How can I show love?

Couple of weeks before valentine's day, a friend of mine asked me. "Pare paulit ulit na lang flowers, chocolates, cake, stuffed toy ang nireregalo ko sa girlfriend ko tuwing may okasyon. Ano kaya magandang ibigay sa Valentine's day para mabago naman?" I was in the "hala" for a couple of seconds there before responding "Ah eh malay ko, try mo kaya bigyan ng cash." Tumawa lang ang mokong.

Sa palagay ko kase yung mga nabanggit niyang gifts eh sureball mapapakilig ang isang babae. A man can never go wrong by giving chocolates, flowers, stuffed toys etc. Mas proud at mas taas noo maglakad sa gitna ng Edsa ang isang babaeng may dalang bouquet ng bulaklak, malaking teddy bear at chocolates kesa sa isang babaeng nakatanggap ng Valentine's Day card. Gusto kase ng mga babae nakikita silang may hawak na bulaklak etc. unless idikit ng babae ang greeting card sa noo niya para masabing may nagbigay sa kanya ng Valentine's Day card. 

Anyhow, inihaw. Hindi ko alam kung ano pa ang ibang magandang ibigay. Siguro ano hmmmm lingerie? Romantic Getaway? Spa Day? I-car wash mo kotse niya? Pagluto mo siya ng kaldereta o kaya dinuguan? perfume kaya? gift cards? Ewan ko. Girlfriend mo yan eh! Depende sa hilig niya, hindi mo pwedeng bigyan ng karne ang vegetarian. Alam mo ang gusto niyan :)

Tumahimik na kami sa usapan at itinuloy ang pag kain. 

Pauwi na ako ng bahay. . . . nag iisip pa rin ako ng bagay na pwedeng ibigay na pwedeng i cherish pang habang buhay. Ang bulaklak nalalanta, ang stuffed toys at jewelries na aalikabukan, ang chocolate at cake nakaka sira ng ngipin at nakaka diabetes , ang valentines day card nakakahiya idikit sa noo. So ano ba talaga ang pwedeng ibigay na magtatagal habang buhay?

Wala. 

Lahat ng bagay na ito, maglalaho.

Para sa mga babae diyan, kung sino man ang magbibigay sa iyo ng mga bagay na ito. Pasalamatan niyo dahil sobrang pinag hirapan nila ang pagiisip kung paano kayo mapapaligaya. Huwag na mag hanap ng mas mahal, mas boom at mas garbo. Sapat na ang mga simpleng bagay bagay, ang importante ay naalala ka niya. 

Kahit anong pagpapakita ng isang lalaki ng pag mamahal niya, iba pa rin talaga kung gaanong pagmamahal ang kayang ibigay ni God para sa atin. God allowed his son Jesus to die for you, for you to have eternal life. Eternal life brad ang ibinigay niya para sa atin, hindi ito naalikabukan, nalalanta, nakakasira ng ipin at lalong hindi dapat ikinahihiya. 

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.- John 15:3
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Selfie~

Selfie named word of the year for 2013. According to Oxford Dictionary selfie means a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website. Sino na sa inyo dito ang hindi pa nakapag selfie kahit isang beses sa buhay niya? You are astig man! Ikaw na!
Ibig sabihin non, Either talagang may taga kuha ka lang ng picture or wala kang social media website. Which is good, minsan naiisip ko na talagang sayang lang ang oras sa facebook, instagram, snapchat etc. Ano kaya ginagawa nung mga tao noon nung walang pang mga ganito? Mas marami sila sigurong na accomplish sa buhay.

Anyhow, inihaw balik tayo sa selfie. Meron din palang different levels ang pag seselfie. Tignan mo na lang itong babaeng ito click here . Yan ang talagang advance level. Pro kung pro.

Ayos lang naman siguro ang pag seselfie. Marami naman akong kaibigan sa facebook at mismong ako ang nag seselfie paminsan minsan. Ayos lang naman yun. Huwag lang naman yung mga umiiyak iyak pa sa picture. Yung normal lang.

Everytime I hear the word selfie parating pumapasok sa isip ko ang salitang selfish. Hindi ko alam kung magkatunog lang o ano pero trip ko. O kaya baka naman dahil sa instead na you let other people take picture of you, you do it for yourself, ikaw lang, ikaw lang, ikaw lang. Selfish man papicture ka naman! Lol korni. Mairelate lang, pagbigyan niyo na, blog ko naman ito. Thanks :)

Sa palagay ko lang hindi talaga maganda yung puro tayo na lang, yung puro ako, ako, ako. Kase pag ganyan ka, ikaw na talaga! :) Hindi mo mamamalayan, unti unti ng nauubos ang mga kaibigan mo. Puro ikaw na lang kase, ikaw na ang may magandang kwento, ikaw na ang mabango, ikaw na ang pogi, ikaw na ang matalino, ikaw na ang the best.  Ikaw na talaga! Wala ka nang ibang bagong taong nakilala, wala ka ng ibang nalaman na bagong kwento, wala ka ng mahanap na bagong makikinig sa mga kwento mong paulit ulit lang.

Naalala ko nung bata ako, ganyan din ako. Gusto ko ako lagi ang may bagong laruan, akin lang ang laruan, akin lang ang hotdog, akin lang ang unan, akin lang ang sukli sa biniling suka etc. Basta akin lang lagi. Pag bata okay lang yan, pero pag gantong edad na hindi na!

Lumayo na ako sa topic ko! Tokwa. Antok na ako. Haha!

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

The Power of Focus

How's your New Years Eve guys? Sana wala namang naputukan sa inyo. Kung meron man eh sana konti lang. May na accomplish ba kayo last year? Sana naman eh hindi yung kung anong level na ng candy crush kayo naroroon. Anyhow, inihaw dapat para may ma accomplish tayo sa buhay eh dapat focus tayo sa ating mga ginagawa. Hindi yung may mission tayong dapat gawin pero walang ka focus focus. Kapag nawala kase ang focus hindi natin ma aaccomplish ang bagay na dapat nating gawin.

Kung meron man akong kilala na super focus sa buhay siempre si Jesus Christ yun. Paano ko nasabi? Kung hindi focus si Jesus sa misyon niya eh baka hindi niya tayo nailigtas sa ating mga kasalanan. Baka kung saan saan napadpad na sulok ng mundo si Jesus, imbes na maipako siya sa krus eh baka inagaw niya na lang ang trabaho ni John the Baptist na maglublob ng kung sino sinong nag si tangappan ng ebanghelyo. Baka naging manunulat na lang siya dahil sa dami ng matatalinhaga niyang pananalita, baka nag trabaho na lang siya bilang doktor na kayang magpagaling ng kahit anong karamdaman ng nakapikit. Buti na lang at naging focus siya sa totoong misyon niya.

 Sa mga napapanood ko na Jesus Christ film yung posture niya, yung attitude niya eh parang laging 100% focus. Ito halimbawa, naalala niyo ba yung kwento nung isang babae na 12 years ng dinudugo?(Matthew 9:18-26) Sabi niya kung mahawakan niya lang daw ang laylayan ng damit ni Jesus eh gagaling na siya.
Yun nga nahawakan niya lang yung damit ni Jesus gumaling siya, eto namang si Jesus sa sobrang pagka focus niya eh kahit damit niya lang nararamdaman niya, lumingon pa talaga at kinausap ang babae. Ibang klase ang mga senses up to the laylayan ng palda! Isa pang halimbawa nung may mga bulag na sumisigaw ng "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" (Matthew 9:27) eh narinig niya. Naka focus nga eh! Kung hindi siya naka focus dinaan daanan niya lang yung dalawang bulag na yun, di naman kase siya son of David kako. Lol.

This year I pray na maging focus ako sa mga dapat kong gawin sa buhay. Ito ang ilan sa mga tips kung paano tayo magiging focus.

1. Do one thing at once. Huwag sabay sabay brader. Kung sabay sabayin mo lahat yan, ni isa wala kang matatapos. Just work on getting just one thing done at a time and
you will see that you get this one thing done more quickly.

2. Avoid distractions. If you are working with something on the computer, don't chat with friends. Huwag mo na tignan sino ang online sa facebook at pwedeng makakwentuhan
matatapos ang oras mo na mas maraming pa kayong pinag kwentuhan kesa sa natapos sa trabaho o sa pag aaral mo. Isa pa sa example, kung may kailangan kang gawin like
mag hugas ng pinggan o mag luto, gawin mo na muna lahat yan bago ka humarap sa computer dahil iisipin mo lang ng iisipin na may dapat kang gawin so wala ka din
matatapos.

3. Make a to do list. Write down at list 3 things to get done that day, next day and next week. Then cross out mo kapag nagawa mo na ang bagay na yun and move on to the next, ma susurprise ka nagagawa mo lahat ng dapat mong gawin. And it makes you feel good about yourself kapag may natapos ka.

4. Pray & Meditate. 30 minutes of quiet time with the Lord help you focus more. Sa dami ng ating ginagawa sa araw araw, masarap pa rin talaga sa pakiramdam na
tahimik lang ang buhay, sa gitna ng katahimikan maiisip mo pa isa isa ang mga bagay na dapat mo talagang ginagawa.

Turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God. - Proverbs 2:2-5

Oh siya. Yan na lang muna. Stay focus peeps! :D

NAPOLES CASE

If Jesus were to handle Napoles case I think ito ang magiging judgement niya. "Anyone here who has never sinned cast the first stone at her."

I remembered the story from book of John 8:3-11

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

11 “No one, sir,” she said.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Grabe si Jesus noh? There is no condemnation in him! Kahit ano pa yang kasalanan mo, malaki man o maliit patatawarin ka niya at sa kanya mo lang talaga madarama ang tunay na kapatawaran. Nakaka panindig balahibo lang din yung sinabi niya sa babae na "Go now and leave your life of sin." Hindi siya sinabi sa babae na, "Go now and don't let me catch you sinning again." Gusto talaga ni Jesus na maging malaya tayo sa kasalanan. At kung magkakasala man tayo ulit there is no condemnation in him. 

Ayoko na magsalita about Napoles case. Never naman ako nag salita about sa kanya. Yung pag upo ni Jesus at pagsulat sa buhangin symbolizes something, he did it twice sa chapter na yan. If you know what I mean, your smart at gets niyo na ang ibig kong sabihin kaya better na wag na lang magsalita about Napoles. :) 

JESUS NEVER ATTENDED FUNERALS

Sa palagay ko nung nabubuhay pa si Jesus, hindi niya masiyadong trip ang pag attend ng mga burol. Malamang nung panahon niya maraming namamatay at marami rin ang binuburol. Wala akong alam sa Bible na umattend siya sa isang funeral. I think Jesus never attended a funeral. Bakit ko nasabi? I can't imagine Jesus sitting in a funeral. Laughtrip siguro ako nun kung umattend siya sa isang burol, tapos nakaupo lang siya habang pinapanood ang mga umiiyak na kamag anak ng yumao.

Kung umattend man siya at hindi naisulat sa Bible hindi ko na alam yun, o hindi ko pa lang nabasa. Pero mukhang 99.9% sure akong walang nangyaring ganong kaganapan. Kung umattend man siya I think all eyes had to be on him. The expectations were palpable knowing ng mga tao na kaya ni Jesus bumuhay ng mga patay eh malamang ipapabuhay ng kamag anak yung patay nila kahit kapalit pa ng bahay, ipad, iphone, baka, kabayo at mga kalabaw nila. Buti hindi naging business minded si Jesus, kundi instant millionaire siya nun sa dami ba naman ng namamatay araw araw. Business na lang ang pagbuhay ng mga patay. Cool!

Isingit ko lang, wala tong kinalaman sa pagbubuhay ni Jesus ng patay. Kausap ko nung isang araw yung isang pinakamalapit kong barkada itago na lang natin siya sa pangalang Gilbert. Habang nag uusap kami eh naitanong niya kung ano ba ang hinahanap ko sa isang babae. Sabi ko eh yung God fearing. Sagot agad niya sa akin, "God fearing? Bakit naman?God fearing ayaw ko ng ganon, si God is a friend dapat hindi ka natatakot sa kanya." 

Medyo napa agree ako sa kanya. Sabi ko "Oo nga noh, galing mo brad! Hindi pala maganda yung God fearing, mas maganda yung friend of God." Kanina lang eh bumalik sa isip ko yung sinabi niya na God should be a friend at hindi ka dapat takot sa kanya. Parang may mali kase pero parang ang ganda pakinggan nung sinabi niya.

Ito na ang nasa isip ko ngayon. Hindi ko pa nasabi sa kanya ito at di niya alam na di pa ako naka move on sa sinabi niya, pero pag nabasa niya ito malalaman niya na rin ang nasa isip ko. Haha! Okay sa palagay ko God fearing pa rin ang tama. I think fear of God will make us run away from sin. When we run away from sin, we then run to the arms of God. Parang two way direction isang tamang landas at isang mali. Kung may takot tayo sa Diyos hindi tayo pupunta sa maling daan, so pag nasa tamang daan tayo, papunta kay Jesus yun! Isa pa tama naman na God is a friend, pero mas gusto ko yung Daughter of God. Mas magandang connection yun, kadugo!

Okay dahil malapit na ang araw ng mga patay. Balik na tayo sa mga deads. JESUS IS ASTIG! HE NEVER ATTENDED A FUNERAL BECAUSE HE CAN RAISE THE DEAD! Kung may sakit ka man ngayon brad, pray and believe to God that he can heal you. Kung kaya niya ngang bumuhay ng patay yan pa kayang sipon, oy sipon lang pala yan!

Ano po?

Kung makakausap ko lang si Jesus ng one on one. Gusto ko yung parang normal na usapan lang habang nag iinuman  kakape. Yung parang ikaw at ako lang pag nag uusap. Casual.

Kaso alam kong malabo. Mahirap makapag salita ng tuwid dahil sa palagay ko, marinig ko lang siya, maiiyak na ako sa galak. In Psychology when somebody claim that he hear the voice of God, he will be called mentally ill or worst  he will be referred to as psychotic. In reality, you can actually hear his soft voice. Don't get me wrong I am not psychotic, base on experience lang.

Kung makakausap ko lang si Jesus ng tuwid, may mga bagay na gusto akong itanong sa kanya.

Una. "Uso na po ba ang pag gygym nung panahon mo?"
Kung uso na po, saan ka nag gygym? Sa Fitness First, Gold's gym, Jerusalem Fitness, Body Builder's Gym o  hindi ka nag gygym sa hectic sched mo? Baka talagang blessed ka lang ni Father God kaya ka binigyan ng 6 packs abs, borderline 8 packs pa nga eh! Sabagay hindi uso ang tsekot noon kaya lakad to the maxx ang ginagawa mo papunta sa mga misyon mo kaya ka siguro fit. Mabuti na lang at fitness buff kayo noh? Isipin mo kung kasing laki ng tiyan mo ang tiyan ni pareng Buds (Buddha), tapos naka pako kayo sa krus ng paganyan. Baka maging comedy ang arrive, baka hindi ako makapag pray ng masinsinan niyan ano po?

Pangalawa. "Kung nasa heaven na ako, paano po ako kakain? Kakain pa rin ba ako don?
Kung kakain pa ako doon paano ang food distribution? Sabi niyo nasa mansion kame titira, so talagang parang big event ang breakfast, lunch, dinner at snacks in between. I assume hindi di food stub at hindi di linya ang food distribution, walang suffering sa heaven di ba po?

Pangatlo: Anong shampoo ang gamit niyo?
Wala lang ang cool kase ng buhok niyo, sakto lang yung pag ka wavy ano po?

Sige po! Got to go. Pasok na muna ako. Sunod ko na lang ibang tanong.

May mga tanong ka rin ba kay Jesus? Try to seek him heartedly. Sasagot yun! Promise niya sa Jeremiah 33:3 eh  ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

PORN ADDICTION

There's only a few things I really care about in life. My body. My pad. My ride. My family. My church. My boys. My girls. My porn. - Don Jon (Quote from the movie "Don Jon" 2013)

I was intrigued after a friend posted the movie trailer on her facebook. I haven't watched the movie yet, not sure if I want to watch it, but based on the movie reviews, it was a good smart movie. I guess the trailer caught my attention how Don Jon (the main character) included the church & the porn together.

I could somehow relate to the character, I'd like to share how God saved me from porn addiction. I grew up in a christian school where the motto was "training in righteousness". I was blessed to come to know the Lord when I was in highschool. I remember we had a program in school wherein we are required to attend the youth service every sunday at 2:30pm in the school church. We are in church not because we are blessed or something, but because we are required to do so. The time 2:30pm and the day Sunday is a good time to sleep, watch a movie, hang out with family & just relax, some of us choose not to attend and make our own excuses the next morning signed by our parents why we're not able to attend the program. Thus, we commit more sin. Lol.

Despite having known the Lord, I struggled with habitual sin for many years. I started to watch porn & get addicted to it after a barkada from highschool introduced it. Dala na rin siguro ng raging hormones at works of the devil that is why I used to be tied in pornography and other forms of sexual impurity. Yes I go to church and yes I go back to porn. One day for church the other days of the week puro porn, I remember staying up late till 5 am just to watch porn, kahit may pasok pa sa school ng 7:30 am. Wala pang DSL dati, I buy and spend so much money for internet cards to gratify myself from watching the pornography. Ganon ka progressive at kalala yan, but I am now set free by the precious blood of Christ.

I tried ending the habitual aspect of this sin on my own for years. Grabe I go to church to ask for forgiveness then go back again to pornography then ask for forgiveness na naman. My thoughts are all twisted and I have this thought in mind na "Patatawarin naman ako ni God kaya sige na lang."  But then I attended the Victory Weekend on November 10, 2012, after crying out to God and with the help of prayer from a victory group leader, I realized that I cannot do it on my own. I cried out to God to save me and help me to overcome this sin.  I was then freed of my slavery to sexual impurity. The struggles still lingers, however, with many battles some of them were really intense like ayan na konti na lang bibigay, I still struggles all the way through december 2012 but I can say that I would win many of the battles by the grace of God, but I would also lose some battles. 

After the victory weekend God personally convicted me to stop browsing websites that would only gave the enemy an open door into my life. Although some of the sites were not pornographic, they still appealed to my sinful nature. I used to blog mga kabastusan at kalokohan from my old blogsite, never thought that since I started blogging in 2009 ginagamit pala ako ng enemy para mahulog sa kasalanan ang ibang tao. Although the site were not pornographic at all pero the thoughts and the contents does not glorify God, it was more on self & pleasure glorfying eh. December 2012 when I gave up the old blog and started a new blog, the Jesus is Astig blog.

Since I have stopped browsing pornographic websites, and stopped writing kablogstusan, I have had incredible victory in my life, Jesus is helping me to be obedient to his teachings by reading more on his word (the Bible & some christian books). Jesus is giving me the ability to resist every impure thought that crosses my mind and making me victorious on a regular daily basis now. I have learned that the more time I spend with Christ the more I become victorious from sin. Right now I am blessed to be used by God in mentoring some of my readers, former classmates and friends who would ask more about Jesus in my Jesus is Astig blog. It is my goal now to reach out to those who struggle with this addictions.

 If Don Jon quoted "There's only a few things I really care about in life. My body. My pad. My ride. My family. My church. My boys. My girls. My porn. "  I'll quote "There's only one great thing I should really care about in life. My relationship with JESUS."

Thank you God for saving me from this ugly past, if you are not astig, my life will result into a more uglier future. Thank you for the people you used for me to experience true freedom. Sobrang mas masarap talaga si piling niyo sa kahit ano pa man!

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; The old has gone, the new has come! - 2 Corinthians 5:17