A few months ago, over at my personal blog,  I posted my take on the inspirational film, "Facing the Giants"... a wonderful Christian movie that excites, inspires and tugs the heart... A motion picture that talks about real life situations and the types of things that our young people are going through.  A film that makes you laugh... and makes you cry... it gets you excited not only about the sport of football, but about living for God and having your priorities right where they belong.

Almost all of my buddies in community recommended this motion picture to me as most of them, if not all, have been touched by it.

Last week, I've been emailed by Monique Sondag (Lovell-Fairchild Communications), a member of the PR team for Sherwood Pictures - creators of "Facing the Giants".  Apparently, she chanced upon my review, thanked me for my support of the film on my blog and updated me on their upcoming movie, entitled, "FIREPROOF", which is due to hit theaters by September 2008.  Likewise, she asked me if I could help out in promoting this soon to be released motion picture through my blog.  Given how wonderful and inspiring their previous films were and how it greatly touched me, my family and community, no doubt that I'd gladly help them out.

THE STORY:

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind.

At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules.

Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter... just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband.

Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks. As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare".

Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees - for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the book's daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened.  While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?".

When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And with God's help, he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife.

But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.

Watch the theatrical trailer here:

According to the press release material that was provided to me, it says the following:

“Fireproof” mirrors the problems of many marriages, in this case through a firefighter whose high-stress job spills into his home life. Hitting on pain points common to married life—from indifference to insults to emotional affairs and internet porn—the story opens with a couple’s disintegration.

“Most movies are about relationships that lead to marriage,” Michael Catt, of Sherwood Pictures said. “‘Fireproof’ picks up seven years into a marriage headed for divorce. And the question is: Can a cold marriage revive? Why stay together?”

“Facing the Giants” tackled personal fear and failure. Now “Fireproof” asks what makes a true hero.

“This movie is about fireproofing your most important earthly relationship,” Executive Producer Jim McBride said. “Our hope and prayer is that people will be touched by the story of Caleb and Catherine and commit to fireproofing their marriages—no matter what state those marriages are currently in.”

FIREPROOF stars Kirk Cameron as Capt. Caleb Holt.  Kirk is a Hollywood veteran known to millions as Mike Seaver from the long-running sitcom Growing Pains.

An action-packed love story, FIREPROOF will have audiences laughing, crying, and inching toward the edge of their seats as they are drawn into the world of a firefighter, his wife ... and a marriage worth rescuing.

Definitely a movie worth featuring during Couples Night at Elim!

My wife recently had old friends over to the house to celebrate the birthday of an old classmate of theirs.  Back in the day, they were a close knit band of rowdy friends hanging out not just in campus but around town as well... They'd go to bars, restaurants, regular hang-outs just to chit-chat the night away while drinking alcohol coupled with a handful (to put it mildly) of cigarettes on the side.

This was their old life.  Mine didn't differ too much from theirs... sans the smoking and drinking of course.  I never was the drinking type... nor was I hooked on nicotine and tobacco.  But that doesn't mean my old life was more righteous in any sense... it was just as regretful.

Though I didn't participate in booze sessions within the confines of smoke filled bars and restaurants with friends, I did engage in conversations with them which promoted distasteful humor and gossip and reveled in others misfortunes just to name a few.  Who hasn't at one time or another?

But now that my wife and I have entered community and renewed our personal relationship with the Lord, it has totally transformed us and completely overhauled our way of life.  It has changed the way we act, the way we speak, even the way we think.

But just as we get more and more comfortable being around folks who share the same zeal and faith in God, more and more also do we get uncomfortable with individuals who engage in immoral and ungodly activities which we once considered to be "okay".

I remember when, a few months back, I was invited to go to an event out of community wherein it would expose me to the old crowd that I used to hang out with... I was, at first, eager to touch base with them and catch up on old times... but as soon as I was in the same room with them, everything seemed so different... it felt really weird... in front of me were people whom I used to be very very close with and yet it was as if the way we were conversing was that of one stranger talking to another... shooting the breeze, so to speak, took so much effort on my part... in fact, the usual gossiping  and worldly humor that could be seen (and heard) in every corner of the room made me want to bolt out and go home.

It was apparent that I have significantly detached myself from these worldly and unnecessary practices.

But I realized soon after that it wasn't enough for me to just be satisfied with being in  and around community and to simply keep off the "outside" world and its false promises which I have so quickly grown out of.  In as much as I'd like to avoid being away from the company of people in community, so too must I be immersed in situations wherein I am put in the midst of individuals who are caught up in worldly matters.

It is our mission to bring the word of God to people who have not fully realized the impact it has in their lives.  The Word is not something to be kept only within yourself... The Word was meant to be shared in order to save everyone from eternal damnation.  We have the Word within us... and by being in the presence of those who have yet to encounter Christ in a more personal manner, it is through us and our witnessing that they may be able to gain knowledge and ultimately salvation.

The salt has to be in the soup, in a manner of speaking.

"You are the salt of the Earth...", says Matthew 5:13... "salt", the ingredient which effects preservation and prevents corruption...

Salt are we who have heard the Good News and incorporate it in our daily life.  Salt are those who have learned of Christ and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

Not the apostles, not ministers only; but all of us who are thus holy, are the salt of the earth - are to season others.

Now, whenever I find myself in situations wherein I am in the company of those who aren't part of community, I rejoice and give thanks.  I do so knowing for a fact that the Lord has given me another opportunity to spread the Good News... a new opportunity to testify and to witness to others...

...to truly live the life of one who is called a disciple of Christ...

...one who is a "fisher of men".

Last Wednesday... we headed back to Rosario, Cavite to resume our regular weekly Team Revival Nights.  We didn't hold one the previous Wednesday since it was Holy Week.

Well, I'm glad (and relieved) to see that a good amount of kids have started coming back to attend service.  Seems like the "body organ snatching syndicate" (for lack of a better name) have died down a bit.  But that doesn't mean they aren't around... they just probably wanted to lay low for the moment.

The syndicate have not been caught yet... but how could they if the authorities themselves are the ones who are first to ignore the cries of the helpless victims?  The police and government agencies have quickly dismissed the issue as rumors and make believe.

I have already delved on that issue "in depth" on one of my previous posts so I won't go another round at it for now... my story is about the kids who have come back.

It was like a breath of fresh air... seeing the little children playing all around the Marian Hall before the start of service.  The noise that we were used to... the laughter and tiny happy shrieks of boys and girls all around the venue gave renewed hope to the dwellers of Elim, Rosario that love ever abounds and that the Lord always triumphs over evil.

We pray that the horrible incidents of the past weeks are now over and behind us.  And though some people may say that since our authorities have discounted these reports as nonsense... there is nothing we can do, I would be quick to disagree.

There is something we can do.  Pray.  True and effective prayer.  In fact, it is the only effective means of battling and overcoming every form of affliction and adversity.  It is something most people have taken for granted... a way of life that has now been degraded to some sort of ritual... a personal relationship with our Almighty God that has been traded for a life of uncertainty.

This is our wake up call.  God is our first resort... not our last.  If he isn't first in your lives... then a reevaluation is in order.

Be like the kids in Rosario... learn from them... See their faith.  Feel their faith.

It is what brings them back to service... back to the Lord... again and again.  No matter what the cost...

...even their lives.

"The best place any Christian can ever be in is to be totally destitute and totally dependent upon God, and know it."  - Alan Redpath

I was used!!!  Yes... indeed, I was.  But this particular phrase is more commonly associated with deception and opportunistic agendas conjured by conniving individuals, right?  You hear it time and time again... on television, in the movies, all over... " I was used!".  In fact, it's even so common that the phrase sounds so cliche!

Okay, let me elaborate on how I was actually "used"...

We Christians (Catholics and otherwise) believe that God constantly presents opportunities for us to be a blessing to others... we just have to be conscious about these chances.

When you ask something of God, provisions or blessings, the Lord will ask of us to be all the more giving.  This is totally opposite from what a worldly person would say.  Material thinking would tell your better judgement to tighten up.

Just read the bible... Jesus teaches us all throughout the Gospels to do the opposite... "give in order to receive"... "love your enemies"... "when you're hit on the left cheek, give your right cheek"... it goes on and on... yet the lot of us still refuse to follow.

Why am I talking about this?  What has this got to do with me being used?

Well... on our way home late last night, as I was driving, my wife started speaking to the Lord... I just heard her saying, "I love you, Lord..." like a little girl being sweet to a daddy.  I asked her why... she said she was asking for provisions since our wallets were almost running on empty.  So, I myself engaged in an informal prayer... more like a simple conversation with God.  Remember, this was all happening as I was driving home looking for a place to stop by to have a quick dinner.

We passed by a lot of pretty decent fast food restaurants but somehow weren't attracted to any of them.  We were led to a simple open-air restaurant for no reason... so we parked and went in.

As we were eating... we noticed a couple by the corner of the counter near where we were seated.  They were blind and drinking sodas.  I realized... "Hey, these are the blind beggars that I always encounter on the same street I pass by whenever I head to our community's headquarters.

My wife and I were so crushed as we saw them obviously hungry and settling for a soda and water.  It was all they could afford.  We decided to order food for them... it didn't matter that they didn't know who it came from as long as they understood that it was a blessing from the Lord and NOT from us.  Then we ordered a plate of beef and rice for them... and it touched us all the more when we saw the beggar give thanks to the Lord and prayed before eating.  It dawned on me immediately that we were led to that particular place by the Lord to become channels of blessing from God to these needy individuals.  We were used by God to bless others. 

Truly, the Lord is great!  He blesses those in need and at the same time opens our hearts to Him.  We ask for blessings so He asks us to be giving to others... and in that way the Lord blesses us back as well.

By ministering to them, we are ministered back by realizing that whatever little we consider to have is still a whole lot when compared to others who have practically nothing... not even their sights.

"Whatever you did for the least of My brothers and sisters, you did for Me."   - Matthew 25:40

It feels great to be used.  Praise be to God forever!

Earlier this week, I went to the hospital where my grandfather was admitted. He was in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and was pretty much in bad shape when I came to see him. Most of his immediate family were there to get word on his condition... some offered prayers and made sure the doctors were tending to him competently.

You see, my grandfather has been suffering from Cancer for quite some time now... Cancer... the Big "C" (as some would call it). What's interesting to note, however, was that my grandfather was still talkative and in high spirits just last week when he was also admitted to the hospital but for a different reason... (hernia surgery).

Now he's back in the same hospital... but this time, doctors say he might not be able to leave that place anymore. His entire body just isn't responding to any of the medications that are being given to him anymore. He was given a plasma treatment which he so desperately needs to recover but was ordered by doctors to immediately suspend treatment since his body couldn't take it any longer and was just damaging his heart all the more. His kidneys have already shut down just yesterday and has completely deteriorated. His dialysis costs roughly P50,000.00 (equivalent to about $1,250.00) per session.

As I entered his ICU room, I could see my grandmother and my mother crying... I touched my grandfather and spoke to him. He heard my voice... nodded... murmured something I couldn't understand (because of the tubes inserted into his mouth)... and tried to open his eyes to see me.

It crushed me.

I didn't know what to do. All of a sudden, I heard a soft voice whisper to me... "Pray now. Pray for your grandfather." I knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me... compelling me to engage in prayer and to lift up to the Lord my grandfather's well-being.

And so I did. I prayed over him... I asked the Lord to send forth the Spirit... to give my grandfather the inspiration to pray and seek forgiveness from God for everything that he believes should still be confessed. I prayed for healing... not just for physical healing... but for the healing of hearts and of relationships between him and family members... healing of emotions.

Though I trust that the Lord can heal my grandfather if He so wills it, I trust God all the more with the plan that He has for his life. I have so much faith in my Lord... regardless of the outcome. I praise and glorify His name for His will is divine.

The Big "C" has no power over my Big "G" (God). Though it seems that Cancer has taken its toll on my grandpa's body... it has no effect over his spirit. His body may be broken, but his soul is made whole by the Lord...

...and that's all that really matters. Hah! Take THAT, Cancer!

My God wins.

I was recently messaged by cool pal, Kevin Jones (lead singer of the New Wave group “Two Minds Crack” and composer of the hit song “Upside Down”).  For those wondering where he is nowadays... Kevin now owns his own recording studio in the United Kingdom and also sits in as Sound Engineer for quite a number of popular foreign musical artists.

He informed me that he re-recorded “Upside Down” with a totally different musical arrangement and approach… far from the original incarnation of it.

It’ll be included in his upcoming solo album.

He asked me to listen to it and give my two cents.  So I did.  Personally, it’s pretty cool… more laid back with an acoustic feel.  But the vocals were unmistakable… the timbre of his voice is the same though he sounds more relaxed (which is actually a good thing!).

He offered to send me a CD of a rough mix of his entire album before he does his album mastering... this way, I'll be able to review and go through the tracks first and be able to input a few of my suggestions.

I just hope his album comes out here in the Philippines… but nevertheless, we always have Amazon.com to turn to in case it doesn’t… or maybe a few relatives in Europe and the US who could probably be bothered to send a copy over.

Nevertheless, not to sound like a “hard sell”… this is one album worth looking forward to… the new version of “Upside Down” is sure to bring back good (and maybe for some, heartbroken) memories but with a new “feel” to it.

Not sure when the album is coming out but I’ll be sure to inform you guys soon.

Having a personal relationship with God is great… it’s probably the best feeling there is… but you shouldn’t think that your life serving God stops there.  Praying to the Lord and cultivating a productive and effective prayer time IS NOT enough… remember, it isn’t ever about YOU… it never should be.  It’s all about HIM.  What does He desire for all of us?  It is for us to strive hard to become disciples… followers… to become instruments of blessing and to be fishers of men.

Our mission here on Earth is not just to know God… not just to understand His word… not just to connect with our Creator… it is to be a part of something far far greater than ourselves… to be able to spread the Good News to every corner of the world.  To let Christ be known everywhere.  In our own little way, we can minister and share God’s love to others… be it your neighbor, your classmate, your friend, officemates, even your enemy.

Has God touched you in a special way?  Has he performed miracles in your life?  Perhaps, a blessing or provisions that he has showered upon you?  If so, don’t keep it to yourself… share your story, chronicle it and testify as to how the Lord has changed your life… let every event in your life serve as a means to glorify God… every event… everything.  Yes, everything… including your struggles.

How you may ask?

By overcoming these difficulties through God’s grace and power, people can see how the Lord works in your life… ultimately, it is the Lord who is lifted up and glorified.  Through every achievement, every recognition… praise Him.  Praise God for everything that comes your way… fade into the shadows and let Him be the one to take center stage.

Serve Him with all your heart.  Put Him ahead of everything else… regardless of how important other matters may be to you… nothing but nothing comes first BUT the Lord.  Especially when he calls upon you to serve… or to act upon something.  You’ll never know when He’ll seek to use you but when He does… we should all be ready to drop everything and respond faithfully.  This is where we are tested.  Can you actually do it?  Really?  What if you’re supposed to work on something that client requires which is supposed to merit you a substantial financial gain in return?  Can you forego something like that to heed God’s call?

Worldly thinking would consider this to be stupid.  What if I desperately need the cash?  What if client gets mad?  What if my boss doesn’t understand?  What if…?  What if…?

Don’t expect them to understand… just simply follow the Lord.  Blind faith.  Total surrender.  Godly surrender.  Respond.

As the Good News says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all else shall be given you besides".  Nothing… nothing else comes first.  Do not allow anyone to tell you otherwise.  Individuals inclined to worldly thinking would be quick to disagree… naturally.  Worldly ideals… matters and crooked morals that have been embedded into our culture and materialistic way of life would be quick to question how one can sustain a life of true discipleship.

But it IS more than possible.  It is life’s best reality.  And it is only ultimately comprehended once you actually engage in the practice of this kind of surrender.

The first step is always the hardest… but the Lord asks this of us all.

To blindly surrender all worldly norms… and live under the norms of true Godly spirituality.

The norm under which the Lord intended for all of us to live by.