul: “My lord should not lose heart. Let your servant go and fight this Philistine.” ³³ But Saul answered David, “You cannot go up against this Philistine and fight with him, for you are only a youth, while he has been a warrior from his youth.”

David told King Saul about his past accomplishments like any applicant would do in a job interview.

1 Samuel 17:³⁴ Then David told Saul: “Your servant used to tend his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I would chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both a lion and a bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, because he has insulted the armies of the living God.” 

David then told the king his character reference to further boost his credentials. He told him that God has been his backer and God will continue to back him up.

1 Samuel 17:³⁷ David continued: “The same LORD who delivered me from the claws of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul answered David, “Go! the LORD will be with you.”

David’s experience and his Divine backer got him the job. The story ended in a good note as David slew Goliath and the people rejoiced! He conquered the mountain and offered the victory to God.

Are you facing mountains in your life now? Do not worry and panic. Review your “work experience” and trust in your Divine backer.

I once joined my friends in a hiking trip to Taal volcano. We had to take a boat ride first. Upon reaching the docking area our group had to walk. We walked for 15 minutes then we walked again. We took a 5-minute break and then walked again. And after all the walking we had to walk again. Oh, by the way, did I say that we walked? We were so tired but we trusted our guide to lead us to the peak. We reached the peak after almost an hour of walking. Personally seeing the crater and the awesome view at the peak was more refreshing than the water that I drank along the trail. Our lives may be tiring. Yet, at the end of it all we can appreciate the awesome place that God has prepared for us. To overcome the mountain, we need to have faith in Him who created all things.

Mark 11:23 Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it shall be done for him.

May you overcome all the mountains in your life! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

A MISSION GREATER THAN US

“Living on  purpose is the only way to really live. Everything else is just existing” – Rick Warren

 


God calls each one of us to take a specific mission. 

When God call us for mission, the mission is always greater than us. It will take us out of our comfort zone. It will be risky. It will be scary.

• David's mission was to beat the giant warrior Goliath.
• God asked Noah to build a huge ark which can fit a pair of all the living creatures. Noah was old and he was given a very big mission, figuratively and literally.
• The angel told Mary that she would conceive & give birth to the Son of God. You cannot have a bigger mission than that!

When God calls us to do mission, it will always be bigger than us. What can we do so we can effectively do the mission? We can take our cue from what St. Paul says in Philippians 3:13b Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus

In Philippians 3:13b he says - Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind. The first thing we need to do is to GET RID OF THE GARBAGE. Are there things in your life that are slowing you down? This may include un-forgiveness, addictions or sin. This “garbage” will slow you down and used up your energy. We need to lighten up our load if we want to take on our mission.  King Saul gave David an armor which we can use when he fights Goliath. 

1 Samuel 17:38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic, putting a bronze helmet on his head and arming him with a coat of mail. 39 David also fastened Saul’s sword over the tunic. He walked with difficulty, however, since he had never worn armor before. He said to Saul, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.
 
The last line says – “he took them off”. David found the armor too heavy so he decided not use it. Because of this, David won over Goliath. What are your armors that are slowing you down? You cannot go on mission with them
 
The second point from the verse is all about OPENING UP. The last phrase of Philippians 3:14 says “straining forward to what lies ahead”. A closed hand will never catch anything while an open hand can receive “what lies ahead”. This is why we need to OPEN UP when we take on a mission. We need to open our lives to others. We need to help those who need help. St. Francis said that is it not enough to worship Jesus, you have to imitate Him. We are called to be a Jesus to others. Are you opening up your time, talents and treasures to others? 

No one can tell what lies ahead. So we also need to be open to change. If we want to fulfill our mission we should adapt to any change. Our plans may not fulfill our mission because God wants us to take on a different approach. When it comes to mission always be ready to open up your life and be open to changes.

The last part of Philippians 3:14 says “the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus”. When we go on mission we should have more of Jesus Christ. John the Baptist say that “He must increase; I must decrease (John 3:30)”. Anyone in mission should take on this stance – DECREASE YOURSELF. We cannot rely more on our abilities. We need to depend more on Jesus.  

Gideon was up against a big army of 135,000 Mideanites. He had a measly team of 32,000 only. 135,000 versus 32,000 was already a big mis-match! But God asked Gideon to trim is down further until he only had 300. You cannot call 135,000 versus 300 a fair match. I don't even think that it is match. But despite that, Gideon won! The point of the story is simple. We have to rely more on God that our own capability.

Mission is not about us. It's all about God

What is God calling you to do? Are you ready for the mission? Always remember to GET RID OF YOUR GARBAGE, OPEN UP & DECREASE YOURSELF. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

SEARCH AND LISTEN

 

After the earthquake, there was fire — but the Lord was not in the fire; after the fire, there was a tiny whispering sound. – 1 Kings 19:12

 

Hubert was going through a difficult time. He was in desperate need for a job. One Sunday afternoon, he tuned in to a radio program that announced job opportunities. He had planned to take notes but fell asleep soon after. He woke up listening to a Catholic radio program where I serve as a co-anchor. 

 

Our program airs testimonies of people who met God and now have a relationship with Him. Hubert began to listen to our program every Sunday afternoon. Then He came to one of our prayer meetings and has since been a regular attendee. Things in his life started to fall into place after he started a relationship with Jesus. 

 

Hubert’s story reminds us that God does not always come in big, grand ways. Elijah didn’t find God in the fearsome fire and earthquake but in a “tiny whispering.” Hubert did not meet God in a big worship concert or through a powerful preacher. He accidentally listened to a radio program as he was searching for a solution to his personal problems. Finding God became the starting point in solving his problems. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

 

Reflection: Do you have a personal relationship with God? Search for Him in the simple things and realize how big His love for you is.

 

Lord, make me sensitive to the nuances of Your movement in my life.

originally posted on Didache (link below)

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2016-06-10

BE GOD’S INSTRUMENT

“None of you to whom I preached the kingdom during my travels will ever see my face again.” – Acts 20:25

 

I was invited to give a talk to the new batch of prison guards of the Bureau of Corrections in Muntinlupa. When I arrived at the venue, I was told that there were changes to my original topic, that a projector was not available, and that there will be a pray-over session at the end. I wasn’t prepared for the changes and was a bit worried that my talk might not be effective. Since I may never have a chance to talk to this group again, I wanted to give them what I was originally prepared to deliver. But after a bit of reflection, I accepted that there must be a divine reason for these changes. I prayed silently for the Holy Spirit to guide me as I gave a modified talk. 

 

I was surprised at the outcome. I was shocked to see how a lot of the participants were in tears when the pray-over session ended. Some told me that they felt the presence of God with the talk and prayers. It was the power of the Holy Spirit at work. 

 

I may not see them again but I am confident that God will continue to work in their lives. We are simply instruments of God and He is the Principal Mover.  -  alvinfabella@yahoo.com

A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” – John 21:7

It was a special day because my wife and I were celebrating our wedding anniversary. We decided to have a breakfast date at a restaurant near my office after we dropped off the children to school. It was a great way to start our day until my wife pointed out something. “You picked out the wrong shirt. This one has a damaged collar and some parts of the sleeves are stained.” 

That affected my happy disposition. I was meeting a very important client that day so I had to look my best. In our rush to leave, I didn’t notice the damage on my polo shirt. 

Then, out of nowhere, my wife handed me a gift box. “Happy anniversary! I love you. I suggest you open this now,” she said. I was still brooding over my shirt and the meeting later when I opened the box. It was a brand-new polo! I went to the restroom and changed my shirt. I was ready for my next meeting. 

The Lord works in mysterious, unexpected ways. These surprises may come in small or big packages. God surprises us out of His love for us. He calls us to worry less and have more faith as we face our trials daily. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2016-04-10

DENY, TAKE IT UP & FOLLOW

Jesus said “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Deny, take up and follow. Jesus calls us to do three things to be his disciple. Let us consider doing these to make the most out of Lent. 

FIRST, DENY YOURSELF.

What is “yourself” looking for everyday?

Let’s not talk about your major dreams. Let’s talk about simple things that you want everyday. Do you enjoy 2-3 cups of coffee a day? Maybe you spend at least 6 hours in social media. Do you get lost in your hobby the whole night? Review your daily schedule. What are the things that if you missed doing them you feel that your day is incomplete? These are the things that “yourself” longs for everyday. Deny yourself these things during Lent.

I used my mobile phone a lot both in work and in my ministry. There are times when my phone is too slow. I discovered that the root cause of my phone’s slowdown are the multiple mobile applications running simultaneously. These apps are great tools but they are not necessary for my device to do its primary purpose, which is to call or text my friends. So, I reviewed the running apps and stopped those that are not too important. My phone runs like new again after the cleansing process. Deny your body the non-essentials and feel like brand new again! Focus on what you are primarily designed to do which is to love God and love others. 

SECOND, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS.

All of us have problems. Some have bigger concerns than others. We read “taking up your cross” and we think that it means we should carry our problems by ourselves. We missed the word “up” in the phrase “take up your cross”. Our call is to “take up” our crosses to the ONE who is above – God.

• Mary brought up a concern to Jesus at the wedding in Cana – “When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’” (John 2:3). Jesus replied by doing His first miracle. He turned the water into wine and the guests were delighted. 
• The disciples, seeing the hungry and tired crowd asked Jesus for a solution on how to handle them – “By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said, ‘This is a deserted place and it is already very late.’” (Mark 6:35). Jesus asked them for what they have and multiplied the bread to feed the thousands in the crowd. 
• The thief in the cross, nearing the moment of death, made this bold request to God – “Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’” (Luke 23:42). Jesus replied with a promise to bring him to paradise.

When we bring up a concern to God, He gives us the best solution. You are called to offer up your problems to God. Offer it UP to God. Bring it to God as your offering. Use it to glorify God. 

LASTLY, FOLLOW JESUS.

I love using Waze (a mobile traffic navigation app). It gets me to my destination faster. Sometimes, it leads me to streets I never knew existed. Sometimes it leads me to a dark alley where I am encouraged to bring out my rosary and pray. Whatever Waze says, I follow because I know that it will give me the best way.

God calls us to the same. Following means means placing your full trust in wherever He leads you. Following means doing everything that the leader does.

• For husbands, you are called to love your wife like Jesus loved the church – “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her” (Ephesians 5:25) 
• We are called to love the children around us by bringing them closer to Jesus –“but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”” (Matthew 19:14) 
• Jesus calls us to love others – The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:31)

These commandments are difficult to follow. But we should simply follow because Jesus knows the best way. He is the Way. Allow Jesus to lead all areas of your life starting this Lent.

Deny, take it up and follow. This is what we should do as Christians.

May we all have a blessed Lent!

alvinfabella@yahoo.com

LOOKS CAN DECEIVE

“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.” – Matthew 6:16

Au and Buboy are one of the married couples who regularly attend our weekly prayer meeting. I personally witnessed how they grew in their Christian life. They moved from being mere participants to active servants in the prayer meeting.

Au is part of the registration team that welcomes attendees to our prayer meeting. Her happy disposition makes it easy for the first-timers to feel at home. Buboy is part of the setup team so he has to be at the venue early. He brings equipment for the event and stays behind after to pack up, and loads them in their van. I admire their faithfulness in their service.

Lately, they are having financial and health problems. But you won’t notice this unless you ask them about it. They still attend and serve in the prayer meeting without fail. They do not allow these challenges to hinder them from serving God and their brethren. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com



Didache link http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2016-02-10

HALF FULL, HALF EMPTY

The glass may look half full to some. It may look half empty to others. Regardless how you look at it, water will always refresh you.

Jesus gives you something similar. Actually, HE gives you more. You may look at life as half empty or half full. Whatever your situation is, Jesus will always refresh your life

Life is not easy. 

Jesus did not promise a trouble free life when we follow Him but the Bible shows us that God will always be with us. He will pursue us all the time. 

Do not let earthly things "refresh" you because they will only give you a temporary solution. Go to Jesus instead. His solution is good and permanent. His love refreshes.

Inspired by Jeremiah 31:25 "For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish.”

MAGICAL FOUNTAIN

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. – Luke 3:15

It was our family’s first vacation abroad and I looked forward to the reaction of my son, Jason, at the places we would visit. He was only four then.  

We visited a park filled with exotic and beautiful birds. Next, we went to a theme park with exciting rides. The third place we went to was a science park. In all three, he simply smiled, while his sister and cousins were giddy with excitement. It was late afternoon when we decided to rest in one of the public parks. I saw Jason laughing as he ran towards the park’s fountain where water gushed out from five holes on the tiled floor. Jason and his cousin played around the fountain area. It was his happiest moment so far. He found more joy playing in the water fountain of a free public park than any of the paid theme parks we visited! 

I was wrong. 

Just like how the people at the time of John the Baptist thought that he was already the Messiah. He corrected them by saying that someone greater than him is yet to come.This applies to us, too. In the past, we thought that our earthly blessings would be enough to make us happy.We later realized that our true happiness is simply to be with Jesus, the Living Water. - Alvin Fabella (alvinfabella@yahoo.com)

originally posted in http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2016-01-10