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Well then, I guess this means that there's no problem with regards to the Lord's nature of incapable of telling lies.

Now I wish to re-quote that passage teng gave:

John 7:1-10, "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for He would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto Him, 'Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that Thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If Thou do these things, shew Thyself to the world.' For neither did his brethren believe in Him.

"Then Jesus said unto them, 'My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready. The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come."

"When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee. But when His brethren were gone up, then went He also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

"Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, 'Where is He?' And there was much murmuring among the people concerning Him: for some said, 'He is a good man': others said, 'Nay; but He deceiveth the people.'"

May I ask how do you see the situation? Content

If I may speak a few things to Mr. teng, please consider these following examples. Truthfully, I am a bit uncomfortable when you said that both the Lord Almighty and the Lord Christ lied. It was a total disregard to what the prophets of old have been telling to people.

Example 1: A teacher asked the class what should they do since there are lacking chairs in the room. A student volunteered to go and get some chairs from nearby classrooms. Later, another professor entered the room and was looking for the chairs that are missing.

Now, should the teacher be responsible for the stdent's error? Could the student say, "Our teacher is the one responsible."

Example 2: A doorbell rang. A man living in the house told his wife, "If that is Phil at the door, please do something to make him go away." The wife answered the door, and found Phil there. THe wife said, "Sorry; my husband is not home at the moment."

Was it the man who lied to Phil or was it his wife? Could you say that the man is a liar?

In King Ahab's case, the Lord NEVER mentioned that He will make King Ahab's attack on Ramoth succesful. In fact, He mentioned through His prophets a lot of times that if Ahab will not make a change of heart, he will be faced with disaster.

The Lord allowed the spirit to deceive Ahab. And please note the spirit was not referred to as an "angel" (messenger) in this case. In other words, what the spirit said is NOT what the Lord wants to say to Ahab but rather something to make the Lord's will be done.

The Lord would have not kept His word (therefore, lied) if Ahab did not die the way he did. If you will notice, Ahab died even if the Syrian king ordered his troops to attack the king of Israel only. Ahab was even wearing a common soldier's uniform but still died.

I believe the Lord kept His word, and He did this by "allowing" (note that the Lord did not comand the spirit to send a message which He did not fulfill) the spirit to deceive Ahab's prophets. The Lord NEVER mentioned that He will make Ahab victorious, but His real plans were told through Micaiah. In the end, it was under Ahab's discretion should he believe in his prophets or to Micaiah, who was telling the truth...

Ah tanong ko lang po yung instance na nagsinungaling ang Panginoon Hesus. Ang alam ko po kasi walang dayang nasumpungan mula sa Kanyang bibig. Paki-clarify lang po. Salamat.

Yup-yup, wala naman po akong sinabi na si Micaiah eh kasama sa dinaya ng espiritong nabanggit. Kaso lang po, kung titignan po kasi natin yung sitwasyon, si Micaiah ay nagsalita ng totoo dahil nga ninais ng Panginoon na si ahab ay maparusahan. Noong sinabi niya yung totoo, hindi naniwala si Ahab kasi feel niya yung mga propeta yung nagsasabi ng totoo. Kaya natupad talaga yung sinabi ng Panginoon. Hindi po natin masasabing nagsinungaling ang Panginoon kay Ahab kiasi hindi naman po talaga Niya sinabi na magtatagumpay ito sa kanyang balak na atakihin ang Ramoth...

Mr. teng, I am really hoping this is not another, "I want Soriano to taste his own medicine" scenario...

I was thinking about this, and well I really think that this endeavor will not produce good fruits. I am saying this with due respect to you.

The name "Ang Dating Daan" could really be translated in many ways. Perhaps if I were a bit more specific, I was thinking maybe "The Ancient Way" would be more suitable? Because in the Filipino vernacular, "Dating" is probably more close to "former" or "previous" while "Luma" would be "Old." If we will be using "Old." Then with regards to the term "Daan," terms like "Path," "Walkway," "Road," "Way," and probably others are also applicable.

Now Mr. teng, I wish to acknowledge your enthusiasm regarding this matter. Granted that the program was able to adapt a name that is 100% equivalent to the English translation of the show's name, how will this help in propagating the Good News? Or perhaps there are also people who will say, "I think this name is better?"

So Mr. teng, strive for greater things rather than such matters. I really hope you will see what I mean...

Mr. Teng, I wrote something that I hope could be of help regarding this issue:

The Lord Who Cannot Lie

I wrote about this article because of a person’s question if the Lord is capable of lying or not. I’ve been meaning to write something like this for some time now, so I’m a bit glad for the opportunity for me to bring this up. I am not claiming to be an expert when it comes to the Scriptures, but I wanted to share what I know regarding the topic. I hope it would be helpful to everyone who reads it. Any comments, suggestions and corrections are more than welcome!

Hebrews 6:16-19, “When we make a vow, we use the name of someone greater than ourselves, and the vow settles all arguments. To those who were to receive what he promised, God wanted to make it very clear that He would never change His purpose; so he added His vow to the promise. There are these two things, then, that cannot change and about which God cannot lie. So we who have found safety with Him are greatly encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us. We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure, and goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner sanctuary.” (GNB)

Just yesterday, I was accompanying my mother shopping for a few things at Baclaran. We stopped at this clothes shop and inquired about some uniforms for my younger sister. My mother browsed and was able to find two uniforms that are a size smaller than what she wanted. The saleslady told her that they have the size we wanted, so one of the salesladies took the uniforms from us, asked us to wait for awhile and went somewhere. After some time, the saleslady returned with two uniforms with her hand and told my mother those were the uniforms she was asking for. The saleslady hurriedly placed the uniforms in the plastic bags and handed it over to us.

My mother decided to inspect the uniforms and found out that they were the same uniforms that she found earlier because she was able to identify the same defects she noticed before. Consequently, it ended up in an argument between them.

After that, my mother told me that I told my mother that I felt anxious about what had happened. She told me that I shouldn’t be too sensitive about such things, because things like that happen most of the time in the streets. She said that I must learn to “toughen” up a bit because the world is full of people like that.

The situation above shows a typical human weakness. Have you ever encountered a time when you must ask yourself if you had to hide something from other people or should you tell the truth? The thing is – sometimes it’s tempting to hide what is true, especially if we have a rather logical reason to do so. “We are not obligated to tell everyone everything about us,” some may think. And that’s true. I guess us humans have that kind of weakness, after all.

But right now the question rests if the Almighty is capable of lying or deceit? A question was raised about a situation that happened with the former king of Israel named Ahab, son of Omri and husband of Jezebel. Let us first make a slight background check on this individual:

1 King 16:29-33, “In the thirty-eighth year of the reign of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for twenty-two years. He sinned against the LORD more than any of his predecessors. It was not enough for him to sin like King Jeroboam; he went further and married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of Sidon, and worshiped Baal. He built a temple to Baal in Samaria, made an altar for him, and put it in the temple. He also put up an image of the goddess Asherah. He did more to arouse the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than all the kings of Israel before him.”

In their lives, Ahab and his wife did a lot of terrible things. But since they are still Israelites, there are a lot of instances wherein they seek the Lord’s guidance in the things they do. However, it must be noted that just because someone asked the Lord for guidance, it already means that they will follow it. In 1 Kings 20:13-43, it showed how Ahab disobeyed the Lord’s commandment by sparing the Syrian king that he was supposed to kill. So by the words of a prophet, the Lord proclaimed about Ahab’s demise for his deeds.

1 King 20:42, “The prophet then said to the king, ‘This is the word of the LORD: 'Because you allowed the man to escape whom I had ordered to be killed, you will pay for it with your life, and your army will be destroyed for letting his army escape.’”

Now there was that time when Ahab wanted to attack the city of Ramoth, which was occupied by the Syrians back then.

1 King 22:1-6, “There was peace between Israel and Syria for the next two years, but in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to see King Ahab of Israel. Ahab asked his officials, ‘Why is it that we have not done anything to get back Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Syria? It belongs to us!’ And Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?’ ‘I am ready when you are,’ Jehoshaphat answered, ‘and so are my soldiers and my cavalry. But first let's consult the LORD.’ So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, ‘Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?’ ‘Attack it,’ they answered. ‘The Lord will give you victory.’”

Now I have to emphasize that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah at the time is likely to be a righteous person. Elijah acknowledges him with respect as compared to Ahab.

2 King 3:14, “Elisha answered, ‘By the living LORD, whom I serve, I swear that I would have nothing to do with you if I didn't respect your ally, King Jehoshaphat of Judah.’”

Going back to the main scenario, about 400 prophets gave assurance to Ahab that they will be victorious if they attacked Ramoth. But Jehoshaphat was not convinced.

1 King 22:7-13, “But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the LORD?’ Ahab answered, ‘There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.’ ‘You shouldn't say that!’ Jehoshaphat replied. Then Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once. The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, ‘This is what the LORD says: “With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.”’ All the other prophets said the same thing. ‘March against Ramoth and you will win,’ they said. ‘The LORD will give you victory.’ Meanwhile, the official who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, ‘All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same.’

Now Micaiah is different from the prophets who Ahab consulted.

1 King 22:14-18, “But Micaiah answered, ‘By the living LORD I promise that I will say what He tells me to!’ When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, ‘Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?’ ‘Attack!’ Micaiah answered. ‘Of course you'll win. The LORD will give you victory.’ But Ahab replied, ‘When you speak to me in the name of the LORD, tell the truth! How many times do I have to tell you that?’ Micaiah answered, ‘I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, “These men have no leader; let them go home in peace.’” Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good for me? It's always something bad!’”

Eventually, Micaiah told the truth.

1 King 22:19-28, “Micaiah went on: ‘Now listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on His throne in heaven, with all His angels standing beside Him. The LORD asked, “Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and be killed at Ramoth?” Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, until a spirit stepped forward, approached the LORD, and said, “I will deceive him.” “How?” the LORD asked. The spirit replied, “I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.” The LORD said, “Go and deceive him. You will succeed.”’ And Micaiah concluded: ‘This is what has happened. The LORD has made these prophets of yours lie to you. But He Himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!” Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, ‘Since when did the LORD's spirit leave me and speak to you?’ ‘You will find out when you go into some back room to hide,’ Micaiah replied. Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, ‘Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash. Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely.’ ‘If you return safely,’ Micaiah exclaimed, ‘then the LORD has not spoken through me!’ And he added, ‘Listen, everyone, to what I have said!’”

Now we have to understand these points:

1) Ahab was an individual who did vile things in the sight of the Lord. And for thus, he was proclaimed to die horribly one day.

2) Despite hearing the proclamations of Ahab’s prophets that counted about 400 individuals, King Jehoshaphat asked if there is someone else through whom they consult the Lord. That person was Micaiah, who Ahab disliked for always prophesying bad things for him.

3) Micaiah said that he will only say what the Lord wanted him to say. At first, we should pinpoint that he was hiding something when he said that the Lord will give Ahab victory. But when Ahab told him to tell the truth, he explained how a spirit deceived Ahab’s prophets. Please note that Micaiah said that Ahab’s prophets were the ones lying to Ahab, and he did not mention that it was the Lord who lied to the prophets. We could posit that Ahab’s prophets were not really speaking what the Lord wanted and were deceived by a spirit.

4) It was a spirit who deceived the prophets, and it was not the Lord who deceived them. This is because if He Himself deceived His own prophets, it would be impossible for Micaiah to understand what the Lord what really planning.

Now let’s go back to the story.

1 King 22:29-38, “Then King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘As we go into battle, I will disguise myself, but you wear your royal garments.’ So the king of Israel went into battle in disguise. The king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders to attack no one else except the king of Israel. So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But when he cried out, they realized that he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped their attack. By chance, however, a Syrian soldier shot an arrow which struck King Ahab between the joints of his armor. ‘I'm wounded!’ he cried out to his chariot driver. ‘Turn around and pull out of the battle!’ While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. The blood from his wound ran down and covered the bottom of the chariot, and at evening he died. Near sunset the order went out through the Israelite ranks: ‘Each of you go back to your own country and city!’ So died King Ahab. His body was taken to Samaria and buried. His chariot was cleaned up at the pool of Samaria, where dogs licked up his blood and prostitutes washed themselves, as the LORD had said would happen.”

Now let us analyze this event once more. Ahab wanted to consult the Lord if they will be victorious and asked his nearly 400 prophets about what the Lord said. A spirit deceived them, so they are unable to know what the Lord is really planning. Jehoshaphat called for another prophet, who is Micaiah who knew about what the Lord truly wanted – that Ahab will be killed. In the end, Ahab was killed as what the Lord proclaimed.

I personally believe that the when the Lord said something, He keeps to His word until things come through. A prophet or a spirit may deceive others, as is said in many occasions.

Deuteronomy 18:21-22, “You may wonder how you can tell when a prophet's message does not come from the LORD. If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and what he says does not come true, then it is not the LORD's message. That prophet has spoken on his own authority, and you are not to fear him.”

Even if the Israelites rebelled many times against the Lord, He remained to His word to for Abraham’s sake. Sometimes He is set to punish evil men, but should these men humble themselves He shows mercy.

1 King 21:27-29, “When Elijah finished speaking, Ahab tore his clothes, took them off, and put on sackcloth. He refused food, slept in the sackcloth, and went about gloomy and depressed. The LORD said to the prophet Elijah, ‘Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Since he has done this, I will not bring disaster on him during his lifetime; it will be during his son's lifetime that I will bring disaster on Ahab's family.’”

I truly believe that the Lord cannot change and cannot lie. If you will be reading the Scriptures, you will see how the Lord keeps His promises and His words, not just good tidings to righteous men but also proclamations of punishment for evil men. And so, should we give ourselves in faith that He will surely fulfill His promise one of these days, we could surely endure and wait in patience no matter how long it might take.

Numbers 23;19, “God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes His mind. Whatever He promises, He does; He speaks, and it is done.”

1 Samuel 15:29, “Israel's majestic God does not lie or change His mind. He is not a human being---He does not change his mind.”

To the Lord be all the glory, now and forever! Amen!

Ummm, please excuse me for saying this but aren't we making a mountain out of a molehill by such discussions?

This thread was originally asking if the the translation of the program "Ang Dating Daan" into the English "The Old Path" is right or wrong.

Frankly speaking, even if a person is not good in English or had an error in translating something from one language to another it is already a ground to use against him/her. Even if the TV program failed to make an accurate translation of their program's name into another is something that we should be minding too much, don't you think?

I think what really matters is if they are helping people grow in the faith in the Lord. I believe that's what really counts and we should give emphasis on, since the TV program's title bear little to no weight in bringing people back to the Lord.

But well, maybe it's just me. Anyway, just thinking loudly to myself! Looney

2 Corinthians 6:3-10, “We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so we try not to put obstacles in anyone's way. Instead, in everything we do we show that we are God's servants by patiently enduring troubles, hardships, and difficulties. We have been beaten, jailed, and mobbed; we have been overworked and have gone without sleep or food. By our purity, knowledge, patience, and kindness we have shown ourselves to be God's servants---by the Holy Spirit, by our true love, by our message of truth, and by the power of God. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. We are honored and disgraced; we are insulted and praised. We are treated as liars, yet we speak the truth; as unknown, yet we are known by all; as though we were dead, but, as you see, we live on. Although punished, we are not killed; although saddened, we are always glad; we seem poor, but we make many people rich; we seem to have nothing, yet we really possess everything.” (GNB)

Ever since I was in elementary, I noticed that I am pacifistic. But for some strange reason there are individuals who see me as someone “worthy to beat” when I am not trying to engage in any competitions. I’m not sure if it’s my personality, but there are a lot of interesting things that I observe in our current times. And if I may, I wrote this to share some of my insights with you…

Psalms 18:31, “The LORD alone is God; God alone is our defense.”

In a world of differences and conflicts, it is not a rare thing should one think that he/she must be ready in case should someone or something prove to be harmful or threatening. And for this reason, people have different ways to anticipate such stressful events – from simple defense mechanisms to more complex methods.

Right now, one of the factors the world uses as a main gauge of a country’s prosperity is their military power. In our Philippine Constitution and Governance course, our teacher pinpointed the allocation of our government’s budget. She once told us how disappointed she was why our government allocates the biggest portion of the public funds for our military while both education and health receives the lowest portion.

In my discussions with other people, we sometimes end up talking about the likelihood that the terrorists in our country are actually cooperating with the higher military commanders. The same goes for the suspicion that a lot of criminal cases are actually linked to certain government officials, who solemnly swore to become public servants (in the end, they actually are serving themselves…).

All of us have something we need to protect, I think. Be it our individuality, someone or something important to us, or simply for fun’s sake – these could be reasons why we end up with quarrels, strife and such with other individuals like us. But one thing I observed is that sometimes, we tend to forget that the other person we are fighting against also has things he/she needs to protect.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how people protect themselves. And as I noticed, there are a lot of ways in which we dot his. Some defend in order to prevent something from occurring. For example, a person may come up with an excuse why he/she was late for class so that he/she will not get in trouble. Others do defend to negate something that is being done. Such cases are when people explain their stand during a discussion. While others defend when in actuality they are already attacking. Also known as “anticipatory maneuver,” these happen for example the case wherein a country attacks another with accusations of the other having weapons of mass destruction.

There are also different ways one could protect oneself. Strength, riches, fame, power, friends, knowledge, weapons, and many other things could be utilized to achieve the goals. We use these for certain reasons in different ways. But sometimes we tend to forget that though we might have good intentions behind our actions, we might end up doing it in a not-so-good manner.

Luke 21:12-15, “Before all these things take place, however, you will be arrested and persecuted; you will be handed over to be tried in synagogues and be put in prison; you will be brought before kings and rulers for my sake. This will be your chance to tell the Good News. Make up your minds ahead of time not to worry about how you will defend yourselves, because I will give you such words and wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to refute or contradict what you say.”

For some time now, I have been wondering how a Christian must make a stand before these troubled times. There are sure a lot of things either blocking the way or serving as hindrances while one does what he/she must. However, is it not possible that in the desire of a Christian to do what is right and true, he/she might actually doing something unpleasant in the eyes of the One he/she serves?

Should we stop, look and listen (huh?) closely, we could actually see a lot of commonalities in diverse individuals. In certain Islamic communities, do you know that if you are an enemy of one of them, the whole community will treat you as their enemy as well? They have that strong sense of kinship, I guess. To many members of various sects, Osama Bin Laden is counted as a terrorist, a person who is bent on destruction and evil. But to large groups of Muslims somewhere in the Middle East, he is seen as a hero – a person who is brave enough to stand against the individuals who “persecute” them and “speak blasphemies” against Allah. And also, the belief of the jihad (“holy war”) was frequently misunderstood because people think that Muslims use this as an excuse to engage in violence. But as I remember, it actually stands for something else (although it would probably better to ask a Muslim about this specifically…)

I once had a chance to talk to a Muslim schoolmate while I was walking to school. I do not know much about him but the fact that he is a Muslim interested me. He’s a bit different from other Muslims in the sense that he is not a strict observer of their beliefs. While we were walking together, I had a chance to ask him a lot of things that I am concerned about regarding the Islam faith. In our dialogue, he told me that they believe that the Lord Christ is simply a man who many wrongly consider as “a Son of God.” He believes that Jesus is simply a prophet and that he acknowledges the truthfulness of what He was teaching. I stated my beliefs but in the end, we did not engage in a heated argument. I really appreciated our talk because he was really open-minded and he did not impose his opinions to me.

As I read the Scriptures, there are a lot of instances when Christians have to defend themselves and the gospel as well. At those times, they were greatly persecuted, believed to be propagating beliefs that are against the gospel of the prophets of old. During the Roman era, a lot were captured and sent to be eaten by wild animals while being watched by a cheering audience in a coliseum. Some were dragged into courts of men and were thrown with accusations made by false witnesses. Through these things, some were able to endure while others do not. And somehow, things nowadays though different bear a striking resemblance with the past.

I wonder if we could say that if one wishes to be a Christian, he/she must be able to defeat the world. When someone tells lies about you or someone you hold dear, how should a Christians react? When one is challenged to a debate or the like, how should a Christian answer? When one is beaten or wronged, how should a Christian respond? When one is not respected, should I not respect him/her as well? When one turns his/her back against a Christian, should a Christian turn his/her back in turn?

Romans 12:21, “Do not let evil defeat you; instead, conquer evil with good.”

Is there a point in your life when you were deeply hurt by someone? If you will look back at that time, what did you do? Did you hurt the person back? Or were there cases wherein someone called you or someone important to you with insulting names or been called a liar or the like? It does feel miserable, doesn’t it? But did you insult that person back? And in doing so, did you actually called it “the truth?”

What about instances wherein someone would say that you are doing things with deceit or hidden bad motives? What if someone asks you something simply to trap you?

1 Peter 3:15-17, “But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honor him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God's will, than for doing evil.”

How about one’s reputation? The thing with reputations is this – we could never please everyone. Perhaps to some we are seen as bad people, while to others we are seen as good individuals. Should the things said be simply lies, a person need not be afraid since in the end the truth is what matters. Such things really do happen. But in case someone did say something to you but you did not listen nor even think about it because you feel that it is “threatening,” then doing such acts is a sign of pride rather than “being in the truth.”

Proverbs 3:35, “Wise people will gain an honorable reputation, but stupid people will only add to their own disgrace.”

Proverbs 24:8, “If you are always planning evil, you will earn a reputation as a troublemaker.”

Proverbs 27:21, “Fire tests gold and silver; a person's reputation can also be tested.”

Someone once told me that should someone speak negative things about you, one must prove that person false by doing the right thing rather than argue with that person and prove that he/she is a liar. I agree with what he said to me. Should people look and see for themselves that you are doing what is right rather than returning evil for evil, then who do you suppose will people believe? Even if that person has all the evidences in the world against you and should certain people believe him/her, the important thing is you were able to follow the commandment of the Lord by doing what is good.

1 Peter 2:15, “For God wants you to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people by the good things you do.”

Titus 3:2, “Tell them not to speak evil of anyone, but to be peaceful and friendly, and always to show a gentle attitude toward everyone.”

Should someone challenge you to argue about things or challenged you to prove who is in the truth, how should a Christian respond?

2 Timothy 2:14-16, “Remind your people of this, and give them a solemn warning in God's presence not to fight over words. It does no good, but only ruins the people who listen. Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. Keep away from profane and foolish discussions, which only drive people farther away from God.”

Now, if someone wronged you, how should a Christian act? I believe this is not a matter if the person is a personal enemy or the enemy of the Lord Christ…

Galatians 5:14, “For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’”

Matthew 5:38-48, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too. And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles. When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your friends, hate your enemies.' But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For He makes His sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that! And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that! You must be perfect---just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Perhaps there is the question, “Who is our neighbor?” Are these individuals who consider themselves as our allies? Are they the ones not speaking against us or those who we consider to be fellow believers? Are the individuals who I dislike or consider as enemies of the Lord not my neighbors?

Luke 10:29-37, “But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘Who is my neighbor?’

“Jesus answered, ‘There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead. It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity. He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. “Take care of him,” he told the innkeeper, “and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.”

“And Jesus concluded, ‘In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor toward the man attacked by the robbers?’ The teacher of the Law answered, ‘The one who was kind to him.’ Jesus replied, ‘You go, then, and do the same.’”

Right now, there is a Scriptural passage that I believe the Lord made me read that led me to write this article:

Hebrews 10:24, “Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.”

In conclusion, how does a Christian faces the trials that he/she will face in his life?

James 1:2-3, “My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.”

1 Peter 4:12-19, “My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed. Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you. If you suffer, it must not be because you are a murderer or a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people's affairs. However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don't be ashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ's name. The time has come for judgment to begin, and God's own people are the first to be judged. If it starts with us, how will it end with those who do not believe the Good News from God? As the scripture says, ‘It is difficult for good people to be saved; what, then, will become of godless sinners?’ So then, those who suffer because it is God's will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, who always keeps His promise.”

1 Corinthians 4:11-16, “To this very moment we go hungry and thirsty; we are clothed in rags; we are beaten; we wander from place to place; we wear ourselves out with hard work. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are insulted, we answer back with kind words. We are no more than this world's garbage; we are the scum of the earth to this very moment! I write this to you, not because I want to make you feel ashamed, but to instruct you as my own dear children. For even if you have ten thousand guardians in your Christian life, you have only one father. For in your life in union with Christ Jesus I have become your father by bringing the Good News to you. I beg you, then, to follow my example.”

To the Holy One, Who created heaven and earth be all the glory, now and forever! Amen!

Alones

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=EWqR_wmPPyc[/youtube]

English Translation

Your folded pale wings are just a little tired from the overly blue sky
It's alright to smile for yourself, not for anyone else anymore

Loneliness continues to creep up on me, a candle alight on the inside
Such a gorgeous chandelier shouldn't be at a crowded party, like this one
Why should I bury it all in the emptiness of words that are lacking?
I don't know anymore

As long as we can swim freely in our dreams, we don't need the sky anymore
Even if I can't paint over everything that happened up until yesterday, I'll still come out to meet you tomorrow

Your folded pale wings are just a little tired from the overly blue sky
It's alright to smile for yourself, not for anyone else anymore

Inferiority complexes and reconciliations aren't things that will come true so easily
The mirror that remains at the top of self-consciousness reflects flower petals
It looks like my voice is strained from trying to cry out with an impure love
It's irritating

In these changing times, wounds will soon turn into scabs
Without waiting for that to happens, you're so beautiful, and so fleeting...

Prayers shiver in the sun, like traces of down that have come loose
It's alright to not think about loving someone as being too much for you right now

Sometimes this world is a little bit too dazzling to walk looking upward in
When you cast your eyes down, as though sinking, the dry ground slurps up your tears

Why do we feel so alone anytime?
You don't have to take on everything
Why do we feel so alone anytime?
Just putting up with it isn't courage

First, I wish to thank Mr. pooch for that comment. But honestly, I do not deserve such because I was not really able to express what I wish directly. But I could only hope that through this I am able to fulfill something He wants...

To Mr. pinch, I forgot to thank you for giving the time to read this lengthy article and in giving your insights and opinions. Other people just feel bored reading my long articles. I guess I was too absorbed in writing that I forget that it's already straining to the eyes and brain to read such lengths, ha ha ha!

I also appreciate your statements because I know I have still room for improvement. But I really tried my best so that I could reach the hearts of others, especially yours...

These past days I've been wondering about the things you said. I guess my weakness did cause you great pain. So I'm sorry about that. But if you'd like, please send me some personal messages should you wish to ask me about these things. I believe I do owe you a lot of explanations, after all...

Thanks and have a nice day! Content

May I intervene a little while?

I personally believe that it is not possible for the Lord Almighty to tell a lie. If He could, then it's as if everything I hoped for is simply in vain.

He made a promise that one day, His Son will come back. It would be cruel if all of it are simply lies and deceit...

Sometimes we do lie, don't we? And though it is really wrong, there are instances when such actions do not really lead to death. Also, speaking "truthfully" all the time is already being sarcastic - it would only seem that such an individual does things without understanding the reason why he must do it...

But you know, because I believe He is not capable of lying I am convinced that He is only rightful to be praised. Because He's not like us who have such weaknesses. So I could wait for Him, and I pray I could have the patience to do so.

Job 25:6, “Then what about a human being, that worm, that insect? What is a human life worth in God's eyes?”(GNB)

The human race is believed to be as the highest form of living things. In the theory of evolution and the food chain, man stands proud in the greatest point of the diagram. Perhaps should we compare ourselves with microorganisms and other lower creatures, there really is the basis on how we are “superior” to others.

I sometimes wonder how great the human race truly is; for there are a lot of times we give great outlook on certain things or attributes like wealth, power, fame and others. With their chins up, sometimes there are those who feel they are flying high when they are steeping low. And with each passing moments, a person lives then dies like a vapor passing through the air.

Ecclesiastes 2:15, “No one remembers the wise, and no one remembers fools. In days to come, we will all be forgotten. We must all die---wise and foolish alike.”

Whenever I stand on top of a high building and look below, I noticed how insignificant we truly are. Should we compare ourselves with the beings above, we are not truly a race worthy of praise or admiration. Like insects, we scamper about doing the things we do, living in an ecosystem that we call “society.”

In such an environment, there are different ways we interact with each other. As vague as it may sound, we sometimes do things unintentionally or with a goal in mind. But in essence, because we are a part of a great whole we could learn a bit by simply looking around and to ourselves.

One of the way people interact with one another is called “commensalism.” This is defined as the relationship between two unrelated species wherein one is benefited while the other is neither benefited nor harmed. An example of this is when we do something for ourselves but other people have indifferent feelings from our actions. It’s a bit uncommon since people are usually affected either positively or negatively by our actions.

Another way is called “competition,” wherein two organisms fight it out with one another. This usually happens when there are scarce resources or when the situation demands for that. If you’ll watch the various commercial endorsements from different products, this is highly observable. “Which product is better? Product A or B?” This is very much abound, especially if there are instances wherein we want something that other people want us well. However, this could escalate further in terms of insensitivity and unprofessional approaches (for example, sabotage). In this association, both sides have to “pay a price” but only one side benefits.

“Parasitism” is another relationship wherein an organism benefits while the other is harmed. It is when one relies on another for their survival. Here, there is someone who is hurt (called the “host”) and one who is inflicting the damage (the “parasite”). Perhaps in today’s difficult life this is truly unavoidable. In our country, there are people who tend to complain a lot to out present governance but hardly do anything to earn a living. We become happy when people give us things, but when the situation changes we fight back. Instead of wanting to learn how to fish, there are individuals who want fishes without breaking a sweat. There are also individuals who put other people in the front lines or convince others to do what is wrong but does not even lift a finger to help others should things go wrong.

But perhaps the most intriguing but horrific relation is called “predation.” In this situation, a living organism hunts, kills and eats the other. In our society, this is somewhat called, “crab mentality.” In order to survive or fight for oneself, there are those who do not care the consequences of their actions as long as they fulfill their own need or selfishness. Maybe there are people who say, “I am doing this for myself,” and things like that. But should they think first why they are doing so, the probable reason is usually self-gratification and contempt for others.

I too am but an insect in this vast universe. I may have things that others may not have. But these do not make me strong or above any other individual. But as of the moment, I sing that may people realize the gravity of their actions.

Romans 14:13, “So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin.”

As of the moment, we could hear people say a lot of different things. Maybe in your life, somebody already asked you, “Bakit ka ganyan mag-isip,” or maybe, “You are a walking contradiction.” If we will look closely to such statements, these words bring nothing but gratification to the speaker and could also cause arguments. But why do some individuals persist on these things? I am not really quite sure; perhaps each of us has some reason to do so. Simply because other people do not fall under our own personal standards, it doesn’t mean they are wrong. We are unique with each other after all. In this unfair world, it does not mean we too have to become unfair. It is better not to belong if it would mean we have to ignore the main essences of being a Christian.

Galatians 6:3-5, “If you think you are something when you really are nothing, you are only deceiving yourself. You should each judge your own conduct. If it is good, then you can be proud of what you yourself have done, without having to compare it with what someone else has done. For each of you have to carry your own load.”

Right now, I believe what I am singing may be trivial for some. It could not really be helped if others may find my song to be nonsense or such. There are individuals who give priority into “groups and parties” after all. But in spite of these things, there is one thing that I am confident to say that the Lord finds pleasure into.

Galatians 6:1-2, “My friends, if someone is caught in any kind of wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should set him right; but you must do it in a gentle way. And keep an eye on yourselves, so that you will not be tempted, too. Help carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.

Hebrews 10:24, “Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good.”

I believe that Christians are called towards mutualism – to help one another towards showing love and doing what is good to others. We are to remind (or rebuke) with gentleness and to keep others from doing sins rather than judging and being critics. We are called to heal rather than inflict pain, to unite rather than divide, to cooperate rather than compete in doing what is right and good. For I believe these things are what is pleasing to the Lord, Who created us.

Mushi-Uta

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=B-26HSUALSI[/youtube]

English translation

Dreams we believe that’s true and…

Now beyond a dream is an ideal place
Where we overcome darkness everywhere
Like snow covering everything
Like a real ruby tossed about

Things are also lost in dreams
In an era filled with darkness
With strength alone
We fly while not leaving anything behind

If you know this world
Please tell me!
Then please tell me the reason for our fateful meeting!
Isn’t it to find a reason to live for?

So you have to dream
We have to look for a place where we belong to always
While listening to an insect’s song…

If we are to look at our culture today, it is a bit interesting to see how people are more musically-inclined today. I do not mean that people before do not appreciate music, but rather there are a diverse selection of musical genre which you can choose from. From simple whistling or performing concertos, this phenomenon is spreading not only in our country but basically worldwide.

I was still an elementary student when my fascination to music started. Perhaps the first musical instrument was the flute. I actually saved Php 100 to buy a wooden flute, along with an instructions guide. If I remember correctly, my playing really sounded poorly because there is no one to guide me on how to play it properly. So I placed it aside and tried a different instrument – the guitar. I used to play the guitar for our rondalia group, where we perform along with the bandurias. My frustration was that I was not able to tune it myself, so when I reached high school that skill of mine slowly faded.

When I reached high school, I became more of a vocalist rather than an instrument player. There are times when I was voted “song leader” in our clubs and when I was asked to sing in front of classes. I am not really sure but I never was that confident with my voice yet they even signed me up to our choral group. And also, I was more of able to sing J-pop (short for “Japanese pop”) rather than English or Filipino songs.

Come my collegiate days, my “singing career” was more on singing in karaoke rooms with a certain someone. And I guess I was able to expound more on my selection of songs because of that person. Sometimes when I listen to the radio, I find it surprising that I could somehow relate to a song that I just heard the first time.

But perhaps all these years I really wanted to learn how to play the violin. As a child, I was a bit wondering why “genius” kids are always shown playing the said instrument. But as of the moment, I want to play it so that I may use it for my clinical practice. In some sense, I wish to play for the sick so that I may assist them towards recovery. I also find the harp somewhat interesting…

Psalms 98:5, “Sing praises to the LORD! Play music on the harps!”

Even when I was in elementary, I always believed that the Lord finds it pleasing should we sing or play musical instruments in glory and praise for Him. I do not think this is more of a desire to “lift up” His ego, but because it is only right for us to be thankful and rejoice for everything He is doing for us. However, it is not only through music we should be showing our gratitude and desire to do His will but also through our actions as well.

1 Corinthians 10:30, “Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory.”

Romans 15:7, “Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.”

I had lots of precious times serving the Almighty. There are times of great happiness and also sadness. There were times when I was alone but there were instances wherein I am surrounded by people who care for me. There are moments when I was hurt, and when I unconsciously hurt other people because I acted foolishly. But these things are important to me because I was able to learn more about how righteous our God is.

At times I find myself playing alone. In solitude I find myself reflecting and delving how not to be a burden to others around me. And there were instances that I play without any accompanist, but though such were the instances I try to perform in the way that the Lord will find favor to.

I was able to find someone who was like me in a way. She calls herself as a “self-proclaimed preacher” (although I feel that we have no authority to proclaim ourselves as such…). But like I was, she is more of a “Christian free-thought” rather than commit herself to a specific Christian group. I have read some of her articles and I find them interesting, although we have different viewpoints in similar issues. But as I listen to her playing, I wonder what the source of her melody is…

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=0X4JuIn6ffc&feature=related[/youtube]

Galatians 6:2, “Help carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ.”

In my life, I have to say that there are a lot of people who have helped me in my service to the Lord. They belong to different religious denominations, but I appreciated what they did for me. Because of them I came to think that just because a person belongs in a “bad” religious group it does not mean that the person himself/herself is bad.

There was that time when I played as an accompanist for someone. People say that we sounded wonderful playing side-by-side and it made me happy in a way. Sometimes people say that we compliment one another, somewhat filling for each other’s weaknesses and able to play harmoniously. For me, I do prefer to play beside someone rather than on my own. As for that individual, I believe that that person deeply wishes to serve the Lord.

But as of the moment, whenever I hear his playing it makes me feel sad for him rather than happy. It made me feel that our meeting actually made him into playing in a way that seems to see me as a competitor rather than a fellow musician. And I did ask him a lot of times if he wishes for us to go our separate ways and continue playing rather than play together but sound horribly.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=J_0XnwC5mh4[/youtube]

Colossians 1:18, “He is the head of His body, the Church; He is the source of the body's life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that He alone might have the first place in all things.”

As a Christian, one must learn that besides being able to play solo or with somebody else, he/she is playing in an orchestra with the Lord Christ as the Lead Musician and the Lord Almighty as the Maestro. Although each is given a different instrument and has his/her own style of playing, what is really important is how the performance faired in the end. One could not simply play the way he/she wants without caring if his/her routine is affecting his fellow orchestra members.

Romans 15:2, “Instead, we should all please other believers for their own good, in order to build them up in the faith.”

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=xCUM3FodKso&feature=related[/youtube]

There were also instances wherein people do not consider others as fellow musicians because they yield a different instrument or a rather obscure playing style than themselves. But you know what? In the early Christian setting, Christians themselves have different ways of giving glory to the Lord. This is not partly because each was given a different spiritual gift but also because of their differences as well. But even though such is the case, must then this be a reason why we should only accept members of our own group as “fellow Christians” and the like?

Romans 14:1-23, “Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions. Some people's faith allows them to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables. The person who will eat anything is not to despise the one who doesn't; while the one who eats only vegetables is not to pass judgment on the one who will eat anything; for God has accepted that person.

“Who are you to judge the servants of someone else? It is their own Master who will decide whether they succeed or fail. And they will succeed, because the Lord is able to make them succeed.

“Some people think that a certain day is more important than other days, while others think that all days are the same. We each should firmly make up our own minds. Those who think highly of a certain day do so in honor of the Lord; those who will eat anything do so in honor of the Lord, because they give thanks to God for the food. Those who refuse to eat certain things do so in honor of the Lord, and they give thanks to God.

“We do not live for ourselves only, and we do not die for ourselves only. If we live, it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord that we die. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For Christ died and rose to life in order to be the Lord of the living and of the dead.

“You then, who eat only vegetables---why do you pass judgment on others? And you who eat anything---why do you despise other believers? All of us will stand before God to be judged by Him. For the scripture says, ‘As surely as I am the living God, says the Lord, everyone will kneel before me, and everyone will confess that I am God.’ Every one of us, then, will have to give an account to God.

“So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin. My union with the Lord Jesus makes me certain that no food is of itself ritually unclean; but if you believe that some food is unclean, then it becomes unclean for you.

“If you hurt others because of something you eat, then you are no longer acting from love. Do not let the food that you eat ruin the person for whom Christ died! Do not let what you regard as good get a bad name. For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives. And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others. So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another. Do not, because of food, destroy what God has done. All foods may be eaten, but it is wrong to eat anything that will cause someone else to fall into sin.

“The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that will make other believers fall. Keep what you believe about this matter, then, between yourself and God. Happy are those who do not feel guilty when they do something they judge is right! But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith is sin.”

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=EpgGRIUAJc8[/youtube]

Even if I play on my own, with somebody else or in the company of greater numbers of musicians, there is one thing I believe is of importance whenever I perform. Whenever I listen to other people’s performances, I realized that its beauty is not based on the quality of the instrument, the skill of the player or even the style used. Upon listening, I came to find that what matters most is what kind of feelings you put while playing.

Luke 6:45, “A good person brings good out of the treasure of good things in his heart; a bad person brings bad out of his treasure of bad things. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Maybe to some the heart is simply an organ that does nothing but beat in a “lub-dub” rhythm. But the heart that is referred here, if I am not mistaken is not a physical one but rather the center of our spiritual life. Although a person may be intelligent or has great faith, yet he/she does not know the importance of the heart then it is meaningless.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3, “I may be able to speak the languages of human beings and even of angels, but if I have no love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell. I may have the gift of inspired preaching; I may have all knowledge and understand all secrets; I may have all the faith needed to move mountains---but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and even give up my body to be burned ---but if I have no love, this does me no good.”

One must not say that he/she had to harden his/her heart in order to serve the Lord. For such a heart is not what the Lord gives and does not serve His purpose.

Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart.”

Psalms 12:3-4, “You know my heart. You have come to me at night; you have examined me completely and found no evil desire in me. I speak no evil, as others do; I have obeyed your command and have not followed paths of violence.

Psalms 34:14, “Turn away from evil and do good; strive for peace with all your heart.”

Psalms 51:10, “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me.”

Psalms 51:17, “My sacrifice is a humble spirit, O God; you will not reject a humble and repentant heart.”

James 3:18, “And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.”

There are a lot of individuals, after all. And sometimes, there are people who play for the right reasons but in the wrong way. Some felt that by infusing negatives feelings in their playing they could still perform wonderfully.

Psalms 55:21, “His words were smoother than cream, but there was hatred in his heart; his words were as soothing as oil, but they cut like sharp swords.”

Psalms 109:5, “They pay me back evil for good and hatred for love.”

But although some people may praise us from beautiful performances, our aim is not to please men but the one who does the orchestrating. True Christians must desire for the Maestro’s and the Lead Musician’s glory – for without them we will not be a part of such a wonderful concert. And so, though I may be on my self or with another individual, I wish to continue playing with the musical sheet that the Lord gave me in my heart – with hope that they may reach the hearts of those who hear them that they may also be able to play according to what the Maestro asks for. And this is because He constantly shows me the beauty of such feelings though I am not worthy of such…

1 John 3:16, “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us. We too, then, ought to give our lives for others!”

1 Peter 3:8, “To conclude: you must all have the same attitude and the same feelings; love one another, and be kind and humble with one another.”

1 Corinthians 3:4-7, “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.”

I know. I may not always give a good performance and I may not be able to play like others do. But I wish to do my best because I love what I am doing - playing for Him. And I hope other people who will hear my playing will also feel the same...

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=cRptAWVgvEc[/youtube]