Between your Purpose and Alcoholism
By: Jeflivs Livara

Our purpose in life is not to become wasted. Alcoholism is an addiction that destroys relationships and families. It eats up good times with people closest to your life. It distorts good decision making. It loses your focus to God.

How far have we departed from the Gospel? How big was the impact of alcoholism in your life? Who is in control of your life... Alcohol? What is your source of joy... Alcohol? Where do you find refuge... Alcohol? When do you find relaxation... Alcohol...? Now, who is your God?

Alcoholism is an addiction most alcoholics do not admit. The world has taught us false ideas of righteousness.May be it's about time we check the bible and understand what it says. It is not enough that we pray, read the word and get drunk after. We must be a living manifestation of the Word. When people see you, do they see the glory of God shining on you and not the bitterness of life.

Ironic how we complain sometimes about life but we never tend to give up what is holding us back. Have a non-intoxicated Sunday everyone! 

The Domestic Truth

The Domestic Truth
By: Jeflivs Livara

Funny how the author used Filipino in a sentence as an example of Racial Harmony. This is the way (we) Filipinos are etching history. It is a sad reality that we fail to accept. It becomes sadder when we continue to deny the truth and do nothing to change it.

It represents the failure of our government and even "us" as part of the government to provide JOBS in our own country, a JOB that can sustain a comfortable life. We are creating thousands of graduates every year but only 1/4 gets to work. From the 1/4, majority of the graduates have no choice but to get a job not related to their course.

Few days ago, I happen to visit a tea shop. I read a book which says, "The government does not generate jobs, an ENTREPRENEUR does" and "Schools train students to become GOOD EMPLOYEES and not Entrepreneurs." I agree with the authors. Most filipino families, encourage their children to study hard to work for a company when they graduate. "Galingan mo anak para makapagtrabaho ka sa Makati, dahil sa makati maganda ang buhay!".  or a call-of-the-flesh, "Galingan mo mag-aral anak para makapangasawa ka ng professional o porenger". These are typical mind conditioning most parents inculcate to their children. Then we ask ourselves, how come majority of wealthy Filipinos in the country are CHINESE? ...because they were not raised that way. We need home grown entrepreneurs. We need more Filipinos generating jobs for fellow Filipinos!

Filipinos have the POTENTIAL. It should not remain as a wishful thinking. It should not remain as potential. We should start etching our mark today for the coming generation. If we hate the example from the text book then let as start to act. Starting from your own kids would the best gesture.
1. Accept the reality
2. Change the history
3. Consistency

If so, then we are looking at the same star.


Photo: from hongwrong.com

The UNEXPECTED GRACE
by: Jeflivs Livara

I thought I already knew a lot about Grace since I use the word almost everyday to describe how wonderful life is. But I found a whole new perspective of what is God's Grace. 

Grace is a manifestation of God's presence in our lives. The joy, happiness, inspiration, love...etc are manifestations that we receive graces from God. You might be living sufficiently, you might be living humbly, you might be striving to make ends meet... The fact that you are given the opportunity to improve your self and to improve the quality of your life is God's Grace.

You might be a sinner! You might have violated every law! You might have done things in the past that makes you undeserving to receive God's grace. My friends, not even me is worthy. We have committed sins and we have hurt people but God's grace is greater than our sins... Who am I or Who are you to receive God's Grace? The answer... You are His masterpiece and creation. You are made in His own image and likeness and You have a place in Heaven reserved, prepared and ready for you.

GRACE IS RECEIVING WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE. A humble and thankfukl person receives graces. It is more than a stable financial status. It is more than your job. It is more than your position. Besides, it is not your Job that defines who you are but it is the Grace of God that defines you. If your BASIS of Life is your Career then you are unsecured. If your career ends then so is your life but if Jesus is the center of your life. You grow and continuously receive blessings infinitely.

If you are an employee reading this, your WORK is a grace from God. If you are a business owner reading this, your business is a grace from God. If you are a public servant reading this, your position is a GRACE from God. You are in the position because you have a purpose. Do not complain because you are of equal importance to the society. Driver, doctor, maintenance worker, electricians, technicians, carpenter...etc your work is a Grace from God. Do not complain. Instead, do your best and let promotions, provisions and favors among favors come. Be the best you can be because your WORK is a Grace from God.

We are saved not by our good deed but by faith and His grace.

Reflection:
1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the Apostles and I am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

The Power of Forgiveness

The Power of Forgiveness
by: Jefferson "Jeflivs" Livara

"I am sorry" is the most abused sentence according to some and "I forgive you" is the most difficult sentence to say among others.

Forgive came from the old english word forgiefan, for which means complete and giefan which means give. We can now read it as completely give. If the origin of the word forgiveness is accurate then, we are now guilty of violating the word. "Forgive but never forget..." now becomes irrelevant to the entomology of forgiveness. According to Google, forgiveness is an action or a process . When we forgive, we completely give our understanding, peace, hope, joy, trust and love to the person. For some, it takes time to mend but it is the act that matters for it is a process.

Forgiveness does not only involve two parties. It always involve a third where God is the center. It is you, others and God. Anything you do to others, you are doing it to the Lord; Anything you also do for your self you also do it for the Lord. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and anything you do to for the Lord, you are doing it for the least of your brothers and sister. There is power in forgiveness and we might not even be aware of it. Jesus teachings always mention about forgiveness and love. Others think that forgiveness is a sign of cowardliness or defeat; Worse, others choose to live a life of guilt and pride each day. When we ask for forgiveness or forgive others, we are:

1. Unloading a heavy burden - We are releasing a burden that is deeply embedded in our heart and mind. We are surrendering it all to God. That is why when there is forgiveness, we become renewed, revitalized and recharged.

2. Freeing our self from the bondage - We are held hostages of pride when we cease to forgive. We are never free to act. It seems that everything we do is limited. That is the result of guilt and fear. When we forgive or ask for forgiveness, we are freeing ourselves and others from the torture we are creating.

3. Securing our relationship - Sin breaks relationships to others and to God. It also affects the way you look at your self. If we forgive, we are actually restoring broken relationships. We do not only restore but we are guarding it. We are securing it for the days, months and years to come. If we forgive, we do not only secure relationship from the person who has done you wrong but you are securing your relationship to God.

4. Living Life as true witnesses of Jesus - Jesus died on the cross for your sins. Jesus died as the sacrificial lamb. Jesus died as the final blood to be offered. For what? For my sins and for your sins. We forgive because we are FORGIVEN. The death of Jesus is an act of forgiveness. A man with no sin has been crucified to pay the price for us to be forgiven. Shame on the people who says they cannot forgive. Shame on the people who claims to be Christians without following what Jesus taught us. Have we witnessed Jesus lately? Take time to read the bible.

5. Obeying the words of God - Forgiveness comes from God. If we acknowledge we are His people then it is quite right to follow what He says. It might be difficult for our "earthly" mind to understand but God's plan for people who follow and serve Him is greater. A better life is waiting for those who forgive cheerfully. God forgave us without conditions. We are recipients of God's forgiveness too. Every time put pride before us, we are actually raising eyebrows with God and not just to the person who wronged us. We forgive because we acknowledge the KINGSHIP of God in our lives.

Forgiveness is a Power which can transform our lives. It starts the moment we say Sorry with all sincerity. Forgiveness from God is a manifestation of His unconditional love. It is a renewal of the old covenant to a new one. In Christ, we are a new creation. Leave the past behind and embrace the new plan of God in our lives.

Amen.

-Jeflivs

Reflections:

Isiah 3:19
"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"

2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Between Pride and You must be Humility.

I was very excited last night that I posted about our team's effort in helping the people in our mission area. I even posted it here in FB with pride. This morning I went over my posts and tried to ask my self, am I boasting? As I read my bible reflection for today, it says,

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the Gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Thank God for reminding me not to boast on deeds!

Faith comes first before good deeds. Good deeds should just be a manifestation of faith in God. Good deeds will not save you; If good deeds are the basis to heaven then how NOISY heaven would be. All will be boasting of their deeds and achievements...

Jesus was truly amazing when he said that it is through FAITH... because faith cannot be measured or be boasted. No matter how small your faith is, God does not measure how immense it is. Again it was stated in the bible,

“If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you." Luke 17:6

It is by Faith and not by deeds. Good deeds are manifestation of your faith.

Compassion guards ourselves from Greed.
Faith guards ourselves from Self Gratification.
Humility guards ourselves from Pride.

Humility is not putting yourself below others. It is putting God above yourself.

The Blessing of Becoming a Blessing

The Blessing of Becoming a Blessing
 by: Jefferson Jeflivs Livara

All of us wanted to be blessed. In our churches, if only our prayers are broadcast then I would be hearing people asking for blessings and miracles in their lives. Sometimes our prayers become "selfie" too. We become focused on our own needs and fail to listen to the needs of others. We sometimes forget the essence of Christianity as what Jesus has taught us- to love God above anything else and to love others as we love our self.

Little do other people know that helping others who are in need is actually rewarding. It is not a total waste of money and time. When you help others you are doing something for your self too! When you help others:

• You guard your self from greed and selfishness. It teaches you to share what you have. It teaches you how to take care and love the people who are deprived of the goodness in life. It is also a preparation for you to receive more blessings! It can also come as a test of loyalty to God. If you are greedy and selfish, do you think God will give you more? 

• You show obedience to God. It is following the word of God! The bible tells us to help the poor and the oppressed. Everytime we help those people who are in need we make God smile on us. You are making a name in heaven. By doing, you are securing your future... in heaven. When you become obedient to God, everything you ask for will be given unto you. It is in the bible.

•  You LIVe life to the fullest. To live for someone else is one of the most noble ways to live life. Some people merely exist and just think of themselves. They just think of their own safety, own security and own comfort. Sometimes, they cause pain to others and they totally forget that life is not just about themselves. When you live life for someone, victory becomes sweeter. Jesus lived life not only for himself but for the whole mankind.

• You affect eternity. In your little ways you affect the lives of people. You make them feel better. You alleviate them from their present condition. You bring hope. You might not be able to witness it in your whole lifetime but the kindness you showed to them will be the same kindness they will be sharing to others. Who knows your grand children or your grand children's children will benefit the kindness you have showed them.

• You leave a Legacy. You leave a legacy in the minds of the people whom you have helped. With this, your generation will be blessed abundantly because you have become a blessing to the needy. Legacy is not the unfinished business of a dead man given to the living. Legacy is the inspiration, the deeds, the idea, the hope, the love and the honor you will be giving to the people whom you have touched their lives. Yes, you can create a legacy while you are still living. A living legend? Perhaps... but more preferred, a Living Legacy.

I have witnessed how filipinos can join together and help  fellow filipinos who are in need. May be we are already fed up listening about corruption and Napoles... May be we are already tired of watching calamity stricken places in the Philippines... May be we are already fed up of watching children being abused... All because of "HIRAP NG BUHAY".  Yes, life is difficult when you are alone but we are never alone.

I am still proud  to be a Filipino because once in my life I was able to witness how Filipinos worldwide respond to a cry of the young boy from Acao. I appreciate their efforts. I know that  the people who extended their help are also helping  family members or relatives to finish school... they are also helping their families who were left behind in the Philippines fulfill their dreams, a house may be or a farm. The people who love to help others are the PEOPLE who experienced the difficulties in life because they know how it is not to eat  meals; They know how it is to walk for hours just to attend school; They know how it is to sleep in the cold of the night; They know how it is to be deprived of the freedom, right and beauty of life which should have been theirs.

This Blog is dedicated to the Filipinos working abroad who are helping other Filipinos have a better life. Filipinos abroad(SG, HK, US, Middle East, JP, Au, Eu, Cn), and also to those who are here in the Philippines supporting fellow Filipinos.

Thank you for becoming a blessing to others. If everyone will have a heart like this then, we are looking forward to a better and brighter Philippines.

Reflections:

1 Corinthians 12:25-26 "that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

Matthew 25:35-40 - Words of Jesus Christ
"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

Why Give Up If God Has Not Given Up On You?

Why give up if God hasn't given up on you
by Jeflivs

When I was still living in the dormitory, Chess was one of the favorite games of ours. There were times we spent sleepless nights solving chess puzzles from grand master dorm mates. It was a terrible mind exercise that will let you thinking for days for the solution. There was one friend of mine that I can never beat in Chess. I lose over and over again every time he plays with me. One day I asked him, “ What is your secret? Your technique seems very effective!” then he replied,”SIMPLIFY”.

SIMPLIFICATION was a technique I adopted in playing chess and also in answering the most difficult mathematical expressions in our class. SIMPLIFICATION in chess is simply feeding some chess pieces to your opponent in order for you to concentrate more on the attack of the few pieces left. In doing so, you save time and your movements become more powerful. The same is with Math equations, you cannot solve complex expressions directly, you need to simplify the equation! Simplifying makes you work with fewer expressions. SIMPLICITY is POWER.

Today, the problems we meet are products of complex and complicated things made. Even Facebook acknowledges a “COMPLICATED” status. Hahaha! Why? Because we tend to choose to be complicated. Complexity is only a reflection of what the mind sees. It is a way of thinking. Even though how complicated your life is but when you choose to simplify it, you are giving your mind time to relax and concentrate to better things in life. Simplification starts when you choose to let go of the things that’s keeping you complicated and miserable.
let go of the Anger, 
let go of the vices, 
let go of the loneliness, 
let go of the pain,
and let go of the hatred in your heart.
You deserve to be Free! You deserve to be loved! You deserve to live in prosperity and success! All because God wants you to BE…

Have you ever experienced a trial in your life, that you almost laid down everything you have… you have exhausted all your efforts… you almost lost hope, faith and love to others BUT have you noticed that when you exhausted every human effort you have your FAITH in GOD remains. It was your faith that carried you through your darkest moment and it served as a guiding light for you to move on. If you haven’t experience it, you haven’t lived at all. Why give up if God has not given up on you!? It is simplicity in action. We are scrapped off from things which complicate us and we are left alone with God. Yes, it is about you and God. That is simplicity. It is the most basic of all. It is to remind us to become HUMBLE and acknowledge God in every victory and defeat we face in life. God will fight for you. God will provide. God will rescue you. Just call His mighty name. We are all entitled to His attention. If you are simple and If God is with you then who could possibly be against you. God loves us and everyday we live by his graces. Never give up on life.

Being simple and humble is not a mark of defeat. Sometimes the most powerful and successful men we knew are the simplest and humblest. They boast not of their material possessions but of the God they believe. For they acknowledge the supremacy of God in their lives. This is what keeps them to be SIMPLE.

Man is clouded by the things he places before God. These things often mislead him to the TRUTH. Christmas is in the air but let us try to see beyond the eyes can see. Are we celebrating it the way God wants us to commemorate the birth of Jesus? Dig deep in your heart and choose to be simple in this way, you will truly experience God’s presence.

Have a simple Monday Morning! Never Give Up.

Reflections:

Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation. (Psalm 91:14-16)

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. (Deut. 31:6)