The Good News

It was two months ago when I had my last test on the level of SGPT in my blood. Now, I am back in the clinic to have a final one – hopeful that somehow, what skyrocketed into a 4000 something and went down to a still-high 600, will now be within the normal range of 0 to 36.

While waiting for the results, a mother holding her 1 month old baby boy entered the clinic. The baby looked healthy, but I knew looks could be deceiving. When the mother handed over several sheets of paper to the receptionist, I knew certain tests will be done.

After being told of how much it will cost them, the mother agreed. I imagined she found it expensive but agreed anyways. “All for love for her son,” I thought.

When the medical technologist came out to have a look at the baby, that’s when I noticed that something was terribly wrong. Here I was, Blood-bought, Spirit-empowered, and I was doing nothing. I was feeling nothing.

And so I asked the Lord what was I to do? Go over there and lay my hands on the child?

What will my doctor think? I sure prayed for a miracle when I was bedridden three months ago with Hepatitis A, but didn’t receive any.

What will the mother say? My mere presence in the clinic means I need the doctor’s help myself.

I had these thoughts racing their way in my mind when I asked God a simple petition: let me see what’s going on through your Eyes.

And that was enough. Before I knew it, tears came. I was successful to somehow control it so what was supposed to be a torrent of emotion became a drizzle of controlled compassion.

My heart ached at the thought of me not doing anything. It broke altogether knowing that cowards like me populate the pews as well.

I have never heard God speak ever so clearly than that time. “They need to hear the Good News, James.”

The Good News. Not a preaching on hell’s fire. Not a sermonette of do’s and don’ts.

Just the simple unadulterated fact that the sick can get their healing – the blind their sight, the deaf their hearing, the mute their voice… that the prisoners can acquire their freedom – the demonized, the addict, the harlot, the homosexual their deliverance… that, most of all, forgiveness is available for every sinner here and now.

Simply put, a clean slate.

It’s funny because all I could muster was a faint smile to somehow show the worried mother that everything will be all right with her son. And though a bit too late, a prayer now as well, that besides healing for the baby, she will come to know the God who came to die that she may have life to the full – her family included.

Ah, I learned a lot in that short time of waiting for my results. What happened could just as well be an answer to a commitment I made earlier to God – to pursue big dreams this year… dreams that are set to fail if God doesn’t show up. Why include Him in the picture if I could do it all alone in the first place?

Going back to my result, my SGPT is now at 31. What usually takes 6 months to fully recover; I got mine in less than a half of that.

Now if you'll excuse me, I’ve got Goliaths to slay.

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Grace by Installment

If we are saved by grace alone, then why do most Christians live as if they are paying for their salvation by installments?

I think we need to realize that the result of both the evil and good of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is death. The good part is still as deadly as the evil. We need to partake of the fruit from the Tree of Life for us to truly live.

And we can only do so by grace. Meaning, it's undeserved. Nothing bad we did can disqualify us from it; nothing good we can ever accomplish can qualify for it either.

I guess it's about time we truly serve God and not just our guilty conscience.

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Lessons from the Sickbed

Stripped of blinders from my eyes, I saw life unfold as it is: simple and yet full of God’s glory.

Lying on a sickbed yet again has its way of clearing my own vision. Little things like burping and farting mean a whole lot, it made me audibly thank God for such neglected blessings. When you are lying there, stomach all bloated barely being able to eat and consequently not being able to heed nature’s call, I tell you – you will do the exact same thing.

It is funny how I deliberately chose to skip church recently due to my tight schedule at work, and as I found myself lying there, I was caused to watch several Sunday’s worth of sermon on Daystar. No doubt God is challenging me how poor my time management was, and how totally idolatrous my priorities were.

If pain is God’s loudspeaker, then His message couldn’t be any clearer. Though we live in the new covenant, we still have to heed his command to “remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” If He being God rested on the seventh day, surely we need a day of rest as well.

Besides, as Christians, we operate not in the same way the world economy does. My source of income is not my job. My Source is God Himself.

Money comes as a result of my obedience to the Owner of the cattle of a thousand hills, not from unhealthy overtimes till daybreak or till the Lord’s Day.

People perish for lack of knowledge. I have to go through this horrible week because I chose not to listen. Other versions of the Bible would say that without vision, people perish. And what is true with nations, is also true with individuals.

It is for this reason that we have to hear from the Lord. From there, as the Lord gives the vision, we must pursue it with all our hearts. As we follow the vision, provision simply follows.

Nobody wins in this world’s rat race. In pursuit of the “good life,” people end up with broken relationships, poor health, and ungodly lives.

Indeed, what benefit is it for a man, to gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul?

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Personal Woes

“The more a man has in his heart the less he will require from the outside; excessive need for support from without is proof of the bankruptcy of the inner man.”

I came across this quote while simply scanning a collection of Tozer writings. It doesn’t really mean much at first read but once you think about it more, your eyes will see a clear picture. It won’t be long for you to realize that it is indeed true. Sad, but true.

I am guilty of this bankruptcy. With all the time I have for some serious thinking, I really can conclude that there nothing much in my heart thus, I require more from the outside.

My addiction to every form of entertainment from text messaging to the Internet, to TV and the movies reveals there is something wrong with me.

Almost all the time, I grab my phone to text someone not some really important message, but for some dilly dallying- to temporarily cure myself of boredom. I find myself going to the movies to forget, for a moment, the pressing problems of today. Even more often, I drag my feet to the video shop to rent any movie that will give me a boost of energy for life.

For this, I realize that the disease has spread even to the seemingly innocent areas of my life.

Areas like book reading. Once before, I grab a book to learn, and most of all, change. Now, I see it in terms of how much it will entertain me in some strange way. To how goosebumps it will afford me. To how many tears it will bring about.

Going to church is another. One of the reasons why I just don’t like going to my parents’ church is the fact that I always fall asleep while seated.

I need a church that could catch my attention, I tell myself. I need a preacher that could keep me awake all throughout the sermon. I need songs that I can relate to and oddly enough, something that could get into my nerves.

Church for me has become just one form of entertainment. The sermon being another pill to excite me barely 24 hours.

I wonder what it says about the current trends amongst Christian circles flocking towards stadiums and theatres. In my city, more and more people abandon their pews for a comfy seat, an air-conditioned room and high tech multimedia. No need to bring your Bibles to church, it will all be in the video presentation. No need to develop relationships with people, you can leave quickly as you came.

Pardon me. I have nothing against hundreds and thousands of people coming to Christ. I have nothing against technology. I am not against these churches even.

I can even say that I, for the most part, am a product of these types of churches. It just so happens that up to a certain point, I realize, there must be more than these.

I realize I am barren inside if all I wanted is the fun and the emotions. I realize that the more I rely on the external, the emptier I become inside.

The cute little preachings from today’s pulpits won’t cut it through when one is face to face with adversity. One has to know God for who He is and receive revelation directly from Him for even the strongest of saints to survive.

Sometimes, I can’t help but let out a sigh as I think of the modern church’s predicament amidst a world hostile to her existence. I sigh more when I think of my own.


Woe to me for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live amongst people of unclean lips!

Woe to me not only for the darkness I have tolerated in me but for how much light I have rejected!

Woe to me for my idolatry, hypocrisy and rebellion!

Ah, that you would purge my mouth and my heart with coals of fire from your altar, Lord!

Purify me, O Refiner’s fire and let a pure passion for the Son and His Kingdom rise up and ablaze within me.

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