Quest For Truth

AMEN, Let It Be.

2010-01-10T05:38:00.000-08:00

By Ella V. Buenaventura

In any of this universe, “Amen" probably is the most spoken word by so many people any time of the day. Why? It might be because the word Amen is written in the Old and New Testament, Hebrew Bible, and the Islam Quran. This word also caps the prayer of Christians, Egyptian Church, Irish Protestants, Judaists, and the Evangelical Protestants. It is also written in Arabic, Ge' ez, Latin and English.

It is believed that Jesus was the first to utter the word" Amen". He whispered it in the Lord's Prayer. In both praying and teaching the Good News, Jesus opens and ends His lessons with the word" Amen". It is Jesus greetings to His apostles. It is also His word of gratitude. "Amen" is also uttered by priests and nuns as they are given the last absolution in their dying bed. "Amen" is the Alpha and Omega - it is the beginning and end of life.

“Amen" in English is "let it be". That comes to my mind the Beatles song "Let it Be" that describes the concern of Mother Mary for all of humanity in its affirming lines ... "When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom -let it be, let it be". Credit it to this group whose song is embraced by all of humanity. The song also proves that the word “Amen" is timeless. It is ageless. It is for all times - then and now and for all eternity.

I say" Amen" unto you as I invite you to share with me stories in this column that touch on personal experiences, day-to-day happenings that witness God's might and kindness that need to be shared with all humanity. Hopefully at the end of each story, despite the daily tribulations, you will be one with me in concluding that - it is still a wonderful world after all.

My initial story is about our pair of lungs.

There's never a moment of boredom in life really. If only we would think that even simple breathing and doing nothing is in itself an accomplishment ... if not a feat. Who do you think can confirm this? Someone asthmatic as I am, no less!

Can you imagine how hard it is to run after your breath? It is like a chasing game. You are chasing a butterfly with a net hooked in the eye of a. needle. That is an asthma attack.

Shuffling through my imagination, I see my pair of lungs like two laundry bags. How I wish I could wash my dirty pair with detergent - wash them clean and hang them to dry. Yes, I imagine the abstract painting of Salvador Dali where human innards hang on clothesline. Well, see how my imagination intertwined with what my -brain had collated through, the years?

Writing about lungs after watching Brother Sun, Sister Moon for the nth time, I brush my heart (not lungs this time) with the holiness of St. Claire and St. Francis of Assisi. Feasting my eyes on the beautiful setting of the movie that never fails to hype me - the vast woods of wild flowers, the field of golden wheat and the nerve-chilling snow, everything is created to perfection.

The beauty I not only see, but seems to smell, too, filling my heart and my lungs (no asthma .this time, take' note) to the fullest of joy. And what magnet has God's unseen presence that made Francisco, Claire and their company of young soldiers gave up the life of comfort, fame and fortune in lieu of a life with beggars and ex-convicts. That is part of the mystery of life that will unfold only in death, only at the conjecture that our lungs deflated. The lung is only one confirmation that God is really a great and a very creative Creator.

Look at your lungs' X-ray plate. Notice two wing-shaped white figures defined on those negatives? Those are your lungs.

What are lungs made of? Air sacs. So God created sacs that hold the air and once that pair of fluffy wings collapse, we are dead. "Amen" to our body, alleluia to our spirit!

Again, we confirm that once our lungs go pffft, we - die. But wait. Those pair of lungs will also be the means that will bring us to heaven. Agree? Yes, in my imagination, they will be inflated to full-blown wings that will flap in the air and will keep us lifted as we journey to heaven. Our lungs will be our wings into the afterlife.

Riding on this theory is the rationale behind our departed loved ones visiting us in the form of butterflies. Believe it or not!

I think the lungs and the heart are a conniving team. One organ cannot function without the other. It is also true to form between heart and lungs - that when the heart is in love and beating fast, the lung follows, panting hard!

See why I opened this article with the premise that life has no dull moment? Simply because-even the lungs have a story to tell.

The Path of Forgiveness

2009-10-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

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Probably some of us were once involved in harsh disagreements with other people or with members of our family. The whole experience usually left us bitter and unforgiving especially if we end up physically battered or emotionally hurt.

We are always told that we should not let the sun go down on our wrath. But for most of us, instead of showing forgiveness, we prolong our anger and we keep the sun from going down.

Forgiveness is a reward you give to yourself. When you forgive someone, you are discharging the burden of anger and pain inside you. When you choose the path of forgiveness, you are READ MORE

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Feeling Worthless?

2009-09-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

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Have you ever felt useless and unimportant? And felt that what you’re doing in life is boring and insignificant? Better snap out of it because you are not worthless. You are an important worker of God. You are tasked to build His Church, and to protect it from corrosion.

Most of us do not exactly understand our READ MORE

How to Live Your Life Without Fear

2009-08-31T02:28:00.000-07:00

On New Year’s Eve of 1916, Oswald Chambers, a well-known early twentieth century Scottish Protestant Christian minister, a teacher, a chaplain of YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) and author of the widely-read devotional book entitled My Utmost for His Highest, spoke to a crowd of British Commonwealth soldiers in Egypt whose lives had been overturned and battered by World War I. In his speech he said…

“At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise from remembering the yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace is apt to be checked by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them in order to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual culture for the future. God reminds us of the past lest we get into a shallow security in the present… Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ. Leave the irreparable past in His hands, and step out into the irresistible future with Him.”

Chambers was right in two things. First, we should stop living our present life carrying yesterday’s load. If pains of the past still bother your present life, remind yourself that READ MORE

The God Abusers

2009-08-15T20:18:00.000-07:00

We are often asked whether our faith is strong enough to withstand bad times. But have we ever considered asking ourselves whether our faith is strong enough to survive good times?

In the book "The Problem of Pain", the author wrote that God whispers to us during our happy days but shouts in our painful situations. When we do not pay attention when He whispers, He may use shouts to get our focus. People glide away from their faith not only during bad times but also when their life is good. For them, it is a time when God is not needed. We usually interpret His blessings as a sign of our goodness and not an indication of His kindness. We always presume that we are worthy of everything pleasant that happened to us but we... READ MORE

Special Parents

2009-05-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

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A friend of mine is an average employee in our locality. He and his wife were married for almost ten years but were not fortunate enough to conceive a baby. My friend never stopped hoping that God will someday give them their much awaited child. His co-workers are actually making fun of him for asking God for a miracle child. But despite their mockery, he was never discouraged.

Finally last January 2008, his wife was finally pregnant. But when the child was born that same year, the baby was diagnosed with READ MORE

Servant Leadership

2009-05-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

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"The great leader is seen as a servant first and that simple fact is the key to his greatness”, these are the words of Robert K. Greenleaf, founder of the Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership in Indianapolis, USA.

This principle was exercised by Jesus when He... READ MORE

The Right to Die?

2009-05-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

It is true that every human being in this world has some kind of freedom of choice, but can that privilege be extended to the right to die?

In November 1902, US President Theodore Roosevelt was invited by Mississippi Governor on a hunting trip. Being with the US President, the people who organized the hunt were so pressured to make the said event successful. They made it easy for the President by hunting an old, hurt, and weary American Black Bear and tying it to a willow tree. They called the President to the site and asked him to shoot the bear. But President Roosevelt said "no!" and refused to shoot the bear. According to him, “No one would shoot this old bear for sport. That would not be right.” Teddy Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot the bear made headline in major... READ MORE

Are You Afraid?

2009-03-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

About four years ago, my friend and I were mountain-hiking when we came across a swollen stream. A log was placed across the stream to form a make-shift bridge. It was slippery and there was no handrail.

The prospect of walking on that wet log was frightening. But my friend and I found courage; slowly and carefully we inched our way to the other side.

On our way back, we had to walk on that same path. We had to face that same slippery and frightening log once more. Fully aware of the danger, we made it safely to the other side.

My friend and I were very afraid while we are crossing that make-shift bridge. But we both realized that “being afraid” is what keeps us safe. Much of life poses moral hazard for us. We should never presume in any situation that we’re incapable of falling. All of us, if given the opportunity and circumstances, are capable of falling into sin.

In Ephesians 6:13, we must watch and pray and arm ourselves for every occasion by putting our total trust in God. God is faithful and He will give us the strength to keep from falling.

Questions Regarding God

2009-03-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

I wonder where He lives. Does He live in the clouds? In the sky? What part of the universe? Where is He? When we encounter problems with our family, love ones, or problems concerning our job, is God really there helping us? Can you honestly say right now while you are reading this article that you have already seen God? That He already talked to you? Probably not! Just like me, you only heard so many good or probably bad things about God, but have you ever wondered if these stories are true or just a product of other people's imagination? READ MORE.

Where can we find the Truth?

2009-03-22T01:39:00.000-07:00

In the book "Boiling Point" by Gorge Barna and Mark Hatch, many individuals who call themselves Christians were having difficulty answering the following questions: Did Jesus ever sinned? Was Jesus truly resurrected? Do all religions teach the same basic ideas about God and spirituality?

These authors made a survey among professing believers and the survey focused on answering the three (3) questions mentioned earlier. The results are quite alarming.The results were... READ MORE

Loshon Hora

2009-03-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Loshon Hora is a Hebrew phrase which means negative or cruel speech. This phrase is synonymous to the word "gossip"

When we are tempted to gossip, breath though your nose, this is a good way to keep our mouth shut. The antidote to gossip is love, which helps neutralize the toxin in our hearts before it escapes through our lips.

In Romans 13:9-10, It says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law"

When we are tempted to pass along a negative word about someone, even if it's true, pray and ask God to help you step on the brakes of your mouth. Instead of Loshon Hora, speak words of kindness.

Our Tongues Have Brains?

2009-02-08T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's been estimated that a talkative person may speak 30,000 words a day. But the most important question is, how do our words, whether few or many, affect others?

A Greek philosopher asked his servant to cook the best dish possible. The servant, who was considered very wise, prepared a dish made of ox tongue. According to the servant, "It's the best of all dishes, for it reminds us that we may use the tongue to bless and express happiness, dispel sorrow, remove despair, and spread cheer".

Later, the servant was asked to prepare the worst dish possible. Again, he prepared a dish made of ox tongue. According to the servant, "It's the worst of all dishes, for it reminds us that we may use out tongue to curse and break hearts, destroy reputations, create strife, and set families and nations at war."

We don't have to eat an ox tongue to grasp the servant's point. But we have to "eat our own words" quite often before we learn to avoid saying things we'd like to retract.

Solomon wrote: "The tongue of the wise promotes health" (Proverbs 12:18). It affirms and encourages others. The key word in the verse isn't "tongue" but "wise". The tongue is not in control, but the person behind it.

If you want your tongue to build people up and not tear them down, ask God to make you wise.

Words of Joanie Yoder, adopted from the book Our Daily Bread.

"Wisdom is knowing when to speak your mind and when to mind your speech"

Do You Really Love God?

2009-01-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

We are tasked by God to love other human beings the way we love ourselves. But God also told us to love our environment. To love our environment means we should utilize our natural resources properly and not to abuse it.

Look around you, are we taking good care of this planet? You know what the answer is. If you love God, you must also love all His creations... including our environment.

Can God See Us?

2009-01-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

Hagar, Sarah's handmaid, was being treated unkindly by Sarah, so she fled to the wilderness. As Hagar stood beside a spring in that desolate and lonely place, the Angel of the Lord visited her. He assured her that God Himself was aware of her situation. "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees" (Genesis 16:13). She found great comfort in knowing that the Lord saw her and knew about her distress.

You and I can have that same confidence in God's watch-care. We can be sure that the Lord God is with us whenever we go, and He knows everything that happens to us. As the all-powerful One, He is able to solve every problem, no matter how over-whelming or perplexing it may be. We are never alone, never forgotten, and never beyond hope.

Whatever your troubling circumstances are, whether you're afflicted by illness or injury, broken hearted over the loss of loved one, or disillusioned because your dearest friend has betrayed or rejected you, God knows and cares. You may be deeply depressed, or perhaps you're plagued by loneliness and discouragement. But you can be confident that you are under God's watchful eye. Yes, like Hagar, you can know that God sees you.

Words of Richard De Haan, adopted from the book Our Daily Bread

Are We Safe In The Hands of God?

2009-01-06T15:41:00.000-08:00

At age 16, Madame Jeane Guyon (1648-1717) was forced into an arranged marriage with an invalid 22 years older. She found her marriage to be of utter humiliation. Her husband was often angry and melancholy. Her mother-in-law was a merciless critic. Even the maid despised her. In spite of her best attempt at devotion to her husband and family, she was subjected to her husband and family, she was subjected to relentless criticism.

Forbidden by her husband to attend church, she sought God in His Word and worshipped Him in secret. She learned that even in the midst of her dreary circumstances, she was perfectly fine - within the safe hands of God. In her book Experiencing The Depths of Jesus Christ,she wrote, "Abandonment (to Christ) is the key to the fathomless depths. Abandonment is the key to spiritual life."

How can we respond to difficult circumstances with acceptance and abandonment? Mary's response to the angel in Luke 1:38 shows us. The only way to have that same attitude is to believe that God's will is "good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2), and to lay down our will and patiently submit to Him day by day.

This can be our prayer: Let it be to me according to Your word.

Words of David Roper adopted from the book Our Daily Bread.

Can We Start All Over Again?

2008-12-31T20:56:00.000-08:00

It was New Year’s Day 1929. The University of California at Berkeley was playing Georgia Tech in college football’s Rose Bowl. Roy Riegels, a California defender, recovered a Georgia Tech fumble, then turned and scampered 65 yards in the wrong direction! One of Riegels’ own teammates tackled him just before he reached the wrong goal line. On the next play, Georgia Tech scored and went on to win.

From that day on, Riegels was saddled with the nick-name “Wrong-way Riegels.” For years afterward, whenever he was introduced, people would exclaim “I know who you are! You are the guy who ran the wrong way in the Rose Bowl!”

Our failures may not be as conspicuous, but we’ve all gone the wrong way, and we have memories that haunt us. Recollections of sin and failure rise up to taunt us at 3:00 in the morning. If we only we could forget! If only we could begin again!

We can! When we confess our sins and repent before God, He forgives our past and put it away. In Christ, “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” – all our sins (Colossians 1:14; 2:13).

It is never too late to begin again.

Words of David Roper adopted for Our Daily Bread

Will We Pass The Test?

2008-12-29T16:50:00.000-08:00

Coyotes can’t resist a tasty sheep dinner. That’s why a number of years ago researchers experimented with about 500 different chemicals to develop a solution to spray a sheep that would make them “coyote proof”. A compound that tasted like spicy hot sauce offered the most promise.

Scientists theorized that if the tests were successful, coyotes might lose their taste for sheep. If that were to happen, the temptation that makes coyotes a public nuisance in sheep country would be gone.

Sometimes I wonder why God didn’t do something like that in the Garden of Eden. Why didn’t He make the tree of knowledge of good and evil bear ugly fruit? Why didn’t He surround it with chain-link fence with barbed wire at the top? Whey did God even created the tree in the first place? Part of the answer, I believe, is that temptation to do evil brought Adam and Eve face to face with the ultimate moral question: Would they show confidence in their Creator and lovingly obey Him with all their heart?

We face a similar test everyday. What are we going to do? Will we flunk the test? Or will we trust God completely and obey His commands?

Words of Mart De Haan II, adopted from Our Daily Bread

Are You Spiritually Dry?

2008-12-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you read the Bible while sitting under an oak tree? Have you ever prayed while the cool water of the creek ran across your feet? Wouldn’t be enjoyable to meditate on God’s Word while watching the sun come up over the horizon?

It’s not possible, of course, for all of us to do all those things – but it is possible for each of us to break the normal routine of our time alone with God. Sometimes, the habits of our devotional life can get in the way of our growing closer to God. In fact, at times they can grow stale and boring.

But there is nothing boring about a God who created the earth in all its splendor and variety. There is no lack of excitement in worshiping a Savior who was willing to die in a horrible death for us and pay the penalty of our sins. There is nothing common about being indwelth by the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to accomplish God’s will.

So how do we avoid dry devotional times? By breaking the routine of the usual and adding some variety to our personal time alone with God.

In His worship, Jesus found solitary havens away from the busyness of people and ministry (Mark 1:35). We need to do the same. We need to break the routine.

Words adopted from Dave Branon, sourced from Our Daily Bread.

Questions about the Spirit of God and the Bible.

2008-12-24T22:42:00.000-08:00

Who alone comprehends the things of God?

“For what man knoweth the things of man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11.

How thoroughly does the Spirit search out the hidden treasures of truth?

“But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Verse 10

What is one purpose for which the Holy Spirit was sent?

“But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26.

Why cannot man receive the things of the Spirit?

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Questions about the Bible

2008-12-23T23:37:00.000-08:00

What is the purpose of the Bible/Scriptures?

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Did Christ ever say anything about us reading the Bible?

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:39.

What other book of the Bible is especially commended for our study?

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of the prophecy (the Book of Revelation), and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 1:3.