How are you? Kumusta ang buhay? For many of us, the daily routine we go through - wake up, eat, work for eight to ten hours (whether its office work, field work, school work, or house work), time with friends and family, and then sleep - is actually already full. Some people even receive rewards - higher salaries, bonuses, vacations, awards - for their achievements and hard work. Pero alam mo, at one point in our lives, we all ask ourselves this question: "Bakit parang bitin pa rin ang pakiramdam ko? Why am I not content? I have a friend who is very successful in the eyes of the world. In fact, he even won a prestigious international award. After winning the award, he told me, "It's nice. But I feel so tired. Getting the award is great but after a few days, parang wala lang. Bitin". Ganoon din ang pakiramdam ng isa ko pang kaibigan. He and his wife both work six days a week. Because their children are
already finished with school, they make enough to cover their expenses. Pero sabi niya sa akin: "Parang wala lang. Kulang kung puro trabaho lang ang ginagawa ko. Nakakapagod." Nakaka-depress di ba? But you know, there is a way to make your life the best and most blessed ever. Iyan ang tinatawag na "Ang Buhay na Hindi Bitin." Iyan ang buhay na kahit may mga problema, hindi ka nag-aalala. Wala kang worries. Hindi ka balisa. Your life is full of joy and contentment. Paano nga ba? Parang mahirap, di ba?
WHAT ARE YOUR PROBLEMS AND WORRIES ABOUT?
Everyone has problems. Some have bigger problems than others but we all have them. There are problems with relationships (sa pamilya, sa kaibigan, or sa asawa), health problems, money problems, work problems. Pati problema ng iba pinoproblema! Ang mga taong walang prolema sa mundong ito ay iyung six-feet underground na. Nakatira sa sa park - Manila Memorial Park! As if your personal problems are not enough, ang daming problema all around us na hindi naman natin ma-kontrol. Sa Pilipinas pa naman, sagana tayo sa problema. Marami tayong natural disasters - typhoons, mudslides, baha - at mga manmade disasters like oil spills at ang pagelect sa mga corrupt at walang alam na mga politicians.
Masayahin ang ugali ng Pinoy pero marami ang worried sa future. Kaya mga teachers at doctors natin nag-a-abroad na lang para maging caregiver o nurse. Pero kahit saan ka magpunta, there are problems. In recent years, the world has experienced many kinds of crisis; terrorist attacks in the US, Spain, and London; wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; earthquakes in Iran and Pakistan; tsunami in Indonesia and Thailand; SARS; bird flu; glorbal warming. Katatapos lang ng isang krisis meron na naman isa pang susulpot. It is a never-ending cycle of world crisis di ba? Every year, sabi ng Newsweek, 30,000 Japanese commit suicide dahil sa drepression! Sa Pilipinas, iba. Sa mga Pinoy kaunti lang ang nagpapakamatay. Tinitiis na lang ang buhay na bitin.
Pero, don't be discouraged. Hindi iyan ang plano ng Panginoon para sa 'yo. Here's what the Bible says: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11NIV
GOD'S PURPOSE FOR YOU
God made you for a reason. Hindi ka aksidente. No matter what you are now or what has happened to you in the past, He has plan and a purpose for you. God loves you and He wants you to live a fulfilling, joyful, and content life despite the problems that you have. In the midst of trials and difficulties He wants you to be worry-free kahit may problema! Sabi ni Jesus, "My purpose is to give life in all its fullness."-John 10:10NLT
Paano naman 'yun? Rejoice in the Lord at all times, the Bible says, and "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7NLT
The Bible says there is no use worrying. Kaya huwag ka nang mag-alala. "Sino sa inyo ang makapagdadagdag ng kahit isang oras sa kanyang buhay sa pamamagitan ng pagkabalisa?- Mateo 6:27ASDP
Pero 'yun nga, easier said than done, di ba? How do you live a worry-free and content life day in and day out? Marami akong kilala, even when they have everything they need materially- a condo or a house and lot in an exclusive subdivision, expensive
clothes, new cellphones, fancy cars, a highpaying joy, vacations abroad, a healthy and beautiful family - parang hindi pa rin sila kuntento. May kulang pa. Sabi nga sa akin ng isang top manager who got promoted and who has all of the above material benefits, "Bakit ganito, parang bitin pa rin?" In an interview with Reader's Digest in 2006, Jim Carrey, the famous American comedian who makes about $8 Million per movie, said: "I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they've ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer." Maybe, like Jim Carrey, you've tried finding the answer in your work, your spouse, your family, your hobbies, sports, achievements, etc. But at the end of the day, you realize...NO DEAL. Bitin pa rin!
THE ANSWER
So what is the answer?
Ano ba talaga ang sagot sa buhay? What will stop the feeling na parang butas ang puso mo at kahit na anong bagay - relasyon, pera, pasarap- ay hindi kayang takpan ito. One of the most intelligent and accomplished men in history, si Blaise Pascal, the "Father of Calculus," searched for the answer to life's emptiness, and concluded: "Every man is born with a vacuum, an emptiness that can only be filled by finding God."
Okay, sige. Eh paano? How do you find God? Do you go to church or mass or prayer meetings everyday? Nothing wrong with that. But, look at God's promise in the Bible: "You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." - Jeremiah 29:13-14a, ESV
Ang pangako ni Jesus when you seek and ask is this: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receive; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." - Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
Would you like to live your life to the fullest? Would you like a life without worries and discontent? Then ask Jesus to come into your life to be your Lord and Savior. Jesus came to this world so that we may lead lives na hindi bitin. Tingnan mo.Sabi ni Jesus: "...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10 NIV
GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH
Mahal na mahal ka ng Diyos, and that's why He sent His only One and Only Son to you so
that you can experience an abundant, joyful life - ang buhay na hindi bitin. It doesn't matter who you are and what you've done in the past. He sent Jesus to erase your sins and pay the penalty for your sinfulness if only ... If only what? If only you would believe in Jesus. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone whobelieves in him will not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16,NLT
That's the good news. But you may say, "I believe in Jesus already!" Okay, then good, but do you trust Him? Because believing in Jesus means putting your trust in Him alone and committing to loving Him and following Him. That's what it means to be a Christian. Being a Christian does not mean that you're joining a religion, or that you're going to be religious. Rather, it is a personal commitment to trust, love and follow Christ.
Uulitin natin. "Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but may have eternal life." - John 3:16
Simple lang pero parang mahirap paniwalaan kasi it's too good to be true. Biruin mo, just believe in Jesus, may eternal life ka na! Jesus said, "The world's sin is unbelief in me." - John 16:9 NLT
If you want to be a child of God, the Bible says you must believe in Jesus Christ and what He has done for you. Kahit saan ka pa pinanganak, God wants you to be His child. Sabi ng Bible, "You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus." -Galatians 3:26,NLT
Jesus told His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." - John 14:6 NLT
TOO GOOD AND SIMPLE TO BE TRUE?
Sabi ng isang kaibigan ko, masyadong simple, there has to be more to it. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, "Ay naku, ang tao talaga gusto complicated. Pag simple lang ayaw maniwala." Many years ago, doctors were trying to find a way to prevent the high death rate of mothers during childbirth. One doctor discovered the secret. Ang sabi niya sa mga kapwa doctors niya, washing your hands with soap before delivering babies will save the mother. (Wala pang alam ang mga doctors noon tungkol sa germs pag nagdedeliver ng baby kahit galing sila sa toilet o sa pagopera ng ibang pasyente!). It took many years before the doctors believed him. In the meantime, libu-libong nanay ang namatay because of their unbelief! Simple lang ang solusyon sa kasalanan, sa buhay, sa pagpunta sa langit. Jesus said, "...Everyone who believes in me will have eternal life." - John 3:15 NLT
Do you really believe in Jesus? Do you believe that He can save you from your sins? Do you believe that trusting your life to Jesus will give you an abundant, everlasting life? Isang buhay na hindi bitin? Mahal ka ng Diyos. Hindi ka aksidente. He has a plan for you. He wants to love you and give you a life full of purpose and joy. God's promises will not have any effect on you, if you don't trust God and begin a personal relationship with Him through Jesus. Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
GOD'S GIFTS TO ALL WHETHER "SINNER" OR "SAINT"
A former Philippines Olympic swimmer related that when she was still competing in the 1990's, the pressure to win was so great, she would cry. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer she said, "When I was older, I decided to commit my life to Christ and to live by His standards. My faith is the most important thing in my life now." Her faith in Jesus has changed her life. Ako naman, it took a personal crisis in 1994 to make me seek God with all my heart. Before that, I wanted so much to be successful in business and make lots of money. Making money was my Number 1 priority. I became greedy. Suwapang. And then a big business project of mine failed big time and I became bankrupt and in debt. Depressed na depressed ako. One day, I cried out to God, "God, if you are real, please lift this burden off my chest. Ang bigat-bigat ng loob ko. Hindi ko na kaya!"
That night, my girlfriend (who is now my wife) went to a Bible study and I decided to join her. I was amazed that the Bible had God's solutions to my problems. God spoke to me through His Word, the Bible, and most importantly I learned about Jesus Christ's love and plan for you and me. I learned that pride, sin and disobedience separate us all from a relationship with God. The Bible says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23 NIV
In God's eyes, there are no small or big sinners. Sabi Niya sa Biblia: "Sapagkat ang sinumang tumutupad sa buong kautusan pero lumabag kahit sa isang punto lamang nito ay lumalabag sa buong kautusan." - Santiago 2:10 ASDP "The person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as the person who has broken all of God's laws." - James 2:10 NLT
Wow! Parang ang hirap di ba? If you commit one sin - lying, for example - you are guilty of all the other sins like murder and adultery. Parang unfair. But think about it, that's why the Good News of Jesus Christ is so good! The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23 NIV
Jesus paid for the penalty of our sins. He suffered and died a terrible and unjust death for us. If you've watched the movie "The Passion of the Christ" by Mel Gibson, you saw what Christ went through for us. Wala naman Siyang kasalanan, di ba? Pero namatay Siya para sa atin. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." - Romans 5:8 NIV
We don't really realize this but all of us were hostaged by sin. We were released and paid for by Christ's blood ransom.
Believe and trust in God's promises in His Word, the Bible. It's up to you. Free will ika nga. Sariling desisyon mo ito. He gave us the greatest gift - His life. Will you accept His gift?
YOU HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION FROM JESUS CHRIST TO LIVE A LIFE FULL OF PEACE AND JOY AND FELLOWSHIP
Let Jesus come into your life by inviting Him into your heart. Don't be afraid! You have nothing to lose but anxiety, worry and discontent. 'Yun lang ang mawawala sa iyo at ang buhay na bitin! Have you ever felt God calling you, knocking at the door of your heart? He's patiently waiting, sabi Niya: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20, NIV
WILL YOU ACCEPT HIS INVITATION?
Are you hungry and thirsty for a relationship with God? If you would like to become a child of God and invite Jesus Christ into your life, let your response be something like this, using your own words in prayer:
"LORD JESUS, I need You. Kailangan kita Lord. I confess that I am a sinner and I have made mistakes in my life. I believe that You died on the cross to pay for all my sins. With Your help, my life and my ways will change. JESUS, I open my heart to You. Please come into my life and be my Savior and my Lord. I accept Your gift of eternal life and Your purpose to give me a full life. Tinatanggap ko po ang buhay na hindi bitin! Come into my life and make me the kind of person You want me to be. Thank You so much. Amen.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!" -2 Cor. 5:17 NIV.
O kumusta? Hindi ka naman tinamaan ng kidlat, di ba? O sige. Ano ang mga problema mo ngayon? Nandyan pa rin, di ba? Yes, you will still have your problems, pero if you sincerely accepted Christ in your heart and begin to trust in Him to guide you and your new life, you will have hope and a new perspective. Kaya congrats to you! Ang promise ni Lord sa Bible: "Those who become Christians, become new persons. They are not the same anymore for the old life is gone. A new life has begun." - 2Cor. 5:17)
The wonderful thing with your decision is that you will have freedom from your past life and sins, from anxiety, from guilt, from worry, from fear. You won't need to consult manghuhulas, espiritistas, horoscopes, or tarot cards to guide you or to know what your future looks like. Christ will free you from these things. God will direct your way. He will talk to you through His Word, the Bible, and reveal His plan
and purpose for you. You are now a new creation. When I became a Christian, tough times still came along. The toughest was when my wife became ill with a life-threatening disease. Muntik na siyang mamatay. Ang hirap, naubos din ang savings namin. We were bankrupt again. Our friends, family, everyone prayed. We had peace because of this promise: " And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." -Romans 8:28 NLT
Best of all, we had the assurance that no matter what happens - whether my wife survived or not - she will spend eternity with Jesus. And that's the same guarantee that you have. Hindi ba talaga bitin ang buhay mo kasi alam mo na meron ka ng eterinal life. You will not only spend eternity with Jesus in heaven (instead of eternity in hell) but experience the joy and peace of knowing the Lord everyday.
Ang galing nga eh. Napakabait ng Diyos. "God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." -Ephesians 2:8-9NLT
OKAY, WHAT NEXT?
To grow in your new life with Christ, may I suggest you please do the following: 1. Pray to God daily. Talk to Him the way you would talk to a loving Father. 2. Let God speak to you by reading the Bible. I suggest you start with the book of John or Romans in the New Testament. 3. Join in Bible Study group or Christian fellowship near your area. Make friends with other mature Christians.
How did you get this article? Maybe God meant it for you to read. There are no accidents, di ba? Now that you are a Christian - a new creation - please stop worrying about your past or about the future or any hardships or sickness or even death. Just remember that Jesus loves you! Take comfort in these wonderful words: "Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hun gry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? ...No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 8:35-39 NLT
Don't let anyone tell you na wala nang pagasa. There is hope because you are now a child of God. You have Christ in you. Ang pangako ng Diyos sa 'yo: "I will never leave you; I will never abandon you." - Hebrews 13:5b,TEV
Praise God that He has caused you to read this article! Welcome to the family of God. I'll be praying for you!
-ENDby: Eduardo O. Roberto, Jr.
