Transformation- The Key To Lasting Change This New Year

Every year as the new year approaches, we make a list of our new year's resolutions. At the advent of each new year, there is always a stirring in our souls to break free from our wretched past. But after only a month or so of futile attempts, we always end up a miserable failure. Why? Because by nature, we are weak and prone to sin. By nature, we are prone to violate our own moral standards. And even if we honestly want to change and take on a new path in life, it is almost impossible for us to do so without assistance from a higher supernatural source.

True transformation, wherein we finally break free from our wretched and sinful existence, is done only through the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can effect a genuine and lasting change in our lives where we choose to live a godly life rather than a sinful existence. This is what is termed a born again experience and it can be effected only if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, confess our sins to Him and let His most precious blood wash clean all our sins in life.

By doing this, we invite the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and our long dormant spirit suddenly becomes alive and active. Thus we become a new creation. Our old sinful selves are dead in transgressions and we are now alive in the grace of God and declared holy by the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That is true transformation wherein we live a new life dedicated to loving and serving God and becoming a vessel and a conduit of God's blessings and grace to others.


THE HARVEST IS PLENTY BUT THE WORKERS ARE FEW. WILL YOU HEED THE CALL OF THE LORD TO BECOME A WORKER IN HIS VINEYARD?

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Christmas (What Is Its true Meaning?)

We associate Christmas with endless shoppings, with sumptuous foods on Christmas eve and Christmas day, of never ending gift giving, of going to carnivals and fairs, and other forms of merry making characterized by wanton display of one's affluence and goaded on by crass commercialism.

That's why every year, when Christmas season approaches, 3/4 or more of the world's population feel dejected and lonely. Why? Because they lack the resources to buy all the nice things that will make them and their loved ones (especially their children) happy on Christmas day.

Why? Because they have accepted in their minds that Christmas is all about the ostentatious display of one's wealth come Christmas day. The world has accepted the gross commercialism and materialism that the western countries have ingrained in the minds of all the people in the world.

Everywhere in the world, people associate Christmas with Santa Claus and his gifts, with white Christmas characterized with snow and all the fun games of winter, with Christmas trees, with colorful Christmas lights, with fireworks, with fine new clothes, Christmas caroling, and with plenty and sumptuous foods.

But what is the real meaning and essence of Christmas? It seems that people have lost track of the true reason why we celebrate Christmas.

Luke 2:8-14 says, "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: you will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."
The birth of Jesus Christ in a humble manger have presaged the opening of heaven's gate for all people to be saved by His eventual death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Thus, we should be celebrating Christmas in memory of the birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ whom the Father sent to redeem fallen mankind.

We should celebrate Christmas in our hearts as we feel God's presence in our lives. The real merry making and the indescribable joy of the true Christmas will be fully experienced by us when we come face to face with our Savior in His kingdom, to live in blissful existence with Him forevermore.

Let us rediscover the original joy of Christmas by letting Jesus Christ enter our hearts.

Legacy- Our Golden Steps In The Sands Of Time

We will not be always here to stay. Tomorrow, we may be gone from this world.
What legacy would we want to leave behind?


We tread the sands of time but once in our lifetime. Good or bad, people will remember us for what we stood for. How we stood amidst the tremendous pressures that pushed us down? How we managed our tears? How we survived the pains? How we overcame all the bitterness and sorrows that welled in our hearts? And in the end, how we made peace with our Creator?


We move along the sands of time but once, to measure each and every song that influenced our lives. We recalled the lonely verses that pulled our hearts burning with fervent hopes of a bygone love. How strange that we faced the unfathomable horizons beyond, never knowing what lies behind the curtains of time.


With each heavy steps, our feet tread on the golden steps of the sands of time. Then we leaved our legacies behind.

Thirteen Flowers (A short story- Fiction)

It was just like yesterday when I had an argument with my wife and we had a falling out. I had to get out of the house to simmer down. As I was walking in the park, I saw a flower, a red one standing at the edge of the park. I was mesmerized by it that I found myself going out there to pick it up. What kind of flower was this? It was gorgeous and the color was crimson red, just like my blood. As I picked it up I thought of my wife. How lovely was she. It was just like yesterday when I married her and we had a turbulent relationship. We had our shares of quarrels but somehow, we managed to patch things up. And today was just like any other day that we had a spat.

As I looked at the flower, my anger seemed to have vanished and I realized just how important she was to my life. Ah, I'm going back to her and fix our relationship. I could not really go on with my life without her. And the children, they need a father to bring them up as wonderful kids. How foolish of me to run out of my house. Hah, I'm going back and straighten everything out. And I promise to God that I will never quarrel with my wife again. Life is more bearable with her charming presence around.

The house was in disarray. Everything seemed in topsy turvey. Rows of flowers lined the entrance to the house. It was so bright inside. People were milling around. Stifled cries can be heard outside. I saw familiar faces in the house. My father was there and so was my mother. I saw faces of my friends and relatives there. They were all there. Must be some sort of a reunion I guessed. Then I saw my wife. How lovely was she. She was wearing a white gown. And I saw my children, their faces ashen and sad. How I missed them all. I will tell them how much I love them.

I approached my wife and gave her the flower that I have. And she placed it with the other flowers in a big vase. I counted them all. Twelve white flowers and mine was the thirteenth, one that stand out in crimson red.

Everything became so eerie. Something's wrong. Suddenly, I realized that my father and mother were dead and so do all the relatives and friends that I saw there. They were all dead. My God don't tell me that my wife and children are all dead too.

Everything seemed to whirl around me. Flashes of darkness and light kept flickering all around me. My body stiffened and I could sense a vague light penetrating my eyes. Then voices occupied the peripheries of my mind. He's coming into. He is breathing. He is alive. I saw people milling all around me. And I saw the loveliest face that ever beheld my eyes. It was my beautiful wife, as she hugged me with all her might. And I saw my children milling around me, all crying unabashedly. What happened? I asked timidly. You were ran over by a car and you were brought here in the hospital already dead. The doctors tried to revive you and it's only now that you were revived.

And I saw the red flower that she held in her hand. Where did you get that, I asked? I got it from you. You were clutching this flower as though your life depended on it. Ah, freedom at last. I have been given back a new leash on life.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Literary/Short Story

Life Is Like That

You may be groaning right now from   
the heavy burden that is on your shoulder,
but take heed, the Lord is just strengthening
those shoulders for you to be able to bear
the burdens of others.
You may be in a very dark tunnel right now
unable to see anything at all,
but take heed, there is always light
at the end of the tunnel.
You may be complaining right now about 
how hard it is to climb your mountain,
but take heed, after your arduous climb
you will see the most spectacular scene
at the top of the mountain.

Life is like that my child.
The Lord seems too harsh on us at times,
but please remember that He will never
give us any trial wherein He will also give
us sufficient grace to overcome them.

The eagles cannot fly to the very heights
of the sky if they were not pushed out
of their comfort zones by their mothers
who wanted them to fly on their own.
The process may be painful and scary 
as the young eagles plummet to the ground
but with tremendous pain and efforts
of flapping their young wings,
they eventually learn how to fly and
soar ecstatically among the clouds.

Pearls are made when an intruder 
invades the oyster who secretes
that powerful enzyme that kills
the intruder and turn it into an 
elegant pearl.  
The salmons swim upstream
half way around the world to 
return to their spawning grounds
where they eventually die after
laying their eggs.

Life is ebb and flow, strike or miss.
Nobody has a monopoly of the very
best and the worst of life. 
Each person has his own cross to carry
and the burdens to bear,
but after the hard lessons in life
are learned, the Lord will give us
the crowning glory of success.

Hold on, push through, climb higher still.
For every tear that you shed 
a crowning joy is waiting for you.
You were fearfully and wonderfully 
made by the Lord and He will not stop
pushing you to your limits until that
masterpiece which is you has been 
fully developed for the whole world
to marvel and admire.
God loves you more than you will
ever know.
Did He not die on the cross for you?
So when you are burdened by the 
heavy load you are carrying,
remember that the Lord is at your side
crying and sighing with you. 

Smile child. It is a beautiful life.
It is a wonderful world.


Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
                                

Do You Listen When Your Body Talks?

Our bodies communicate with us in so many ways, but oftentimes, we never listen to them. If we will only make it a habit to listen carefully to what they are saying, then we can save ourselves from lots of troubles. For example, our bodies communicate to us when we are hungry or when we are already full. But no, we let ourselves go hungry when we are so busy and try to push the feeling of hunger out of our mind's perception. The result, sooner or later, we develop ulcers. Or our bodies tell us that we are already full and fully satisfied, but no, our mind still wants to gorge on the delectable fares on the dining table. And the result? Sooner or later, we develop unwanted fats that can lead to full blown obesity.

Pains, fevers, dizziness, neuralgia, and other bodily symptoms are the ways our bodies communicate with us. We must be very sensitive to their messages if we want to live a fully healthy and longer lives. A nagging pain in the neck and at the napes could mean a high blood pressure. This could be accompanied by dizziness and a feeling of nausea.

For most part of my life, I have not been to doctors. They only make me more sick and panicky. I just listened to my body talks and I responded to them accordingly. Of course, I am not recommending what I am doing to others. I can do this because I live by faith and not by sight (senses). My complete trust and confidence in the goodness of God and His faithfulness to His promises plus the unmistakable language of my body have kept me relatively healthy and alive all these years although I was diagnosed to have life threatening diseases a long time ago. When your body talks, please listen to it attentively, then do whatever necessary things you have to do and live a relatively healthy and trouble free life.

Tags: Health, Body Talk, Symptoms, Life, Longevity, Freedom from Pain, Neuralgia, Dizziness, Sensible Diet, Exercise, Clean Living, Healthy Lifestyle, Wellness, Live By Faith, God's Promises, Long Life

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Lifestyle/Health/Wellness

Fasting And Prayers, Automatic Line To Heaven

There is still no shortest and surest way to God than fasting and prayer. Fasting has become a lost art, what with all the sumptuous fares all around. To be able to fast takes a lot of inspiration, determination and guts. But fasting, together with prayer and meditation on the word of God, is the fastest, shortest and surest way of reaching God. It reestablishes our connection with God. It accentuates our relationship with Him and reminds us who we really are in the presence of an Almighty God. It humbles us as we are reminded that we are just dusts of the earth, a mere discarded rag in the dazzling presence of the Creator of the entire universe. Aside from meeting God in His lofty dwelling, fasting, prayer and meditation on the word of God bring so many fringe benefits and bonanzas for us.

1. It cleanses our minds, hearts and soul and firmly reestablishes our connection with God.
2. It cleanses the mist and imperfections in our conscience, making it a crystal mirror of our relationship with God.
3. It strengthens the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are immediately convicted of anything that disturbs our relationship with God that displeases Him.
4. It heals all our diseases. Modern medicine, saints, gurus, and ascetics testify about the wonderful effects of prolonged fasting to the body. A fasting of 3 to 7 days with only liquid for intake heals all sicknesses in our body, including incurable ones like cancer, lupus, bipolar disorders, aids, etc. When the body is starved of food, it eats first the diseased cells and accumulated fats in the body and expels all unwanted toxins out of the body. All clogged systems- circulatory, respiratory, digestive, muscular and even malfunctioning of vital organs of the body are cleansed of all undesired and toxic elements rendering them to operate smoothly like an overhauled machine.

The wounds suffered by Jesus Christ as He was mercilessly scourged by the Roman centurions represent healing for all kinds of diseases in mankind. We only have to claim it (the healing) through a living faith, and healing of both body and soul is ours for the taking. Pardon me as I complete the seven day fast ordained by our church for all our members nationwide and worldwide. HAPPY FASTING!

Tags: Fasting, Prayer, Meditation, Word of God, God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Healing, Diseases, Conscience, Line To God, Living Faith, Cleansing, Almighty God, Creator of the Universe, Dusts of the Earth, Discarded Rags, Mind, Heart, Soul, Relationship With God, Saints, Gurus, Ascetics, Cancer, Lupus, Bipolar Disorder, AIDS

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter
a poem by Mel Avila Alarilla


The heart is a lonely hunter
It seeks the places of previous
love, joy, reminiscings.
It yearns for a love that has been lost.

There in the periphery of time and space-
a love that has been sought was veiled
for the eyes to see.

How lonely is the world without one's love.
Looking at the empty walls,
only tears are the companion of one's soul.

As life begins to slowly ebb from this frail body,
I yearn to see once more the love I have long
sought for.
Wherever she may be, I hope she will realize
just how much I miss her.

My heart cries out in pain, the throbbing sobs
of the hurts embedded deep in my soul.
As the melody wafts in the inner chamber
of my mind,
I recall the wonderful days of years gone by
when we were together.

Now that I am on death throes
how I long to see your face once more,
To gaze at your winsome smile, To be reassured again and again,
that you love me.

Ah, that would be enough to calm the storm
raging in my soul.
As the cold misty air of the twilight time
descends on my empty body,
Let me hear once more your angelic voice
saying for the last time that you love me.
Again and again. Until the end.
Until the very..............end.




The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter




Tags: The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Love of My Life, My Only Love, One and Only Love, Missing You, Lonely Heart, Love To Last A Lifetime, Pain, Hurt, Loneliness, Death, Death Throes, Again and Again, Until The End, Until The Very End

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Poetry/Literary

A Re-post Of Kimmy's Appeal For Help For Her Daughter

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND READERS: I APPEAL TO ALL OF YOU TO PLEASE HELP MY BLOGGER FRIEND KIMMY TO DEFRAY THE COST OF HER DAUGHTER'S KNEE OPERATION. ANY AMOUNT YOU WILL SEND WILL BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED AND WE WILL PRAY FOR GOD'S BLESSING TO POUR BACK TO YOU. GOD BLESS US ALL ALWAYS.

                                         Mel Avila Alarilla

                                          

Look at My Daughter.. She Needs Help..

August 20th, 2012 | Author: kimmy

This is my eldest daughter, Candid. She’s 17 years old taking up Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. Last July 24, she twisted her right  knee in her Physical Education class. Though the x-ray, taken at the school clinic, showed no bone fracture, she was not able to go to school for a week due to extreme pain. But she finally managed to stand up alone and limp her way to class with knee support.

Two weeks after the incident, the school clinic released her x-ray result with an order that she see an Orthopedic surgeon. So, we went to see an Ortho surgeon. After checking my daughter’s knee, the surgeon wrote a request for MRI.

Last Saturday, I went to see the Ortho surgeon alone. With me was my daughter’s MRI result with the following findings:

1. Partial tear, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
2. Complex tear, posterior horn of the medial meniscus.
3. Horizontal tear, posterior horn of the lateral meniscus.
4. Bone contusion, lateral femoral condyle
5. Minimal knee joint effusion.

The Ortho surgeon told me my daughter needs to undergo Arthroscopic Meniscectomy to repair the damage. The surgery, though not dangerous and would only take shorter period of time compared with major operations, is extremely expensive. It is about ten times my monthly salary in my previous job.

Right now, my daughter limps and her right thigh is already thinner than the left, probably due to minimal use. She can’t stand straight and she is in pain every waking moment. The pain intensifies when she gets tired, she walks up and down the stairs, she gets surprised or she feels cold. But sometimes the pain intensifies for no reason at all.

Nothing hurts a mother so much than to see her child in pain. And I see her in pain every day and witness her legs getting more and more deformed. And I began to think of the things she could no longer do like play football, run the marathon or even simply run around the park with friends. My heart aches and I desperately want to have her knee fixed. But we simply couldn’t afford it. We need help from friends.

So, I am reaching out to you. Please, help us. I know there are thousands of people out there who need help just like us, but I have to take my chance. I have to try..

Thank you so much and may GOD bless you and your family always..

*You can send your donations to rodlizb@yahoo.com. Any amount would be appreciated. Let us know if you send something so we can thank you properly by featuring you in my blogs or in private, whatever you prefer.

Yes, There Are Still Angels In The Internet

Despite the growing cynicism of the times where people tend to be more greedy and avaricious; despite the widespread distrust of man against his fellowmen; despite the turbulent situation of the world's economy; yes, and despite the coldness of man against his fellowmen, it is heartwarming to note that, yes, there are still angels in the internet. No, it is not the winged kind with glowing halos on their head. These are faceless angels I have met in the internet in the course of my blogging activities. It just so happened that I made an innocent comment in one of the post of a Christian blogger friend from the Philippines about how the verse she posted- Proverbs 3: 5-6 ("Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."), came to me like a sudden burst of spring shower in the desert land I was in, facing a financially gloomy Christmas. She asked for my Paypal account address. I said no, she needed the money herself because of a very recent and expensive major operation of her mother. But she insisted and I finally consented. Yesterday she deposited a generous amount to my account. It was heaven sent and what could I say but thanked the Lord for the generosity of this lady angel. I will not mention her name lest a beeline of opportunist bloggers come knocking at her door. Suffice it to say that I prayed hard for her that the Lord will return back to her a thousand fold what she gave me.

Another blogging friend from Canada who is suffering from multiple debilitating and painful diseases offered to send me a custom built cane that functions as a seat as well. I gently declined the offer, citing her own need for the medicine and treatment cost of her diseases and the exorbitant cost of shipping it from Canada. I can't believe that there are still people out there whose hearts are gold and still beating with love and tenderness for their fellowmen. May your tribe increase. Yes Virginia, there are still angels in the internet.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Angels, Internet, Blogging, Heart of Gold, Uplifting, Feel Good, Good Samaritan, Generosity, Blessings, Philippines, Canada, Disease, Healing, Faith, Love, Joy, Peace

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational/Feel Good

Where Eagles Soar

All of God's creatures including men seek shelter when there is a storm. No creature can withstand the fury of a raging storm. All except the eagle. As all the animals on air, land and sea seek shelter when a storm rages, the eagle actually welcomes the storm. He revels in it not by fighting it but by using its mighty wind to soar above the storm and reach far away places with nary an effort. High above the storm is calm air where the eagle love to soar and glide. Such is the outstanding qualities of this creature that God has use it to illustrate God's mighty provision and protection for man when the storms of life come crashing down on him. God says that He carries His children on eagle's wings and fly them through the raging storms of their lives and soar with them above the storm where they can glide in safety.

Think about that and picture it in your mind. God bringing you over and above the storms of your life to the relatively peaceful air above the storm where He carries you in peace and tranquility, borne by His mighty wings of love and protection. If we put our trust in Him, that is what He will do for us. He will shield us from the onslaught of the mightiest storms in our lives. He will bring us to the rarefied and tranquil air above the storm where we can glide in safety and joy. He promised us that no one can separate us from the love of Christ so long as we seek shelter on His wings.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 35-39) So let us soar with God like eagles above the storms of our lives.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Eagle, Soar Above The Storm, Storms of Life, Struggles, Problems, Deliverance, Protection, Love, Peace, Joy

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Forgive In Order To Be Forgiven

Are you holding on to grudges and pains in your heart because of broken relationships caused by betrayal of trust? Are you still feeling the pain of a bruised heart because you were left alone by the love of your life for somebody else? Did you feel cheated when a close friend spilled out to others the secrets you confided to him/her? Is the spirit of unforgiveness and bitterness lingering in your heart causing you sleepless nights, unnecessary tears and sickness of body and soul? Learn to forgive and forget. The Bible says, forgive so that your sins maybe forgiven also. Yes, I know how hard it is to forgive as long as we are still feeling the pain in our hearts. But we can do the act of forgiveness by saying it orally that we forgive the person who hurt us and pray to God that we can also forget the bitterness it brought to us. Try not to get even or to equalize things on your own. This might lead to revenge which is sinful. Turn over the person's wrongdoing to God and relate to God all the pains and heartaches you are suffering due to that person's wrongful act. Ask God to resolve the conflict between the two of you and rest your case to God. In due time, your wounds will heal and you can actually forget the wrong that was done to you. It will be easy to forgive and forget if we keep in our minds that we also hurt other people before. We are not clean ourselves. If we can still ask forgiveness from the person we hurt and if we can restitute the damage we have done, then maybe that person may forgive us and we can have genuine reconciliation and peace of mind. Never dwell on past hurts and pains. Surrender them all to the Lord. Focus on love, forgiveness, joy, reconciliation and peace in your mind and you will experience a more pleasant and blissful life. Did not God say that the kingdom of God is in our hearts?

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Forgiveness, Key To Joy and Peace, Reconciliation, Happiness, Love, Kingdom of God, Peace of Mind

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational

Childlike Innocense, The Door To Heaven.

The Lord said, "unless you be like these little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of God." Why, what qualities of children make them qualified for the kingdom of God? That quality is childlike innocence and the capacity to trust their parents to provide for all their needs. Did not God want us to treat Him as a loving Father who would lavish His children with all the good things in life? Have you seen the faces of children? Their angelic and innocent faces are full of love, warmth and affection for everyone. Their laughter are engaging and contagious. They play games with complete abandon. They love their parents and never worry for anything they want since they know they will be well provided for. Teach them about God, the love of God for men and Christ provision for salvation and they will readily understand them. It is as if they know all of these things by heart. Children love flowers, love to play under the sun. Even when it rains, they shriek in sheer delight for the wonderful provisions of nature. They are as curious as the cat and would ask you endless questions about everything under the sun. They appreciate beauty and nature far beyond what adults could appreciate. They bask in the magnificence of the morning sun and marvel at the dawning of the setting sun. They love to smell the fresh scent of flowers, of new mown hay, and love to hear the bellowing of the cows. Who would never get tired of playing their favorite pets of cats and dogs but little children? And the pets love them too, sometimes even more than their own kind. There is a bond between children and pets that no one can fathom. And at night before going to sleep, you will hear the most solemn and fervent prayers uttered to God for the blessings of family, friends and pets. Truly, if we could imitate the innocence and trusting attitude of children, then the door of heaven becomes wide open for us.

Tags: Children, Innocence, Child Play, Playing Under The Sun, Playing In The Rain, Beauty, Love, Joy, Sunshine, Provisions, Pets, Friends, Parents, Kingdom of God

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational

Smile And Be A Ray Of Sunshine To Others

Smile to everyone you meet and be a ray of sunshine to others. When you smile to others, it warms their hearts and dissipates whatever gloomy mood they are in. And when they smile back to you, you feel that warmth of sunshine radiating back to you and you feel happy and lighthearted. Do not wear that frown on your face since you will just communicate your somber mood to others and they too will feel whatever bad moods you are in. There is such a thing as transference of spirit for everyone. Never be with people who are whiners and cry babies who pour out litanies of their woes. Yes, you can listen to their tales of woes but guard yourself from absorbing any negative spirits from them. Do not be with people who gossip and find fault with everybody. Sooner or later, you will be like them if you do not distance yourself from these negative people. As the saying goes, "birds of the same feathers flock together" and "misery loves company." Sure, there are so many things wrong in this world, but why focus on them? Instead focus on the positive aspects of life and radiate that ray of sunshine and positive outlook in your life.

Go ahead, smell the flowers in the fields. Enjoy the sweet singing of the birds. Watch the beautiful sunset at the bay. Feast your eyes on the full moon in the skies. Let the tiny drops of rain in your roof sing you a lullaby that will lull you to sleep. Life is so wonderful and so are you. Be a ray of sunshine to others. Always smile.

Tags: Smile, Ray of Sunshine, Wonderful World, Be Happy, Love, Joy, Happiness, Warmth of Sunshine, Wonderful Life

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

Are We "gods" IN The Making?

One thing that Gnosticism and ancient Greek philosophies have taught us is the doctrine of emanation and cyclical evolution. From the spirit plane, the spirit travels
down to mater to experience material existence. From the densest physical matter, the spirit evolves into mineral, vegetable, animal, human and demigod forms until it is reabsorbed again into the spiritual world to become a god. This is the reason why Greek philosophers insist on humans to know themselves. Greek philosophy and other religions also teach us about the doctrine of dualism, that there are always two opposing forces in creation contending against each other- the good and the evil, heat and cold, light and darkness, the human and the divine, and so on and so forth. Other religions even adore god in his dual nature- both benevolent and destructive. Thus we see in their temples pantheons of all sorts of gods including sinister looking demigods with horns and fangs or with animal representations. Other philosophies outrightly deny the existence of a personal God insisting that the real god is just a force, a light or divine energy from which the whole universe was created. There are spiritual books of all beliefs, some dating back to antiquities, like the Mahabharata and Vedas of Hinduism, the Four Noble Truths and Eight Fold Paths of Buddhism, the Koran of the Muslims, the Egyptian ancient writings like the Egyptian Book of The Dead, the Buddhist scrolls of Tibet including the Tibetan Book of The Dead, the Kabbalah of the ancient Jews, the Torah of Judaism, ancient manuscripts, esoteric writings of the Essene, the Druids, the Parsis, Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, teachings of Confucius and Lao Tsu, the Rosicrucians, Masonry, the Knight Templars, Theosophy, the New Age, etc., etc.

Some say that the gods were actually spacemen who visited the earth in its infancy and has taught primitive men what would be the precursors of modern day amenities as described in the book- Chariots of the gods by Eric Von Dainiken. They explain that these gods built the Pyramids in Egypt and South America, the Stonge Henge, the massive structures at Easter Island, even the unmistakable ancient landing strips in South America and other parts of the world.

Then some believe that God revealed Himself to men through divine revelation and through the person of Jesus Christ. What to believe? Your choice is as good as mine. The Bible says, "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." I will always readily believe the words of God as contained in the Bible. There, I will stand and fall in my beliefs.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Myths, gods, Chariots of the Gods, Eric Von Dainiken, Gnosticism, Greek Philisophies, Emanation, Dualism, Spirit, Mater

Posted by:Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivation

The Myth Of The "Self"

One thing the world view has taught us is to uphold and protect the interest of the self. This world view teaches us that what matters most in this world is the preservation of the interest of the self. Thus, we are taught to strive for the highest achievement of the self. We see people competing and striving hard to elevate one's self. We hear of self esteem, pursuit of happiness, the good of one's self, even the myth that the self is an emerging god. We are told to seek pleasure because that is the goal of the self. People seek recognition and acclaim from others to elevate one's self. We can see this with the efforts of people to establish records of all sorts as attested by the Guinness Book of World Records. People climb the highest mountains, swim the deepest seas, explore the uninhabitable frontiers of the earth, even strive to conquer the whole universe in their efforts to establish the highest achievements in life. All of these in the mad quest to establish the self. But is this what God wants us to do? People who pursue the quest to elevate one's self has denied or at least push God out of the equation of life. To them, what matters most is the human mind, the human experience and the human challenge to conquer the unknown. But God said, "apart from Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5b).

Silly that mortal man should fall into the trap of Satan. To insist in pursuing the human will, instead of obeying God's will, is the goal of those who project the self as the end-all and be-all of everything. They insist that the self is "the captain of the ship and the master of the soul". But in the end, those who pursued these same goals have perished in defeat, isolation, loneliness and destruction. FOR THE WILL OF GOD REIGN SUPREME OVER ALL OF HIS CREATION SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL TO THE END OF THE AGES.

Tags: Self, Ego, God, Myth, World, World View, gods, Self Esteem, Pursuit of Happiness, Guinness Book of World Records

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational

The Portent

These are the signs of the times. There is global warming and the weather of the world becomes very erratic. Strong typhoons, devastating hurricanes, cyclones and massive snowstorms have wrought havoc to many countries causing so much destruction to lives and properties. It's either extreme heat or extreme cold. The polar caps are melting and soon low lying islands will start to submerged in water. We have now seen the beginning of the collapse of the world economy on a scale never seen before. Not even a package of $ 700 billion from Washington could stem the tide of world wide recession and panic selling of stocks and properties. Values of world currencies are on a tailspin. Big and prestigious companies have collapsed or have declared bankruptcies. Governments have to shore up the financial images of big banks or there will be massive bank runs. There are ever present dangers of terrorist attacks that have produced horrible sufferings from innocent civilians and bystanders. There are prevailing presence of so many exotic and dreaded diseases that are incurable and extremely painful to the sufferers. Earthquakes and massive tidal waves or tsunamis have claimed the lives of so many people. There is widespread apostasy in the world where personality cults abound. There is evil and moral degeneration in mainstream society as if sinning and wanton living are the mode of the times.

Are these signs of the times not a portent of things to come?

Tags: Signs of the Times, Portent, Global Warming, Global Financial Crisis, Depression, Recession, Terrorism, Exotic Diseases, Apostasy

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational

Dial P.R.A.Y.E.R.

Are you at the very bottom of your life and have nowhere else to go? When you call up your most trusted friends and relatives to seek solace and comfort from the heavy burdens on your shoulders, do you always get a busy line or an answer from an answering machine? Do you feel that there is nobody in the world that you could talk to, to whom you can unburden yourself? Why not try God? He is always available 24 hours a day. There is no busy line in His hotline and He is always available to attend to your most pressing needs or your most troublesome burdens. His hotline? Just dial P.R.A.Y.E.R. and you are connected immediately no matter wherever you are or at what time of the day you call up. He loves it when you pour out all the anguish, the pains, and the frustrations of your soul to Him. And He will not be readily judgmental. He will wait for the perfect time when you will see your own faults and repent them all and turn a new leaf in your life by surrendering your life to Him and accepting Him as your Lord and savior. And what does He give you when you do all of these things? Nothing much really. First, He gives you peace of mind and joy in your heart. You will feel as though the pressing load of a heavy rock was lifted up from your chest and you breathe again freely. Secondly, He will take away the hardened scales in your eyes so that you can clearly see the spiritual truths of His words. Then, He will comfort you in everything that you will do and you will be aware of His very presence in your life. Then He gives you eternal life. Then, oh I don't want to be a killjoy. YOU WILL FIND OUT ALL THE GOODIES HE HAS IN STORE FOR YOU WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM IN HIS HOTLINE.

The Eternal Thief

Have you worked out the deal of your life that would have rewarded you with a handsome sum only to see it fizzled out at the last minute? Have you been so happy in your life that you felt as though you were on top of the world only to see yourself in a whirl of problems later on? Have you felt the love and warmth of your family then later on found your family on the verge of a major breakup? Have you been so successful in your work that you could almost attain the highest level of corporate success only to find out that you were unceremoniously eased out of the coveted position because of intrigue? You may feel that fate has handed you a bad deal in these scenarios but is that the real situation?

There may be something else here than just pure luck or a bad day. Somebody, since time immemorial, has stolen all the blessings and happiness of mankind. In fact, he was cast down to earth and he continues to seethe and foam in his malevolent intent to do mayhem and destruction to mankind. The Bible says that "the thief comes but to steal, to kill, and to destroy." He is the eternal thief who steals everything that is good from mankind. His fate has already been sealed. He is doomed to suffer everlasting death and he wants mankind to lose its divine patrimony which is eternal life. He is a master deceiver who masquerades as an angel of light to deceive the nonspiritual and the spiritually puffed up.

But his nemesis is the Holy Spirit. The covering of the blood of Jesus protects us against all his wiles and malevolent intents. He was already vanquished at Calvary. All he could do is to deceive mankind. He is now the lord of the world adored by those who cling to all forms of godlessness and sinful living. Would you let him steal all the blessings intended for you, especially your eternal life with God?

Tags: God, Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit, The Devil, Eternal Thief, Godlessness, Blood of Jesus, Eternal death, Eternal Life

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational