Tag: gbtp

Greetings of joy to all Filipinos and all Philippine-loving people! With all the bright lanterns, colorful decorations, and cheerful carols […]

Bro. Eddie Villanueva The whole world is in chaos. The Global Peace Index of 2016 tells us that terrorism is […]

Over and over again, our beloved nation is bewildered by the despairing evils in the society. We hear of reports such as theft, robbery and murder that claim lives of innocent people. Moreover, we are not blind to the reigning oppression that violently deprives the poor and the needy of the quality of life. Sadly, in all of these, we hunger for truth to be upheld and justice to be served to our fellow countrymen.

Amidst the despairing scenario, the Almighty God gives us hope by revealing Himself as Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. This is a consoling message to each one of us who might be tempted to believe that all our efforts to fight against the evils in the society are futile. We remember that we have a God who is against all forms of wickedness. Thus, we can say that Tsidkenu is always on our side in this fight for the triumph of good in our country.

For the years, we, as a nation, have struggled with seeming hopelessness concerning our country’s huge debt. Sometimes, we wonder if we will someday be able to leave this situation behind and move on towards progress. Furthermore, we cannot help but remember our fellow countrymen who are sunk deep in endless debt. We ask ourselves, where is the hope for our country and our people?

This is the same cry of the King David, and found the absolute answer to his heart-wrenching questions, “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you” (Psalm 39:7). No circumstance, no matter how seemingly irreversible, can ever erase the truth that our blessed hope is our Almighty God. And in such a time as this, He reveals Himself to us as Jireh – the Lord Who Provides. He is the God who can miraculously turn our country’s situation upside down.

Let me start with two heartbreaking realities. Millions of Filipinos are starving to death all over the Philippines. As this despairing scenario is happening, heartless men and women in power are living an unbelievably luxurious life all in the name of selfish ambition, greed and corruption.

It is but natural to feel some sort of hopelessness in knowing these things. Yet, these two contrasting realities must, in the same way, awaken us to the truth of God’s revelation: He is El Elyon, the God Most High and the possessor of heaven and earth. With this, we gain a new perspective on how to see what is happening in our beloved country. As Psalm 78:35 says, “They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.” This means that He sovereignly reigns over every single thing on the surface of the earth and over every situation that we are going through.

More than 100 million Filipinos – this is how numerous we are right now. Consequently, this means that we certainly live in a diverse community with different languages, cultural orientation and religious beliefs. This is precisely the reason why we are like a flock of sheep that desperately needs a true shepherd. As a nation, we are totally helpless on our own, making sustainable growth and progress unattainable for us. Add to this the conflicting perspectives that divide us into fragments, leaving us unable to work as one country.

Happy, blessed and victorious new year to all my fellow Filipinos here and abroad!

As a nation, the recent years will definitely be recorded as among the ranks of the most terrible times in the history of the Philippines. The dreadful earthquakes, typhoons and storm surges – they all tested the stability of our faith and hope in the Almighty God, as well as our fortitude as a country. And if we look at statistics on deaths and destruction left behind by these catastrophes, we cannot help but feel overwhelming grief towards our fellow Filipinos, especially those directly affected by these calamities.