Outnumbered?

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Despite without their key players, the San Beda Red Lions proved to all that
they can beat the odds when their 6-man crew dropped a bomb on the Arellano
Chiefs.

Because of a controversial brawl last December, a majority of the members of the San Beda Men's Basketball Team were suspended for the Red Lions' season-opener against the Arellano Chiefs in the 2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament earlier at the FilOil Flying V Arena, leaving only 6 players available for the game. Being the lone non-televised game of the season, your resident sports blogger trooped to the stadium to what everyone thought was a mismatch. The Chiefs, now under former San Beda coach Koy Banal, boasted a complete roster, even parading AJ Serjue, who I believe is ahead of schedule. Here's what happened...

Arellano started way too hot, burying triple after triple, and they led, 28-21, after one. In the second, however, San Beda began to get their game going, and the Chiefs's lead was down to 2, 44-42. The rampage continued, and everyone began to believe. San Beda was on the driver's seat after 3 quarters. Anton Bonsubre, however, fouled out with 7:19 to go, and Coach Ronnie Magsanoc had no more reserve on his bench. Yvan Ludovice and Francis Abarcar began to suffer from cramps. Arellano, who were hot from the perimeter in the 1st half but gone cold in the 2nd, pulled a late charge, and the lead was down to 6. Abarcar did not give up. He carried the game to his own hands, and it worked. San Beda kept Arellano at bay, 81-71. Six defeated 15! Although I'm from UP (I'm cheering for UP alumni Coaches Ronnie Magsanoc and Benjie Paras), I was teary-eyed. It's just like seeing Gideon and his 299 comrades beating the Philistine army of more than a hundred thousand.

Speaking of the story of Gideon, it was not the 300 who were victorious then. It was God. Despite Gideon's fears, the Lord assured him that he and his army will win He will win the battle for them. Despite God further filtering the 45,000 people Gideon brought to Him to just a mere 300, he trusted the Lord. Despite getting the instruction from God to bring the most awkward of weapons--torches and pitchers, Gideon obeyed the Lord. Guess the headline of the news the following day. "Three Hundred Crushes 145,000". Oh! I did not even mention mankind's biggest victory yet: when God came to earth as a human to win the battle against sin for us on the cross.

All it takes is to believe. If you believe God will turn a seemingly impossible scenario to reality, all you need is to claim the victory in Jesus' Name. The apostles Paul and Silas even added, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you and your household, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31)

Sadness Better Than Happiness?

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When Queen's Park's Jamie Mackie scored a goal that gave the Rangers the
lead, the Manchester City fans were in deep despair as the championship was
slipping away from then. Little did they know that Jesus Christ was about to
perform a miracle in Manchester.

What would be your reaction if someone tells you that it's better to be sad than be happy? Kinda weird, right? But the seventh chapter of Ecclesiastes tells you so. Ecclesiastes 7:2 even adds that it's better to go to a building full of crying people than in a party place. Why better be sad than happy?

You may find the verse an awkward one. Of course, God wants us to be as happy as we can be. The Lord wants us to go on a pandemonium like how the people at the Etihad Stadium celebrated after Sergio Aguero blasted the game-winner for Manchester City against Queen's Park last month for the Barclays Premier League championship, but God sometimes allows the bad news to come upon us for a reason. When two of my classmates died, I was really anxious, but He was there to comfort me. When my laptop, cellphone, and even my wallet were snatched, it was God who made me move on.

It's just like the ManC-QPR (R is for Rangers) game mentioned above. You may be as super festive as Pablo Zabaleta when you received many breakthroughs, like when he scored his one and only English league goal in that game. But here comes a time of defeats and hardships, and you are on the verge of giving up. You are depressed, anxious, sorrowful, simply the saddest man in the world in your view, like how the City fans felt when the team conceded two Queen's Park goal later and cross-town rivals Manchester United, who were also chasing for the Barclays championship, were winning in another game elsewhere.

Ecclesiastes 7:3, however, tells us that it's OK to be sad. In fact, the verse says it's better to be frustrated than having fun and sadness is, guess what, GOOD for the heart and even gains wisdom (Ecc. 7:4). Now you may be doubting, "If the Bible is God's Word, then why He is telling us that sadness is better than happiness?" Again, He wants us to be happy, but He's saying here that you can learn more in defeats than in victories. Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest athlete ever lived, even said in an interview that if not for the buzzer-beating game winners that he missed, he would have not been the best player ever. And the most important thing of all, God wants to reveal His power to us. When my registration matters this semester had gone mad, I was really depressed, but He promised me that He will do the mighty works, and indeed, He made possible the impossible. Now, from someone who's thinking of moving to another school, I got a chance to graduate in my current school (in two years, hopefully). It's just like scoring two goals in a span of 75 seconds to steal the win like what Manchester City exactly did.

God does not want us to be sad, but He said that it's OK to be sad. Why? To sum it up, He means that if we want happiness, as in TRUE HAPPINESS, all we need is to come to Him. In the end, what you think are the times that He's miles away from us are actually the cases that the Lord is just at pointblank range from us. All we need when we get sad is to accept His comfort and entrust everything in Him. God is our true source of happiness.

In this world you will face trouble, but take heart. [Jesus Christ has] overcome the world. (John 16:33b)

How to Know God's Will?

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Despite the loss, Manny Pacquiao remained composed and optimistic on God's plans for him.

Asked on her husband's controversial loss, Jinkee Pacquiao uttered these words, "Maybe this is the Lord's will." It made me wonder, "Is Timothy Bradley's still the talk of the town upset over Manny Pacquiao really God's will?" Let's make this general: How can someone know the will of the Lord?

First and foremost, it's God's will for us to win in all of our battles, whether it's a boxing match, a soccer game, a basketball shootout, or even in our daily living, but God sometimes allow the trials, the defeats, and the setbacks to happen in us so that we'll gonna realize that all of our successes come from Him. I liked Manny's positive attitude upon hearing the controversial (How many times am I gonna type this word all over again?) announcement from renowned boxing announcer Michael Buffer. I felt his aura last Sunday as if he knocked out Bradley right in the 1st round. His rejuvenated relationship with God mattered a lot. In fact, I liked the positive comments I read in Facebook, Plurk, and Twitter saying that Manny won a greater victory, which is victory over sin. Kinda reminded me of Job when he lost virtually everything yet his faith in God became even more deeper (better read the entire book of Job for that). The promise Job held on was what Jesus taught us, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b)

Usually, we realize that God moved in our midst in the end, like in the case of Pacquiao. But we can actually find out God's will right at the start. How? By praying to Him reading His Word, the Bible. Praying is our way of communicating with God. We ask for Him to reveal to us His will and ask for the things we need and want with agreement to His will. Reading the Bible is our way to know His answers. There are thousands of commands and promises in the Bible that will inspire and encourage us. One example of that is when I got into some academic trouble that made me fear that I may not be able to enter school again. I leaned on to His Word that He did not give us a "spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV)" Despite the fears Satan is continuing to infuse on me, I remained firm, prayed to God, and guess what: my appeal to enrol again was APPROVED!

My pastor's favorite (Or should I say trademark?) quote is always on my mind: If it's God's will, it's God's bill. The Lord's plans will always prevail. If He allows something good, He knows you're doing it right. If He allows trials, He's reminding us to turn to Him. To encapsulate all of these, here's a quote from Rocksteddy's lead vocalist and Showtime host Teddy Corpuz. "My pastor told me, 'Don't merely believe everything I had preached, but find out for yourself. Read, ask, and seek Christ!' That's confidence in the Holy Spirit!"

The Hand of God

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We may not see God's hands, but we can feel Him reaching out
to us.

After watching the 2006 Korean movie "200 Pounds Beauty" last Saturday while having a sleepover at my friend's apartment unit, the phrase "Hand of God" that the surgeon who made possible the transformation of Kim Ah-Jung's role as Kang Han-Na from an obese to a sexy lady uttered (thanks to the subs) in the final scene keeps on running in my mind. Well, that was not the first time I heard that phrase. In the sixth episode of the 1987 Japanese action series Maskman, a predecessor of the Power Rangers, the kid was so amazed by Takeru's (Michael Joe in the Philippine broadcast), the Red Ranger, punching power that the boy thought Takeru has the "Hand of God". Those are just fiction. Reality has its own dose of the "Hand of God" thing. In the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals game between Argentina and England, Argentine soccer superstar Diego Maradona punched the ball to the goal as the English goalkeeper chased the ball too. The referee thought Maradona headed the ball in that the official did not whistle for the handball infraction. Even his teammates knew it was handball. But Maradona celebrated so everyone thought it was legal. That controversial non-call proved fatal as the Argentinians marched to the Final 4 with a 2-1 with Maradona scoring the other goal for the South Americans. He initially denied that he used his hand, but in 2005, Maradona admitted that it was indeed a handball and in fact intentional. You can check out the controversial play below.

I'm pretty sure God has hands. The question is where I can find it. The answer: in us! We might not see God's hands, but we can find them in us, God's people. How? Firstly, we can find it in our close peers. From our relatives to our friends. A classic example of this are the friends of the paralyzed man in Mark 2. He wanted to walk again, and upon learning that Jesus was in town, he wanted to go near Him so that he may be healed. If not for his friends, who needed to drill a huge hole at the roof of the place where the Lord was so that the paralytic will glance upon Him. Jesus Christ healed the paralytic and was able to stand up and walk. (Read Mark 2:1-12)

However, you can feel the Lord touching you through others, as in the people that you don't know. When Paul was blinded in Acts 9 after seeing Jesus, the former Saul didn't know what to do. Here comes a certain Ananias, went to Paul's place, and by the power of Jesus Christ healed him. Oh, have I already mentioned that it was only the first meeting between Paul and Ananias? Have I already mentioned too that Ananias was hesitant of going to Paul's crib because of the latter's background as a persecutor? Yet, Ananias followed God's command and groomed Paul to become one of the greatest apostles of the Lord.

Lastly, God's hands can be seen through Jesus Christ Himself. God knows we have sinned and fallen short of His glory (Romans 3:23), and He knows we must deserve a penalty (Romans 6:23a), but He also knows our need of getting saved from the bondage of sin. So He Himself came to earth, take the form of a human, and made Himself the One to be crucified and not us. If not for the Lord, we might have been suffering in hell right now, but thanks to His sacrifice, we can now receive eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 6:23b) and get the right to be called God's children (John 1:12). Hence, we, as God's heirs and co-heirs of Jesus (Romans 8:17), can receive the blessing the Heavenly Father gives to His only begotten Son.

To conclude, we may not physically see God's hands, but we are secured that He is reaching out to us. All we need to do is to grab His hand and let Him lift us out of our troubles.

Doesn't Matter! Have Grace!

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I'm fresh from the 8th Philippine Blogging Summit, aka IBlog8, at the Malcolm Hall of the UP College of Law in Quezon City. I came there without any idea that an IPad 3 was at stake at a raffle draw sponsored by TV5.

I may not have won the IPad 3, but I got the greatest gift of all.

Recall: I lost my laptop last January, and I have been praying for four months now to get a new one. I took the opportunity. The winner has been drawn, but unfortunately, the winner is not named Ivan Saldajeno.

I really want that IPad 3 (well, at least the voucher that certifies the winner that she [the winner is a female blogger] will get one once Apple officially release the new tablet). I really prayed hard for that. But I guess the Lord said no for the meantime. Instead, he rebuked me. God touched me and said, "You don't need that IPad. You need Me." Then I was reminded of Daniel's BFF's, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These guys were about to be thrown to the fiery furnace when they didn't bow down at the statue King Nebuchadnezzar built. They even said, "...the God we serve... will deliver us... BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT... we will not serve your gods." (Daniel 3:17b, 18b) These guys stood too firm to their faith that even if they were to be burned alive (with the uncertainty whether the Lord will deliver them in an instant), they remained confident because they set their focus and affection on Heavenly things, something Paul reminded to the people of Colosse (Colossians 3:1-2). In the end, with the furnace set at a 7 times hotter temperature, God saved the three. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar even saw a 4th man that was in the furnace. In the King James Bible, the king recognized the 4th person to be the Son of God, that would happen to be Jesus Christ.

Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that God's will always prevails. They knew the Lord is allowing some things for a purpose. They just let go and let God. That's grace. Our natural tendency when it comes to trials and nos from God is to be upset and impatient, but thanks to grace, which is God's gift, we're able to hold on to His promises no matter how long He will turn those promises into reality. Aside from that, it is by God's grace that we are saved. Because of our sins, we could have been all dead by now, but because of His grace that was exemplified by Jesus' sacrifice, we are now living a life that is fun and colorful.

Maybe the Lord did not allow me to have that IPad 3, but it doesn't matter to me at all. What's important is that He already gave His most precious gift, which is eternal life thanks to His grace. I will still hold on to His plans.

GG-Gaming and God

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Are you sure you're pleasing God with online games?

I don't know if Pastor Adrian Acosta's guest post on Pastor Kyle Eusebio's blog was (partly) inspired by a recent satire of "news" site So, What's News?. I'm pretty sure, though, that my new post on my new blog is inspired by both articles. Let's get straight to the point. We'll not just talk about Diablo 3 here, but also in all computer games you know. So here's the jackpot question: Is online gaming a sin?

It's a sigh of relief that So What's is a satirical site. If not, then I would have been fearing that the CBCP will crack down on me because I played some and still playing some more "prohibited games" like Cabal and Warcraft 3, aka DOTA. If the "news item" is for real, I would have been in jail right now and not jotting this down. Yet, I'm still at large. However, whether you're playing a violent game like Cabal or a "wholesome" game like Tetris Battle and Doodle Jump, take note of these:

1. Make sure you honor God with your gaming.

Online games are not sins, but playing them, including the likes of Tetris Battle (believe it or not) can cause you to sin. Often times, I get frustrated every time I am losing a match or the internet connection is lagging. But I'm making sure that I will not sin in those upset moments like what Ephesians 4:26a says. Furthermore, I'm also applying the second part of the verse (Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.). It's just a game. There are still more opportunities to win to come. Also, if you want to honor the Lord with your online gaming, don't join the trash talking, especially in Garena, an online gaming platform for Warcraft players, where taunting and trash talking (even to teammates) are rampant. You have two options, either you remain mum or reply, but I would suggest the first option. Like what Adrian said, if you think playing online games can worship Him, "then do it by all means!" But here's something I learned recently. I tried playing Doodle Jump because it trended after the Los Angeles Lakers lost in Game 2 of their NBA quarterfinals match-up against the Oklahoma City Thunder. While playing that, I read the So What's article on Diablo 3, where an outbound link led me to a sad CNN report on Filipinos eating "pagpag" or leftover chicken. Then I wanted to quit playing Doodle Jump 'coz I believe God is touching me to look at the poor communities today. Simply saying, if God asks you to stop playing online games for a thing He wants you to do, then turn off your PC's.

2. You can make disciples through online games.

I have been playing computer games when I was 11, the time I accepted Jesus Christ to my life. I find myself happy every time I play those games, especially when trying new ones. But when I came to Los Baños, specifically when I started attending my current church, I find out that it can be a channel to make disciples. Well, we all know that online games can make new friends, enemies, and even frenemies, but making disciples is a higher notch than that. You can jumpstart introducing your friend to Jesus by playing online games with your Christian friends. However, you must be responsible in doing so, because if you're not careful, it might pull you away from your cause. The best thing to do is to read The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). If you think online games can win a soul to Christ as what He says on TGC, do it by all means.

Adrian's own words about the two points above ended with the similar sentence. "If you find yourself trying to justify, then I don't think it is worth it." It means that if you think playing computer games with your friends can help you win their souls, then just do it. If you're just trying to say it, then better keep mum. There are still other means of sharing the Gospel to people. If you're doubting playing with your friends will make it easier for you to share God's Word to them, then better do the better means: inviting them to church, inviting them to cell groups, or making yourself available if they have a major problem.

Ecclesiastes 12:13b-Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Thank You Mom

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It has been 24 years of your motherhood.

Yet for me you're still the best woman in the neighborhood.

You endured being a mom all by yourself.

You have to sacrifice everything just to come to my help.

You have to work hard just to supply me with all

from childhood to even today that I'm old.

But for this special day, it's time to let me run my mouth.

This spoken word for you I will declare from north to south.

Just wanna say thanks for waking up even at night

just to meet our needs with all your might.

Despite the hardships and trials, you still look upon the Lord.

Now, I'm praising you for doing everything even if your body is sore.

With this simple yet beautiful poem, I am honoring you.

I really do hope you like it too.

Just like everyone, I call you blessed.

I'm gonna shout it out from east to west.

Thank you, mom, for being a part of my life.

"Happy Mothers' Day!" That's my greeting with all hype.