In Christ Alone.

March 26, 2012 (M)

Now playing: Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Things I’ve been realizing.

1. God doesn’t want my tithes (my money for the matter). He wants my heart.

Magbigay man ako ng tithes, ubusin ko man ang pera ko para sa offering o libre, kung wala ang puso ko, wala.

Even if I give myself to the poor, if I have not love, I am nothing.

­God loves a cheerful giver.

Of course God has no need of my money. But He is very concerned about my heart. If my heart is like His, if my heart knows how to give and with that, knows how to believe and trust Him.

It’s not just giving to be blessed but giving because I am already blessed. And in the end of it, I will end up blessed all the more! Because it’s a reality - it is more blessed to give than to receive.

And it will manifest! It will manifest! Everything inside will spring out outside. Sometimes, people fake the outside to hide what’s really inside. But things happen to reveal what really is inside. It can come in every need provided when you just don’t know how it’s gonna be. It can come in abundance that’s overwhelming, you can help your thanksgiving. But above it all, you’ll be free. Free from possessions possessing you. That’s why whether you are full or hungry, whatever situation you may be in, you become content and joyful. 

At yun eh, pag natutuwa si Lord, naku, di Nya matitiis na magbuhos ng pagpapala. :) Rumaragasang pagpapala.

Let every tithes and offering be an expression of “I love You. I trust You,” to God.

Kill selfishness and apathy through giving.

2. There are things that feels fun at the moment but then later when it’s over, you feel empty because there is no fulfillment, no purpose.

There are also things that doesn’t feel fun at all but at the end, whatever pain or discomfort you felt is forgotten because it cannot match to the joy and fulfillment of accomplishing something worthwhile (not just wasting time).

You’re addicted to thrills? What an empty life! 

   The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.  -Proverbs 21:17

3. Sin means missing the mark. If you miss your destiny, if you don’t fulfill it, you are living a life of sin.

My destiny, God’s original design, what He had in mind when He created is for me to live in His Presence. That’s what paradise is.

He made me to be holy like Him. And yeah, if you’re walking with God, you will never go wrong. If you’re walking with God, if His Presence goes before you, you will need not worry whether you’re taking the right steps or not, you are..if you are following Him. He leads and all you’ve got to do is follow.

Trust Him, He knows the way to your best ending. 

And in the end of this walk on earth, the greatest joy is to see the Master face to face and hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Walking with God is my destiny. Jesus is my Destiny.

4. I want to graduate. 

I didn’t know it at first but after the Life Party, when some of my batchmates were graduating, I know I am meant to finish and finish strong.

I didn’t know or maybe I forgot that graduation is glorious. Maybe that’s why I want it. After I’ve seen it.

Parang si Lord, when you get a glimpse of His glory, you would want to see Him face to face. And you can withstand anything that goes your way.

Just a glimpse of the joy at the end.

At syempre, my dream course, Linguistics.

Jonnaphril Pepito Lastima

Graduate, BA Linguistics 

University of the Philippines, Diliman

So be it, in Jesus’ name.

It pays to take life seriously; 

   things work out when you trust in God. -Proverbs 16:20

Now playing: Hold Nothing Back (Bethel Live)

Dahil di kaya ng net ang twitter… dito na lang ako…

Ang nararamdaman ko ngayon ay matinding asar.. yung tipong ang sarap sumigaw na maririnig ako ng buong Pilipinas o kahit ng buong UP lang, ang sarap magtapon ng kung ano, basta yung marelease tong galit na ‘to. Kaya eto, magsusulat na lang ako.. sana mabasa to ng marami lalo na yung mga kinaaasaran ko. Sino ba sila? Dami nila eh. Libo.

Katatapos lang ng USC elections sa UP Diliman. Hindi nanalo ang gusto kong manalong leader at nanalo yung ayaw ko. Haha. Pambihira (uy! natawa ako) Pero yun, di yun ang dahilan kung bakit asar ako. Asar ako kasi 48.9% lang ang bumoto! Pambihira! Hindi man lang umabot ng 50%! Konti na lang! (naku, ayan na ang ‘!’)
Asar ako kasi ang laki ng tsansang iba ang naging resulta. At hindi ako makontento na hindi naman talaga pumili ang buong student body.
Anong pinaggagawa nila at hindi sila nakaboto? Hanggang 7:30pm na nga eh! Hindi naman aabutin ng isang oras yun. Shocks. Hindi nga ako nalate sa 2:30pm class ko kahit 2pm na ako umalis ng dorm para bumoto. (may palagay akong magiging mahaba to..buhusan na ‘to)
Bakit hindi sila bumoto? May iba, nasa dorm lang. Bakit daw? Malayo. Ha? Kaya nga may ikot e. What a LAME excuse! Naiinis ako sa A-P-A-T-H-Y (with clenched teeth). Ano yun? Bakit ganun isko? Iska? Ano ka ba? Kung ganyan ang ugali mo, wag ka nang mag-UP. Hindi ito ang unibersidad para sa mga walang pakialam at tamad.
Hindi itinatag at nagpapatuloy ang unibersidad na ito para lang sa makasarili mong mga ambisyon (Ewan nga eh kung may pangarap ka ba o gusto mo lang mag-survive, o sumasabay ka lang sa daloy ng panahon, kasi kailangan mo nang magcollege, magtrabaho, magkapera..lalalala… so ano kayang pinagkaiba nun sa hayop? (maliban sa sophistication ng tekno at fashion mo) Bakit? May passion ka ba? Buhay ka ba talaga? O humihingang makina lang?)).
Baka sinasabi mo ang O.A ko. Kailangan ba talaga ganun? (hindi ko namalayang iba na pala ang kinakausap ko dito..sila na.. :D)
Eh sa nasa Unibersidad NG PILIPINAS ka eh. Ang tawag sayo iskolar NG BAYAN. Gaano man kalaki o kaliit ang binabayaran mo, wala pa din yan sa share ng taong bayan para matamasa mo ang mataas na kalidad na edukasyon. Kung di mo pa alam, hindi ka lang basta mag-aaral, hindi ka lang basta kabataan. Isko, iska, may MABIGAT na responsibilidad na nakaatas (tama ba yung word?) sa mga balikat mo.
(loud sigh)
Naisip ko tuloy…siguro dapat ang ituro sa dalawang taon ng k12 ay kulturang Filipino, nasyonalismo, values… grabe.. sobrang kailangan natin to.
Sana hindi tahimik ang mga magulang para sabihan ang mga anak kung anong tama, na hindi pera ang pinakaimportanteng bagay sa mundo..
Siguro dapat may bahagi sa test ng UPCAT na susukatin ang pag-ibig sa bayan ng mga nais pumasok sa PINAKAprimyadong unibersidad sa bansa..
buti na lang may PI 100, sana matutunan talaga ng mga kukuha at kumukuha nito ang tinuturo nito..

Still, I believe it is not an accident why we’re here in this university. Out of all the millions (?)
At alam ko, naniniwala si Lord sa’tin. Kakabaliw lang ata kung panong mahal na mahal Nya parin ang ganito katigas at makasariling henerasyon. At hindi ko hinihiwalay ang sarili ko.
Ang dami ko pang dapat ilago hanggang sa maging less and less selfish…
buti na lang, may grace. Buti na lang. May pag-asa pa. Magbabago pa ‘to. :) (totoong ngiti to!)
Alam ko! Magbabago pa ‘to!
Nanjan naman ang gamot sa pagiging makasarili - Pag-ibig - kitang kita sa cross.
Tara! Sabay sabay tayong magbago! :D
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