OUTLOOK ON AN ANCIENT BOOK (PERSONAL SPIRITUAL JOURNAL)

1 SAMUEL CHAPTERS 4-8   

        THESE CHAPTERS ARE ABOUT THE TIME WHEN SAMUEL ROSE TO BE THE JUDGE OF ALL ISRAEL AS ELI, THE PRIEST BECAME OLD. ELI HAD JUDGED ISRAEL FORTY YEARS BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING HIS SONS TO WALK IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. FOR, THEY WALKED PERVERSELY IN LASCIVIOUSNESS. SINCE, ELI WAS NOT ABLE TO FATHER HIS SONS SUCCESSFULLY IN GOD'S EYES, HIS ENTIRE CLAN BECAME CURSED. ON TOP OF THAT, HIS DEATH MARKED THE ARK OF THE LORD BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM ISRAEL BY THE PHILISTINES AS WELL AS HIS TWO SONS DYING, HOPHNI AND PHINEHAS. SOOO SAD!!! IN RELATION TO THESE EVENTS ALSO, FIVE PHILISTINE CITIES WERE SHOWN CURSED AS WELL DUE TO THEIR ABDUCTION OF THE ARK OF COVENANT. IN THE END, THEIR ELDERS, DIVINERS, AND KINGS SAW THAT IT WAS INDEED THE HAND OF THE LORD WHICH CAUSED THE GREAT SLAUGHTERS IN ALL THEIR FIVE CITIES WHERE THE ARK WAS BROUGHT INTO. FINALLY, THE LAST PART OF THESE CHAPTERS TALKED ABOUT HOW THE ISRAEL GAVE UP ALL THEIR OTHER GODS AND BEGAN SERVING THE LORD ALONE IN FEAR OF BEING CONQUERED BY THE PHILISTINES. UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE END, THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WERE NOT CONTENT WITH THEOCRACY--GOD RULING OVER THEM. INSTEAD, THEY WANTED TO HAVE A KING TO RULE OVER THEM..."JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER NATIONS." 

        IN THESE CHAPTERS, ONE MAY WONDER HOW STRAIGHT AND NARROW IS THE ROAD TO SUCCESS--IN THIS CASE, PERFECTION BY GOD'S STANDARD--THAT ONLY A FEW CHOOSES TO ACHIEVE IT. NAMELY SAMUEL.
        BUT WHY? IT MAY BE BECAUSE ONE MAY AUTOMATICALLY JUST PREFER THE IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION INSTEAD OF A MARVELOUS ETERNAL SATISFACTION. AFTER ALL, WHY GO THROUGH ALL THE TEDIOUS TROUBLES AND PROCESS IN LIFE? ONE WILL JUST LIVE ONCE ANYWAY, SO, WHY NOT LIVE TO THE IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION OF THE SOUL? WHAT IS WRONG WITH MINDING SUPERFICIAL THINGS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH GETTING GLORY, MAKING MATERIAL WEALTH (MONEY), AND DIE? 
        WELL, FRANKLY, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THESE. IF YOU WILL, HOWEVER, WHEN ONE SOUL PONDERS, THIS EQUATION CEASE TO BE WHOLE, FOR IT FORGETS THE MAN IS A SPIRIT BEING WITH BODY, MIND, AND SOUL. AND SO TO LIVE FOR THE SAID EQUATION LEAVES THE SPIRIT OUT OF CALCULATION. YET AGAIN, THIS MAY VERY WELL BE THE NORMAL OPTION. NEVERTHELESS, ONE MAY ALSO PONDER ON THAT ASPECT OF HIMSELF "THE SPIRITUAL." FOR DOES NOT THIS SOLICIT ANY WANT FOR A MORE FULFILLING LIFE? ONLY A HARDENED HEART AND SOUL COULD EVER DISMISSED HIS SPIRITUAL ASPECT SINCE THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR HAS LINKED HIMSELF WITH MAN ONLY THROUGH SPIRIT. THEREFORE, WHEN THE SPIRIT IS ADDED TO THE EQUATION, ONE WILL FIND A MORE FULFILLING LIFE. FOR WHEN HIS LIFE IS NOT JUST LIVED OUT FOR HIS BODY AND SOUL, BUT RATHER, IS ALSO LIVED OUT TO BRING HONOR AND GLORY TO HIS CREATOR AS WELL; THEN TRULY, IT FULFILLS HIS SPIRITUAL ASPECT. 
        SO BACK AGAIN WITH THE BIBLE CHARACTERS, ONE COULD REALIZE THAT BEING CAUGHT WITH THE STATUS QUOT MAY BRING SO MUCH LIMITATIONS TO LIFE AND NOT FREEDOM WHEN ONE CHOOSES TO OBEY GOD'S VOICE AND FOLLOW HIS WILL. FOR GOD'S WAYS ARE NOT MAN'S WAYS, AND MANY TIMES WHEN MAN COULD NOT SEEM TO SEE ANY SOLUTION, THE ALMIGHTY ALWAYS HAS INFINITE WAYS OF CONQUERING. IN LIFE, ONE WISE FELLOW MAY JUST AS WELL FOCUS ON HEARING AND FOLLOWING THE TRUTH FROM GOD'S DIRECTION ALONE SINCE HE, WHO CREATED THE HEAVENS AND EARTH, IS THE SELFSAME GOD WHO CREATED LIFE ITSELF. WHAT BETTER INSURANCE WOULD THERE BE BESIDE HIM? NOTHING. THIS IS THE TRUTH!

Fashion Politics

Fashion Politics: 

What does this word mean to me anyway? Both my family and friends do note how I mind fashion. Whether I am having a peculiar style or trying hard at it—the point is, it is obvious that I do mind fashion. But why give a fuss about it? Most people would just want to simplify life and not have to mind how they clothe themselves. After all, if they feel good about themselves, especially those “laggard” in fashion, they would rather be passive about it. So why mind this shenanigan?

Fashion is up to date a multi-billion dollar industry. I guess the world knows this fact. But this tells us something. The world is becoming vainer? Laughing out loud at the automatism of the simple Jane in answering this way, I’d note. But, ok, maybe it is. However, hate to burst some narcissist’s bubbles, but vanity could not boast the post as the major contributor to this massive industry. 

How about look at it this way: people are actually becoming more and more aware of their self-worth. Yes. They understand that to gain respect and true confidence; they got to have more self-respect. And when they begin to love themselves more, this give them satisfaction beyond anyone could make them feel. So it is self-worth not vanity, I daresay, which is the main benefactor of this “glamazons” industry. Well, this is how I see and feel about Fashion.

Just consider those big billed celebrities during the Oscars, Emmy’s, and other related activities. I don’t think they would spend so many moolas on fashion consultants if they were just after those fashion police (E-Access, OK! magz) rates. I would say they understand that dressing well does express how much they respect and love themselves. Not to mention, in the process they also get to inspire us and show our dreams or fantasies come to life. That is real glam. Of course, let us not forget as well those diplomats, politicians, and tycoons. How much they spend on image consultants?!.

Anyway, I would also like to add that the mesmerizing world of fashion could not for a long time give excuses to those "laggard" & "nonsensical" in fashion. Someone’s got to give, right? Everyone needs a fashion style; for everyone is a somebody to someone else—even if it is just to him/herself at first. And that’s right; fashion does not have to be expensive, grandiose, or even extravagant. It just has to be seemly with one’s value. Fashion politics is the "style" one believes in and stands for. This simple. 

Thank you for your time. Spread the glam & love-* 

Be Still And Know

It is natural for man to have dreams, ambitions, and goals. It is quite normal to pursue them even. In fact, this century has shown us how man has immensely formed the world with his dreams and ambitions. Man in general is very much diverse at that. Through the century, we have seen discoveries upon discoveries, revelations upon revelations, enlightenments upon enlightenment, technologies, revolutions and revolutionaries which shaped each decade of the century. We learned to look back and be better. Though sometimes, we did not know any better. The point is: we have seen how we have always tried to achieve or do all these things to make life, as we know it, meaningful; and to an extent, find the perpetuating meaning to it. 

Let us face it. It does not always seem great. Actually, in the process of finding that life’s bliss we would find ourselves going through tedious and endless processes that we feel is unending. We succeed, and then we do not. Bottomline. We do not always get it right. We are familiar with remedial classes, back lags, rat race, bankruptcies, and speculation bubbles and so on. You may have already heard the classic quote "Man is not perfect" even before you have reached puberty. Some people would even choose death before giving themselves second chances. So we say we are very much aware of that universal idea. And this, by the way, is backed by the Holy Word when it says, "…they [Man] corrupt themselves." [Jude 10; 2 peter 2:12b-NKJV]

However, let us take a big pause right there and note that what is not perfect with man are his ways—his expressions—and NOT his being. For the true being of a man is not defined by earthly wealth, deeds, not also by dreams or ambitions. It is rather the Truth which is in him--the breathed Word of God. In other words, the virtues and principles formed from the Love of Christ Jesus are what make the being of man.

So let us continue. We, the most rational beings, do not get IT right immediately. IT—maybe the achievement of goals, fulfillment of dreams, finding that universal answer to life’s boggling questions, or whatever that interpretation of life sublime is to individuals. We get sidetracked, confused, downtrodden, frustrated, and the list goes on. We just seem to be reading an inefficient ‘LIFEGUIDE 101,’ which we sort of invented through the years. What can we say, man’s peril seem to be overwhelmingly formidable.

Let us ponder though on Psalm 46:10 saying, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Truly, man seems helpless if he were to rely on his own. Many times man thinks to think of finding the answers on his own. Man entertains thoughts, ideas, and concepts carnally based—born from superficial motives. We see that as we entertain these things, most often we get frustrated, clouded, and disappointed and the list goes on again.

So because we let external things affect us so much, we forget to listen to the truth inside us: the truth that we are perfect. Deafened and bludgeoned by the cares of the carnal mind we really only need to know how to be still and know. For as we begin to be quiet, silence the noises in our head, observe in sincerity, free our mind, and open our hearts, we will then see the beauty of God’s Creation unfolding. And they are unfolding to work for our own greatness—each one of us, God’s breathed Word and Life. And that is perfect.

Everything now becomes perfect. Frustrations become fulfillments, the vague becomes clear, hatred becomes love, greed becomes contentment, anxiety becomes peace, and dissidence becomes respect. We now find everything perfect because we see life in a much greater purpose and value (purposed by God), that is, an everlasting one for it goes beyond the carnal.

 “…to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” [Romans 8:6]

[NKJV] “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust Him,” 2 Samuel 22:31 says. Verse 33b continued”…And He makes my way perfect.”

Indeed, we may garner innumerable wealth, reached human magnificence, even do great technological wonders for a time in history; but when we reach the end of the tunnel, we see all these things fade away—except for what we have in our hearts and in our soul. So it is not Having to Be, but Being to Have.