Warm assurance

The scripture says, ‘After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened (for him), and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove (and) coming upon him (Jesus). And the voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil (Matthew 3:16-17, 4:1).’

This Scripture passage clearly attests that there was a clear manifestation of the Trinity. Here in this scripture, it was evident that the Holy Spirit became apparent in the form of a dove. Furthermore, there was this voice that is intelligible being heard clearly as the heaven was opened, saying, “This is my beloved Son!” Thus, there is this Father who was speaking to the Son. Also it was cited that the Son was being baptized. In addition to, there was the presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.

In the doxology of Paul, it says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all,” (2 Corinthians 13:13). It is clear that there exists a God who is God the Father. And there revealed were the love of the Father, and also the regard of the Son being he as source of grace that he may impart this to the humanity. The Holy Spirit also is made present who is also a God, which was in fellowship with the Father and the Son, and was sharing the enlightenment to the disciples and continue to share this even up to the present time. So there is the existence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, with the Godhead consisting of these three persons of the Trinity.

In I Corinthians 12:4-6, it says that, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” To each individual was given the manifestation of the Spirit given for some benefit. So in this verse there is this Spirit who is in charge of spiritual gifts; there is this Lord (who is the Son) that is in custody with the different forms of services; and there is this God (who is the Father) who takes care of the different workings of him who is God.

Also in 1 Peter 1:2, the following passage is articulated: “...in the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: may grace and peace be yours in abundance.”

Hence the above-mentioned tells us of the Father who has the foreknowledge of everything; the Spirit being the Sanctifier that is adorable, with this Spirit also being called as the Holy Paraclete; and mentioned here also is Jesus Christ who is obedient to the Father, with him being the pattern of the virtue of obedience for which we must submit to our superiors and our parents.

Thus as we too strive to be holy, we can also obtain silence and peace of our troubled hearts after that we may have received sprinkling with the blood of Christ obtained for our protection as it is made manifest if we being Gentiles are sanctified by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior. Such that this is obtained when we are cleansed then after confession, with the priest giving us the absolution for the sins we have committed and with us being sealed with communion; or for the Protestants, with the Pastors hearing their heart aches and troubles that they may then accept Jesus in their lives.

In the same way we are compelled to follow the desire of our parents if we are asked of an errand, or with them guiding us in our decisions. The scripture also says that, “Slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable but also to those who are perverse (1 Peter 2:18).” This is so, that we may understand that Christ also suffered for our sins once, those righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he may lead us to God. And that we may put to death the flesh, just as he was brought to life in the spirit (1 Peter 3:18).”

To also add regarding the nature of God, we read in Revelation 1:4, with John greeting to the seven churches in Asia, “Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne.” Thus, Jesus is the one “who is” revealed and is manifested in flesh, with the Father “who was” there taking in-charge of the creation, and with the Spirit “who is to come” that He may speak in churches that which He has heard.

As the three persons of the Godhead agree with each other, we also have to maintain our respect for each other, because once respect is lost, we also lose everything. Though you are tempted to say bad things to another person, you need to restrain it because once respect is gone it is difficult to regain our love for each other. We should indeed compliment our neighbors. The husband should be good to his wife or vice versa with the two helping each other, and the children should be respectful to their parents.

Let us continue our journey as God’s instruments. Be a guiding light in serving and loving each other, and be kind hearted. You will treasure that attitude for the rest of your lives. In the part of the couples, there should be mutual love, reciprocal respect, understanding and fidelity. Each of us should give extra strength to each other through our assurances, and our comforting advice that we may withstand pressures.

Let us spend more time in reading the scriptures, and pass the insights, intelligence, and smartness to others. We should renew our recesses by finding time to exercise our funny attitude, and espy time to laugh gathering good friends and regarding also God as one of your best friends. Also we should appreciate the effort of our parents, for taking care of us when we are sick, and for the work of encouraging us to see the brighter side of life.

As the bond of the Trinity is so strong, they being effective in loving each other; the Father to the Son, and the Son to the Father, with the Holy Spirit as the manifestation of their love; we also need to be good sons and daughters to our parents, and with the parents being good fathers and mothers to their offspring. We should spend more time ourselves complimenting each other.

Let us reciprocate each other’s love giving a holy kiss or a pat of warm assurance or encouragement. We should be caring and willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. Our pattern is Jesus, with him loving humanity even willing to die on the cross for the sake of his dear ones.

Plain and exposed

Did Jesus have the choice whether he would die or not in the hands of those dear to his heart? Perhaps, he has this struggle whether to obey or not the Father who wants to offer him as a ransom for the sins of the humanity. He said, “Lord if possible; let this cup pass by me.” Likewise he somehow later agreed, “Not my will Lord, but Thy will be done!”

The Father too understands the struggle of Jesus. The former may have somehow said, “You know Son, it is hard for me too to offer you to die on the cross that the sins of the humanity may be forgiven, but I have no choice. Being my only Son, who is all I have, it is conceived ever since the beginning that I would give you, my only begotten Son, to the world to die on the cross and that you are compelled to follow me or to do what destiny has been carved in your palm.

Somehow, Jesus in his nearing death said, “Lord, Lord, why have you forsaken me?” Aside from the reality that the Father was in grief holding to Himself his emotions for His heart might break any moment then, He was still in pain to see the Son saying these words. Imagine, from the lips of his only begotten Son, that it seems with the suffering of Christ, walls of heaven are falling; even the gates of hell are smashed broken. The walls of heaven in sympathy to the sentiment of Jesus, and the gates of hell destroyed overcoming deceit because Satan has lost in the fight, as he has not succeeded tempting Jesus.

Jesus was like Isaac submissive to his Father when Abraham in obedience to God was compelled to offer Isaac to die while somehow bounded to be burned in the firewood as an offering to God. Though it was painful for Abraham to offer his only son to die on fire, he has no choice but to obey the Master who freed him from the worship of idols and brought him in the wilderness to journey that from that expedition, he may be a father to the children counted as many as the stars in heaven.

Though this promise was at stake because his only son is bound to die on the fire, Abraham was impelled to follow and it is an obligation for him not to say “no” because he being freed from the worship of idols is now a child of God, he being lucky to hear the voice of God in the wilderness calling his name after a rush of waters that drifted him along. Imagine there is abundance of water in the desert?

Likewise, though Isaac on the other hand was silent and was obedient to his father Abraham, thoughts maybe were cropping in his mind how come that there are firewood yet there is no offering. He even asked his father, “Father, where is our offering?” And Abraham may have said, that the Lord will provide. Isaac was like Jesus silent before the nearing death meaning he was tranquil and composed while preparing his heart to obey his father’s will. Thus, Isaac was submissive to Abraham who began to tie his hands with a rope and was about to lit the firewood with fire after that he may have stabbed Isaac with a dagger.

Nevertheless, an angel manifested stopping the occurrence and providing a sheep caught in the branches as an offering, telling Abraham that God perceived the purity of his heart in his participation in the work of God. This brought Abraham a reward that in his role in conceiving the destiny of the Christ to die on the cross, Abraham became a father of many nations springing out from him descendants from both children, Isaac and Ishmael.

Though the descendants of Abraham whom God promised were to emerge from Isaac, his brother Ishmael also received God’s favor hearing his cry while yet a child and it is through Ishmael that God make an also great nation composed of our Muslim brothers.

Accordingly, if you would permit me I’ll convey that on the start of my journey as I was drawing myself farther deep in the waters of Boracay somehow with the thought that my life was useless and that it has met its destiny having preached to the monks and that I forgot that I still have my family, relatives and friends that love me, I’ve already decided that I would kill myself and end my life like Isaac being offered by Abraham and Jesus being offered by the Father in heaven both bound to die.

The waters were already deep that my feet won’t touch the sand in the bottom as I began sinking and then surging up again, and to think that I don’t know how to swim except for paddling like a dog. As my face looked up in heaven, I was overwhelmed with the vision. In place of stars were the neon lights colored yellow forming the faces of different saints. I could identify St. Therese and St. Francis. As I was focused in the vision, a thought came into my mind with me saying to myself, “Maybe I still have a role to play on this earth and a mission to fulfill.”

As a result, I faced the shore and to my surprise, I was already so far from the shoreline. That realization troubled me much that I began shouting at the top of my voice in Tagalog, “Saklolo, nalulunod ako! Tulong!” meaning, “Help I’m drowning! Somebody rescue me!” Then as if in movies, lights were unsealed in the shore spreading its luster of brightness, and the motorboats as if in magic, which excited me though I began to panic, draw fast to me, which many of them on board were fishermen or other residents of Boracay.

One among them was fast to rescue me as he began swimming towards, and as somehow in a bit we collided though gently, and I said to him, “You are the Jesus in my life! Then he said, “Don’t struggle further, and just allow me to hold your neck and I will draw you to the boat.” As I reached the shore, I was as if in triumph that I began dancing chanting and singing, “Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, I love you Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ!”

Then my mind was blocked, and I already know not what I’m doing as I shoved off my new white short pants and jostled my new white t-shirt both with the imprints of Boracay which I’ve bought from asking alms while saying, “Peace be with you! We arrived via Philippine Airlines to Kalibo, and we’re going back to Tagaytay immediately tomorrow. We’re from Franciscan Conventuals and we’re here to bid you peace, any amount please?”

I found myself sitting in the bar counter of the immediate restaurant plain and exposed saying, “You have fooled Christ two thousand years ago, now you can never fool him anymore.” That was already December of year 1991. Then they gave to me my white long pants with the cloth like that of which are used in aprons which I’ve placed in the mount of rocks and the pants were already dusty unlike my short that is new, which I have just newly bought. I can’t already remember well if I have worn a dusty white polo. And you know what happened? They grabbed each to them my new white t-shirt and new white short pants with imprints of Boracay owning these to them.

Likewise in the scriptures, they also cast lots for who would obtain the robe of Jesus. Though I’m so thankful that they have saved me from being drowned, I feel sad that they retrieved my new Boracay t-shirt and short pants which I have bought out of the pennies that I have begged from them. However, I’m grateful to those who gave me alms for they sustained me in the time of my need. And moreover, to the residents of Boracay who had been so generous of their resources, a million thanks buddies! I’m exceedingly glad of your hospitality.

 Here I pause again for a prayer.

Walk up and down

The Bible says that daily we need to search the scriptures. We need not debate or have a discussion, but just simply to have in our own modest way an exchange of views and of light about the word of God that we may be wise ourselves with this wisdom coming from God as the Father teaches us through the enlightenment coming from the Holy Spirit as we read the words of the Son in the Bible and other explanations coming from the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, and others.

                                                

These that we discover do not necessarily make us proud or conceited but that we may have the knowledge to help others understand too the Bible. There are also a lot of people concerned about the Godhead, especially about the Holy Spirit and the miracles happening in our lives today. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, though it seem it does, yet a statement in the Bible does not actually contradict another statement we find, and we need not be confused. It is only in our mind that we seem to see contradictions.

We read in the Bible that, “We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in one who is true, that is in his Son Jesus Christ! He is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20).” So we hear from the scripture itself, that it is the Son himself who has given us the light on who is true. Of course we know that truth comes from the Father and he is true being the Creator. But there is this Son that comes from the Father and that he is not only true but he himself is the true God and eternal life making him a Deity and not just the man that is in one accord with the Father. It is the Father himself who has given us the knowledge that truth comes from his Son Jesus Christ.

To add that every knowledge is an inspiration from the Holy Spirit speaking not of himself but that from which he hears, the Spirit also is another one who is true, that makes the triune all true forming the Trinity. But the question is where does this three dwell or how are they manifested?

Saul in his journey was enveloped with a light from heaven. Likewise he fell on earth and heard a voice saying unto him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Thus, Saul who was later named Paul said, “Who are you, Sir?” Hence the reply came, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting! Now get up and go to the city and you will be told what you must do.” So it appears here that the God who speaks though nowhere can Paul see this God, for he finds no one but the light except for the voice, is Jesus! The three persons of the Godhead is Jesus! Furthermore, it is quite a wonder that these three are distinct from each other but function well as one God, who is Jesus! He is not just the Son, but also the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Likewise, here we pause for a prayer.

We then need to repent of our being unreasonable and pray to the Lord, that if possible our intention may be forgiven. So why should we argue with each other when in tranquility we can commune as friends for as we see that the Bible’s statements do not actually contradict each other? Accordingly, no matter how others may twist the light they derive from the scriptures it is clear that the Deity of God is an absolute mystery explainable by our God himself.

Though we can derive some truth as we may place the word in the discourse and pray that the Spirit speak to the churches that we may find truth, we are not even halfway to the truth for the true God and eternal life is Jesus himself and it is he through the light from the Spirit and the permission and blessing of the Father can best explain about his nature. However, we cannot capsulate this truth about the nature of God or of Jesus for if we do so, we make our God smaller. But our God is big! Thus His power extends all throughout everything. He is present in all bounds being omnipresent. Also, neither can any duality fathom this mystery that is revealed only in God’s will.

So we are here as Christians standing before the door. If we are permitted to enter, it is not only the door that will be opened for us to enter but also even windows where we can find the Virgin Mary, our Mother waiting for us to climb through the rope, which she extends for us to grip upon. But when the master says, “I know you not!” no matter how we cry and grind our teeth if his decision is firm, we having not filled our oil containers in preparation for the wedding or the feast, we can no longer be permitted to enter being left after the caughting up.

The word is clear, “In the moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet will sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed (I Corinthians 15:52). For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (I Thessalonians 4:16-18 KJV).”

We are one big family, and all deserve salvation for we all have a claim in this! Thus, we need to be guarded, and likewise in our body we need to wear the breastplate of righteousness, and on our head the helmet of salvation, and be ready for the sound of the trumpet. For in the time destined, one shall be taken and the other left; one shall be grinding in the mill and her companion shall be caught up in the air; the foolish virgin shall not find oil and shall lose track of time, but the wise virgin shall with her lamp filled with oil which is the Holy Spirit be there to meet the Lord in the air and shall ever be with the Lord. Repent, or else the Lord will come to us quickly! And he will knock on doors and he will sup with us.

Furthermore, one shall say unto him, “What are these wounds on your chest? What are these wounds in your hands?” He shall answer, “ With these I was wounded in the house of my dear ones (Zechariah 13:6).” Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega; he is the beginning and the ending! If anyone thirsts, let him come to Him and drink for out of his belly shall then flow rivers of living water.

The Lord said, “ I will strengthen you in the Lord; and you shall walk up and down in my name (Zechariah 10:12)!” May we friends then find our comfort in the Lord?

Dual stinger

As I continue, I pray that I will not speak of my own but that of the Spirit that He derives from what He hears as this Spirit speak unto the churches. And I humbly acknowledge the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, which I invoke that I may not be speaking against the doctrines of the Church.

Jesus said, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always (John 14:16).” The word here “another” speaks that the nature of the Advocate or Comforter is of the same kind as that of the Father and the Son, meaning it is the same God. The word “I will” speaks of the authority of Jesus meaning he has the same claim to the possession of the Father being also God himself, so that makes the three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as both God distinct from each other yet of the same Deity or Divinity.

Another scripture worth to ponder is when a man Ananias, with his wife sold a piece of property. He retained for himself, with his wife’s knowledge, some of the purchase price, and took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart so that you lied to the Holy Spirit and retained part of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain yours? And when it was sold, was it not still under your control? Why did you contrive this deed? You have lied not to human beings but to God (Acts 5:2-4).”

In this scripture, it speaks that the Holy Spirit, that Ananias lied against and with the deed against the Spirit’s will, with Ananias keeping for himself part of the price of the property, was not a human being or any other ordinary spirit but a God. Ananias himself who was lying to the Holy Spirit lies to God making it clear that there was a third person of the Trinity which is also a Deity. It follows, that when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last, and great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Likewise, it is said in the scriptures that you can device a humor before the Father and the Son, but you should not say a joke on the Holy Spirit for this couldn’t be forgiven. What fear came to me as I may be offending the Holy Spirit in some of my pronouncements? But my trust of God and my being a childlike before the Holy Spirit in full submission to his control make me relieved of the guilt and make me trust the Spirit.

On the Pentecost Sunday the year 2007 as I was listening to the talk delivered by a jolly priest, him mentioning about the selfishness over the content of what words we proclaim, I felt I was struck. As a result, when I arrived home I feel a new person, separating from God my sense of duality, and obtaining for myself a completely different existence freeing me from the concept of yoga. I feel my link and special favor with God was broken, and obtains for myself a link, which is dependent upon the mercy of God in full submission to him not as a dual stinger but as a child in his arms.

With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I feel it is but proper to mention some special favors I’ve received before. When I was newly distributing the research paper about the Godhead, every time I seclude in buildings, it rains usually in downpour and when I’m about to leave the building, rain usually stops in perfect timing. I was listening to the radio broadcast aired in a tricycle radio, with the announcer wondering how it is that it was so bright with sunshine and all of a sudden it turns cloudy and it rained hard, and after a few minutes the rain stopped and the sun did shine again.

As a result, yes, I was smiling. This favor happens many times with the white dove coming in the backyard for four to five days and so tamed that you can feed it within the time the Spirit permits my so-called manifestation when my chanting and acclamation about the scriptures were so strong.

I remember too one incident that happened when the favor was so strong. We were awakened at about 11:00 p.m. by a shouting of a fire, and we found out that our neighbor’s house is on flame. Another neighbor, whose house is adjacent to ours and is beside the house on fire, was throwing gravels to the flaming roof beside them with the help of other neighbors and also opened their garden hose.

It is perhaps with the Spirit’s will that I was reminded of the Bible. Likewise I opened it and let its unfolded pages face the house on fire. While I was alternately in tongues as I was uttering my prayers, the whole family prayed hard for a rain. And so, after a few minutes, there was a drizzle that progressed to a downpour.

Though it rained hard, it was not enough to save our neighbor’s house but the conflagration was prevented from spreading that emancipated other houses from being caught on fire. The fire truck also arrived that prevented the adjacent rest house of the burning residence from being caught also in flame.

In the morning we found out that the damage was severe. Our neighbor whom I call Auntie being also a distant relative of ours declared that the damage amounted to 3.5 million pesos including the value of their appliances. We’re so sorry for what happened to our Aunt’s house. On the contrary we feel that favor was on the rest of the neighboring houses for without the rain, the fire might have scattered impairing other houses.