THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
Friday, February 20, 2009
Life is so cruel sometimes. We are under attack constantly and innocently. We suffer from other people's ridicules and false judgements. If you say anything, angry words are thrown back to you multiplied by ten. If you do not say anything, you are belittled and betrayed.
Truth is, I know I can fire back. I know I can do the same thing they do to us. I can open up old scandals and adevertise it. I can be angrier. I can attack them also. I can do many things to retaliate.
I can loose my fuse and I can fume in fury. I can pinpoint blames. I can start a fight. I can ignite a fire. I can destroy. I can damage. I can make it bigger and greater.
But really, I asked my self, "What good will it do to me?" I want to sleep feeling and thinking I did not hurt anyone. I do not like the feeling of stepping on other people's toes to put my self on a pedestal. And if I did my own share of mishap to anyone, I will be the first to admit my faults.
My mind suggests me to fight. Yet, my heart tells me something else. In my heart, I know, I only have two choices: to FORGIVE or NOT to forgive. So I choose to shut my mouth. I choose to drop the angst. I choose to be the water to kill the fire.
Revenge is better when you just let it go...ALL OF IT: the anger, the urge to fight back, the desire to create a fire. Revenge is better when you just simply raise the white flag up. They won the fight. I surrender.
I can be the devil's advocate. But I don't want to go in hell. I'm not claiming I am super perfect. I am not an angel. In fact, will NEVER be an angel. But I can be a better person than I was yesterday. In my daily life, that is my ultimate goal: to become a BETTER ME.
So I will start by saying...I forgive you...ALL OF YOU. And May my God forgive me also.
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"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:21-22
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
--Mahatma Gandhi
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matthew 5:10-12
But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust . Matthew 5:44,45
PRAYER:
My Lord, Amidst our darkness, our everyday battles, our desire to anger, stay with us. Keep us calm and collected. Give us the strength to succumb it all and let it all go. I pray that our enemies, the people who hurt us and betrayed us, will find enlightenment and an open heart. In the bible, YOU taught us to love our enemies despite their persecutions towards us, to throw bread at them when they throw rocks at us, to forgive their trespasses, to love them more at these moments. You said it is the only way YOU will also forgive us from our sins. So In Your Name, I am forgiving them. Guide them and help them. May you keep them and bless them. Sorry for our sins. Have mercy on us. We asked you these through God the Father...AMEN.
Labels: forgiveness, life, life lessons, spiritual reveries
spiritual reveries: REVELATION
Thursday, November 01, 2007
"Kung sinuman ay na kay Cristo,
siya'y bago nang nilalang"
2 Corinthians 5:17
Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:18-19
LORD,
you truly give things to those who patiently wait.
and you give it when we least expected it.
"hsq" said YOU gave ME to him.
what "hsq" doesn't know is that, i prayed for him. =)
i gave HIM to you, Lord,
to serve you and love you like i do.
then wonderful YOU,
you gave him back to me.
unaware,
he was in YOUR plans
to be in my life all through out this strange story.
who would have ever thought of that, really?
for the times, i doubted you
with your plans for me,
please forgive me.
for the times i failed to recognized
your efforts and have sinned
towards other people,
have mercy on me.
mold me, use me, Lord
so i can share your words of wisdom
and awesome LOVE to others who needs you.
what can i say?
ang galing mo talaga, Lord.
you're simply amazing!
and i thank you.
THANK YOU, my Lord.
Labels: love, spiritual reveries
SPIRITUAL REVERIES: WAITING
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Waiting
Desperately, helplessly, longing, I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,
The Master gently said, “Child, you must wait!”
“Wait? You say, wait!” my indignant reply.
“Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By FAITH I have asked and am claiming your Word.
“My future and all to which I can relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to WAIT?
I’m needing a ‘yes’, a go-ahead sign,
Or even a ‘no’ to which I can resign.
“And, Lord, you promised that if we believe
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I’ve been asking and this is my cry:
I’m weary of asking! I need a reply!”
Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate.
Once again my Master replied, “You must wait.”
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And I grumbled to God, “So, I’m waiting… for what?”
He seemed then to kneel, and his eyes wept with mine,
And he tenderly said, “I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.
All you seek I could give, and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want –
But you wouldn’t know ME.
“You’d not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You’d not know the power that I give to the faint;
You’d not learn to see through the clouds of despair;
You’d not learn to trust just by knowing I’m there.
You’d not know the joy of resting in me
When darkness and silence were all you could see.
“You’d never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of my Spirit descends like a dove;
You’d know that I give and I save… (for a start),
But you’d not know the depth of the beat of my heart.
“The glow of my comfort late into the night.
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that’s beyond getting just what you asked
Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.
“You’d never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.’
Yes, your dreams for your loved ones overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss! If I lost what I’m doing in you!
“So be silent, my child, and in time you will see
THAT THE GREATEST OF GIFTS IS TO GET TO KNOW ME.
And though oft my answers may seem terribly late,
My wisest of answers is still but to WAIT."
PRAYER:
Lord, With all the trials we encounter, with all the disheartening heartbreaks, with all the uncarried plans, with the irritating questions of "when, Lord?," and with your many answers of "just WAIT, my child, " i know you have better plans for us . i know behind these unavoided turmoil, you've laid well deserved victories for us in the end. You gave these trials to us so you can see how deep our faith is for you, my Lord. We know that whatever obstacles you put us in, we can maneauver out of it because YOU are there to guide and protect us. Forgive all our shortcomings as we forgive those who sinned against us. Shower us with your mercy and grace. We asked you these in your most precious name, AMEN.
Labels: spiritual reveries
SOMEDAY...my prince will come
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
A message from God:
"No man will ever claim you unless he claims you from me. I have reserved a man for you, who has my heart and loves me even more than he will you. I won't give you unless he asks you from me.
He's asleep, don't wake him, he's busy for me and my kingdom. Soon you will know him, but I have the perfect time.
You are my princess, my daughter. Let no prince claim you unless he asks you from my hand. For I am your Father, the King of Kings.
You, my princess are worth waiting for."
"I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."
-John 14:3
Someday my Prince will come.
Labels: faith, hope, LORD, love, relationships, spiritual reveries
ginhawa
Saturday, September 29, 2007
kaya ko naman, Lord.
kaya ko pang magtiis sa hirap.
kaya ko pang labanan ang pait.
kaya ko pang tumayo sa bagyo ng buhay.
kaya ko pang ibigay lahat sa mga kapatid ko.
kaya ko pang tulungan ang nanay at tatay ko.
kaya ko pang magbigay sa kapwa ko.
kaya ko pang makinig sa mga kaibigan ko.
kaya ko pang bumangon sa pagkadapa.
kaya ko pang hilumin ang malalim na sugat ng puso.
kaya ko pa sigurong magmahal kahit ilang beses na nasaktan.
kaya ko pang gunapang kahit hirap na sa paglakad.
kaya ko pa, Lord...
pero sa kabila ng mga unos na ito, Panginoon ko,
samahan niyo ako sa bawat pagtahak ko ng pagsubok,
lantaran niyo ako ng ilaw sa mga araw na madilim,
bigyan niyo ako ng ginhawa sa mga araw na nawawalan ako ng pag-asa.
kaya ko pa, Lord...
basta, huwag niyo lang ako iiwan.
kaya ko pa, Lord....
dahil nandiyan ka sa buhay ko.
Labels: hope, spiritual reveries, tagalog
STRENGTH
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
S T R E N G T H
my faith is tested once again. and truth is, my strength can only take me so much. every day, my exhausted mind, body, and soul are just draining with weakness. and seriously, i am T - I - R - E - D. but my Lord, i know, these trials that you give me are challenges to my strength. and i will face it all head on, and i will fight this battle to be strong. but my Lord, equipped me with added power to conquer it all. i leave it all in your grace and mercy. i KNOW...you will see me victorious in the end.
fear not,
for I am with you;
be not dismayed,
for I am your God;
I will strengthen you,
I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
9 But he said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
of my weaknesses,
so that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
10 For the sake of Christ,
then, I am content with weaknesses,
insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak,
then I am strong.
MY PRAYER:
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
—Ephesians 3:14-19Labels: bible verses, spiritual reveries, strength
when..........
Sunday, September 09, 2007
when it rains,
it pours...abundantly!!!my Lord is wonderful.He provides for me financially, spiritually and "socially" (ha!)thank you. Labels: life, LORD, spiritual reveries
SPIRITUAL REVERIES: HOPE
Friday, August 31, 2007
Do You Feel There is No Hope
In your times of deep despair,
Do you feel there is no hope?
As the darkness closes in on you,
Do you feel you cannot cope?
As you struggle on through every trial,
Do you say "When will it end"?
As you cry yourself to sleep at night,
Do you wish you had a friend?
When your body's racked with aches and pains,
Do you feel you are alone?
When you think about the future,
Do you fear the great unknown?
There is someone who really cares,
And He hears your every cry.
His arms are reaching out to you,
And on Him you can rely.
When things close in around you,
He sees your fear and doubt -
He wants to hold you in His arms,
And He will never cast you out.
As you stumble through the darkness,
He will be your guiding light.
He wants to wipe away your tears,
For you are precious in His sight.
Reach out right now to Jesus,
And let Him take complete control -
He'll take that heavy burden,
And He'll touch and make you whole.
He's reaching out His arms to you,
And He wants to be your friend.
Let Him take you in His loving arms,
For His love will never end.
PRAYER:
our loving Father, many times in our lives, we are weakened byt he everyday trials we go through. too many, sometimes, we rarely see, glimmers of hope. but remind us, oh Lord, that you do not give us anything we can not handle. and that though things are not turning out the way we ought life to be, help us believe and hope you have better plans instored for us. and we will wait for your call, our Lord. forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who sinned against us. bless our lovedones, guide them and protect them always. we asked you these in your most precious name. Amen.
Labels: hope, spiritual reveries
spiritual reveries: THE GREATEST ADVICE
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
spiritual reveries: THE GREATEST ADVICEDon't date because you are desperate.Don't marry because you are miserable.Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.Don't philander because you think you are irresistible.Don't associate with people you can't trust.Don't cheat. Don't lie. Don't pretend.Don't dictate because you are smarter.Don't demand because you are stronger.Don't sleep around because you think you are old enough and know better.Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.Don't sell yourself, your family or your ideals.Don't stagnate!Don't regress.Don't live in the past. Time can't bring anything or anyone back.Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your biological clock is ticking.Learn a new skill.Find a new friend.Start a new career.Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life's more hasty decisions.To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons.To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can be.Simplify your life. Take away the clutter.Get rid of destructive elements: abusive friends, nasty habits and dangerous liaisons.Don't abandon your responsibilities but don't overdose on duty.Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family.Be true to yourself.Don't commit when you are not ready.Don't keep others waiting needlessly.Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.Do what you have to, even at society's scorn.Write poetry.Love Deeply.Walk barefoot.Dance with wild abandon.Cry at the movies.Take care of yourself. Don't wait for someone to take care of you.You light up your life.You drive yourself to your destination. No one completes you - except YOU.It isn't true that life does not get easier with age, it only gets more challenging.Don't be afraid. Don't lose your capacity to love.Pursue your passions.Live your dreams.Don't lose faith in God.Don't grow old. Just grow YOU!When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back.Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give to someone is your time.Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E because the essence of love is not what we think or do or provide for others, but how much we give of ourselves.God is good all the time! -- Rick Warren
PRAYER:
My Lord, in our days when life seems dull and tiring, remind us that you gave us this GIFT called LIFE. You said, our time is our life. we have to make the most of it while we are here on earth. and the key to make our lives flourish and for our hearts to feel alive is to live our lives to the fullest and to share our blessings to the unfortunate. we have to live every day as if it is the last day on earth. guide us and protect us and our lovedones. heal our broken mind, body, heart and soul. forgive us for our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us. we asked you this in your most precious name. Amen.
Labels: poetry, spiritual reveries
