ANO BA TALAGA GUSTO MO?

Jesus saw the sick man. The Bible says that HE “knew that he had been ill for a long time” (John 5:6). So, why does Jesus asked him - “Do you want to be well?” Isn’t the answer to the question obvious?

The problem is not with Jesus. The problem is with us. We don’t know what we want.

• We want to get out of debt but we keep on borrowing money.
• We want to prosper but we don’t want to work
• We want to be free from our addictions but we don’t avoid the places where our bad habits thrive
• We want to fix our broken relationships yet we prioritize our pride instead of being humble and asking the other party for forgiveness.
• We want God but we don’t pray.

Lord, allow me to answer the question “Do you want to be well?” not only with words but with my actions. Amen - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

But they were kept from recognizing him. – Luke 24:16

After giving a talk in Pampanga, the leaders invited me for lunch. They boasted of how delicious their local cuisines were and the restaurant where they served the best sisig. I got excited when they told me we were having our lunch there. But my chances of tasting their food looked bleak when we arrived at the restaurant. We were told that we would be on the waiting list. We waited for a while but none of the customers were leaving. My companions asked if it was OK with me if we go to another place. I tried my best to hide my hesitation and replied, “Sure.”

They took me to an Italian restaurant where they ordered an abundant set of pasta, pizza, salad, and drinks. The food was delicious! The place was better than what we originally planned. We totally forgot about the time as we enjoyed the meal. We were saying our goodbyes in the parking lot when they handed me a brown paper bag. I opened it and saw a plastic container with the famous sisig I wanted!

I realized that I was craving for only one dish but God had a bigger plan. Sometimes, we get frustrated when we don’t get what we want at the time we want it. We don’t see that God has something better prepared for us. But all we have to do is trust in His perfect timing. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

http://kerygmafamily.com/modules/dailyreadings/read.php?date=2018-04-04

"BELIEVE IT" OR “NOT"

I read an amazing story about Charles Blondin. He was a famous French tightrope walker who crossed a tightrope stretching 11,000 feet across the Niagara Falls. The crowd cheered him on every time he made it on the other side. Then at one point he stopped & asked the audience - "Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?"

The crowd enthusiastically shouted - "Yes! You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. We BELIEVE!"

Blondin asked them again - "Who wants to get into the wheelbarrow.” Silence followed. They said they believed but no one said yes.

Do you really believe in God? The ancient Jews did. But when Jesus preached about Him being the Bread of Life they doubted. They quarreled. A lot of them left Jesus. The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (John 6:52)

Aren’t we like that also?

Pag “#feelingBlessed”, we confidently declare to the world that Jesus is God! Pero pag may problema ganun pa din ba?

• When you received the memo that your office will close down next month
• Kapag sinabi ng doctor na may kanser ang anak o magulang mo
• When you learned that your best friend talks about you negatively behind your back
• Pag dumating ang sulat ng banko at may ultimatum na ang loan mo

When we are facing troubles we also doubt. We argue with God. We might even leave God.

So, "how can can this man give us his flesh to eat?". The answer is simple. Because Jesus was not only a man. He was both man & God. And we all know that "with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

God gives you only two choices. You can BELIEVE or NOT believe. When Jesus says something, we follow. Kaya,

• Maniwala ka kahit mahirap
• Magtiwala ka kahit imposible
• Magdasal ka kahit parang tahimik ang Diyos

May you have an awesome & blessed week!!!! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

#Believe

QUOTA KA NA BA?

Women speak about 20,000 words a day. That’s 13,000 words more than what the average man says daily. Naka-quota ka na ba ngayong araw? :-)

Don’t worry, this post is not about gender equality. Hindi po ito tungkol sa "battle of the sexes". This is not about who speaks more. The point I want to drive at is that both men & women speak too much that we’re not able to listen well.

The basic truth is this - IF WE WANT TO FOLLOW GOD THEN WE HAVE TO LISTEN.

Most of the time we pray to ASK. We don't pray to LISTEN. Jesus listened & got instructions from the Father. In the last part of John 10:18 He says "This command I have received from my Father."

We have to listen first because:

• - God is GOOD. Jesus said "I am the good shepherd." (John 10:11). If God is good then He knows what's good for us.
• God KNOWS you. In John 10:14 " I know mine and mine know me". A simple cry is all a mother needs to know what her baby wants. She knows what to do because she knows her baby. God has that gift also but multiplied by a million times.
• God will RISK everything FOR YOU. He says that He "will lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:15). He died to save you. What other proof do you need that He loves you?
• Spend more time listening to God. Anyway, He "knows what we need before we ask." (Matthew 6:8). Prayer is not about asking God to change His mind but about changing our mind so that we are in synch with the mind of God.

So check yourself when you are praying. Who speaks more, God or you? Baka quota ka na? Bigyan mo naman si Lord ng pagkakataon na magsalita.

Lord, may my heart & mind be more open to listen. Speak Lord, your servant wants to listen. Amen. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

HIDE & SEEK

John 21:3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."

You read that line and you say to yourself "what's so special about that line?" Wasn't Peter a fisherman anyway? We forgot that Peter gave up fishing three years ago. 

Jesus invited Peter to "follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19). Peter accepted His invitation & together with his friends "they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:20)

Why does Peter say "I am going fishing"? What moved Peter to go back to his old trade?

Maybe he felt sad that the man he looked up to died. Maybe he missed the calmness of the sea. Maybe he wanted some time off. Or maybe he felt ashamed. He felt guilty because he let down his friend.

• A friend who trusted him with His Church. "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18
• A friend who told them that He would suffer and be killed but Peter corrected Him. "And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." - Matthew 16:22
• A friend who foretold his denial but Peter countered Him. "But he said vehemently, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." - Mark 14:31

Peter was confident. He thought he was brave. He knew that he was Jesus' main man. Sadly, when he was face to face with danger, he lost his confidence. He got scared. He failed. He failed the Lord BIG TIME!"

and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, "You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you mean." And he went out into the gateway. - Mark 14:67-68

Because of this Peter felt it was best to just go back to his old ways. Don't you feel the same way whenever you fail? Don't you feel the same after you've sinned? You feel ashamed so you just hide from God.

The good news with God is that you can run but you cannot hide. The exciting part of the story happened when Peter & Jesus met again. Peter must have been nervous. Maybe his head was bowed in shame. Anyway, Jesus had every right to reprimand him. He could state again all the words that Peter said & make Peter eat them the whole day. Jesus was the offended party and he can ask Peter to apologize.

But what does Jesus do?

He does the total opposite. No words to reprimand. No order to apologize. No "I told you so" speech. Jesus just looked at Peter & invited him to "come and have breakfast." (John 21:12)

That's love. Pure love. That's perfect love. And that is what God wants to give you too.

We also failed God several times. We hide from Him. We go back to our old ways. Yet, God pursues us and offers to share a meal with us. You may HIDE but God will always SEEK you. So, do not be afraid. Do not be ashamed. Do not run away from God. Be open to receive His perfect love each day. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

AND SHE SAID "YES"

No other proposal story can top this. 

This has to be the best until the end of time. Mary knew the consequences but she still said YES. She said YES because she had FAITH.

• F -ound FAVOR. Luke 1:30 says 'the angel said to her, "you have found favor with God." When God picks you then you are able to conquer fear because God is love. And "perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18)
• A -ccepting means she will bear Jesus in her womb. Luke 1:31 says "you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." What an honor indeed!
• I -nfinity & beyond. Mary's YES will allow God to reign forever. Verse 33 states "he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." I don't like overstaying leaders. But if it's God who leads I don't mind. I won't care because God cares for us forever.
• T -here is nothing impossible with God . As verse 37 goes "with God nothing will be impossible." Are you carrying an impossible problem now? Say YES to God to make the solution a reality.
• H -andmaid of the Lord. "And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."(Luke 1:38). God made us for a purpose. We cannot fully appreciate life if we don't accept our role in God's plan. The angel Gabriel's role was to share the news to Mary. After completing that mission "the angel departed from her." (Luke 1:38) because Gabriel's mission was complete.

All you need is FAITH. 

Is God asking you to do something? Say YES to Him & bless the world. Have an awesome & blessed week!! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com

TAPOS NA ANG BOXING!

(The Game is Over) a personal reflection on the Gospel for Easter Sunday 2018

Daig ng maagap ang masipag. That's what a Filipino proverb says.

"....Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark" - John 20:1

But sometimes, even if you are early, life's troubles can come "earlier". They come when we are not ready. They are like thieves that come out when it's dark. They take away something from us. They take away our joy and we don't how to move on.

John 20:2 says 'They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.'”

Magulo ba ang buhay mo ngayon? Baka hindi mo maunawaan kung bakit nangyayari ang bagay bagay sa buhay mo. This is how the followers of Jesus felt that day. John 20:9 says "For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead."

God's message for you today is this - "YOU DON'T HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. JUST BELIEVE."

You just have to believe. Even if you don't see the solution in sight.

"Then the other disciple also went in,.....and he saw and believed." - John 20:8

The disciple saw nothing. The tomb was empty. Yet, he BELIEVED. We are also called to believe. Believe in what? That Jesus has already conquered everything. The battle has been won. HE won over the devil. HE won over the troubles of the world. HE conquered even death. Tapos na ang boxing! Jesus is victorious. This means that nothing should bother us anymore. So,

• The recent biopsy result cannot take your joy. 
• Your adulterous spouse cannot take your joy. 
• Your dwindling bank account cannot take away your joy
• The political situation and principles of our government leaders can't take away your joy
• Your broken relationships cannot take away your joy
• Your own failures cannot take your joy

No one can. Nothing can.

Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday to show us that we too will also rise above our troubles. We will beat the devil. We will win over sin. With Jesus by our side, our JOY will be complete. Because everything is temporary & God is forever.

Starting today, rise up from life's troubles & make each day like Easter Sunday. Have a blessed Easter every day! - alvinfabella@yahoo.com