THE POWER OF PRAISE

…the Lord has anointed me…

to give… the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness.

Isaiah 61:1,3

Praise is powerful! No matter what difficulties we face, singing praises to our God can dispel our despondency and bring encouragement. That’s why every Christian should have a song of praise in his heart.

Troubled at times with a coldness of heart toward the things of the Lord, Scottish Pastor Robert Murray McCheyne would sing the praises of God until he felt revived in his spirit. One day, while he was trying to prepare his journal: “Is is the desire of my heart to be made altogether holy?... Lord, You know all things… felt much deadness, and much grief that I cannot grieve for this deadness. Toward evening revived. Got a calm spirit through psalmody (singing psalms) and prayer.” McCheyne had been uplifted by praising God. Those in his household were often able to tell what hour he awoke because he began the day with a psalm of praise.

Perhaps you fell as if you are mired in what John Bunyan called the “slough of despond.” Lift a song of praise to the Lord! The psalmist said, “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever.” When we do that, the praise will flow not only from our lips but also from the heart. What joy will then be ours! The Lord delights to give “the oil of joy for morning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3).

Yes, “it is good to sing praises to our God” – at all times (Psalm 147:1)

If you find yourself wearing a spirit of heaviness, put on a garment of praise.

(from our daily bread 01 Feb 1987) 

PERA O IBA?

Paano natin malalaman kung mahal na mahal natin ang pera? Kung mas mahal na natin ang pera kaysa sa ating sariling kabanalan o kalinisan. That’s the danger point. Then we love money too much. Kapag mas mahal na natin yung pera kaysa sa ibang tao at sa kanilang damdamin, na kahit magalit na sa akin ang magulang ko, magkagalit kami ng kapatid ko, mag-away kami ng kaibigan ko, basta akin ang pera, di bale nang mawala sila. Then, that’s the dangerous point.

Kalian ba natin sobrang mahal yung pera? Kung mas mahal na natin yung pera kaysa sa ating mga paglilingkod sa Panginoon. Sa ating mga kagustuhan na laging kumita nang kumita ng pera, hindi na tayo nagkakaroon ng panahon para umattend ng mga Bible studies, maglingkod sa Panginoon o magturo sa iba’t ibang paraan. Hindi masama na magkaroon ng iba’t ibang mga pagkakakitaan. Subali’t kung iyan ay nagiging hadlang na sa paglago nating spiritual, nagiging hadlang na para tayo maging mabuting tao, nagiging hadlang na para tayo maging maibigin at matulungin sa kapwa, then we already love money too much. Kaya nga sabi, “Keep yourselves free from the love of money.” Yung iba kasi pang-justify nila ito sa katamaran. Hindi sila nagsisikap kumita dahil sabi daw ng Bible, walang kuwenta ang pera. Hindi iyon walang kuwenta, kundi sabi, “Huwang mong iibigin iyan nang higit sa Diyos o higit sa iyong kapwa o higit sa iyong sariling kalinisan.”

Ano ang sabi ng Panginoon sa Luke 3:12-14? May mga tax collectors na nagpunta sa Kanya at ang sabi, “Teacher, what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” Jesus told them. Then some soldiers asked Him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money, and don’t accuse people falsely-be content with your pay.” Nakita ninyo ang sinasabi dito? “Be content with your pay.” Huwag daw umimbento ng mga kaso laban sa mga tao para puwersahin silang maglagay para lamang lumaki-laki ang kita. Ang sabi Niya sa mga tax collector, “Don’t collect more than necessary.” Kasi yung mga tax collectors, tatasahan kayo, bibigyan kayo ng estimate, “O ito ang iyong tax, yun pala sobra, para may natitira sa kanila. Kaya sabi, “Don’t collect more than necessary.” And then to soldiers, “Don’t extort money. Be content with your pay.”

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

MAKE MONEY, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF GODLINESS

Ngayon, yung mga iba halimbawa, nasa medyo low-paying jobs, tapos itong verse na ito ang gagamitin, “Be content with your pay.” Ayaw nilang gumawa ng mga sideline, ayaw nilang gumawa ng ibang mga businesses. E di mali na namang application. Ang point dito sa, “Be content with your pay” ay ito: That you don’t create a bigger income unnecessarily, at the expense of your godliness. But if you can create more income without hurting your morality, then, that is productive. That is not prohibited by Scripture. Marami kasi nila akala nila pag banal dapat mahirap. Kasi pag mayaman, siguro masama. Di ba maraming beses na natin nabanggit na mahirap maging banal kung walang makain? Madali ba namang maging banal kung kumakalam ang iyong sikmura, meron kang sakit pero walang maipambili ng gamut? You don’t equate poverty with spirituality. You don’t equate wealth with greed. Dahil kahit sa Bible, maraming wealthy but godly people. So make a lot of money if you like, but do not love it more than your godliness.

Paano naman ninyo ipapakitang hindi ninyo mas mahal ang pera? Dapat meron kayong araw ng pangolin. Meron dapat kayong araw na iginagalang na pahinga, araw ng worship. Hindi yung puro pagkita na lang ng pera ang iniisip. Ngayon ang sinasabi nila, “Eh, paano kung Linggo lang ako may pagkakataon na kumita, yun lang talaga ang chance ko?” Puwede ka naman sigurong mag-worship ng Wednesday or Thursday. Hindi naman siguro tayo masyadong magiging legalistic na pagkakapilit-pilitin kang “Dapag Linggo.” Ang sabi sa Bible, “Six days you shall work and on the seventh day, you will rest.” Kung nag-uumpisa ka ng Thursday mag-trabaho, di Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, eh di Wednesday dapat nangingilin ka. You break every six days of work with a seventh day of rest. Sa New Testament, ang rest na iyan ay nagkaroon ng bagong kahulugan. Nagkaroon din iyon ng pagtitipon-tipon, fellowshipping, breaking of bread together, and reading of God’s Word.

What we’re saying is this: Hindi legalista ang Diyos. Ang mahalaga, hindi natin Siya sina-sacrifice. We can be creative in finding times for our rest, and finding times for our worship.  Kasi meron talagang trabaho na natataon sa Linggo. It’s always preferred na wala kayong ginagawa kapag Linggo, at sumasamba tayong lahat. E paano naman yung mga may shifting? Paano yung mga pabrika? Paano iyon, alangan naman natin silang i-judge na “Evil kayo!” Madaling sabihin ‘yan ng mga taong nagtatrabaho na talagang ang day off ay Sunday. It is preferred that we believers see each other on Sunday; it is the ideal. But you know, the ideal is not always possible. Merong best, may second best, and the Lord is not an oppressive God.  Huwag nating isinasangkalan ang ating kabanalan kaya wala tayong kinikita, o kaya tayo tamad, o kaya tayo walang production. Make wealth, but don’t love it more than you love God.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

HOW CAN WE REALLY BE PROSPEROUS?

By getting what we like through hard work. You cannot get what you like just by wishing for it. Yung iba may mga wishes. Pero hindi dapat wish lang; dapat meron din tayong plan. What do I really want to happen one year from now, two years from now? So, you work hard, you invest, and you save. Also, we can receive our needs when we give to God, when we give to God’s workers, when we give to the needy. And we can really be prosperous when we become contented with what we have after we have done all of the above.

Huwag naman kayong makuntento agad, eh hindi pa ninyo ginagawa yung anim. Hindi pag nagta-trabaho, hindi pa nagsisikap, hindi pa nag-iinvest, hindi pa gumagawa ng mga tama, kuntento na agad. Kaya tuloy walang nangyayari, walang kaambi-ambisyon.  Nagiging miserable tuloy o pabigat sa iba. Kailangan nagsisikap tayo at ginagawa natin ang lahat. At matapos nating magawa ang lahat, kung ang naging bunga noon at kung anong meron tayo, we learn to be happy with it. Then we become prosperous.

Nobody can stop you from feeling prosperous. Maybe many people can stop you from being prosperous. Circumstances can stop you from being prosperous. But nothing can stop you from feeling prosperous, if you decide to feel that way. Meron nga lang kayong iniinom na tubig na medyo malamig, eh, feeling rich na kayo. Nobody can take that feeling away from you! What we are inside is what we will be outside. Prosperity is not always directly proportionate with what you’ve got. Prosperity is directly proportionate to your attitude towards what you have. In that case we are all equal; we can all be prosperous.

Let us thank the Lord for the personal prosperities that He has given us. Humingi din tayo ng guidance sa Kanya kung papaano mapapaasenso pa natin ang ating buhay. Nang sa gayon, mas marami naman ang matulungan natin, mas marami tayong magagawa, at makakaambag tayo sa pagpapaasenso ng ating bayan. The children of God should be productive and prosperous. Christians should aspire to be and work for nothing less.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

ECCLESIASTES 9:11

Sabi ni Solomon sa Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I have seen something else under the sun. The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” Di ba ang ganda ng observation niya? Sabi niya, hindi naman lagi yung mabilis ang nananalo sa mga karera. Malay  mo yung mabilis natapilok o nadapa. Naunahan, tuloy siya ng mabagal. Hindi komo mabilis ka, mananalo ka diyan. At hindi naman lahat ng nananalo sa mga digmaan ay yung malalakas. Mas malakas iyon, bakit natalo? Wise pala yung kabila. Ang sabi ni Solomon, hindi naman lagi ang pagkain ay pumupunta sa matatalino. Maraming matatalinong gutom. Sabi ni Solomon, “Wealth does not always come to the brilliant or favor to the learned.” Ibig sabihin, hindi komo ganito ka eh ganyan ang aasahan mong mangyayari sa buhay mo. Dugtong pa ni Solomon, “Time and chance happen to them all.” Maraming mga bagay na hindi natin kayang ipaliwanag, hindi ma-rationalize pero nangyayari lang. Kung minsan din sa mga anak-gusto nila, “Ganito yung anak ko,” “Sana ganyan ang anak ninyo.” Eh, iyan na ang anak ninyo, kaya be happy with him or her! Iyan ang magulang ninyo. Ganoon din-hindi ‘yan napipili.

So dalawa ang choice natin-magmukmok at magreklamo buong buhay mo, o kaya’y turuan mo ang iyong sarili na enjoyin iyan. You are either miserable or you are happy by choice. Lagi tayong may choice. Puwede tayong maging miserable kahit lahat ng bagay nandiyan, dahil yung isang kaliit-liitang wala, hahanapin mo. So even prosperity can be by choice. You can actually be prosperous or you may just feel prosperous. In both cases we need to learn to make good choices.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

CONTENTMENT

Contentment is defined as the quality or state of being contented.  Being contented is being satisfied with one’s own possessions, status, or situation.  Kuntento daw yung taong masaya sa kanyang mga tinatangkilik o mga ari-arian, kalagayan, sitwasyon, status at kinatatayuan sa lipunan.

Ano naman ang kinalaman ng contentment sa lahat ng ito: Working hard, investing, saving, giving to God, giving to God’s workers, and giving to the needy?

Sabi sa Hebrews 13:5, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Kailangan daw ay malaya tayo mula sa pag-ibig sa salapi. At kailangan, matuto tayo na maging kuntento sa kung anuman ang ating ari-arian, o kung ano ang nasa ating mga kamay.

For the Lord said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” A lot of people read this phrase: “Keep your lives free from the love of money” as saying na huwag ka nang magtrabaho, wala ka dapat ambisyon, huwag ka nang magsikap na umasenso, at ganyan ka na lang. Hindi yata iyon ang tamang interpretasyon dito. Hindi sinabing “keep yourselves free from the love of money.”

Sinasabi nga, “Love of money is a root of all evil.” Hindi sinabing, “Money is a root of all evil.” This doesn’t mean that we should be free from productive enterprise. It doesn’t mean that we should be free from investing, free from saving. Ang sinasabi dito, we should be free from wrongdoing just for the sake of money. Money can be a good tool to help people. Money can be used to make the afflicted comfortable and to buy freedom for slaves.  It is the love of money that the Lord does not like to be in our lives.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

7 WAYS TO PROSPERITY

There are 7 ways to Prosperity:

1.   Work Hard. Gusto mong maging prosperous? You’ve got to work hard. Hindi puwedeng naghihintay na lang ng manna, naghihintay na lang mahulugan ng kayamanan o ulanan ng pera.

2. Invest. You’ve got to know how to invest. Hindi puro gastos. Kapag maraming  pera, ang palaging iniisip kung anong bibilhin, hindi kung anong investment ang puwedeng gawin. Ang ating mga pananalapi tuloy imbes dumami ay nauubos lang. Instead of becoming producers and entrepreneurs, we only become  consumers.

3. Save. Kailangan marunong tayong mag-save. Kung minsan yung kayamanan ng isang bayan, gine-gauge sa savings na nasa mga bangko. Kasi ang savings, nagagamit sa investment.

4. Give to God what belongs to Him. Huwag nanakawan ang Diyos dahil hindi natin puwedeng pagtagumpayanan ang panloloko sa Kanya.

5. Give to God’s workers. The Lord commands that and the Lord commends that.

6. Give to the needy. There’s a certain law of nature that you keep what you give away and you lose what you attempt to selfishly keep.

7. Be content.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.

1 TIMOTHY 6:6-7

Dapat alam din naman natin kung kelan yung tama na. Kung kumikita naman tayo sa ibang araw, e, may mga araw na talagang ipapangilin na lang natin kahit puwede pa ring kumita. Kasi sabi nga ng Lord, “Man does not live by bread alone.” Bread is important but it’s not all important nor above all. Let’s take a look at another verse, 1 Timothy 6:6-7: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” Yun daw pagiging makadiyos na may kasama pang pagiging kuntento ay isang malaking kapakinabangan sapagkat wala tayong dinala sa mundong ito. Totoo nga naman-noong ipinanganak kayo wala naman talaga kayong dala, ako rin wala. At kapag namatay naman tayo, wala rin tayong dadalhin. Nakita ba ninyo yung maraming nagtangkang magdala ng kayamanan sa mga pyramids sa Egypt, sa mga burial grounds? Ano ngayon ang mga tinitingnan ng mga turista at inuusyuso? Yung mga tinangkang dalhin ng mga Pharaoh sa kabilang buhay. Tinangka nilang dalhin lahat-mga alahas, mga ginto, mga mamahaling bato, mga hiyas, mga silya, mga gamit. Pero ayun, matagal na silang wala, nandoon pa rin. Naiwan, hindi naman talaga nadala. Maging ang ating mga ninuno-di po ba marami tayong mga archaeological diggings? Nakikita natin yung tinangka nilang dalhin-kung anu-anong mga jars, nandoon pa rin. Naiwan pa rin sa lupa, hindi naman nila nadala sa kung saan nagpunta ang espiritu nila.

Mabuti na napapaligiran tayo ng mga kasangkapan, gumiginhawa ang ating buhay, nakapagpapaginhawa tayo ng ating kapwa. Subalit hindi natin dapat mahalin ang mga iyan nang higit sa pagmamahal natin sa ating kapwa, sa ating sarili, at sa ating Diyos. Dahil una, hindi naman natin dinala ang mga iyan dito, at pangalawa hindi natin madadala ‘yan pag-alis. Hindi dapat tayo masyadong attached na attached diyan. Godliness with contentment is great gain. While godliness equals productivity, hindi ibig sabihin na kuntento na ako, at wala na akong gagawin. Do not be attached too much to material things because whatever you love will enslave you.

From the Book:

Siksik, Liglig at Umaapaw.