About MODESTY

Someone told me, “Nanay kaayo ka tan-awon.”

(I can tell sure enough that that referred to the garments I am on, also that I look older and worn out)

I responded, “Of course, nanay na bitaw ko!”

Today, as I take a glimpse of myself at the mirror I know for sure that motherhood added a couple of years to my features.

I look a lot older than my age, from my wrinkly face to my double chin to my undesirable waist line to my entire plump figure (fair enough to say, overweight, tsk tsk).

I admit, at times, my appearance gives me that gloomy feeling. I also wish to have that hourglass-like figure. I also dreamed of wearing those trendy outfits but that’s just about that.

Uh huh! I wear “nanay-ish” clothes even supposing I could wear the latest trend in town. I choose to do so, even if the world would call that old-fashioned, old shool, old-style, or whatever old.

For what reason?

1.       I believe that my body is not my own. It’s my Master’s. (Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. – 1 Cor. 6:19) I was made to glorify God and not myself so I need not draw others’ attention towards me.

2.       I vowed to the Lord and upon witnesses and to the man God gave me. I believe that a wife is only for her husband and the husband for his wife alone, especially his/her own body. NOT AT ALL necessary to flaunt to others. ( The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. – 1 Cor. 7:4)

3.        I consider MODESTY as the hottest trend of all time. Like how Mr. Jarid Wilson stated in his article “4 REASONS BEING MODEST IS THE HOTEST.” How you dress up somehow defines you. (I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. – 1 Timothy 2:9-10) And, needless to say, shabbiness is another story.

4.       I know for sure that true beauty is beyond the outer shell, beyond the world’s standard of it. (Charm is deceitful, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30). Whether you’re innately beautiful, synthetically beautiful, digitally beautiful, or uniquely beautiful, learn by heart that everything the mirror says is momentary. True lasting beauty is of your inner self – a heart after God. (Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. – 1 Peter 3:4)

5.       I want to specially emphasize outfit appropriateness. We all want to look our best and be the best that we can be. But let me ask you, do you want to wear a bikini at a formal gathering? That say, we can always flaunt, but please oh please, appropriately.  This case is very crucial to me because I am very much saddened by the fact that, more often than not, many people are very cautious of what to wear during a job interview, or in a formal gathering, or at the prom but not mindful of the way they dress up at church.  One would surely feel awkward to face the president, or the mayor or the company boss or the principal or whoever authorities while wearing scanty garments. Doesn’t the Most High deserve the highest reverence?! (You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. – 1 Cor. 6:20) Drawing others’ attention to ourselves, which every so often causes them to sin, is NEVER necessary. We ought to focus on glorifying God. Oh come on, we spend so much on other things thus making excuses unacceptable not to have a single set of appropriate church attire.

Being prim and proper never hurts me at all, even if sometimes the world tells me that I’m boring and unattractive. I desire to be a woman after God’s own heart. And praise God for the blessing of having a husband who’s happy of a wife that’s not flaunty. We all have different points of view, I know, but the Word of God is fundamental and timeless. It is never old-fashioned nor inappropriate!

THE GREAT COMMISSION

It’s every Jesus Christ’s follower’s great commission to spread the gospel to all creation. Not an option but an order! The Lord has given every believer, not only to the apostles, pastors or church workers, the authority and power to fulfill His command and He promised, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Yes, I know that full well but am I carrying out my duty as Christ’s witness? I know I must preach the Gospel and spread the Good News of Jesus to each and every individual who hasn’t received it yet. The Kingdom of God has come near! And what have I done to accomplish His will?

END IS NEAR!

Being with the Lord is our greatest hope, alright! However, a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a stranger that God sends our way, God holds us accountable of them. Being knowledgeable ONLY, means nothing! Let us put our faith in action! Let us do our rightful duty as ambassadors of Christ.

SPIRITUAL FEEBLENESS

In this tough world, everyone needs resilience, spiritual resilience above all. Each moment is a battle, walking against the rushing torrent that drives you away from the mount of God’s glory. And with every day’s spiritual warfare, I have my share of ups and downs, and yes upside downs too.

I don’t get it when someone who professes faith in Jesus Christ allows himself to be driven away from the presence of God. Alright, we all lose heart and fall at some points of our lives, who doesn’t? But allowing yourself to stay down and go along with the flow is another thing. Isn’t it that the Savior doesn’t just save us from the eternal damnation of hell? Beyond doubt, He is mighty to save us from every day’s troubles.

Unsympathetic! Ouch, yes that’s me.

It’s upsetting to see such situations, but it’s more upsetting to find myself showing little to no sympathy at all. I was just being critical until the heavens put me in their shoes.  Disheartened and downcast, and staying so, and feeling worse seeing some people (like who I was) unsympathetic. I don’t get myself also while in this dilemma. I know the solution, the way out but I just can’t understand why I am allowing myself to stay down.

I have come to realize that it’s not really the troubles or any difficult or hurtful situation that made me stay down, it’s my spiritual feebleness. I’ve been through this and that but why now I am failing over and over again? The difference: I am battling with my own strength, my own way. It’s awfully my bad to think I can do it on my own when in fact the battle is not mine but my Savior’s. I didn’t pray, I didn’t confer with Him. I was confident to take the battle without any armor and obviously I failed and failed and failed and never win until I allowed my Savior to come to my rescue.

FIRST LOVE FORSAKEN?

“Yes, of Course!” – A prompt answer often used as a response to the question, “Do you love God?”

Apparently, it’s habitually used to just cut and run away from that awkward conversation, and then usually followed by enumerating the things done as proof of love for God.

At some point I ask myself, “Do I really love God?” – “Of course!”

Indeed? Or am I just assuming?

How certain am I that I truly love God and not just hollowly claiming?

Revelation 2:3~4 – Why do these verses punch me to the core?

If I really do love Him, just how exactly? To what extent?

I have come to realize that all hard work and sacrifices may be just in vain.

Am I serving out of love for God, or just out of obligation?

Yes, I love God because He first loved me and gave Himself for me. Yet after a decade, I did change. My first love is fading out. I may have continued in His service but my passion drop off. I remember few years back, I passionately serve God with all my heart and grab every opportunity to please Him at the church, at home, or elsewhere I may be. I always considered every act of love too little compared to what God has done for me.  No reasons, no excuses, no obstacles, no hardships, nothing ever shook my passion for God and nothing was more wonderful than being in His presence, not even the luxury this world offers.

But as the years went by, I became a wife, then a mother. I started dreaming more of material things for a better family life, a good future for my child, sufficient funds for the later years, and more like so. Serving God then became just a tedious responsibility. Marriage and motherhood obligations then became the reason, the excuse, the obstacle, the hardship that gradually tailed off passion for devotion to the Almighty. At times I even try to self-vindicate by saying, “I’m already doing enough much more than others.”

I am shamefully admitting, “Indeed, I have forsaken my first love!”

I am prayerfully beseeching my Heavenly Father to renew my first love and again take back His sovereignty in my life. Please do pray for me also. Godspeed!

BEYOND THE OUTER SHELL

Good looks, flawless skin, ideal body figure, and everything pleasurable – these are the world’s concepts of beauty. Who doesn't hanker after, dude or lady, that picturesque appearance? I would be a liar to say I don’t. Some would do anything and everything to pull off, even selling their souls – a sad patent truth. We strive and make every effort but never content. We badly want to be a lot more attractive, be a replica or even more than that ideal celebrity.

But is it just all about the outer shell?

At the end of the day, is it all worth it to give our all to achieve the looks that we always dreamed of?

Of course it’s never a crime to make yourself more attractive, with the right reasons, go ahead. However, 

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; 

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”

-          PROVERBS 31:30     –

We pull out all the stops, with all the remedy available, but still we grow old and wrinkle. With whatever ways we have, we’re not getting any younger. And at our life’s closing stages, what’s remembered? It’s always more of the worthwhile comings and goings. Needless to say, but please let me say again, real beauty is beyond the outer shell. What’s of first importance? – The Things Eternal!

“For physical training is of some value, 

but godliness has value for all things,

holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

-         1 TIMOTHY 4:8     -

After all, it’s in the eyes of the Almighty that we are bound to give account of.

 “Stop judging by mere appearances, 

and make a right judgment."

-          JOHN 7:24      -

 “... The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. 

Man looks at the outward appearance, 

but the LORD looks at the heart."

-          1 SAMUEL 16:7        -

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, 

do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 

giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

-          COLOSSIANS 3:17   -

 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”

-          EPHESIANS 1:4-5     -

 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

-          EPHESIANS 2:10     -

“As for those who seemed to be important-whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance - those men added nothing to my message.”

-          GALATIANS 2:6      -

1 PETER 3:3~4

What GOD’s WORD says about Premarital Sexual Connection?

An out-of-the-blue conversation with my eight-year-old sister:

Sister: (suddenly asked, jumping from an unrelated topic) Isn't it that the wedding is prior to pregnancy?

 Me: Yes.

Sister: But, why is “_________” pregnant? Her wedding is still on process, right?

Me: (stunted and speechless for a while) Ahmmm… if you do the same I will shave off your hair! (Intently said) God is not pleased if you do that. That’s immorality – a grave sin!

Argh! That conversation made me gulp intensely and scratch my head. I know she’s confused and it’s so hard for her to absorb that what is now ‘the usual’ is immoral. And immorality is even something deeper and harder for her to catch. A lot of people are in such situation that seems viral. And worse? It is very much saddening that those who strive to do it the right way are the ones being considered inconsiderate, insensitive and judgmental and appeared to be bullied for being out of trend.

If this is the situation today, what would become of the next generations?

It, being ‘the usual’ NEVER makes it right and acceptable!

What GOD’s WORD says?

1 Corinthians 6:18 - Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body  

1 Corinthians 6:9~10 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  

1 Thessalonians 4:3~5 - For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.

INDEED, TRUE LOVE WAITS!

MY CALLING

The world today is highly combative and extremely intimidating. This cruel world makes an undergrad like me want to step back and just hide. With all the so called pro’s, certified, experts and all that in each and every genre of life, it’s just sooo hard to find a place to fit in. Of course there are few whom I am so thankful of who are genuinely kind and generously helping but reality says that many of those ahead look lowly on those behind. And I noticed some who are pretentiously kind and helping but actually are just trying to show off and make an impression.

Anyways, it is just sooo sweet and heartening to know that the Almighty’s standards are very far different from the world’s.

- I CORINTHIANS 1:25~31 - 

"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 

"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.God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 

Therefore, as it is written: 

“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

These verses convicted me ten years ago when one noteworthy day as I went in the chapel (Pakna-an Christian Chapel at Kagape Road Pakna-an Mandaue City, Cebu) seeing a lot of children praising God and listening to His Word and a few Sunday School Teachers leading.

There’s this irrefutable call deep within. A call that also troubled me because I am not fond of children to begin with, plus, not a teacher by profession, not even credentially qualified. Hence, I fervently prayed asking for clear guidance and strong confirmations of HIS will. And God willing, a gracious decade didn’t pass by in vain. The Lord instilled in me that I don’t need a certificate or any official documentation. I don’t need to be a pro or an expert in the eyes of men to qualify in His ministry. This reminds me of His called and loved apostles who are almost all unschooled. Such is His mercy and grace!

I love this God-given ministry. And seeing the Sunday School children grow in the Lord is wonderful and beyond price. My first students back in 2003 to 2004 who used to cling at my arms or held my hands tight are now taller than I am. Awww… those unforgettable days! And best of all, some of them are now fellow believers and also helping in the same ministry. I surely know it’s none of me but absolutely of God’s wonderful works that made these children grow awesomely. And I am more than thankful to the gracious Almighty for this undeserved yet great privilege and opportunity.

I’m definitely not a pro, not a Bible expert, and not even worthy to be called a teacher but I AM A WITNESS OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS GREAT UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, HIS UNFATHOMABLE SACRIFICES, SUFFERINGS AND DEATH ON THE CROSS FOR EACH AND EVERY SINNER, AND HIS RESSURECTION FOR EACH BELIEVER’S JUSTIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE.

And now I am on my blessed three years and counting at the newly opened Lilo-an Christian Church situated at Tayud Liloan, Cebu. ALL GLORY TO THE ALMIGHTY!

as of writing my post I saw this on Facebook