Love Is Our Common Ground (Discovering Love All Over Again Series – Day 3)

When confronted with Christians who hold different views from us on a wide range of issues – from the nuclear arms’ race to baptism in the Holy Spirit or the second coming of Christ – we are presented with a wonderful opportunity to check the true motives and desires of our hearts. If, for example, personal opinions about music, clothes, or politics hinder us from relating to a fellow Christian, then we are forced to conclude that our opinions are more important to us than our fellowship with another brother in Christ.

Sadly, around the world today, many Christians have become so entrenched in their own opinions that they have refused  the unity found in the cross of Christ, with all the healing and acceptance which that brings.

IT is not wrong to have differing opinions on a matter, but it is wrong to allow these opinions to divide us.

Questions of doctrine are important, but never so important that we refuse to have fellowship with other Christians – unless they blatantly deny one of the essentials of the Christian faith.

In the essentials let there be unity, in the nonessentials let there be liberty, and in all things let there be charity.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-5, Paul lists those doctrinal issues he considers to be of “first importance,” or essential to the Christian faith.

• Christ died for our sins.
• He is the Christ of the Old Testament Scriptures, which means He is the Son of God.
• He was raised on the third day and appeared to the disciples.

Just because people from other groups fail to dress or act according to “our” standards doesn’t mean they are less of a Christian. We have been saved by grace through faith so that no one may boast. No body does Christianity better than anybody. Every now and then, we need to check our hearts every time we come to a point where we question a Christian’s actions or decisions because he or she is not doing it the way all the members of your group do it.

Today, I shall begin teaching myself not to look at a Christian based on actions alone. I shall begin to see every Christian as someone who is loved by Him who has loved me too. Every person has faults but that should not hinder me from acknowledging the fact that the person has received Christ and no matter how superficially inconsistent his or her actions are to whatever personal standards I have, I shall bear in mind that God is not yet finished with each one of us. That each one of us is still undergoing the process of becoming a person that God wants us to be.

Gracias! :)

To those who made my birthday extra special, thanks, thanks, and more thanks. This may come a bit late but I want you guys to know that I feel so blessed to have you as friends.

To Joyce, Agnes, Tin2, and Queency.. thank you for the beautiful hand bag and for spending time with me @Tata Benito’s on Monday evening.

Lovely, isn't it?

With Agnes and Tin2

Super thanks to Ate Marsh, Dudz, and Mom for treating me out to dinner @Bigby’s SM on December 8. I wasn’t able to really celebrate on the day of my birthday because I had to organize an office event.

Special thanks to the waitress who took this pic.

Ate Marsh never stopped reminding the waiters and waitresses that it’s my birthday as the restaurant prepares a free treat to celebrants. Aside from singing the birthday song at the top of their lungs (the singing was loud enough for everyone in the restaurant to know that it was my birthday), they also brought me this special treat:

Mom, me, and the birthday treat!

And that’s basically how my 23rd birthday went. The next year will be a challenge but I’d say “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me!” Thank you Lord for another year. Thank you for the gift of friendship, life, and love. May I never tire of living and loving. May I never be wary of anything. To You alone be the honor for all the things that you’ve done and all the things that You are yet to do in my life.

To God be the Glory!

…there’s color everywhere

This is the best thing I can come up with to get this blog (somehow) updated. This will contain bits and pieces of what has happened to be the past few days.

No, I won’t be posting the lyrics of some local love song, it that is what you had in mind when you read the title. I just thought it would be fun to use colors when I tell tales. I have talked to people who thought my life is dull. This one should give them a hint that it is, actually, colorful. (Yes, I am trying to sound creative. It would be understandable if you thought it isn’t creative sounding at all. I am writing this with an unsound creative mind.)

So, on with the colors.

Black. My college arts professor was the first person who told me that black is not a color and so are white and gray. I am including it just because. A box of crayons isn’t complete without the black crayon on it after all. The account would be incomplete if I do not include this.

This is Harry. I got him two weeks ago.

And this is the black bag that is intended to contain Harry while I am out and about. I know I still will be using it without Harry on it though. I got this one today.

White. I’ve already said it. This is not a color. This is so lame but I can still tell you about the box of crayons.

Mushu is now extra fun to be with. He’s a sweet, sweet dog and he sure got me through the sickness I had last week.

Pink and orange.

These are the very things that have kept me alive (pink: erithromycin, orange: biogesic). The swollen tonsils began effecting annoyance on me in the evening of June 10. Later that night, I was already having chills. I decided to go to bed hoping that it would all go away in the morning. I dreamed that I was really, really sick and when I woke up, my temperature has gone really, really high. I stayed in bed the whole day Thursday and Friday. I was only able to get out of the house on Saturday evening. I was not able to attend the leaders’ meeting and planning and was not able to sing with the team on Sunday too. The only thing I got to do was to push through with the cell group meeting I scheduled earlier in the week.

Purple and blue.

I bought a new devotional notebook/journal yesterday and it matches my Bible. Also, I use a blue pen to write on it and a purple marker to highlight important verses on my Bible.

That would be all for now. The other colors will have to come later. I still have some work to do.

Under Construction, I am

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

~Isaiah 64:8~

Every human being is God’s workmanship. Everything in me is His.

I took a temperament quiz earlier today. It had 5 questions on it. I took it even though I already had an idea what the result would be. I guess I just needed something to back that particular knowledge up.

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm – easily excited by many things.Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life. You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation. You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon. Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall. You’re an instantly passionate person – and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others. At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults. Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion. A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

Temperament quiz results may define who you are in the flesh, but they should not define who you are in Christ. As long as we are in our human form, there will always be imperfections. Scripture likens us to clay – formless – until the Potter takes us and molds us into something beautiful, useful.

When you get to know yourself better, you will find it easy to harness your strengths and slowly have your weaknesses eliminated. Of course, it wouldn’t be that easy. And it would take some time. Actually, it would take your entire lifetime. When people would look at you and wonder why you aren’t the person you are supposed to be in Christ, remember that God is not yet finished with you.

God is not yet finished with me. I am, as of the moment, still under construction.

to everyone:

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18