When The Light Flickers Out

WHEN THE LIGHT FLICKERS OUT
There's so much darkness in this world. Darkness, because men refuse to see the true light of the world. They prefer the bogus lights that dazzled their eyes to sensual pleasures and the pursuit of the so called happiness in this world. Jesus Christ warned men about this counterfeit light when He said, "If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness." (Matthew 6:23b)

Jesus further adds, "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Every one who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." (John 3:19-21)

People who lives in darkness hate people who has the light. They call them "holier than thou." Why? Because men love darkness and they shun the light lest their evil deeds will be so exposed.

It is really sad to note that many people say they believe in God, but they maintain their own home grown philosophies in life to explain their bizarre behaviors. They say they know that there is a God and stop there. Why? Because they want to enjoy life to the fullest. God is seen as a killjoy out to sabotage man's pursuit of happiness and pleasures in life. They want to have their cake and eat it too.

To stifle the heavy feeling of guilt in their hearts, they will do good deeds to offset the sinful deeds they have done. They believe that their good karma will offset the evil deeds that they had done. But could they?

Many think that God is the perfect accountant that will weigh the good deeds of men as against their evil deeds. Whatever balance there will be, will determine where a person goes in the afterlife. But that is farthest from the truth. If man can really save himself through his own good deeds, why then did the Father have to send His only begotten Son to suffer an excruciating death on the cross just to save mankind?
He could have given men prescriptions on how to save themselves.

And who or what is the light of the world? Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12) Let us turn to Jesus Christ, the true light of the world, before our own light flickers out and we plunged into total darkness.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

When The Lord Comes, Will He Find Us Faithful?

WHEN THE LORD COMES, WILL HE FIND US FAITHFUL?
We may be in the dark, so cold and lonely, unable to see any light in our darkened existence. We may be already at the edge of a precipitous cliff ready to jump into the deep chasm of nothingness. We started out so well in our lives. We were nurtured in the best values, the best education, the best love and care that our parents could muster for us. Where did we go wrong?

It all started when we chose the wrong path for our lives. It all started when we asserted our own independence from God. So we lived by the principles of this world. So we lived by the norm of "dog eats dog." And in the process, somehow we changed. We lost all the principles and values that were ingrained in our hearts and minds by the molders of our soul. We knew that there was a God but He seemed so far away and somehow, we found it harder and harder to relate to Him. And so we wallowed more and more in our worldly existence, drowning ourselves in the inebriating wine of wanton living. But all of these things have left us with emptiness in our hearts. We felt the gnawing pain of loneliness and the virtual isolation of our soul. Somehow our soul yearns for a different existence, one that exudes true joy and peace in our hearts.

It is never too late to turn our backs to worldly living and to retrace our steps back to the pathway to God's kingdom. All it takes is to humble ourselves before the Lord, repent our sins, and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Then His most precious blood will wash immaculately clean all the stains of sins and guilt in our hearts as we become born again in Spirit and truth.

It is never too late. WHEN THE LORD COMES, WILL HE FIND US FAITHFUL?


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Revenge - The Way Of The Unspiritual

REVENGE- THE WAY OF THE UNSPIRITUAL
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." This has been the maxim of old and is still being used today to justify one's cravings for revenge. But where did it lead the world? It led the world to a brutal state of existence.

We are witnesses to the never ending saga of brutal killings that go back and forth like the proverbial swing of the pendulum. One group of people, whose member was killed by another group, would exact vengeance and kill more than one member of the other group. Group two would retaliate against group one and would kill more of its kind until the conflict becomes an ethnic one.

Before we know it, it's one country against another country. And then it becomes religious in nature. Followers of one religion declare a holy war against the followers of another religion.

Do we please God by this? No, we only please our brutish nature and the master of this world- Satan. As innocent children and the elderlies die by the wayside, the laughter of Satan reverberates around the world as he feeds from the passion of people crazed for more revenge, violence and killings.

Such is the sad affairs of the world today. But this is not the will of God. God said, "vengeance is mine." He who persists in treading the road of revenge is putting himself under the law of the sword. God said, "he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword."

And what is the admonition of God? God said, "love your enemy, do good to those who oppress you." Why would God admonish man to do this? Because by doing so, we put ourselves under the mantle of God's protection and love, and He will surely annihilate our oppressors before our very eyes.

Do you want to see genuine peace in this world? If we do, let us immediately stop the cycle of revenge, killings, oppressions and hatred in our world. Let us learn to love our enemies and pray for them. If they still persist in continuing their insatiable quest for more violence, hatred and killings, let us then witness the unfolding of God's wonderful and amazing ways as He destroy and annihilate our enemies before our very eyes. THINK ABOUT THAT.

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational

Filipinos Sing To The World (Series # 2)

Tell Me- Composed by Louie Ocampo Sung by Joey Albert (1980s) Philippines



Anak - Sung and Composed by Freddie Aguilar (1970s) Philippines

Light Of The World, Salt Of The Earth

  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.

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

Oops, Our Computer Is Out Of Order

Oops, our computer is out of order. I think it's a major one since it is the hardware that is out of order. Because of this, I declare a semi blog holiday for this blog. I ask my wonderful readers to bear with me since I'm just using an internet cafe and it's not very comfortable here. I will be hardly visiting your blog and if I could not post comments, please forgive me. I will still continue blogging but on a very limited scale only. Please bear with me in this temporary situation. I love you all with the love of the Lord. God bless you all with your loved ones.

Yours in Christ,
Mel Avila Alarilla

Humility - A Trait Of A True Child Of God

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 to 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. Jesus loved children and He admonished men to be like little children if they desire to enter the kingdom of God.

The almost super human strength, the tall stature and the muscular physique of the proud and arrogant Goliath, who taunted God and the whole army of Israel in the Book of 1st Samuel, were no match for the humble and Spirit indwelt David. He defeated and killed Goliath by a single stone fired in his puny slingshot.

David's reign in Israel was characterized by his humility, honesty and faithfulness in the face of God. When confronted by the prophet Nathan about his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah, he readily admitted his grievous sin and immediately sought forgiveness from the Lord.

Another 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 were proud, stood on their own two feet in complete defiance of God and who rebelled against His authority, were severely punished and brought down humiliatingly on their knees.

But those who were humble of heart, and sought the Lord's guidance and protection after forgiveness were granted to them, were assured by God to enjoy a blissful life with Him in Paradise.

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational