Reducing the Bible

If the Bible can be reduced to one sentence, what would that be? What would the central theme of the Bible be? I know some of you would say love, grace, sacrifice, passion, etc. And although these themes are evident in Holy Writ, none is the central theme. Before you take up your stones, hear me out. I am aware that the Bible says the God so loved the world that he sent his Son so none would perish. I totally agree that love motivated our Father's actions. But why did he send his Son? I believe the answer is found in Gen 1:26, And God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over... all the earth." God made man for one central purpose: to have dominion over the earth. Unfortunately, Adam abdicated his role as ruler of the planet to an unemployed cherub, who later took on the title "god of this world." From Gen 3 all the way till the end of the Sciprtures is God's unfolding plan of redemption in order to reconnect man to God and re-establish the Kingdom of God on earth.

Lay your mind on this: Jesus came to preach one message, and one message, only. Matt 4:17 records the sole topic of his messages throughout his public ministry: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Lk 4:43, "But I must preach the kingdom of God..." Matt 24:14, "And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole worl as a testimony to many nations, and then the end shall come." Matt 6:33 declares "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Jesus was obssessed with the kingdom of his Father. Jesus didn't preach on any other message - not on prosperity, deliverance, or even about being born again! He taught on these topics, but he never preached on them. In fact, we spend more time telling people to be born again when Jesus only mentioned this once, to one person, and at midnight at that.

Perhaps a change in diet is in order. We should seriously consider what we serve every Sunday in our churches. Let's keep it simple. Jesus said, "Follow me!" Let's do that. We need to reprioritize what we do and preach. I believe it was also Jesus that said, "I only do what I see my Father doing. I only speak what I hear my Father speak." It is my firm belief that when we return to the original intent of God, we will soon see the Kingdom of God re-established on earth.

My next blog will address some fundamental differences between a monarchy and a democracy.

The Kingdom of God

A kingdom’s central figure is the king. He is the sovereign ruler and his authority establishes the kingdom. The king is also a lord, which means he personally owns EVERYTHING within his domain – including the people in it. The rights and privileges of the citizens of a kingdom are extended at the graces and mercies of the king. Furthermore, a king is not voted into power, nor can he be voted out or impeached. If the king is wicked, the people suffer.

The kingdom of God is a very real kingdom. It is even more real than the country you currently live in. Every kingdom has the following elements:
• A king
• A territory
• A constitution
• Citizens
• An army
• A code of ethics
• A commonwealth
• A social culture

God’s kingdom is no different. It is only with a kingdom paradigm that Isaiah’s prophecy becomes clearer: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. (9:6-7)

Your president will still sleep well at night whether you get to pay your utility bills or not, whether you have a place to sleep in or are evicted, or whether your children go to school or not. A king however, takes everything personally. He makes sure that your needs are met. The state of the kingdom and its citizens is the glory of the king. Poverty becomes a personal shame.

I think other religions understand this concept more than Christians. I was once invited to speak in a Muslim nation. Unknowingly, I blurted out, “Jesus is Lord over (name of nation)!” After the service I was gently corrected by my host not to make statements like that when there are people in the congregation that they did not know. When I asked why, he gave me an answer that permanently shattered my ignorance. He said that Muslims are out to establish their kingdom. When you say Jesus is Lord over this nation, you are making a treasonous statement because that means you are toppling their government and establishing another government. Wow! I never saw it like that. Our mindset is too religious. We are thinking religion and faith while others are thinking kingdoms and governments. We have missed the point all along.

Next blog I’ll talk about a king. How does he differ from other earthly rulers? What are some characteristics that differentiate him from other rulers? Why did God manifest himself as king as opposed to president or prime minister or dictator?

The Democratic Flow (Flaw) of the Church

One of the biggest problems of the Church today, whether of modern- or post-modern paradigms, is her democratic bias. Whether we like it or not, our theology has been shaped by and large by Western minds. This has to some extent been disadvantageous to the third world countries. About two centuries ago, the United States became a democratic nation. Those familiar with this great nation's history know that her forefathers fled Great Britain to escape religious persecution. It was in the New World that they forged a nation which will very soon become the "land of the free and the home of the brave." Whether deliberately or as a matter of evolution, even her religion, Christianity, evolved into a something that destabilized its very underpinnings. It was at the birth of denominations that this democratic bias finally took firm hold of Christianity.

In the people's desire to "manage" Church, Inc., they naturally embraced democracy as a form of government and ecclesiastical political structure. But is this wrong? Isn't democracy better than socialism or communiism or even parliamentarism in the church? Some have even gone so far as to even make a CEO of the pastor. A travesty, in my estimation.

God is a King, not a president, prime minister, or dictator. A king rules a kingdom. A monarchy is diametrically different from other forms of political rule. Until the people of God learn how to operate in the Kingdom of God, we will, at best, come up with good ideas on morality, but always stumble and fall short of the precepts of God. Many thrid world nations have a better grasp of moanrchies than many Western first world nations.

My next few blogs will further explain my point.

Reduce Your Life!

There is a reason why you are here on planet Earth. That reason is your purpose. That purpose is God's will. Only God knows why you're here. No one else on this planet can tell you why you are here, the reason for your existence. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans not to harm you, but to prosper you that you might have hope and a future."

When you don't know your purpose, your life is an experiment. When you don't know your purpose, you waste your time, resources, strength, talents... your life. Purpose is what gets you up every morning - including Mondays. Purpose is the "why" of your life. Until you know your purpose, nothing makes sense. Purpose is what gives meaning even to your suffering, difficulties, sorrows, pain, and hardships. Purpose makes you go one more step after a failure, and way beyond your last victory.

The richest places on the face of the planet are not the diamond mines of Africa, the jungles of the Amazon, or the gold mines of Africa. There is a rich place not far from where you live. It's the cemetery. The cemeteries of the world contain books that have not been written, songs that have not been composed, paintings that have not been painted, plays that have not been acted out, sermons that have not been preached. These are still in the people that were buried there. They never expressed them. And so these were buried with them. The saddest thing in life is not death, but a life without purpose.

Can you reduce your life to one sentence? What is the reason for your being here? Until you can answer that question in one sentence, your life isn't focused, your mission isn't clear, your purpose is vague, your direction is foggy. You will be plagued with boredom, insignificance, and fear. Think about it. Why are you here?

As the Church, so the Nation

I am so convinced that the only hope of any nation is the health and vitality of the true Church of Jesus Christ. A nation's economic health, level of corruption, choice of national leaders, advances in science, technology, and education -- all these depend on the Church. I realize that this may be a tall order for the Church. But after all, righteousness exalts a nation, and sin is a reproach to any people. This is not so much about whether Christians should run for public office, or whether a believer should preach in every street corner. I believe Christians should learn to live out the gospel in every aspect of life and living. This will require a radical paradigm shift. We are commanded not to conform to the patterns and behaviors of this world, rather to be transformed by changing the way we think. Our cognitive processes must be so diametrically altered for our lifestyle to make any kind of impact on soceity. I am primarliy, but not exclusively, talking about a working knowledge of the Word of God. No, this is not about how many passages of Scripture you can commit to memory. This is about knowing enough of Holy Writ so that everything you think, say, or do reflects the very nature of Christ and the Kingdom we represent,

It's about time for Christians to let their light shine for all men to see. This will, inevitably, attract persecution. But since when did we back off from such? This is par for the course.

I am still rather perplexed that Christians are so quick to back off from pain and difficulty. Except for some places around the globe, it really isn't life threatening to profess one's Christianity. In many places, such as the Philippines, we do not have to fear capital punishment for having and professing faith in Jesus Christ. We are not prohibited from carrying and reading our bibles in public. And, unlike in the US, we are free to pray in public.

If we truly love our nation, it is imperative that we live lives that will make a difference, lives marked by righteousness, peace, and joy. For of such is the Kingdom of God.

King of Kings

I am constantly amazed at how wonderful the Kingdom of God really is. It is the only kingdom where every citizen has the ability AND opportunity to be kings -- simultaneously! I think it was Dr. Myles Munroe who said, "If you don't become a king, he won't be King of kings." Wow! What an insight. Jesus calls us to a higher standard of living, kingdom living. As a matter of fact, thisis the only way one can live on earth and succeed in every sense of the word.

The Kingdom of God is a violent kingdom. The Bible says that the kingdom suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Too many people think that the Kingdom of God is a kingdo of peace. It is true that he is the Prince of Peace and that he is the source of peace. Through Christ we have peace with God, and by that the peace of God. But the kingdom is a kingdom that suffers (an old English term which means "allows") violence. Another version says that it advances forcefully. And the citizens lay hold of the kingdom or operate in the kingdom with violence -- or forcefully. Point of clarification: I am not advocating violence against man as in terrorism. That's reserved for another religion. Neverhteless, there is a battle we are waging; not against flesh and blood, but against powers and rulers of darkness in the spiritual realm. And this is by no means for the faint-hearted. Some say that Christianity is a religion for the weak. And I say try walking by faith and let's see if they can handle it.

The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of faith. Faith is the currency of the Universe. It's the one currency that will trade in any nation, at any time, under any circumstances. A friend once said, when the faith of man touches the grace of God, miracles happen. How true. God's grace is always available and sufficient. All you and I need is mustard seed faith. That means you we don't need great faith in God. Just faith in a great God. It's one thing to talk about faith. It's another thing to live it. but that's for another blog. Enough said.

Keynote 3

For all you Mac users out there, I'm happy to say that iWork '06 has been released. For those of you that are still in purchase limbo, let me say it will be worth every penny you spend on it. Not only are the transitions better and smoother, you have greater control over the stills and videos you include in your presentation. Click the title of this blog and it will take you to the Apple website so you can navigate your way to taking the app for a spin. I'm thoroughly happy with it.

In the Philippines it will cost you about PHP5600. Go for it!

Why Democracy Can't Work (Yet) in the Philippines (Part 2)

What do I suggest? I'm glad you asked. Mind you, I'm not a politician, so don't bother me with details. But here's what may work in the Philippines. Whether we like it or not, the concept of family is here to stay for a while -- at least till we grow up in maturity and discipline. Therefore our minds and emotions will operate on that level. I believe we need a "dictatorship" - a benevolent dictatorship -- something like a Mahathir or Lee Kuan Yew or Bolkiah. These are strong leaders who are perceived to be good by the general public and therefore loved and followed. In President Arroyo we have, for the most part, a strong leader. But she isn't perceived to be good. For now she is seen to be anything but good -- except by her immediate family and all those who stand to benefit from her being in office. Truth to tell, I didn't vote for her last 2004. But of all the choices we had (and have), I have to agree with her, she is the best person to lead our country. But she has to get her act together. There are certain things she will have to do:
1 Settle the cheating issue once and for all,
2 Get Mike Arroyo out of the country. He is perceived as Mr Corruption, and
3 Don't listen to FVR too much. He is anything but good for the country.

Will this solve the problem? Heck, no, not by a long shot. But I think it may get the ball rolling in the right direction. Do we drop our attempts at working on a viable and workable democracy? No way. I think we need to continue. But we need to understand what we're up against so we don't always lock horns with one another. We need to work together. This is the only country we have.

Why Democracy Can't Work (Yet) in the Philippines (Part 1)

Once again the Philippines' "fragile" democracy is rocked amid coup attempts by military and politicians of the opposition. The already weakened economy is once more taking a bashing it can do without. Interestingly, the Administration, in its attempt to safeguard democracy, declared a state of national emergency. The opposition, in its bid to also safeguard the democracy, called the people to again take to the streets in the hopes of staging an EDSA III. God Almighty, help us! Sometimes I wonder if I should laugh at this circus called Philippine Politics or cry at how we are handling ourselves.

But can democracy really work in the Philippines? I don't think so. At least not in its true form. Democracy calls for a system of checks and balances, a true representation of the People, a court system that protects even the weak, and... well, you get my drift. Utopian? Hardly. I think it can work, but not in the Philippines - at least not yet. I think one of the major setbacks we face is the concept of family. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for family. But this can be a terrible liability when misapplied. A couple of days ago, former President Ramos was interviewed on television and unwittingly exposed the culprit. He said, when asked if he considered himself an adviser to the president, that he was more like a kuya or big brother and that the president also had an ate or big sister in Cory Aquino. He further said that the Philippines is like one big family -- naturally, with the three of them as the "top dogs." Herein lies our problem. In a family, the younger siblings do not correct or tell the kuyas and ates what to do. The younger members of the family are expected to obey the older ones without reservation or hesitation. The juniors are to turn a blind eye to all mistakes and shenanigans committed by their older siblings and even expected not to follow them.

A democracy assumes that the people are intelligent enough (ouch!), mature enough (ouch again!), and disciplined enough(ooh that stings) to govern themselves. I'm not saying Filipinos are dumb. I believe we are not lacking in that department. However, we are quick to react -- to quick for our own good. This is because we are immature and undisciplined -- a terrible byproduct of over 400 years of slavery to various nationalities. We celebrate over 100 years of independence, but we still sport a slave mentality.

We do not have a democracy in the Philippines. We have a mutated form of a democracy and an oligarchy -- a monster, if you will. That's why, like a family, the younger siblings, when they don't get their way, behave like spoiled brats. They cry, complain, rant, and rave till they get their way. Children call it fighting, adults call it coup attempts. For so long as we delude ourselves into thinking we have a democracy, we will continue to fight one another's definition of freedom. How many coup attempts have there been since Marcos was ousted? Almost as many years.

(To be continued)

Of Paranoia and Power Grabbing

I am constantly amazed at how we Filipinos have a habit of acting before thinking. The local dailies today blaringly reveal what clowns our politicians can be. We read of the ISAFP possessing pre-knowledge about the escape of the four Oakwood mutineers. Then there’s the massive wiretapping done by, again, the ISAFP, a supposedly apolitical group, against the opposition. Oh, and of course, we can’t forget Michael Ray Aquino the alleged spy of the opposition accused of passing classified information to help further destabilize the current administration.

So true is the saying: Politicians make strange bedfellows. Ex-Education Secretrary Florencio Abad stood with then Vice-President Gloria Arroyo with no less than his daughter Cecilia Paz holding the Bible upon which Ms Arroyo laid her hand as she was sworn into the office of President of the Republic. And not too long after that he joins the Hyatt 10 asking, nay, demanding, Arroyo to resign.

On the other hand, we still haven’t learned the basic principle that governs the universe: Whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. Every major religion teaches this in one form or another. Anyone that grabs power from a superior, regardless of how “evil” the superior supposedly is, will inevitably reap his actions. History has repeatedly shown that powergrabbers have had to tenaciously and paranoiacally hold on to power only to find it wrested from them… sooner or later. Even if former President Estrada were guilty of all the crimes he is being accused of, he should have been given due process and his day in court to defend himself. If guilt can be proven beyond reasonable doubt, then let him be sentenced accordingly. But grabbing power based on allegations, no matter how incriminating, is not right. In fact, it is both unconstitutional and criminal.

And now President Arroyo is facing charges of election rigging which led to a once-again short-circuited impeachment procedure. Rigging elections would be a “normal” and expected reaction of one who would take power in a forceful and unbiblical manner. This is not to say that Ms Arroyo has, in fact, done it. The courts still have to prove that. But when the Administration lawmakers foolishly foiled the impeachment process, the citizens are forced to draw their own conclusions, which could be more damaging than being accused in court. More than helping, I think Ms Arroyo’s advisers are successfully digging a deeper grave. So much for wisdom. But such is the way of paranoia.

Let me put it this way: How can anything good come out of grabbing power? How can righteousness come out of sin? A fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it? And more indicting, can a leopard change its spots?

Think, Philippines. Think.