Page 137 of 365: On Nancy's Win

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I believe it's God who chose Nancy Angeles to be a senator.

I made a firm stand that I am not voting Nancy Binay-Angeles in the elections. Aside from being a staunch supporter of the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, I find her not fit for the Senate considering the lack of credentials enough to make her worthy. But the people have spoken. Angeles made it to the Top 5 to the surprise of many who thought the social media information, from the satires to the serious news, would be enough to enlighten everyone. I don't think we failed. The reality is there are still many who only rely on what they see on TV or hear on radio.

I agree with what many are saying right now. We should not blame the masses. Again, many still don't have access to social media, especially in remote areas, and only rely on the traditional media as mentioned above. Besides, pursuing change does not end in the elections. We have three years (actually more) to make it possible.

Another thing: like I mentioned in my previous election posts, it's still the Lord who will appoint the leaders. It's His will to allow Nancy win. One thing I saw from a friend's wall is 1 Corinthians 1:27: "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." Like him, I was rebuked. It's still Him who calls the shots. All we can do now is continue to trust Him and support her.

Even if I am not an aspirant, I concede. Congratulations Nancy. I hope you will let the Lord direct your six-year term in the Senate. I expect the best from you girl. God bless. (No sarcasm here)

Page 134 of 365: Post-Election Reflection

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I want change, so I made a stand.

I was among the millions who braved the drizzles, waited (im)patiently in the lines, and exercised their rights of suffrage yesterday. Being a registered voter in my town, I picked who for me are the right people to do the job in governing the nation for at least three years. To get more privacy, I even went out of the voting area (Yeah! I did that) to an open park. Now that the millions have spoken, I'm now waiting for the results. But according to the latest unofficial tallies, it looks like the eventual winners are now who I expected. As it stands, only two of the people I voted are in the Top 12. In a way, I already expected that.

Going back to my pre-election post, I mentioned that it will still be God who will decide who to place in the electoral seats. It comes in the way of allowing those who we not voted to get there. Ten of the Top 12 are in my snobs (still based on the media tallies).

All I can say now is that even if we're not satisfied with the results, we should still be thankful to God that He is still in control. Just continue to seek His kingdom and righteousness first, and everything will be added to you (Matthew 6:33). Continue to pray for the nation like how Jesus did (John 17:9). But more importantly, make your own contribution to the betterment of the nation.

The elections are just some of the ways for us to make a voice, but it doesn't end there. In the next three years, we should still be prayerful, faithful, and reliant to the Lord that He will bring change to the Philippines.

Page 130 of 365: Voice of People=Voice of God?

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Iglesia ni Cristo released its endorsement, but is its slate the group the Lord
wants to govern us?

Earlier in the week, the Iglesia Ni Cristo revealed who to support in the coming May 13 elections. Seven from the Liberal Party and five from UNA got the INC nod. The religious organization has been well known to exercise its suffrage rights as an entirety, or simply bloc voting. With about five million INC members, according to reports from TV5 and the People's Journal, expected to cast their votes on Monday, this, according to their doctrine, is a showing of their unity. That leads me to the slogan of the one handling the Monday event, the Commission on Election or COMELEC. COMELEC's slogan reads "Vox Populae Vox Dei", a Latin quote which means, "The voice of the people is the voice of God." I wonder, "Is this really true?"

For me, it's the other way around: the voice of God SHOULD BE the voice of the people. But either way, it's not the case in reality. If all the people will heed on what the Lord says, we should be expecting a unanimous vote. Ramon Revilla Jr, who was the top vote-getter in the 2010 senatorial race, got a majority vote (51%), but 51 is not 100. It's God's will to have Revilla in the Senate (I actually had him in my ballot), but it means that many had other plans. How about a more recent example: LeBron James (yes, this is an election-related post). James won the 2013 NBA Most Valuable Player, but only one guy who cast his vote thought James was not impressive enough and elected Carmelo Anthony. The rest voted for LeBron. Yes, it's God's will that LeBron will earn his fourth MVP, but not all voted him. The reason for these is that God also gave us free will. Because of that, we set our own standards in choosing our leaders. The chance of you seeing a person who voted all the 12 eventual winning senators is 1 over 354,817,320. With only 50,000,000+ registered voters, it's imminent that no one "will get it right".

Another reason why the voice of the people is not necessarily the voice of God is that not all will vote. In the 2010 polls, only barely more than 70% of the voters actually cast their votes. The others either had a hard time looking for their names or did not care voting at all. Most of them would fall in the second category. That's 10,000,000+ votes wasted! God is telling us to be the spark of change in our nation, and one way to do so is to elect the right officials. But some people would say, "Why do I need to vote? Nothing's happening in the government." If you're one of them, better change your mindset. God is telling you to vote, so don't waste that opportunity.

And lastly, bloc voting, in recent history, does not necessarily equate to a sure win. I don't know if the Manalos, the ones leading the INC, already told the press, "They are who God wants," but being a bloc voting church could make you conclude such. But going back, because the Lord gave us the right to establish our own standards, the people who have different political landscapes could make the difference. Another thing I found out: they're not actually required to vote all the endorsed candidates. While I'm pretty sure many INC people veer away with who their superiors endorse and elect according to their will, what some friends told me is that the voters who opt to support the endorsed aspirants can actually mark out at most four of them and replace them with their own. That's a probable reason why some endorsed aspirants still lost. (Update: An article from blogger Mark Madrona recapped the INC votes from 1998. Here, the INC votes dictated the pace of the 1998 polls, but in the later elections, some aspirants still lost, especially in 2007 where four crashed out.) That means God has other things to say. God's will also comes in the form of allowing things not favorable to you to happen. It's a proof that He's in control of our government.

I have nothing against Iglesia ni Cristo. I have some INC friends too. What I'm saying here is that God still has the ultimate power to appoint our leaders, and He gave us the power to choose. He gave us free will so that we could set a barometer of their competence. You might think, "Si Lord pala ang pipili eh. Why does He need my vote?" He assigned us to fulfill His will, and our vote is for the betterment of the nation. After the elections, even if your slate lost, support the elected and God-appointed leaders. Pray this prayer of Jesus Christ: "I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours (John 17:9 ESV)."

Page 119 of 365: What Not to Look For in a Leader

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Sometimes, to know who to vote, we tend to know who not to vote. Here are
some things an aspirant should not be. Philippine Star

Inspired by a blog post and the preaching last night, I made this article that may act as a guide for the coming May 13 election. Yes, you're reading the headline right. What makes a true leader different than the rest is that while all of us have leadership skills (believe it or not, you are a leader), he uses his leadership skills rightfully. But it also means some use their skills in a wrong manner. Here are some things you should NOT look for in a leader.

1. Selfishness

To be a leader means you are ready to give up everything for the sake of service. The sad reality is that most, if not all, of us don't like the idea of sacrificing something. My pursuit of covering the Palarong Pambansa was something I still held on to till the time the chosen media trooped to Dumaguete. When God told me to give it up, it was very difficult. He taught me not to be selfish and just think about Him. He also reminded that there is a more important thing than the Palaro. Curiously, giving up something can also be an act of selfishness. As exemplified above, sacrificing is giving up something important for another of a bigger importance. Sometimes, we agree to give up something because we look at the benefits. Being too focused on the prize is also selfishness. A leader should not be selfish, but selfless. Selflessness is exemplified through sacrificing for the right purpose. One example is of Katniss Everdeen of "The Hunger Games". She did not want her younger sister to get killed at an early age, so she took her place by volunteering to battle, knowing that she herself might get killed. Katniss sacrificed her life for Prim's life. By the way, it so happened that I was watching the movie on Star Movies and on the internet while finishing this. The best example, however, is of Christ (look at the Scripture below). If the Lord tells you to give it up, give it up. No ifs; no buts. Also, look to Him, not to the benefits.

2. No Direction

I ran thrice in my high school's student council elections, and my record is a staggering 0-3! The Lord revealed to me why, "OK. You're elected. You win. What's next?" A true leader should have a direction in life. Just like what a friend's blog post says (and I hate to admit it), each of us commits corruption of a certain kind. Just like in his example, if you exchange your vital vote for a certain amount or you elect him just because he's a homie, then you're corrupt (we'll get to the homie part later). Adding to those, we can also commit corruption. If you just want to get voted only to get some bragging rights, that's corruption (I'm guilty). The sad reality, many politicians just want to get the titles president, governor, mayor, councilman, etc., but would only use that for their own benefits. When asked about a change of jersey numbers during her team's volleyball match, former Ateneo Lady Eagle Fille Cainglet answered, "It's just for fun." I attest: that's the same answer I would say if I was asked why I wanted to be elected to the student council. Hopefully, that's not the reason the politicians have in mind on why they want to be elected. If you want to get an electoral spot, you should have a direction you want your area of jurisdiction to take ready too. I'm not saying that you should not vote for your homie, whether he's a friend or a family member. Being a friend or a close family member of a certain aspirant means you know him a lot. But I'm telling you that if he has no clear reason why he should be elected, better tell him, "It's not too late to back out."

3. Not Putting Jesus at the Center

I mentioned earlier that we are in a way corrupt. That's because we commit sin. Romans 3:23 gives you a clear answer on who among us are corrupt... ALL OF US! But Jesus Christ did the ultimate sacrifice. He died on the cross, and along with Him are our sins. Because of Him, we can now connect to God. Jesus is the perfect Leader because He is selfless. He sacrificed Himself just to save us from the bondage of sin. My challenge to the electoral candidates is that they should be like Christ, being selfless. However, I know they, in fact we, can't be Christlike by our own. We need Jesus to be our Master so that we can gain an attitude like His. One way to be Christlike is by putting the Lord at our center. Yes, He should not be last but also not the first. The Lord should be at the center of our lives. Meaning, He should have a sight of the things we do and make Him lead the way. We should let the Lord take control. My hope is that the politicians should have Christ at the center of their governance.

PS: The politicians will not tell us that they're selfish, directionless, and not looking at God's example. In the end, it's still your call. Talk to God on who to elect. Look at their credentials too, and ask yourself, "What do I want for my country?"

Read Philippians 2:3-11 to see the example of Christ.

Page 117 of 365: Another Reason to Read Your Bibles

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Noah's Ark is still lying on Mt. Ararat!

The Bible is one tool we Christians turn to in times we get into scenarios which could put our faith to the test. It indeed helps us in our walk with God because everything it says is true. In John 16:33, the Lord Jesus Christ tells us that we will engage in troubles, but also  He tells us that He already overcame it. He did that by taking our troubles along with our sin to the cross.

But the following video you're about to see will make you say, "Hey! The Bible is indeed for real!" In Genesis 8:4, it says that the Noah's Ark, after the Great Flood ended, rested for good on Mt. Ararat in what is now the country Turkey. In 2010, an expedition went to Ararat and saw this.

Read Genesis 6-9 for more.

Page 115 of 365: Post-Birthday Reflection

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My team may have given me a nice birthday gift, but
the Lord had a nicer plan on celebrating it.

Let's start with a Scripture: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. (Proverbs 27:1)"

I locked everything up for April 24 the day before. I booked a slot for the press conference of renowned figure skater Michael Martinez at the Royal View Seafood Restaurant in MOA. Then I also got a spot at Eastwood for a bloc screening of "Iron Man 3". Then I set to go to Victory Pioneer's first Wednesday service.

What happened? I made it to the Mike Martinez presscon and left there in time. But the traffic at EDSA from Roxas Boulevard to Taft Avenue was so heavy that it used up about 30 minutes of my time. I had to rush to the MRT only to find out that the train departed at exactly 4:00 PM, the time I and my fellow bloggers were supposed to meet at Eastwood. I made it to the Cubao area at around 4:20 PM. Then I checked the internet a bit to review the contacts for the bloc screening at Eastwood, which is a PHP10 (PHP8 if you're a student, senior citizen, or a PWD) jeepney fare away. But even the traffic at Aurora Boulevard and at Garcia Avenue, aka C5 did not help my cause as I made it to Eastwood just before 5:00 PM, a 25-minute ride on rush hour traffic. To make matters worst, while I presumed that we were to meet up at the Cyber Mall, the actual place was at the main mall. I arrived there, only to see the sponsors of the event, AppLabs, packing up. So I did not get a free ticket. I had a dilemma: should I buy an Iron Man 3 ticket or not? I set that aside as I found myself free to watch San Mig Coffee's game against Meralco at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. I rushed back to Cubao, bought a cartolina and a marker at a National Bookstore branch there, then headed to the Big Dome. The Mixers won, 90-82. Then I made my mind to buy a last full show ticket at Eastwood. So it's still "all's well that ends well" for me.

You see, even if it's your birthday, you might not get the way you want to celebrate it. What more in a normal day? That's a testament to the proverb above. Everything is not an accident. It's God who sets everything up for us. He gives us the blessings we need and even want, but He also allows trials to happen to us. They're all for a purpose: for us to acknowledge that the Lord makes our day. Let us thank the Lord for the breakthroughs. Let us also thank Him for the unanswered prayers because He knows better than us. Let us also thank Him for the trials, because we are sure that He will help us overcome them.

To the Lord, thank You for adding another year to my life. To all who greeted, thank you very much.

Page 109 of 365: When God Says No

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When you don't get the answer you want, just continue to trust God.

By this time, the chosen bloggers who will cover the Palarong Pambansa have already packed their things en route to Dumaguete. I expressed my desire to cover the games by registering at the Google Docs link given to us. I eagerly awaited for the email, but nothing came. In a more frustrating manner, I lost my SIM card too, so I don;t know if I received an SMS. To cut the long story short, with the addition of the tension at another sports event, the Boston Marathon, the Lord answered my prayer of covering the games (and celebrating my birthday at Dumaguete) with a no.

I was moved by Alex Castro's recent post on CIFL. Like him, it was difficult to accept that I wouldn't be able to cover the Palaro in flesh. What more celebrating my birthday in an uncharted territory (I'm not saying I've had enough celebrating April 24 either in Laguna, in Palawan, or in Metro Manila). But in the end, God's answer may not be what I want, but what I need.

God answers all our prayers, but the answers may not be in the way you think. Like I mentioned above, it's possible that He will answer no to our prayers. But think about this: the Lord knows what's good for us better than we are. With time running out and no email surfacing, I began to feel that big no. Then I was moved when the pastor at a Friday service exhorted and called us to surrender our desires. Then it became clear, "Sorry, Ivan," says the Lord. "I want you to give up on your pursuit." Again, it's hard to accept it, but that's what God says. The reason became clear when the Boston bombings happened, "I want you to be safe so that you can be happy come your 25th birthday," says God. I don't know if a terrorist attack will rock Dumaguete, but I hope the Lord will take care of them.

Like I mentioned, God's answer is not what you want to hear, but what you need to hear. That weekend, I was moved with what I heard. From the exhortation in the Friday service to the preaching in the Sunday service and even to what my friend demands me of my prayer before we eat. God is telling me something, but I need to get clearer Words from Him. About what? I will not tell it here because it's a very serious and sensitive one.

Maybe your faith and actions are in sync, yet you haven't received the answers to your prayers. God will answer all of them, but it may not be in the way you wanted. Even if it's a no, hold on to the Lord. What He will provide you can give you more pleasure than the thing you want. Just trust Him.

Read Matthew 7:7-11, 1 John 3:11-24, and Psalm 119:4-6.