raymond blogs…

You are wonderful

You are holy

You’re the bright morning star that guides my every step

You are wonderful

You are holy

You’re the light morning breeze that cools my fears away

You are holy

You are wonderful

You are holy

You’re the sounds of violins that catch my breath away

You are wonderful

You are holy

You’re the shelter in the storm

You’re the saviour of my soul

You are wonderful

You are holy

You’re the comfort of my soul that learns to trust in thee

You are holy

(Repeat all)

Words and music by Raymond S. Usbal

Santolan Palayan City, 0929-6600855

Words and music composed on 10 March 2010

I adopted a new home and created a website for it.  Check it out here: Palayan City

We all have 24 hours each day. No one have more, no one have less. What is then the difference for it is evident that others accomplish more than the rest?

Respect of time. We must realize that time is a limited commodity. Our time on earth is limited, our years are numbered. So we must be wise then to redeem our time.

The desire to grow. You can use all your time digging dirt or you could use some of your time to polish your brain to have it function in its higher caliber. The question is, do you have the guts to do it? Are you motivated enough to make a change for good?

Growing is one of the most painful of all experiences. Suffering makes one grow. We didn’t plan to suffer but when we refuse to grow or mature, we suffer nonetheless. In that situation, being wise enought, we then make the decision to grow.

Imagination. We can use our imagination to work for us or against us. You can imagine that there is a lion waiting at the streets to eat you up, thus you are afraid to venture in the open in fear of being eaten up by a lion! So what is your lion? Isn’t it just a figment of your imagination that you created so that you can have an excuse to pamper yourself in bed all day?

Your imagination can do you unspeakable good. Take a good look at the city, tell me is there a single building that was built without an architect who designed it first conceptually on paper. Yes all creation starts at the mind. Be careful though that it will not die in there. Let your dreams grow strengthening it continually by feeding your mind with positive thoughts.

Direction. Where am I to go? That is one of the most difficult questions I have to answer recently. I have two job offers that compete each other in offered benefits but that doesn’t give me the reason not to decide. As painful as it can be we must make decisions that either break us or make us.

So where do we get our directions? The apostle Paul preached the good news from place to place. Like fire that burns everything in its way so is the apostle preaching the good news of salvation in every place he goes. But not always… at times the Holy Spirit hindered him to enter certain villages to direct him to other places instead.

We must be sensitive enough to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The bible says that the Children of God are led by the Spirit of God.

Rest. As important as utilizing our time wisely is taking time to rest. When we rest, we enable our bodies and imagination to recharge itself.

It is only by resting that we can accomplish more for it maintains the most important asset we use to achieve our goals – our physical bodies.

. … .

I wrote this article years ago and offered it on article directory sites for webmasters to use for free. A friend asked me to have it here, so here it is!

–Raymond

This is not a theological writing for I am not learned enough to do any serious theological musing. I heard over coffee conversations with friends about the debate of whether Judas was saved or not. Those who say that he was saved reasoned that Judas was instrumental in the crucifixion of Christ which fostered salvation to the world, so he should be saved! The negative side would retort that what Judas did, he did maliciously so he should be condemned!

But let us consider… Judas repented, didn’t he?

But then again some would argue that his repentance is not true repentance that leads to life (let me write on that some other time.) Others would say that he cannot be saved because he committed suicide; but then, I would ask, is there a verse in the Bible that specifically says that those who commit suicide would never be saved? Isn’t it that repentance can happen even on the last second of one’s life?

After some exchanges of this kind, a few would resign and say that the issue is not conclusive after all and that we should be content to just wait until we get to heaven to find out the truth of the matter.

Let me offer an insight that I got from my casual reading of the Word of God. Here is the fateful story:

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:1-5, NIV)

It seems clear to me that Judas repented for he said “I have sinned for I have betrayed innocent blood.” So what then is the issue? It is clear that there is repentance so he must be saved then!

Not too fast, I think otherwise.

Let me back track for a moment to point that Judas followed Jesus at first because he believed that this man is the Messiah prophesied long ago by the prophets. After following and communing with Jesus for a considerable period of time (could be 1-2 yrs), he arrived to the conclusion that this man is not the Messiah after all. So he thought for himself and betrayed an innocent blood for some small fortune. (And we read that he repented of that afterwards.)

Allow me to bring into here the account of one of the criminals who, at first, heaped insults to Jesus together with the crowd. After a few hours of hanging on the cross, he changed his mind, looked towards the direction of Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42 and 43 NIV)

This unnamed criminal made it to heaven, Judas did not. This criminal believed that Jesus will come into his kingdom and reign as the King Messiah, Judas did not.

Judas failed to recognize his messiah, thus, he was filled with absolute hopelessness in front of a righteous God… and in desperation, took his own life.

Judas knows no savior.

. … .

But how about you?

We were worshiping the Lord inside our dome-shaped church one Sunday morning when I noticed a man standing about 150 meters from us looking straight at me. I’m a little alarmed at the sight.

What is this man thinking of me? What’s in his mind?

For five seconds now the man didn’t move an inch but just stand there and stare at me. I notice that the man’s built and features are similar to mine. To eliminate my suspicion I raised my right hand and the man raised his hand too!

It was my reflection.

What if I come in contact with a person who thinks exactly like the way I do, would I be alarmed? Would that other “me” be my enemy or my friend? If that person would propose to be my business partner, would I accepting him? Could I trust the man — a man who is as clever as I am?

That was mind-boggling for a moment until I thought that… Yes! That man isn’t selfish but could be genuinely caring and generous too. And he could be friendly and accommodating most of the time.

If all people on earth thinks and acts the way I do, would this be a better place to live?

“Lord, help me to change my self so that I could be a blessing and not a curse to this generation. Let the pattern of my thinking be beneficial to all.”

I hope I didn’t scare you of yourself!