Ask…Believe

I’M writing this message way in advance. So I’m guessing that there’s a big chance I won’t be with you today.

With my band Himaya, I must be somewhere in Mindanao ministering to church communities, something we did a lot in the past, and would want to continue doing at least once or twice a year. (They too have lots of questions that we may help in answering.) But God has a bigger surprise for you today on our BIG DAY!

Bro. JC Libiran, co-builder of our Feast here at PICC 4 p.m. session, head of our Feast Campus Mission, teacher-theologian, passionate and faithful servant of God, and now a book author, will be with you to answer questions we collected from you throughout the series. I helped answer some questions too which Bro. JC will share with you.

We hope and pray that the entire series helped answer many questions in your mind and heart.

Yet, I know that not me, nor Bro. JC, not even Bro. Bo Sanchez, nor the Pope himself can fully and completely answer all of our questions about God or about life itself. The Church proclaims and teaches that many questions on our faith are considered mysteries. That means we can ask-- yet if we don’t find the complete answers, we shall still believe.

Today, I pray and proclaim that as we ask we continue to BELIEVE!

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,
Alvin Barcelona

P.S. I’ll see you next Sunday for the start of another exciting brand new series.

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Saved!

THE title was a big word in many games we played when I was a kid-- when kids really went out to play. Run, jump, hide, seek, shout, laugh, sweat, bleed. Today, kids get to exercise only their thumbs and fingers on the computer keyboard or tablet.

Saved meant a lot of things for us then. It can be saving yourself when you touch down the home base or saving a teammate from being captured or even saving the entire team. It was pure fun!

Then, I grew up and started knowing Jesus in my life.

But like most people, I first understood being Saved as giving my own effort again to “save myself”. Otherwise, failing means somebody shouts,“You’re out!”

Until I really, really got to know Jesus more, and understood more why “HE IS MY SAVIOR!”

I responded to the call to “help save others,” too.

No, I’m not other people’s savior.

I too got rid of that delusion along the way.

But yes, I, and everyone else, are in a team – in a community, a spiritual family – called to “help save one another” by bringing every person we meet closer to THE SAVIOR!

Today, we ask question Number 3: “How Can I Be Saved?”

As we listen to God’s Word, we get ready for GOD’S OUTRAGEOUS GRACE!

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,

ALVIN BARCELONA

P.S. It will be our BIG DAY next SUNDAY. As always, surprises await you! Our team collected questions from you throughout the series. Get ready for ANSWERS! It’s the best time to bring family and friends as we continue to
GO for2000! God bless you more!

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When God Sleeps

GARY VALENCIANO has his own moving version of the title. In his classic song, Natutulog Ba ang Diyos? he asks if God is sleeping when sufferings and trials happen to us. After all, Jesus did sleep in the boat in the middle of a raging storm that made even the bravest and most faithful apostles panic.

As a Philosophy student, I centered my thesis on the age old question, “Why does God allow evil to happen?” Evil, in philosophy, includes natural calamities such as typhoons and earthquakes-- and yes, manmade disasters too, that cause problems and pain. That means even early on in my life, I was already trying to make sense out of human suffering.

“Why am I suffering?”

This question for our Talk 2 today is probably the most asked by any human being on the planet. Many will skip directly asking, “What is God’s will for me?” or won’t even bother with the question, “How can I be saved?” But to ask about one’s misery and hurts-- ah, it can even be an acquired habit or a
favorite pastime.

To many people, when they think about God, it’s only to question Him why bad things are happening to them.Yet, suffering is indeed a reality everyone has to face, and yes, ask why.

Today, we are not exempt from this. Because we too will ask: “Why am I suffering?” “Is God sleeping?” But here’s the advance big secret to this talk.

When God seemingly sleeps in your life, and you think you’re alone facing the gigantic waves about to drown you, that’s when God wakes up and commands the storm to stop.

And you sail on to fulfill your dreams with peace in your heart, knowing that God has always been with you in the boat.

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,
ALVIN BARCELONA

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Right Questions, Right Answers

I’M a teacher. I’m a teacher of teachers. And one of the most important things I teach teachers is not how to answer questions all the time but how to ask them more often. It’s the students’ job to look for answers themselves. But teachers can and should help students a lot by asking the right questions. Because if you ask the right questions you lead people to the right answers -- or the answers that really matter.

Recently, I went through a series of seminars on Meta-Coaching and Neuro Linguistic Programming – big, technical, fancy terms. In the end, I realized the principles and goals were basically the same.

Ask the right questions. That way, the coach leads and empowers the student to find the answers himself.
That’s why I’m deeply excited with our new series -- simply but powerfully titled, Questions.

For the next four Sundays we’ll ask your toughest questions. The talks will try to answer them too, using God’s Word. In the end, it will be you confirming the answers for yourself in reflection and in prayer. In our talks I believe we chose the questions that really matter: What Is God’sWill for Me? (Talk 1). Why Am I Suffering? (Talk 2). How Can I BeSaved? (Talk 3).

Throughout the series we’ll also encourage you to ask questions and submit them to us. On our Big Day we will try to answer them. Today, we’ll ask a basic and important question everyone should ask himself. “What Is God’s Will for Me?” More practically put, “What on earth am I am here for?”

Rick Warren asked that question in his book, Purpose Driven Life. It made him and his book a worldwide hit -- because it hit the very core inquiry of every human being. I proclaim that this series will bring so much enlightenment, empowerment, and encouragement to your life.

Get ready to be blessed!

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,
Alvin Barcelona


P.S. Last Sunday we re-launched our GO for 2000! campaign at the Feast PICC 3:45 session, aiming to reach 2,000 attendees by the end of this year. As we begin the “BER” months we proclaim that we are getting nearer our dream! We’re actually just a few hundreds away.

Thank you for bringing your family and friends to the Feast. Thank you for spreading the Good News about our Feast! Let’s fill up this place with
people who will be filled up by God’s Amazing Love!

P.S. Today is Mama Mary’s birthday. It would be good to specially to honor our beloved Blessed Mother.
God bles

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Bathala

Here are some Tagalog words we use for God: Diyos. Panginoon. Poong Maykapal. Amang Manlilikha.
And there’s another, more ancient term for God for theTagalog: Bathala.

Say the word again and feel that divine, powerful, and commanding sound to it.

I could imagine that for the ancient Tagalogs the mere mention of this name silenced everyone and gave the last word to every discussion.

That’s why scholars note that our expression, “Bahala na!” evolved from “Bathala na!” or in our present usage, “Bahala na angDiyos!” (God will take care of everything.)

I believe it’s the Filipino’s continuing profession of deep faith and total surrender to God.

But we know that it’s also toeing theline of inaction or even ofirresponsibility. Remember, we Filipinos have this wonderful saying, “Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang ' gawa.”

Today, in Talk 4, we’ll affirm our blessed Filipino trait of Pagtitiwala (Trust) while guarding ourselves from Passivity or the Bahala Na mentality.

Get ready for another exciting FEAST!

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,


ALVIN BARCELONA
PS. Next Sunday is our Big Day! As always, it will be a very special treat that you won’t dare miss. Also, let’s celebrate the Magnificent Filipino by wearing any Filipino attire or statement about the Pinoy Pride! We’ll even give prizes to the Most Pinoy Look or Best Pinoy Statement-- or both.

See you on our Magnificent Filipino Sunday! God bless you!

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Kimi

HERE’S another lesson on a not-so-used Tagalog word. No, you don’t read the title as “Kimmy”. (This is Tagalog, remember?) It should be read with a faster, heavier accent on the second syllable as in the Tagalog word mali (wrong) or tupi (fold). Now, say it again. Kimi.

Got it? And what on earth (or in the Republic of the Philippines) does it mean?

Well, it’s a deeper word for hiya (shame).

Now, that’s an easier Tagalog word to pronounce and understand, right?

Being kimi, like hiya, is being timid or shy.

It’s not speaking out even when you definitely have something to say.

It’s not asking even when you’re already obviously lost.

It’s not volunteering even when you want to and can surely do something significant.

Why? Because you think that if you speak out, others might think you’re madaldal (talkative). Or if you ask, they might say you’re ignorante. (I can’t say a more accurate but foul Tagalog word that starts with “T”). Or if you volunteer, they’ll call you mayabang (show-off).

So you just choose to stay kimi and keep quiet in your own little corner. And the more disturbing part is that many continue to think that this is a Filipino virtue -- something to be practised and be proud of. In Talk 3 of our series, Original Pilipino Magnificence, we’ll study this Filipino trait and see what God’s Word says about it.

Today, we proclaim that we Filipinos know when we should be ashamed, what we should be ashamed of, and when we should stand up, take charge, and exercise pananagutan (responsibility).

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,
ALVIN BARCELONA

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Dabarkads

YOU don’t need to be in or be an Eat Bulaga follower to get the title.

The term barkada has evolved into lots of other terms -- from kada to berks and yes, to dabarkads. Still, it has the same essential meaning: friends. Or better, your intimate, solid, faithful, circle of friends.

Hey, you can even say that Jesus’ apostles were His dabarkads.

Yet, even when it was earlier coined as a favorite Filipino tag, somehow dabarkads has negative connotations. Because having a barkada is usually associated with other not-so-good notions such as inuman (drinking sprees), away o gulo (fistfights or ruckus), and tambay (from stand-by or being idle and doing nothing productive.

Of course, such notions are not true. Your barkada also serves as your second family, your refuge, your help in time of need, your rest and recreation, your fun and laughter. Who else will endure your karaoke singing? Or will listen to your jokes told for the hundredth time?

Most of all, it’s in the barkada where you experience and practise pakikisama (brotherhood, camaraderie, friendship).

But again, as with most other notions, pakikisama can be a double-edged sword.

The Bible tells us that true friends are a treasure, but the wrong kind of friends can spell your doom!

Friendship itself should be a good thing. Yet, when misused or abused-- say in politics, in government or professional transactions, even in church communities-- it could lead to disaster.

Let’s learn more about this today in Talk 2 of our series, OPM (Original Pilipino Magnificence).

Mayroong Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,

Alvin Barcelona

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Hoy, Pinoy Ako!

WELCOME to another exciting talk series!

I extremely love this series because this will be about us as Filipinos – as Pinoys!

You know how I love being a Pinoy – from the language and songs to the stories and cultural examples that I always use in
my talks. They’re my natural handles.

Above all, I love being a Pinoy Christian! I truly believe God has a divine, sacred purpose for us being Filipino Catholics. We minister to the world – most of the time, just by being who we are.

Our faith and our values -- as individuals and as a people-- bless the world. We’ve got cultural traits that immediately endear us to others. But like most other things, we sometimes overdo them, or even misuse them. Our strengths are sometimes our weaknesses.

These we’ll be learning about in our brand new series, OPM – Original Pilipino Magnificence. Starting today, and on the following Sundays, we’ll be talking about: 1) Pasasalamat v.s. Utang na Loob; 2) Paninindigan v.s Pakikisama 3) Pananagutan v.s. Hiya; 4) Pagtitiwala v.s Bahala Na. And, as always, in the light of God’s Word.

Today, we’ll shout, “Hoy, PINOY AKO!”

Let’s rock!
Mayroong  Magandang Mangyayari Sa ‘Yo!

Your Friend in Jesus,

ALVIN BARCELONA

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