No Expiry Date

“For this reason a man must leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and the two shall become one flesh. ” – Mark 10:7-8

A husband was intently examining a piece of paper. His wife noticed him and asked, “What’s that?” He replied, “Our marriage contract. I’m having a difficult time looking for something,” as he continued his scrutiny. “What are you looking for?” she asked. The man answered, “The expiry date.”
Helpful truths for Married Couples:
1. They must detach from influences of their family of origin. “For this reason a man must leave his father and mother and be united with his wife....” Families of origin provide strong support yet being too clingy or dependent on them can cause marital strife.
2. They must be united in heart and spirit. “And the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one.” Marriage must put an end to selfishness and give way to cooperation and synergy.
3. They must understand that there is no expiry date to their marriage contract. “Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” The most effective marriages are a “love triangle” between God, the husband and the wife.
These work well for me and my wife, Joie. Try them. Obet Cabrillas (kpreacherobet@gmail.com)

REFLECTION:
“Is my married life (or for singles: the intent of having a married life) pleasing to the Lord? Next to your salvation is your choice of a spouse.” (Norman Wright)

Dear Lord, help me to be faithful to my marriage vows.

God Whispers

Don't just pray for your miracle.
Be someone's miracle.

Don't just pray for your prayer to be answered.
Be an answered prayer to someone.

Daily Bible Reflections

February 23, 2011

Faith on the Line

“For whoever is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9:40

Leo is a CEO during weekdays and a servant of God during weekends while his wife and daughter, both accomplished in their respective careers, contribute their time and talent in publishing the word of God. Their life as a family was blissful. Everything changed when, on his daughter’s birthday, he learned that she was diagnosed with lupus. His world collapsed. If that was not enough, a few months later, he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required an operation. “Why all these?” he questioned God.
On the day of his procedure, the medical equipment conked out. Irritated, he transferred to another hospital. In transit, he attended a weekend healing Mass.
At the new hospital, Leo waited with anxiety. Then, the miracle! The latest diagnostic test results showed that the blockage in his heart was clear and there was no need for a procedure. There were sceptics who believed it was just a mistake. For Leo, he believed that God had orchestrated everything and he felt ashamed that he put his faith on the line when faced with trials.
Leo continues to this day with his service of spreading God’s Word. Only this time, with greater fervor.Marie Franco (rfranco@its.jnj.com)

REFLECTION:
Do I see the daily miracles in my life and spread the Good News?

Dear God, take away whatever muffles me in sharing my faith

Chinese Proverb

If you want one year of prosperity, grow seeds
If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees
If you want a lifetime of prosperity, grow people

Chinese Proverb

Spared from destruction

But Noah found favor with the Lord. – Genesis 6:8

A few weeks before that fateful day when Typhoon Ondoy came, I had a dream that our house was flooded almost up to the second floor. That vision put me on guard, leading me to say a deliverance prayer and be reassured of God’s protection.
When Ondoy came, I guarded my heart against worry. My husband and I were giving a seminar then. Despite the news of city-wide flooding and standstill traffic, we didn’t cut short the seminar, which was a preparation for a more important spiritual event — a Light of Jesus Encounter. Instead of panicking, we led our seminar participants to prayer. Our collective prayers brought hope despite the gravity of the situation and our seeming helplessness.
When we reached home, we found our properties spared from excessive damage and the floodwaters not as deep as I had dreamt. We even got unexpected help from a cousin who supervised the efficientevacuation of our things. We believed that God granted similar blessings to those in our seminar.
As He did with Noah who obeyed His commands, God spared us from the destructive waters of the typhoon.Donna España (donna.espana@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
“Faith gives to men on earth the protection of the God of heaven.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)

Lord, I thank You for teaching me to trust in You in any situation that I encounter. Because of Your love for me, I feel blessed.

Daily Bible Reflections

FLEETING PLEASURES

“What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” – Mark 8:36

A former mine worker won $3 million in the lotto. Not knowing what to do with his prize, he spent his money on useless pursuits.
He bought a 3,300-square-foot house in an upscale neighborhood and six luxury vehicles. He gave his mother and relatives new vehicles and other expensive gifts. He gave money to his friends. He partied six nights a week for several months. His fouryear addiction to video lottery cost him $1 million. He invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in high-risk ventures.
After nine years of endless spending and impulse buying, gambling and a stock market crash, he was almost broke. He sold his house, cars and other properties. His long-time girlfriend, with whom he has a child, left him. But despite this, he continued to place all his money in lottery.
Getting what we want in terms of possessions, position or power can give us pleasure in the beginning. But in the end, we may still feel empty and unhappy if they are not used for God’s purposes. A life of abundance goes beyond what this world can offer. It’s a life with Jesus who promises us eternal life and a mansion in heaven.Judith Concepcion (svp_jmc@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
What occupies more of your thoughts, time and effort? That one is your master.

Lord, help me set my priorities right. Grant me the grace to put You above all else for it is only in You that I will become truly satisfied and abundant.

Daily Bible Reflections

February 17, 2011

EMPTY PROMISES

(Jesus) rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” – Mark 8:33

A presidential aspirant touted in his campaign: “I am the champion of the poor. I know what the poor people want.” He often said in his campaign speeches that he would not enrich himself; rather, he would make the poor richer.
So the masses made him president. They proclaimed him a hero, a champion and the defender of the poor. They believed his promises, proclaiming him the “President of the Poor.”
But sad to say, he did not live up to his title. He enriched not only himself but his families and friends as well. He forgot that he needed to work hard, sacrifice for the impoverished so that they may rise from their poverty, and lead the nation to prosperity.
On a personal level, we act like this man when we do not live up to our word. When we make promises we don’t keep or do not practice what we preach or use our mouth to curse instead of to bless others, we are no better than him. And as Peter was rebuked by Jesus, we would hear: “Get behind me, Satan! You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” Chelle Crisanto (ellehcmaria@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
“The first step in a person’s salvation is knowledge of their sin.” (Seneca)

Jesus is my Rock. As He stands firm, let me stand steadfast in my faith so that I may live my life according to His will, that whatever He commands I follow.

What You Should Never Forget

By Bo Sanchez

I remember this day like it was yesterday.
This happened a couple of years ago.
I went home excited, mentally planning our Father-Son trip to the mall. (Each week, I try to have a date with my boys. Sometimes together. Sometimes separately. That day, I was going to have a date with my eldest boy, Bene.)
But as I arrived home and stepped down of my car, my phone rang.
“Bo, are you already at the wedding?” my friend asked me.
“Huh? What wedding?” I asked.
“The wedding of Amina…”
Wham! It was like I was hit by a bat on the head. I totally forgot about the wedding!
How can I now tell Bene?
The little guy was so looking forward to our date.
When I entered the house, I greeted him and said, “I’ve got a problem about our date …” I told him about the wedding.
That was when my wife said, “Son, can you go with Daddy to the wedding? That’ll be your date.” (Thank God for my wise wife.)
A few minutes later, my son and I were riding the car in our matching barong tagalogs.
It turned out that we were early for the wedding, so we walked to a coffee shop beside the church, and talked and laughed together as he ate his favorite cinnamon roll.
The wedding was superb!
It was also a wonderful time for me to give mini-lectures to my little pupil—in whispers at the back pew—on marriage, family, and love.
After the wedding, the reception was at the exclusive Polo Club.
While waiting for the dinner to begin, we had a phenomenal time sitting down on the grass (yes, still in our barongs) under the canopy of stars—and chatted the night away.
“I don’t want to be a cowboy anymore, Daddy,” he said.
“No more?” This was a shock to me. It had been his declared dream ever since he was two. In fact, his first word wasn’t “mama”. It was “horse.” (I’m not kidding.)
He piped up, “I don’t want to be a Cowboy anymore. I just want to ride horses for pleasure.”
“Okay. What do you want to be?”
“A businessman.” (Six-year old kids have a way of declaring their dreams as though it’s as sure as the planet is round. I wonder what age we lose that confidence?)
“That’s great. You can own a ranch. How many horses do you want to own?”
“About ten,” he grinned.
“How will you earn to maintain the ranch?” I asked.
“Kids can ride my horses for P20 each…”
“Uh…, isn’t that a bit too cheap?”
“They can also feed my rabbits if they pay something. And I’ll sell my customers snacks and have a restaurant in my ranch.”
“That’s fantastic.”
“My ranch will also have an imaginary forest.”
“A what?”
“An imaginary forest. Parents will be afraid if their kids go to a real forest with real animals. So I’ll make an imaginary forest with robotic animals—even some legendary creatures like dinosaurs, unicorns, mermaids,...”
“Mermaids?”
“Yes, because there’ll be a lake in my ranch. With a shipwreck. Kids can also visit the shipwreck.”
After planning for his future, we got our plates and stood in front of the buffet table for the entire evening. Because the food was so fabulous, we didn’t bother to sit down. That night, he ate seven sticks of barbecue and I gobbled up 50% of the European cheeses there.
In other words, my date with Bene was a ball.
If I didn’t have a weekly date with him, how will I know about his dreams? I would have missed hearing that he didn’t want to be a Cowboy anymore, that he wanted an imaginary forest, robotic animals, a lake and a shipwreck for kids to visit and have fun…
I was even more convinced of my family goals when I read the frightening statistics from David Perdew about “fatherless kids”. According to statistics, children from a fatherless home are:
• Five times more likely to commit suicide
• Thirty-two times more likely to run away
• Twenty times more likely to have behavioral disorders
• Fourteen times more likely to commit rape (this applies to boys)
• Nine times more likely to drop out of high school
• Ten times more likely to abuse chemical substances
• Nine times more likely to end up in a charitable institution
• Twenty times more likely to end up in prison for a long period of time
Fathers—and mothers—your kids need you.
David Perdew says we either pay now or pay later.
And when you pay later, it always costs more.

I suggest you pay now.

Have a fantastic 2011—especially with your family.

May your dreams come true,


Bo Sanchez

PS. Never Forget Your Family. Except for God, nothing else is more important. Get powerful inspiration and instruction on how to build your own family. It’s never too late. Log on at ">www.FamilyReborn.com now!

PS2. By the way, my wife and I homeschool our boys. We know it’s a bit crazy. But I believe it’s one of the best decisions we’ve made. If you’re interested in homeschooling your children, log on at www.CatholicFilipinoAcademy.com now.

Daily Bible Reflections

February 16, 2011

Swimming Lessons

Jesus again placed his hands on the man’s eyes. This time the man looked intently, his eyesight returned, and he saw everything clearly. – Mark 8:25

“Why do I have to wake up early during summer? Why do I have to attend swim school?”
These questions would start off the daily debates between my six-year-old son, Jac, and my wife, Christine. It became a daily ritual during that summer of 2009. Giving him a reply was easy but what made it annoying was that he would ask the same questions every morning.
“So you can enjoy swimming more,” was always the reply of his mother. Jac did not miss a session of the class despite his hesitations. He began to show interest in the sport during the last few sessions. During their graduation ceremonies, Jac even finished first in his age level tournament. He also actively participated in the games done at the pool. He enjoyed swimming more as a result of the lessons.
Sometimes the situations in our life may look gloomy. We don’t understand immediately what is happening. But at the end of it, we learn something. At the end of it, we enjoy life more. Alvin Fabella (alvinfabella@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
Do you completely understand what you are going through in your life now? Just believe in God and look towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

Lord, help me see the blessings hidden in the unpleasant circumstances of my life.

What Will Matter Most?

by Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.


There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten
will pass to someone else.


Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations
and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.


It won't matter where you came from
or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.


So what will matter?
How will the value of your days be measured?


What will matter is not what you bought
but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.


What will matter is not your success
but your significance.


What will matter is not what you learned
but what you taught.


What will matter is every act of integrity,
compassion, courage, or sacrifice
that enriched, empowered or encouraged others
to emulate your example.


What will matter is not your competence
but your character.


What will matter is not how many people you knew,
but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.


What will matter is not your memories
but the memories that live in those who loved you.


What will matter is how long you will be remembered,
by whom and for what.


Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.


Choose to live a life that matters.

Daily Bible Reflections

February 15, 2011

1st READING

We all know the story of Noah and the Flood, but what should we learn from it? I think one lesson we can learn is that God will go to extraordinary lengths to preserve His Creation – not just humanity, but all of the animals. This ought to instill in us a deep respect for the gift of Creation to the point that we realize that we need to be good stewards of the earth and its resources so that the generations after us do not inherit a wasteland!

Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10
5 When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, 6 he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved. 7 So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.” 8 But Noah found favor with the LORD. 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just. 2 Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair, a male and its mate; 3 likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs, a male and a female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female. Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth. 4 Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth every moving creature that I have made.” 5 Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him. 10 As soon as the seven days were over, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

P S A L M

Psalms 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10
R: The Lord will bless his people with peace.
1 Give to the LORD, you sons of God, give to the LORD glory and praise, 2 give to the LORD the glory due his name; adore the LORD in holy attire. (R) 3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters, the LORD, over vast waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is mighty; the voice of the LORD is majestic. (R) The God of glory thunders, 9 and in his temple all say, “Glory!” 10 The LORD is enthroned above the flood; the LORD is enthroned as king forever. (R)

G O S P E L

Jesus’ reference is not a literal one. He is referring to the fact that if we allow evil or worldly attitudes to enter our lives or society, we will discover that they will not just remain dormant but ‘leaven’ the whole of our lives or society with their errors or misplaced priorities. The challenge we face is to be discerning as regards the influences we allow to form our minds and hearts and restrict them to those that will form us in the ways of Christ and His kingdom.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Mark 8:14-21
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. 17 When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

my reflections
t h i n k : W e need to be good stewards of the earth and its resources so that the generations following us do not inherit a wasteland!

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Numbers 19-21

JUST LIKE CAIN

“If you do well, you can hold up your head…” – Genesis 4:7

There’s a boy I know who tries so hard to get the approval of his parents. Thing is, he does foolish things to compete with his siblings for attention. He’s intelligent and street smart but, because of the trouble he gets himself into, what he gets is disfavor. He refuses to understand that approval is a prize for being good. Just like Cain, he has become bitter and jealous.
To be competitive is a good thing. However, if it is motivated by jealousy and greed, it destroys one’s being. In the Gospel today, Jesus refused to give the Pharisees a miraculous sign. He did not give in to the pressure of proving His detractors wrong. His quiet confidence in doing the work of His Father spoke so loud that people flocked to and believed in Him.
Oftentimes we need not try too hard to gain approval. That’s because good works will always earn us respect and favor. God said to Cain, “If you do well, you can hold up your head.”
Now, wouldn’t it feel good to get a pat on the back for something you did well without having to compete for it?Nova Arias (nova.svp@gmail.com)
14
REFLECTION:
Compete only with yourself, striving to be better than who you are.

God Whispers

Don’t rush. The best fruits are ripened on the branch.

Blesser,
God

P.S. Are you waiting for an answer to your prayer? Wait for my perfect
time.

God Whispers

Your weakness takes away your pride, softening the soil of your heart.
Plant my seeds of faith beneath your weakness. Soon, you’ll harvest and
prosper. And the world will be a richer place because of your weakness.

Thrilled,
God

P.S. Your weakness is a wonderful opportunity for Me to manifest my power. My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.

God Whispers

What is your weakness? Your handicap? Your limitation? Don’t be too hard on
yourself.

Equipper,
God

P.S. You’ll be surprised that your weakness will be the source of strength
for others around you.

God Whispers

Being weak in one area means that’s not where I want you to serve. A
weakness means you’re supposed to serve in another area.

Guide,
God

P.S. Don’t be too hard on yourself because of your weakness. Your
weakness isn’t my rejection but my redirection.

God Whispers

Your success has been written about a long time ago. Your destiny lies in
the land of greatness. You were born for love, for generosity, for glory.
You were created to bless the world.

Go for the stars,
God

P.S. Be who you are. Nothing less.

God Whispers

Many people don’t only lack faith. They also lack patience. Remember, some
of your biggest blessings will come only through time.

Trustable,
God

P.S. Have faith and be patient—and your blessings will come.

God Whispers

The truth: I’m throwing giant blessings at your direction 24/7.

Open your eyes,
God

P.S. Unless you see the blessings, you won’t receive the blessings.
Unless you see the blessings in your mind, you won’t be able to hold the
blessings in your hand.

God Whispers

There are two kinds of guilt: Demonizing Guilt and Detoxifying Guilt. The
first guilt demonizes you. When you sin, demonizing guilt says, “You’re
bad. There’s nothing good in you.” But the second guilt detoxifies you. It
separates the sin from the sinner. When you sin, detoxifying guilt says,
“This isn’t you. You’re better than this. Stand up. Move on!”

Move on,
God

P.S. Demonizing Guilt depresses you. It pushes you to sin even more.
It’s the guilt of the addict. While detoxifying guilt lifts you up. It
pushes you to become who you really are.

Learning from Trees

By Francis Kong

Posted: 01 Feb 2011 06:08 AM PST

Part of our high school educational requirement many years ago was to plant trees. Under the scorching heat of the sun, the continuous prodding of our teachers, we planted trees. Now I don’t know what happened because it is very apparent that I am not gifted with the skill to grow things. Every single flower I planted died. But I suppose some good happened out from the efforts the students did.

The following article from an unknown author is entitled “All I Need To Know About Life I Learned From Trees”. And here are the lessons:

* It’s important to have roots.
* In today’s complex world, it pays to branch out.
* If you really believe in something, don’t be afraid to go out on a limb.
* Be flexible so you don’t break when a harsh wind blows.
* Sometimes you have to shed your old bark in order to grow.
* Grow where you’re planted.
* It’s perfectly okay to be a late bloomer.
* Avoid people who would like to cut you down.
* Get all spruced up when you have a hot date.
* If the party gets boring, just leaf.
* You can’t hide your true colors as you approach the autumn of your life.
* It’s more important to be honest than poplar.

Those are some good lessons. They remind me of some other lessons taught in Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:1-3)

The Psalmist says that a godly man is like a tree in three very important ways. First, he is planted – he’s got his roots put down deep, he’s fortified, stable. Second, he bears fruit – he develops godlike qualities in his character and life. Third, he doesn’t wither – he is able to survive under all circumstances, even days of difficulty.

Stay away from the losers. The company you keep can make you or break you.

But the person who puts his faith in God and certainly not only meditates on The Word but follows the commands of God will find sure success.

And then the winner knows timing. And he knows that God is the perfect Timer.

And when success comes it is long and it is lasting. Not get rich quick, not overnight and not at the expense of others.

There’s a lot we can learn from trees.

And as we talk about trees today, let me end with a story about trees.

A man was watching his eighty-year-old neighbor planting a small peach tree. He inquired of him as follows: “You don’t expect to eat peaches from that tree, do you?” The old man rested on his spade. He said, “No, at my age I know I won’t. But all my life I’ve enjoyed peaches–never from a tree I planted myself. I’m just trying to pay the other fellows who planted the trees for me.”

Be a good father and raise up good kids who will blossom into becoming useful citizens.

Be a good boss and influence your people to be the best they can ever be.

Be a good mother and raise up a godly family that will form the core of a powerful nation.

Be a good citizen and help make this country a better place.

When we are doing things like these, we are planting trees.

So why don’t you go out and plant a tree for someone?

God Whispers

This year, you’re not going to experience a drizzle of blessings. You’ll
not experience a quick and light rain of blessings. This year, you’ll
experience a downpour of blessings.

Believe,
God

P.S. Expect it.

God Whispers

Your perception of reality is your reality. Your life has always two
sides—the good stuff that’s happening and the seemingly bad stuff that’s
happening. A lot of people spend the whole day looking at the side where
they list everything that’s wrong with their life. Many hours a day, they
think about it, meditate on it, analyze it, mull over it. That’s why
they’re miserable. Not you!

Your Inspiration,
God

P.S. Make a decision to spend your day looking at the wonderful
things happening in your life. And rejoice.

God Whispers

Sometimes, I get caught up watching your beautiful story unfold. All the
twists and turns. The ups and downs. You make it look so easy.

Hypnotized,
God

P.S. Just want you to know that the happy ending of your story is certain
. Cool, huh?

God Whispers

There’s light at the end of the tunnel. There’s a rainbow at the end of the
road. There’s harvest at the end of planting. There’s joy at the end of
sadness.

Wonderful,
God

P.S. Never give up.

God Whispers

People are a mixed bag. Not all good, not all bad. Don’t be a
perfectionist. Be more flexible. Accept the people in your life, flaws
included.

Follow my example,
God

P.S. Be the kindest, most forgiving person you know.