This is the product of my fertile thoughts. I am recreating them here and am sharing them with you, dear bloggers, for whatever benefits, if any, you could derive from them. I wish you could be more open and share with me your comments and suggestions so that I can improve on my blog. Thank you, God bless and have a nice day. Mel Avila Alarilla
We work ourselves to death trying to accumulate wealth for our children to hedge their future against all kinds of uncertainties in life. We buy all kinds of insurances to ensure the future welfare of our loved ones. We send our children to the best schools that our meager resources could afford just so we can ensure their future prosperity. There are times when we even sacrifice our scruples and throw our principled integrity to the waste bin just to accumulate the much sought after wealth to ensure the future of our loved ones. We worry ourselves to death regarding the future of our children, how they will fare in this jungle of existence where the norm is survival of the fittest and dog eats dog.
We do all these things and so much more, but there is one basic and fundamental question we refuse to even entertain in our minds. The question is:
HAVE WE PREPARED OUR CHILDREN FOR ETERNITY? Think about that.
"THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN BUT IN THE END IT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION." (Proverbs 14:12)
Chopin - Op 10 No. 3 in E Major (Tristesse Orchestral)
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
La Mer (The Sea) (English Translation of the Song - La Mer by Charles Trenet of France)
Somewhere beyond the sea Somewhere watching for me My lover stands on golden sands And watches the ships that go sailing
Somewhere beyond the sea Somewhere waiting for me If I could fly like birds on high Then straight to her arms I'd go sailing
It's far beyond the stars It's near beyond the moon I know beyond a doubt My love will be there soon
We'll meet beyond the shore We'll kiss just like before Happy we'll be beyond the sea And never again I'll go sailing
And never again I'll go sailing
La Mer (The Sea) - Charles Trenet (1945) - France
The Sea (A Love Poem) Mel Avila Alarilla
Ah, the sea. So many happy memories we shared by the sea. We used to play along the shores like little children. We gathered shells and made sand castles as we weaved our dreams by the sea.
We watched the sun set by the sea and we marveled at the sea birds flying all around. And we pledged our undying love by the sands of the sea.
As long as there were sands in the sea, we swore our eternal love for each other. Nothing could ever separate us, not even time and space.
But you have gone beyond the sea, and I am left alone to wade in the cold waters of the sea. As I watch the setting of the sun, I can feel only the emptiness and sorrow you left in my heart that nobody else can ever fill.
Yes, I am left standing alone by the sea, wandering whether you will still come back to me. The sea. How lonely is the sea. It sings a sad song of emptiness in my heart.
As I retrace my steps back to the shore, I am leaving behind a lonely pair of footprints where before there used to be two. The sea. How lonely is the sea.
It becomes now meaningless without you by my side. And I could feel hot tears of sorrow gliding down my cheeks as I try to drown the deep loneliness welling up inside my soul. The sea. How lonely is the sea.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Poetry/Literary/Immortal Song/Youtube
The mind is the receptacle of our thoughts, both good and bad, sublime and inane, fanciful and serious. The mind is like the most powerful computer man ever assembled. But the mind is limited to what we feed it. Just like any computer, it's garbage in, garbage out. We do everything to keep our physical body healthy. We eat the right food, we exercise it and we give it plenty of rest. But we forget that the mind too needs our utmost care to keep it healthy.
Most of the time, we let it wander like a wild horse amidst the random and collective thoughts in the atmosphere. We do not give much thought to what we think- good or bad, sublime or mundane. But what we think most of the time affects not only our mental health, but our physical, emotional and spiritual health as well.
We are the products of our thoughts. Or as the philosophers say, we are what we think we are. Out of the collective thoughts that we accumulate in our minds mold that substance that goes to our heart and molds our character. And out of the preponderance of our heart's contents determine what we do or say.
The mind also acts like a powerful magnet. It tends to attract like minded thoughts and repel opposite ones. Just like the old saying, "birds of the same feathers flock together," minds of the same wave patterns attract one another and band together. How often do we feel the holiness of a monastery, the rarefied air we feel there as though we are walking in a heaven like state? And how often do we feel the dread and terror in a prison wall, especially where tortures, riots and summary executions take place? Why? Because negative thought patterns pervade the atmosphere of that place.
So let us think pure, positive thoughts. Let us think of God, not only in our prayers, but in everything we do. Let us think of the welfare of our fellow men, how we can contribute to that welfare. We are limited physically by what we can do for our fellow men, but such limitations do not exist in the mind. We can pray for everybody and that is a powerful tool the efficacy of which is mind boggling and unlimited. Nothing is impossible to him who prays and believes. The Rainbow Connection - The Carpenters (1970s) USA
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
How often do we read about articles lambasting the great inequality of the sexes? How women are treated as second class citizens in their own countries? How wives are abused physically, mentally and emotionally by their own husbands? How in some countries, women are looked upon as mere sex objects by the male populace? And how often do we see female libertarians stand up and cajole their female constituents to band together and fight such discrimination and abuse in their countries to no avail?
Why? Because females by nature are docile and timid. They would rather suffer in silence than go against the established norms of society, where females are perceived to be inferior to men. Tradition and culture play a significant role in this acquiescence of the female populace to the roles delineated to them by society that were mostly crafted by men. Women must learn to stand up and fight for their own rights. Gone are the days when men looked upon them as mere wives and mothers of their broods who must be the eternal slaves of the home and the marital room.
Women must first treat and respect themselves as co-equal with their men and stand on their own. Women must assert their inalienable rights by learning to say "NO". And they have to stand by it no matter what the consequences may be. Remember wives, the first step to emancipation from abusive husbands is to learn to say "NO" and standing by it no matter what happens.
I Am Woman - Helen Reddy (1972) Australia
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Human Rights/Female Emancipation
Footnote: This article was inspired by a similar article written by Ms. Sameera of India. We are glad to note that such discriminations are less in developed countries but they still prevail in third world and developing countries, particularly in Asia and Africa.
Tolerance is a human attitude that favorably reflects our relationship with our fellowmen. Patience is also a human attribute whereby we do things to achieve a certain purpose in life. It is akin to persistence or sticking to a certain goal until its eventual fruition.
But perseverance is different. It is a godly attribute. It is the conscious decision of a person to willingly accept trials and testings in his life with the hope that his Creator has something sublime in store for him at some future time.
Perseverance is anchored on a living faith and an unshakable hope that the words (promise) of his Creator will come to pass no matter what the present situations maybe.
Perseverance is to go against the common directions of man. By nature, man will always throw off whatever yoke is placed on his shoulders. Not so with the person who perseveres. He willingly accepts the yoke (burden), trusting in the faithfulness of his Creator to accomplish His purpose for laying it on him.
Man may have his own individual reasons for willingly and humbly accepting such yoke on his shoulder. Some would feel liberation from the heavy load of guilt and shame caused by past misdeeds in life. Some would consider it a sacrifice and an offering to be at peace with his Creator. Whatever it is, perseverance is done with a godly intention in mind.
And perseverance produces a godly character- one who looks tenderly at his fellowmen and share in their burdens and toils in life. Fasting and prayer is a form of perseverance.
Climb Every Mountain (from The Sound of Music) 1960s
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
Love is the most powerful force in the universe. As they say, love makes the world go round. The purest and the most sublime kind of love comes from God.
Selfish or egotistical love is self centered. It will only exhibit a form of love for others not because they really love others, but they love the affection, attention and and adulation that the object of their selfish love will give back to them.
In other words, they love the object of their fanciful attraction until it suits them fine. When the fleeting attraction fades or recedes, they jilt the object of their temporary affection as often and as easily as they change their clothes or shoes.
The passionate or obsessive love is, more often than not, a fleeting one because its natural foundation is based on raw passion and obsessive emotions centered mostly on physical attraction and sex. True love, as I said, comes from God. It is centered not on itself but on God. And when that person loves, he focuses more at the object of his affection than on himself because he is extending God's love inside his being to his object of affection. His love is the selfless kind of love and does not depend on the intensity of love of his beloved. In due time, when the partner also becomes attuned to God, she too would radiate the same kind of selfless love originating from her Creator.
This kind of love will surely lasts a lifetime and beyond.
Real Love - Beatles (First Time I Heard This Music Video And It Fascinated Me Very Much)
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Inspirational
The biggest issue confronting the safety and continued existence of our planet as we know it today, is the escalating danger of global warming. Even world leaders are now locked in continuous conferences and brainstorming to find solutions to arrest this impending global catastrophe. It is the result of man's insatiable greed for wealth, comfort of living and the rapacious and over exploitation of the world's natural resources. The once wide ranging and verdant rain forests that have served as Earth's natural filter and converter of noxious and poisonous gas emissions have dwindled to alarming proportions due to the so called march to progress and development initiated by greedy individuals, corporations and even nations.
The intransigent refusal of many companies and nations to totally ban products that emit harmful greenhouse gas emissions to the air have punched a sizable hole in the earth's ozone layer. This resulted in the exposure of large areas of our planet to the harmful effects of ultra violet rays and other deadly radiations from the sun.
Thus we are now witnessing the modern phenomena known as global warming. The results of this calamitous occurrence is the rapid melting of the polar snow caps that have raised the sea levels of the world and have threatened to inundate or blot out of existence islands and nations that lie below sea levels; the sudden changes of the world climate, bringing in stronger typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones; massive earthquakes and tidal waves (or tsunamis); and extreme hot and cold temperatures in different parts of the world. This resulted in terrible loss of lives and the destruction of properties, infrastructures and crops.
Is there no more hope for our world? Would our existence as a planet be extinguished as a result of man's inhumanity to his fellow humans and his unbridled greed for material prosperity, progress and power? Surely, there is still hope if we all work together as one. Let us disregard our differences as nations and peoples, and work hand in hand to rebuild and save this wonderful planet. And let us all pray together as one, that the Supreme Creator (irregardless of whatever religion or beliefs you profess) bless us with one more chance to redeem ourselves and our planet. Please don't give up on us.
Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Inspirational/Current Issues
We may be poles apart in beliefs, customs and cultures But let us not quarrel because we disagree Instead, let us agree to disagree.
Many problems can be solved if only we see through the eyes of our brother who disagree But let us not quarrel because we disagree Instead, let us agree to disagree.
What may be beautiful to you may be ugly to me and vice versa What may be edible to me may be poison to you and vice versa But let us not quarrel because we disagree Instead, let us agree to disagree.
You may be fiery and tempestuous always wanting to get your way I may be placid and cold always seeking peace and reconciliation. Although we may disagree on so many points Let us not quarrel because we disagree Instead, let us agree to disagree.
There will always be individual differences People will have their own points of view, But if only we respect each others' differences And dwell on what we can agree, Then maybe less troubles will arise Let us all agree to disagree.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Poetry/Inspirational
Why is peace as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster or the Abominable Snowman? There's so much war, strifes and hatred in this world. Man is intolerant of his fellowmen. We only have one planet where we can all live in peace and harmony. If we don't figure out how we can all coexist peacefully, chances are, we are going to annihilate ourselves and our beloved planet as well.
Peace must begin with the very basic unit of society, man himself. Man must first learn to be at peace with himself before he can even seek peace with others and with the world. A man at conflict with himself can never expect to be at peace with his fellowmen. He will always see conflict in others as a reflection of his own condition of being. But how can we be at peace with ourselves? We start to have an internal conflict in ourselves when we develop a warped conscience, when our innate sense of right and wrong runs conflict with our actual actuation in life.
Religious beliefs and philosophies in life may vary from person to person, but if he is not at peace with his Creator, he will never have genuine peace with himself. Man's open response to the overflowing love of his Creator for him will result in the welling up of love, joy and peace in his heart, and this will positively manifest in love and relationship with himself, his fellowmen and his Creator.
Let's clean ourselves before we even attempt to see the dirt of others and meddle in their own affairs. If we want to see the unfolding of genuine peace in the world, let us begin with ourselves first.
Let There Be Peace On Earth
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Inspirational
A friend is a person that you can trust with your very life. A friend is a person who is always there for you through thick and thin And who is not afraid to tell you the real score about you. A friend is a person who has a ready shoulder to cry on. A friend knows when to shut up when you just need a listening ear to hear your frustrations and woes in life And the wisdom to speak when you are desperate for guidance and light. A friend is a person who will give you his undivided time and attention when others have no time for you at all. A friend is a person who shares in your laughter and joy and commiserate with your sorrows and pains. A true friend is harder to find than a needle in a haystack. So when you find one, treasure him like a rare diamond in a jewel box.
You've Got A friend - James Taylor - 1971 (USA)
You Got A Friend - Carole King, Celine Dion, Shanaia Twain and Gloria Estefan
Manny Pacquiao astounded the whole world when he annexed his eighth world title in eight world divisions by outpointing Antonio Margarito of Mexico in 12 brutal rounds. Manny Pacquiao, fast and furious with his feet and dazzling footwork, peppered the game Mexican with all kinds of punches to the face and the body. Outweighed by the Mexican behemoth 165 lbs to the 148 lbs of Pacquiao, the Filipino nevertheless relied heavily on his vaunted speed and punching power to totally annihilate the game but outclassed Mexican.
Undoubtedly, Manny Pacquiao became one of the most sensational and greatest boxer the fistic world has ever produced. All Hail to the undisputed King of The Ring.
TOLERANCE (A Virtue As Rare As Diamond) Tolerance means patience and understanding and knowing that people have individual differences. Tolerance is putting ourselves in the shoes of the other person and always giving him the benefit of the doubt. Tolerance has many enemies- impatience, bitterness, egoism, hatred, bigotry, antagonism, cynicism and many more. It has few friends. Among them are: love, patience and perseverance.
Whenever you feel that you cannot tolerate a person or a group of persons, reverse your thinking processes. Did it ever occur to you that that person or group of persons, cannot also tolerate you? Maybe the problem is with you and not with them. We cannot change other people but we can always change ourselves.
Next time that you feel that you cannot tolerate a person or a situation, try to redirect your focus on your own thoughts and emotions. You may just be mad at yourself for your failures in life and may just be seeing a reflection of yourself in them. Let us rid ourselves of our own blind spots. Then we will see ourselves as others see us.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Reflections/Inspirational
Time moves inexorably on and on unmindful of the myriads of scenes it passes through. It does not stop or pause to even consider the most devastating events that unfold as it goes along its way. No one can stand the ravages of time. Monuments and dreams crumble along its precise and unswerving paths. Kings and despots, rulers and monarchs, peasants and non entities alike, They all go down the sands of time when their allotted times have run out. Who can say, "I have conquered time?" Who can say, "I have mastered its ways and unstoppable surge?"
When we were younger, it seemed that time was inexorably slow. We wanted it to run faster as we eagerly anticipated adulthood. As we grew older, we sensed that time was running so fast, we could not keep pace with it. We somehow prayed that it would slow down as we denied from our minds our eventual demise.
What has been done cannot be undone. What has been recorded in the sands of time can no longer be erased. And as we feel the vital energies being slowly drained from our mortal bodies, We take a final glimpse of the ravages of time and finally acknowledge that,
CONSCIENCE (That Still Small Voice) Conscience, together with intuition, are functions of the spirit. It is our direct linkto God. Webster's dictionary defines it as "awareness of right and wrong." Conscience is that still small voice in our heart that says "don't" when we are about to commit an act contrary to what we perceived as God's will. In other words, what we perceived as sinful or evil in the sight of God. Conscience can be healthy or unhealthy. A healthy conscience is one that conforms with one's perception of God's will for his life. An unhealthy conscience is one that is totally warped and steeped in denying and disobeying that still small voice in our hearts. An unhealthy conscience and an overpowering feelings of guilt and shame go hand in hand. The effects of an unhealthy conscience in one's spiritual, emotional and physical well being is catastrophic and may lead to many illnesses- mental, emotional and physical. An unhealthy conscience, side by side with that overpowering feelings of guilt and shame, may lead a person to cases of self inflicted punishments and in extreme cases, self destruction or suicide. The sources of the still small voice before we sin, and the overpowering sense of guilt and shame after we sin, are different. The still small voice that warns us before we commit a grievous sin comes from God. The overpowering sense of guilt and shame after we commit a grievous sin does not come from God. It comes from the devil. The devil's role in inducing us to sin is dual- as tempter and as an accuser. First, he tempts us to sin, beguiling us with all sorts of mental and sensual enticements. He will whisper in our ears, "Stolen and forbidden fruits are sweet, they are so desirable. Would you not want to taste them?" After falling into his trap and sinning, he switches roles- from tempter to accuser. He will place a heavy load of guilt and shame in our hearts and will whisper these accusing words, "You are good for nothing. You disobeyed God. You abandoned Him after all the wonderful things He has done for you. You are useless now to Him. You are beyond redemption." As the sinner listens to this accusatory voice, several evil spirits may come in and settle in his heart- the spirit of guilt and shame, the spirit of bitterness, the spirit of pride, the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of self justification, the spirit of madness, the spirit of strife and mayhem, the spirit of sickness (mental, emotional and physical), the spirit of anger and wrath, etc. Is there no solution to this wretched state of man's unhealthy conscience? Fortunately, there is. Like the prodigal son in the Bible, we have to return to God, confess our sins and return to His divine graces and providence. 1John 1: 9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Isaiah 1: 18 says, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Jesus Christ is the starting point in our journey back to the Father's fold and to a clear and unbridled conscience where we can enjoy indescribable joy in our hearts and the indwelling peace of God in our minds.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
There's a certain point in our lives when we indulge in reminiscing. It's some sort of a nostalgia trip where we relive the good old days. Yes just about everybody thinks about the good old days, when life was more simple and less complicated; when feelings and emotions were more open and sincere; where you can walk or stroll anywhere not afraid of being mugged or molested; where the air was cleaner and trees and blossoms were everywhere; where joy was evident for everybody not just for the kids; where things were plentiful and no one was going hungry; where genuine love and care was evident for everybody.
How pleasant are childhood memories, where we chased butterflies among the meadows; where we went fishing on the river banks; where we fly our kites in the open fields impervious of what's going on around; where we strolled to the ice cream parlor to indulge in our favorite ice cream sticks; where we played games of hide and seek with our favorite playmates; and where we told and retold tales of adventures and pranks to our amused gang mates.
Who could ever forget our first love, our first date, our first kiss, when we looked at our world througha rose colored glass; when everything around us was truly magical and enchanting; where we never got tired of composing endless love letters; where we indulged in hours and hours of silly love chatters to the disgust of our fellow house mates; where we exchanged countless souvenirs and tokens of undying love to our beloved; where we first experienced a broken heart.
Who could ever forget those wonderful episodes in our lives. But we must face our present world once more fully satisfied that we lived a wonderful life as we face the future with a wide smile, knowing that the Lord will take us to a far better and wonderful world.
Life is a kaleidoscope of colors. Red signifies courage and bravery in the face of daunting tasks. Blue signifies nobility of purpose, the very things that separates us from the mundane. Green signifies verdant vegetation that sustains our very lives. Yellow signifies divine wisdom and purposefulness in life. Orange signifies divine healing and regeneration of life. Brown signifies the soil that nourishes all vegetation in life. Pink signifies unselfish love and devotion to a beloved. Gold signifies wealth and kingly pursuits in life. Silver signifies money, the thing that makes the world go round. Purple signifies royalty and deep intuition of the soul.Grey signifiessicknesses and diseases in life. Black signifies death and the cessation of life. AND WHITE SIGNIFIES THE FULL SPECTRUM OF THE COLORS OF GOD.
After the collapse of a Chilean mine in August 5, 2010, 33 miners who were initially thought were dead astounded the whole world when a message was sent to the outside world that all 33 of them were still alive. But they were still trapped in a 2,041 feet shaft below the surface as 700,000 tons of rocks collapsed on them. The whole world watched as the best mining experts of the world drilled a bigger hole in the mine to fit a capsule that could load a single miner at a time. After two agonizing months of drilling, the breakthrough occurred and the miners were saved one by one. This is the single biggest and longest saving operation of trapped miners in the history of mining in the world. They emerged one by one from the rescue capsule to the thunderous applauses of well wishers and the whole world. YES, MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN IN THIS DAY AND AGE. AND YES, GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS.
Video of Actual Rescue Operations
Actual Video of Trapped Miners 2,041 feet Below the Surface
GRACE (How Truly Amazing It Really Is) Grace is undeserved merit given to an unworthy recipient by a magnanimous giver. Sounds crazy isn't it? In this age and culture, we know that there is no such thing as free meal. You have to work, even fight for it. But that's grace. On our own, we are incapable of saving ourselves no matter what we do. Ephesians 2: 8-9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not fromyourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast."
The human race was born under a curse, under a state of depravity, unable to rise above his own brutish nature without external help. This was the result of man's fall at Eden where he lost the image and likeness of God from which he was originally created. That is why, we have a natural tendency to sin, to rebel and to do evil. It is always a struggle for us to be good, to be pious and not to sin. The scene of the fall of man at Eden is replicated in every man, as he is always faced with a choice to sin or not to sin.
The only solution to escape this vicious cycle of sinning and falling deeper and deeper into the quagmire of wanton living and total wretchedness is to acceptJesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We must confess our sins to Him and let His most precious blood cleanse all the sins we accumulated in our entire lifetime. We must also surrender our lives to Him and be determined not to sin again. If our prayer of acceptance is sincere, the Holy Spirit will overshadow us and will give life to our dead spirit, and we will be born again in Spirit and in truth. Then we shall inherit eternal life. John 3: 3 says, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
The choice is ours, whether we remain spiritually dead or attain eternal life. Romans 6: 23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The deepest meaning of amazing grace and the only formula for salvation are contained in John 3: 16. It says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." "Amazing grace How sweet the soundThat saved a wretch like me I once was lost But now I'm found Was blind but now I see." *
How truly amazing, God's grace is. (* From the song "Amazing Grace" by John Newton)
REDISCOVERING GOD Where do we place God in our lives? Do we place Him at the very center of our existence? Or do we put Him at the farthest corners of our hearts and minds? Some sort of a spare tire to be used when the need arises? The answers to these questions determine how we relate to God. God said, "Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength." (Isaiah 45:22-24a) He further added, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please....What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that will I do." (Isaiah 46:9b-10, 11b)
God is not affected by how we perceived Him to be. He is not changed nor affected by our puny perceptions. He is sovereign. He does as He pleases. The good news is, He is everything that we could ever think of as good and positive. And He could not contradict His own nature. The bad news (or good news, depending on one's perception) is, He created us with our own free will, and that we have the choice to accept or reject Him. He will never force Himself on us.
There lies the problem. We know that there is a God, but we limit His power over us by our inability to perceive Him as He really is. So we make do with a counterfeit "God" who is capricious, whimsical, moody, revengeful, cantankerous, self seeking and avaricious; who expropriates everything for His own glory alone. Pity the people who looks at God this way. Hosea 4:6a says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Wrong perception of God may lead us to our own destruction, and greatly tie up God's hands to help us out of our predicament. The only solution is to know the real God through His words in the Bible.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
Yes, we are depressed. Yes, we are desperate. Are there any remedies to these conditions? Whether depression is a state of the mind or a result of a chemical imbalance of the brain is not the issue here. I leave that to the experts. What I'm after is, how we can alleviate the pain and misery that depression brings to its untold number of victims. The effects of prolonged depression is catastrophic to the psyche of its victims. It leaves behind a lingering sense of hopelessness and despair that may even trigger a violent tendency towards self destruction. It's like entering a dark tunnel without any hope of ever coming out of darkness into the light. People loses their sense of right or wrong. They are bewildered, totally disoriented and seemingly helpless. Can hope and prayers overcome depression and despair? With due respect to the medical experts, I say yes. Hope is like seeing a flicker of light in the all pervading darkness of a tunnel.It gives us a sense of anticipation that finally, as we reach the end of the tunnel, we shall finally see the light of day. And who gives us this hope? Only God can and will. And we can fan the flames of hope through prayers. "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31) How do you think those early Christians were able to face death with calm equanimity as they were crucified, mauled by lions and bears, or defenselessly butchered by battle scarred gladiators? They sang songs of praise and worship and even uttered prayers of forgiveness for their tormentors. They were clinging to that glorious hope of a blissful afterlife. "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." (1Corinthians 2:9) Surely depression, outright insanity and total helplessness would have set in to those who have no hope whatsoever if faced with the same situations. Today, situations may vary but the results will still be the same. Those who have hope and diligently nurtures it with regular and intense prayers are those who will be able to overcome any obstacles and trials in life, whether they be depression or despair. Unflinching hope and intense prayers usher us to the very presence of God, where we can pour out all the pains and sorrows welling in our hearts. Did not the Lord admonished us to, "Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you." (1Peter 5:7) When depression sets in, we must never give it a foothold by lingering on it. We can counteract its effects by claiming the promises of the Lord and through His triumphant Spirit. "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6b) If we persist in prayers, our hopes will be rekindled like a blazing torch that will illuminate the total darkness surrounding us. In God's time, we will receive our most cherished healing and deliverance. PRAY! IT WORKS!
LIGHT OF THE WORLD, SALT OF THE EARTH God admonished us to become the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Why? Because there's so much darkness in this world that people are groping for the true light that will illuminate their perilous paths through life. Man's life has been so drab and tasteless that God needs people to become the salt of the earth to give flavor to an otherwise tasteless existence of mankind. Man has lost his true perspective in life. Man has associated himself with worldly pursuits in life where everybody else wants to get ahead and to be on top at the expense of others. It does not matter whether he steps on the lives of so many people just so he can reach the summit of success, fame and fortune. But once he reaches the top, man realizes that it is so lonely up there, bereft of the true happiness and contentment in life.How many rich and famous people who, after ascending the heights of fame, fortune and success, have become so disillusioned of the emptiness of it all and have decided to end their lives by suicide. Others die at the height of their popularity through reckless and insatiable quests for thrills and the ultimate highs in life. They drown their lives with an overdose of sex, partying, drugs, thrills, extravagance, orgies and whatever it is they fancy that can give them the ultimate high and thrill of their lives.
But at the end of the day, in their own private moments, they weep in loneliness and despair because they realize that they were left holding an empty bag of sheer emptiness and loneliness and the darkness of their souls. And since they have become too proud and defiant to go back to God and humble themselves before Him, they decide instead to end their meaningless existence.
Yes, God needs more people to become a light of the world and a salt of the earth. Would you rather be included in the Guinness Book of World Records or in God's Book of Life? Think about it, my friend.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
HUMILITY- A TRAIT OF A TRUE CHILD OF GOD Of all the traits that God so admires in man, humility tops them all. This is in accordance with what God said in Isaiah 66:2b, "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." In fact, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6b) Why? Because God is Himself meek and humble in the person of Jesus Christ. An example of forgiveness and restitution of rights given back to a returning and humble sinner is the case of the Prodigal Son in the Book of Luke. After getting his entire inheritance from his father, and after squandering it all in profligate and wanton living, he became so destitute and hungry as he sought a job feeding pigs. Realizing his grievous sin and humbling himself, he decided to return to the house of his father to seek employment as a mere hired man. He was yet a long way off from their house when his father saw him and ran after him and embraced him. Seeing that the prodigal son was repentant and humble, he fully restored to him all his lost privileges as a son. So it is with us. No matter how sinful we may have become, no matter how wretched our conditions maybe, if we humble ourselves before God and seek His divine forgiveness by believing in Jesus Christ, divine forgiveness and complete spiritual restitution will immediately be given to us. This is the grace of God and it is not contingent on our own worthiness before Him or what accomplishments we may have achieved. It is solely contingent upon the amazing grace of God as we humble ourselves before Him and ask forgiveness by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are humble of heart and sought the Lord's guidance and protection after forgiveness were granted to them, are assured by God to enjoy a blissful life with Him in Paradise.
Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla Philippines Spiritual/Inspirational
"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7b)
DO YOU NEED HELP? ARE YOU IN THE DARK? CAN'T FIND YOUR WAY AROUND? NEED A FRIEND WHO WILL STICK WITH YOU THROUGH THICK OR THIN OR WHEN EVERYBDOY ELSE HAS DESERTED YOU?
