What gift can I give to someone who has everything, especially if I don’t have that much money?

Any simple, inexpensive thoughtful thing na nagagamit nya. Kahit naman people seem to have everything, gusto at kailangan pa rin nila ng attention/affirmation/kindness/thoughtfulness ng iba.

Is it right to destroy one person dahil may isa siyang mali kahit na marami siyang tama?

Is it right to destroy one person dahil may isa siyang mali kahit na marami siyang tama?

Yung Sodom nga hindi wawasakin kung mayroon lang na kaunting matuwid. Alang-alang sa tamang ginagawa, hindi dapat was akin ang kapwa dahil sa isang mali—at dapat suriin kung mali nga ba o akala lang ng iba ay mali.

At pag winasak ang isang tao dahil sa isa nyang mali, walang matitirang tao; dapat wasakin lahat.

Anu-ano ba ang pangit at magandang naidudulot ng pagiging perfectionist na leader?

Maganda: People are stretched to maximize their potentials. Pangit: Perfection is unattainable. The leader becomes oppressive, the followers get exhausted. Nobody is satisfied and everyone gets frustrated because perfect goals are unmet. Hindi masaya. Laging may stress.

Ok bang huwag na lang umattend sa birthday party ng ka-close kasi wala kang pangregalo?

No. Your presence could be your gift.

Close naman kayo eh. Mas mabuting dumalo kaysa absent.

Sa aming mga Catholics, we always pray the rosary and always honor the Virgin Mary. Sa mga born-again Christians, paano ino-honor si Mama Mary?

She is blessed and all generations should call her blessed. Sadly, many born-again Christians think that they act like good Christians when they ignore/dishonor Mary, the mother of the Lord. Yung mga enlightened ones honor her simply by NOT dishonoring her and by giving her the credit she deserves.

Ano ang cause ng envy?

Madalas, a sense of entitlement. People usually envy those who have/enjoy what they (the envious) think they themselves deserve! Naiinggit ka dun sa taong iniisip mo ay kapantay  o kasing-kalibre mo tapos mas marami siyang nae-enjoy kaysa sa iyo. So, you resent it dahil iniisip mo, bakit siya mas mayaman o mas sikat o mas masaya kaysa sa iyo?

Nawawala ba ang salvation?

The Bible says that when one person accepts Jesus as his Healer, Savior and Lord, the angels in heaven rejoice. If you prayed to receive Jesus and believe it in your heart, remember this day. Because Today, according to the Bible, your name is written in heaven. And if you commit sin, you will still be saved. The question is about the security of salvation. Is salvation lost when you commit a sin? Now, in fairness to scholarship, let me tell you that the Christian community has two ideas abou this. Several Bible scholars and theologians say yes, but there are also those who say no, it is not lost.

I think that we have to look at the two types on holiness, the legal and the actual holiness. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord I don’t become actually holy; I become legally holy. Meaning, what He did for me make me holy, what He did for me I cannot undo. I am given a legal status called clean. The Bible calls me clean. I’m now called a child of God. So, if I accept Jesus as my Savior and Lord,and then commit a sin while I’m alive, I have to pay for that sin here on earth. But I will not have to pay for that in the next life because that’s what Jesus paid for.

Ang tanong, na-save ba kayo dahil wala kayong kasalanan? Hindi! Sinlessness does not give you salvation. It is your faith in Christ that gives you salvation. Kung minsan nagkakasala ka nga pero hindi naman ibig sabihin nawala yung faith mo. Nagiging guilty ka nga eh! That means may faith ka pa and it is faith that gives you salvation. Our salvation is earned by what Christ did, not by what we do. What we do is irrelevant to salvation. It is only what Christ did that is relevant.

So, pwede na pala akong magkasala kasi hindi naman mawawala ang salvation ko? Yes, pwede. Pero matutulad kayo kay David na nawala ang joy of salvation.. Kaya, sabi niya, Return to me the joy of my salvation. Hinid niya sinabing Return to me my salvation. Alam niyang hindi nawala yung salvation, pero nawala yung joy. Predeng mawala ang blessing, mawala ang prosperity, mawala ang peace. Naaksidente ka, naputol ang dalawang kamay mo, naputol ang dalwang paa, nakapatong ka na lang diyan na parang lumpiang macao, buhay ka paQ Ang kaluluwa mo pag namatay ka, saved. Pero look at you life, parang impiyerno. So maraming mga Kristiyano, bagamat hindi pupunta sa impiyerno, parang nasa impiyerno ngayon. Kasi hindi sila nabubuhay sa kabanalan.

Kaya techinically, wala tayong kasalanan pagdating natin sa Siyos. Pagharap o sa Ama, wala Siyang makikita kundi kabanalan, perfection. Charged to Christ na lahat ng kasalanan mo! Kaya nga sabi ni John in John 1:29, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! Kinuha nan i Kristo lahat at inilagay sa katawan Nya.

While we are told that we should live a holy life, if we sin, 1 John 1:9 says, we should confess to Lord; because we have an advocate with the Father. That is why I react to that question—if a person accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, will he not commit sin? It is different to commit sin nd it is different to live in sin. This is the actual difference between those who are in the Lord and those who are not. You commit sin like a sheep. Sheep are very particular about their cleanliness. Because they are walking on the ground, they get dirty. What they do is to scrub themselves against rocks, trees or naything o get the mud off their bodies. A pig behaves differently. A pig, in the morning, will look for a mud hole and stay there. You try to pull the pig out and the pig will squeal and stay there. So, if one accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord, he will still commit sin because he is still in the human frame. But he will not intentionally, continuously and stubbornly live in sin like those who are not in the Lord.

How do I identify my spiritual gifts and abilities and start using them?

First, you should identify the gifts as listed in the Bible (1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Ephesians 4:11-13). Huwag kayong mag-iimbento ng gift na hindi nakalista. To know the gifts that you have, you should go first to the Bible and to try to see kung anong mga nakalista doon. Maraming mga tao nagke-claim ng mga gifts pero hindi naman nakalista sa Bible. So haka-haka lang nila yun. Second, tingnan ninyo kung saan kayo naka-incline. Sa gift of teaching ba, counseling, loving, giving, hospitality, healing or some other gift? Kung saan kayo hiyang at likas, try to serve along that area. Tingnan kung meron kayong joy at kung yung iba ay nagkakaroon din ng joy pag ginagawa nyo yun. Kasi, kung minsang, meron akong joy na nakapag-preach ako, pero ang buong church pala nag-suffer. So hindi ko siguro gift yun, baka haka-haka ko lang. Kaya kailangan, alamin ang nakalista sa Bible, ikumpara ang sarili at subukan.

I always worry. What is the single most effective thing I can do to stop or avoid worrying?

Stop thinking about the future.

Today is visible, tangible and manageable, so I don’t think you worry about today. Lalo namang hindi ka na siguro worried sa past kasi tapos nay un.

So, siguradong it is about the future that you worry. Hindi mo kasi makontrol ngayon yung wala pa. And that is exactly why you should stop thinking about it; kasi hindi mo rin naman nakokontrol kahit mag-worry ka. Cross the bridge when you get there. Attend to the future when it is already in the present tense.

God’s blessing is only for today. It should be enough. Kinukulang lang kung hinahati mo ang blessings for today at ipinadadala mo sa future yung kalahati. Tomorrow’s needs will be met by tomorrow’s provisions. Let the day’s own concerns be sufficient for the day.

Sino kaya ang love ni Jesus, yung wrongdoer o yung victim? Kasi bakit ang turo Nya sa victim ay magpatawad kahit hindi humihingi ng tawad o hindi nagbabayad ng damage ang wrongdoer? Di ba lugi, kawawa at disadvantaged ka pag nagpapatawad ka?

Siyempre, ang love ni Lord ay yung victim. Kaya nga turo Niya ay magpatawad, kahit na—o lalo na kung—hindi humihingi ng tawad yung may kasalanan. Pag nagpatawad ka, you are set free from your anger or stress without the help or cooperation of the wrongdoer. That’s power, not weakness. The victim does not need the help or cooperation of the offender. On her/his own, pwede nyang tapusin yung cycle of anger and suffering pag nagpatawad siya. In other words, you forgive not because the offender deserves it, but because you need peace.

By the way, love din ni Lord ang offender, but not the offense. Buti na lang hindi nya hate ang offenders kasi, sa buhay natin, nagiging offenders din tayo.

Bakit kaya yung mga may kailangan at molestyador lagi kang naaalala pero pag nakuha na ang gusto nila ay nalilimutan ka na?

Eh gusto mo ba naman talagang lagi kang maalala ng mga molestyador na yun? Buti nga at nawawala sila sa radar, at least, pag nakuha na ang gusto. Mahirap namang nakuha na ang ibig ay NANDYAN PA RIN LAGI, di ba?

Tama bang dalawang churches ang hina-handle ng isang pastor?

I cannot give an answer to this unless I know the context. Malay nyo na biglang nawalan ng pastor yung isang church, so inaalagaan nya pansamantala, habang naghihintay ng bagong worker kaysa naman mapabayaan. Kahit dalawa o tatlo yung inaalagaan niya kung organized ang kanyang sistema at supportive ang kanyang mga deacons at mga elders, magagawa yun. Si Paul nga katakot-takot ang churches na inalagaan pero hindi nagkulang dahil talagang masipag siya at supportive.

How do you differentiate small sin, big sin, mortal sin and venial sin?

Lahat iyan ay sin, big or small and it destroys our relationship with God. Pare-pareho na wala dapat sa ating buhay. Pero ang lahat nay an, kayang bayaran ng dugo ni Kristo. Kapag kayo na nag-accept kay Christ ay nagkasala, confess agad sa Lord directly and ask for forgiveness para hindi nagtatagal yung sin in your life. Charge it to Christ. Charge it to the cross.

Once we attain maximum potentials, what are the possible sidetracks from fulfilling practical living?

Pwedeng makaabala sa inyo yung mawala ang focus nyo doon sa mahalaga. Ang problema doon sa mga goals na narrating na, nakakalimutan na, gumagawa na naman ng ibang goal. Pero yung goal of holiness, wala namang nakakarating doon to the point na tapos na; perfect na. Sa buhay na ito, walang nakakarating sa fullest potentials of righteousness. Palapit lang nang palapit, pero wala talagang nakakarating. That alone should keep us busy. Huwag tayong ma-sidetrack. Our goal is to be holier and holier and holier, to be more and more like Christ.

Pag ang isang tao ay anak na ng Diyos at kung siya ay magkamaling muli, siya ba ay anak pa rin Niya?

Ang anak nyo ba pag nagkamali, anak nyo pa rin o hindi na? Anak nyo pa rin! Anak pa rin tayo ng Diyos kahit tayo ay magkamali. Kung nagkamali, we confess, we seek forgiveness. Sabihin nyo, ganun lang ba yun? Hindi. Pag anak tayo ng Diyos at tayo ay nagkakamali, pinapatawad Niya tayo, saved pa rin tayo, pupunta pa rin tayo sa paradise pag namatay tayo. Pero tulad din ng mga anak na nagkakamali sa lupa, kung minsan nababawasan ng allowance, grounded, hindi nabibigyan ng mga blessings. Ganun din tayo. Mga anak ng Diyos na patuloy na nagkakasala, matigas ang ulo, nawawalan ng proteksyon, nawawalan ng blessing, nawawalan ng abundance, nawawalan ng peace of mind pero pag namatay, saved pa rin. Once saved, always saved. Dahil ang relasyon natin sa Diyos is permanent and forever.

Paano magagawa ang pagtutuwid sa isang taong mahirap kausapin? Paano ito gagawin na may pag-ibig at hindi mami-misunderstand?

Unang-una, itanong nyo sa sarili nyo—“Meron akong gustong itamang tao pero mahal ko ba siya? O baka gusto ko lang itama dahil ako ay naggagaling-galingan o nagdudunung-dunungan? O dahil naiinis lang ako sa kanya? Kung meron bang malapit sa puso ko na gagawin yung ganung kasalanan, magagalit din ba ako?” kundi doon sa may sala. We must hate the deed, not the doer. Tiyakin ninyo na when you want to correct somenone, yun ay dahil mahal nyo. Kasi pag hindi nyo mahal tapos kinokorek nyo, judgmentalism yun. Tayo man kinokorek ng Diyos dahil mahal Niya tayo.

Is it right that the church should endorse a political candidate to the Christian churches?

Although administratively, there is a separation of church and state, it does not mean that the church should not be involved with the state. And it also doesn’t mean that the state should not be involved with the church. Ibig sabihin lang, administratively, magkaiba ang kanilang hierarchy, ang kanilang function, ang kanilang governance. Pero hindi ibig sabihin that as a good citizen, I should not be involved with the church. Or that as a good church member, I should not be involved with the state or governance or electoral issues. I should be involved.

But I am not comfortable with a public endorsement of any candidate kasi our prophecy is imperfect and our knowledge is imperfect so hindi ko yata kayang idikta iyan sa mga tao. Pero kung meron akong conviction, probably on a personal level, habang nagkakape at nag-uusap tayo, pwede kong sabihin. Since this is a free country, siyempre palitan ng ideas. Pero hindi ko gagamitin ang pulpit para i-endorse ang aking political opinions sa ibang tao. Kung nagkaroon din ako ng vision at talagang convinced ako na ang Diyos ang kumausap sa akin, I will probably use all avenues. Mabuti na lang this does not happen to me at hindi ako nalalagay sa gulo.

Ano ang dapat gawin para matigil ang paninigarilyo?

According to stories ng mga nag-succeed to stop smoking, they really decided in their minds to stop. Siguro, hindi pa fully decided ang mind mo, pinipilit mo lang, kaya maya-maya yung mind, mate-tempt na naman. Makakita lang ng naninigarilyong iba o makaamoy lang ng usok, kahit usok ng jeep, nate-tempt na namang manigarilyo. Kailangang magkaroon kayo ng full decision. Alam nyo, mayroon ding spirit yung vices. Rebuke the spirit of that vice in the name of the Lord para mawalan siya ng hold sa inyo and then be prayerful and really stop. Hindi nyo kailangan ng kung anu-anong gimmick o gadgets para tumigil mag-smoke. In your mind you can really decide.

And what can make you decide to stop smoking? First as Christian, nakalagay sa Bible that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 3:16,17. The Bible says, whoever destroys God’s temple, him also God will destroy. And you know that smoking is destructive to the body, so that it becomes sinful for a Christian to do anything na alam nyang masama at kaya naman niyang iwasan.

You’ve got to decide in your mind na gusto nyo nang tigilan. Kasi once you have decided, wala na talagang makaka-tempt dapat sa inyo. That’s very important. I-avoid nyo rin na magkaroon kayo ng facility to smoke. Kasi yung iba, I will not smoke pero magdadala rin ako ng dalawang sticks dahil baka sakaling hindi ko matiis, di may dala na ako. Pag may dala kayong ganun, laging nasa laman ng utak nyo, Nandun yun…nandun yun sa kahon nay un. Siyempre magagalaw ninyo, makukuha nyo rin yun. Siyempre magagalaw ninyo, makukuha nyo rin yun. Kaya mabuti pa, make no provision for evil. Huwag kayong magbaon, huwag kayong magbigay ng “just in case”. Kasi basta may nakalagay sa inyo na “just in case” ibig sabin, in your mind you have not totally stopped. Kung may tatandaan lang kayong isang reason, ito na yun: it’s not good for the body which is God’s temple. And whoever destroys God’s temple, him also God will destroy.

As a Christian, paano ko matutulungan ang isang backslider na may bisyo?

Pray for him or her, lagi mong imbitahin sa mga Christian events. Huwag siya laging i-nag, i-judge o pataatamaan. Hindi yung pag kasama mo at may preaching tungkol sa kanyang bisyo, siniku-siko mo na, ‘O, narinig mo, narinig mo, narinig mo? Lalo kasing nakakainis yun. In other words, simple lang kayo. Minsan may lalapit, ‘Pastor, meron ho ba kayong tape tungkol ho sa masamang ugali ni mother-in-law?, O, bakit aanuhin nyo? ‘Ibibigay ko ho’. Samahan nyo naman ng sampung ibang tapw para disimulado kayo. Huwag naman yun lang ang ibibigay ninyo dahil kalinisan talaga kayo.

Maganda naman yung layunin natin pero kadalasan ang style natin bulok. Huwag tayong maging judgmental. Yun bang lahat ng makasalubong nyo, ‘Hoy, it’s a sin. Hoy, what you’re doing is sin.’ Pag nakita nyong may grotto, ‘Hoy idolatry yan, ha!’ Huwag naman ganun. Ipakita nyo muna sa tao na may malasakit kayo at naaalala nyo siya, minamahla nyo siya, tinutulungan nyo siya.

Earn your right to be heard. Hindi yung bigla na lang kayong papasok sa buhay ng may buhay and re-arrange it according to how you think it should be arranged. In other words, nakaka-turn-off yung iba nating approach, so be sensitive. Don’t try to change people in just a day dahil hindi ganun kabilis yun. Si Moses nga eh 40 years sa disyerto bago tinawag sa ministry. Huwag tayong mainip dun sa growth ng iba.

So, papaano nyo tutulungan ang nagba-backslide? Ipag-pray. Always keep communication lines open. Pero huwag nyo naman purgahin nang purgahin sa verses everytime na magkasama kayo, kasi minsan hindi na nagwo-work. You should understand why people are in that situation. Baka meron silang unfulfilled needs. Try to help and refresh them.

Bilang mga Christians, dapat ba na may mga biruan at tuksuhan sa mga kabataan?

Depende sa biro. Yung mga green jokes, mga malalaswa, dapat hindi. O kaya yung mga tuksuhan ng physical defects ng tao. Tatawagin ka, Hoy! Halika rito, Nognog. Halika ka rito, Rimpampanita. Kung hindi loving yung pagbibiro, hindi yun dapat gawin. In other words, if we are using it to deride and belittle people, hindi magandang biruan. At lalo na yung mga biruan na pang-kalye. Yun bang pagalingan, yung repartee na laging pinapalabas mong mas matalino ka kesa kausap mo. Hindi bagay yun sa mga Kristiyano.

We should speak in a way that is edifying. Yung kausap mo nabi-bless, pati nakikinig sa inyo, nabi-bless din. Ngayon, kung yung mga tuksu-tuksuhan ng mga binata’t dalaga is done in good taste at hindi nakaka-violate ng dignity ng babae at ng lalaki, okey lang. Hindi magaspang at hindi masama. May mga tao who are conservative and we should be very sensitive to people na hindi handang nabibiro sila nang ganun.

Okay lang ba, pastor that we attend worship services in another church to add to our spiritual growth, while we have our own church?

The truth is, there is only one Church. Mapa-Linggo, Lunes o Martes, kung si Hesus ang inyong sinasamba at ang Biblia an gating basehan, hindi naman kayo talaga lumipat ng ibang church dahil pareho lang yan! Administratively lang, siguro magkaiba. It’s alright as long as hindi nyo napapabayaan ang duties nyo sa inyong local church.

Huwag na huwag kayong magco-compare. Pambira naman dito, buti pa sa church namin. At pagdating naman doon sa church nyo,  Pambihira naman dito, buti pa sa kabila. Baka magkakaselosan at magkakaintrigahan pa dahil sa inyo. Magkakaiba yan. So don’t compare.

Don’t neglect your local church. At kung nagtatanong kayo at ang aking mga sagot ay contradictory sa stand ng pastor nyo—maliban na lang kung talagang hindi siya biblical—malaya kayong mamili. Kailangan meron kayong loyalty sa inyong local church. But don’t let that loyalty become your disloyalty to the universal body of Christ. Kasi minsan sobra tayong parochial. Itong local church ko lang ang tama, everybody else is demonic and evil—hindi naman ganun yun. Kailangan matuto tayong makipagmabutihan sa isa’t isa.