Faith without actions is dead

Faith without actions is dead. Many of the Christian churches today differ in belief about salvation. Like as I’ve been led to believe before that salvation can only be received by faith in Jesus alone, so no one could boast. This is true in some point because what the book of Ephesians 2:8-9 is saying that not by our actions alone that we are saved, for we are saved by the grace of God-a gift given to us because of the power of Jesus’ resurrection if we put our trust in Him. But, is faith enough to save us? After reading James 2:17-26, I’ve realized that faith alone cannot save us because it needs evidence to prove our faith in Him. To further explain this concept, I must use the justice system that we have regarding trials in the courtroom. For example, a man was accused of murder, and he is on trial. In order for that man to be acquitted or ‘saved’ in this matter, the court must prove his innocence by showing of evidence that will convinced the jury that he is not guilty of murder. Evidence, my good people, is what James is talking about actions. Actions will prove that you really do have faith, and without ‘evidence,’ then your faith couldn’t save you. As in the courtroom, the jury will simply decide on what evidence has been brought up to clear the accused man. Therefore, faith alone cannot save you; actions alone cannot save you, but faith + actions=salvation.

Who Is Like God?

It’s easy how one forgets about someone’s birthday, and I am one of them. Now, because of this dreadful sin, I thought of sending my sister not just a simple text message but an ecard to somehow absolve myself. After browsing, surfing the internet and sending the ecard just hours before her birthday expire, I stumbled upon an interesting feature that tells you the meaning of names. My curiosity grew and thought what the hey, it won’t even hurt to try (and by the fact that it is free). So, I entered my name; both my sisters’ names and others. This lead me to find an answer to this question, “Who is like God?”

It is just logical to explain that this question will have different answers from different individuals. Like the uniqueness of every person, their answers are formed by each individuals experiences. We may be billions in number in this lonely earth, but who God is like is something down to the personal level. It also depends to what kind of situation you are in that you may say who God is and what is He like.

In my youth, I’ve always see God as my friend, whom I could tell all my worries and concerns, my happiness and heartaches at every night before going to sleep. For me, every evening is a step closer to God, and every evening my troubles flee and find peace that helped me fall asleep.

For the last 10 years or so, my views of God changed. Now, I see Him as a God who is distant but helps you to have hope; a God that sees the big picture, who already knows the end of our stories, as someone who will make you stronger, but weakest in His presence; someone who is jealous of your love, but gives love graciously to those who loves Him.

You may be uncertain of your future; you might have lost a loved one, or feeling helpless from what the world brings. We might have been hurt from circumstances, lost a home, or lost our heart, or become numb and bitter that nobody listens not even God.

Like a tree, which has been born, grew, had leaves and fruits; a branch for birds who are in need, a shade from the scorching heat. That same tree lost everything after a storm passed by, the birds, the fruits, and leaves all gone in one sudden moment. Then the sun rises and the clouds dissipate, and the tree that was once thriving becomes dry and useless. But, one day, time will pass and that fruit that fell and broke into two, has its seeds planted on wet soil. Like the day arising, that seed will grow, bear fruit, produce sturdy branches for those birds to come back and live again.

CD Reviews Part 2

Now we’ll talk about the local bands. Mojofly album “Now.” The first song gives you an idea of a fun and enjoying music while insults are hurled to listeners of a specific faulty personality. Actually, almost all of their songs are about love going hare wire because of him (I’m assuming it’s a guy because the composer is a she). So, according to her, it’s all his fault. It’s like no man can ever please this girl. Well, to be fair, their songs are pretty good. I really like their music, but what’s it about, it’s like them saying, “Go figure!” Because of this, we arrive at a conclusion that this is a “chic” album, or album for girls simply put. Reminiscent of Alanis Morisette (spelling?) and others. The good part in this is that the composer is true to herself, expressing her true feelings, and that is what music is all about, right? To be continued.

Music Review

Since I am in the music business, why don’t we make a review of the CD music that I bought. Let’s start with a foreign artist. 1. Weezer album Make Believe. While I was driving bound home, I was listening to the FM radio when suddenly this song came up. First thing came out to my mind when I listened to it that it was a hip hop music because of the loud bass and the kind of rapping lyrics. At first, I didn’t know that it was the Weezer, but when it came to the second part of the song, you can’t definitely miss the voice of Rivers (if you are a Weezer fan you will really notice). Weezer has a reputation of releasing a single that doesn’t sound the same as before; they always came up with fresh ideas, which is important to every artists survival, and of course having a good melody to it. The song Beverly Hills hit the top charts for weeks, and having them in the cover of the Rolling Stones, made them one of the most revered artists. To be continued.

Barking Mirror

While waiting for my clients to arrive, I went to the balcony, got our little puppy dog and spent some quality time. It’s a bit dark so I turned on the light, and a strange thing happened. Suddenly, my dog starts barking, and he doesn’t usually bark. So, I got up the chair and tried to see what our dog is barking at. He was facing the living room behind a glass door. I looked but nobody’s there. After staring at quite some time where the dog is looking, I’ve noticed that his reflection is showing up on the glass door, so literally, “He’s barking at his own mirror.”

Loving A Days Work

Business is slow. The only thing fast is food and depletion of funds. It may sound funny but it’s true. Nowadays, life can’t even more harder than this year. I know this because my friend is going abroad to make a living, and I do know no one wants to be away from home. It is a sacrifice, I thought. A sacrifice deeper than the wounds of work, a sacrifice deeper than the wounds of a better life. We always seek the better life. But, what is the better life? What comes to mind is having vacation all year long for the rest of your life. That really sounds good, isn’t it? Although, I do know some people who are not happy even if they are rich and does not have to make a days work- they are an example of our notion on what is the better life. One lesson I’ve learned during this journey in life is that we can never be happy and fulfilled if we are just forced to wake up every morning, commute for three-hours in the rain, your boss doesn’t appreciate any of your effort and eat a 30-peso meal just to pay the rent. What we should do is to renew our minds, open our eyes, and have the desire to learn more about our work, try to love it, embrace it, and strive to be the best in our field. Read. We should never stop learning new things, testing new waters and go and take the dive because you might not know that something good awaits you. Then decide. You are free. Take the freedom that God has bestowed you. Use it. But, be careful. What we decide now affects our future and what we did can never be undone. Yes, we are free, but freedom has rules. Remember, those rules are not there just to hinder us from happiness, but to guide us to the right path. Not to harm us, but to make us better, and so peace and happiness will be achieved.

A Fleeting Memory

It was raining all day, haven’t even greeted the sun, maybe he was out sick or maybe he forgot what it means to live. Like drugs, I never got enough of music, so I bought some tapes and one CD just to make the already dull day lively except that it was already night. Still raining. There’s something more to water pouring down from heaven that gives me so much sadness, maybe that’s why even heaven weeps. There is no time in a life that it wasn’t lonely, even to those who are happily married or having the lover’s hand. Sometimes it’s just isn’t enough. We seek more to what this earth can’t offer; we seek more than life itself. What do we gain from a moment pass as we work hard all day? Truly, there is no joy greater than what we have sacrificed for our family because family is what we have. It is the only thing that really mattered most. This life is only fleeting, a distant memory, fading, slowly forgotten.

Where Life Begins

Just the other day, we were trying to decide which movie to watch, a comedy or an action-fiction flick. At that moment, I was intrigued at the action flick about cloning. As you can read nowadays, man has already achieved animal cloning-Dolly the sheep, which is more of a frightening news rather than good. Toying with the idea that man can clone humans too is incomprehensible and sends shivers through my spine. There are just too many questions about the subject that render us motionless or emotional. Time will come that this will be possible, and we must face this fact of life. Why do we have to clone? Should we use this to preserve life or destroy it? Are we going to sacrifice life for knowledge? Stem cell research has already begun and telling us promises of longevity. It can cure cancer, it can cure tissue or heart defects. If this is true then why not continue this study? Again, we draw back and answer the most common question about when does life begins. If we cannot form a conclusion to this, do we allow this science to the expense of killing human life for the benefit of those who are “more” important people? This is in violation of our rights as equal human beings! The God who made us all never intended for others to be more or less. Just like a CEO compared to a janitor. No one is lesser in this world because we all have parts in this story called life, and everyone has its own purpose. What is cancer? What is death? Death is never the end, but only the beginning. If we just believe it.

My 2?th B-day

Kuya Mar, Mom, Dad, my nephew GM, Me,
Te Chris, Te Angie, niece Gia