Philippine Literature: Diverse Articles Banking on Spiritual Pronouncement and Admonition!

Much like the horseman in the story, we want to achieve our goals as much as possible--not letting anything hinder the success of our quest. It would seem to be a good plan but the fact is that we need only the most little of things in life. Jesus Christ has taught us a very simple message, to live life simply, no matter how hard it could be. We get so focused on our goal that we fail to appreciate the things that we have, we should know that, we have a family that loves us, a home that shelters us and friends that console us. If we keep on such blind goals we may find ourselves in despair, and on such things we may work for doesn't make us happy. We even risk losing the important things in our lives. It is important that we get contented with what we have and know that we are very lucky and blessed.

Many problems arise from time to time and we can't avoid them because God has a plan for us and He gives us trials if we can survive and overcome them, especially our weaknesses. Perhaps, we may suffer grievously but always remember that these are only the petty problems. God has shielded us from receiving anymore problems and the problems that hit us are only a fraction of what has come our way. It is very fulfilling to know that we are normal; many people have not received this gift. We are very dynamic, very blessed, and very lucky to be still alive today and to lead a righteous life in our own little ways. Let us appreciate every blessing that pours on us day in and day out. Each of us has a certain mission to fulfill; all undertakings are unique because God has made them for us. Trust in the Lord to reveal all things but for the meantime you live life simply according to His gospel.

"People should live with God's teachings to be temporally successful and spiritually happy here on earth and life after death. People who have not yet been given the chance to hearken to God's words should dredge up the truthfulness of the gospel and learn by heart in order to be saved."

Today's gospel is very inspiring. In fact, the positive trait of a true Christian will lead to spiritual immersion and to be called an adherent of Christ's teachings. Similarly, the character of a person who has immersed and patterned after the truthfulness of the gospel is so strong physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and even financially. Any person with that spiritual conviction is so confident that there is God who is taking care of him and protecting him in times of troubles and whatever his undertakings in life, his dreams and aspirations, and even his success because of his faith in God. Amidst all the trials, sacrifices, problems and obstacles, he remains strong and can persevere in all the things he has done for himself to combat tribulations until he reaches his fate and spiritual goals. A person who has the knowledge of the Lord's mystical grace to his creation is a happy man -- a man who is full of hopes and dreams. As a result, his positive traits are the right attitudes towards his fellowmen who are good, lovable, and most of all, virtuous.

On the contrary, any person who has not found Christ in his life and no knowledge at all about the gospel, including the words of the Lord are futile in the sight of God. His heart is restless, and there is always guilt within himself that he can't identify what is really distracting or bothering him. The person is not happy because he is full of fears and skepticism of everything around him. As a result, he is selfish, living in a world "on his own," always in trouble, and has no peace of mind. That's why people should live with God's teachings to be successful and happy here on earth and life after death.

"Always pray to God for guidance and protection! God will help you if you pray for Him at all times, not abandon Him in your daily prayers. As we all know that God created with his likeness and image, we must say that we should pray for Him for guidance and protection. He gave us his Beloved Son in order for us to save our lives from outer darkness and for us to ask for His guidance and protection always. He is the only one who can hear for our petitions or prayers. We should be thankful in every prayer we have made because He gave us everything that we need for our lives. When we pray, we must always thank God first and also ask forgiveness for the wrongdoings that we have committed."

Prayer can be a personal experience and an intimate connection with our Heavenly Father. This is the confidence we have felt by secretly approaching Him. The reasons are:

a. that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us -- and we know that He hears us ;

b. whatever we ask for, we know that we have to pray for Him sincerely;

c. and we know that prayer is often used as a means of faith healing in order for us to prevent from illness, to cure disease, and to improve health;

d. and we know that spiritual healing is very powerful, and we know that it lessens mind's burden, relaxes mental practices, and ameliorates spiritual insights, and other techniques; and

e. we know that through our solemn prayer we can summon divine and supernatural interventions on behalf of the ill-patient for his complete recovery while others advocate that ill-people may achieve healing through prayer to be performed only by them.

"Homosexuality will be controlled if the person has the self-drive to change positively in accordance with God's volition under His care and with gospel principles. Satan's plan is to deceive as many of us as he can to prevent us from returning to live with our Heavenly Father. One of the most damaging things he can do is to entice us by breaking the law of chastity. He is cunning and powerful. He wants us to be like him who does immoral things on earth. One major example is homosexuality practice where the lovers of the same sex engage in exotic, but brutal sex foreplay in bed."

Whatever definitions we get from different dictionaries, the meaning is still the same. According to Wikipedia definitions, homosexuality is one of the three main categories of sexual orientation along with bisexuality and heterosexuality within the heterosexual-homosexual continuum. It is also the manifestation of sexual urge towards a member of one's own sex, otherwise known as the erotic activity with a member of the same sex. On the contrary, the definitions extend beyond the scriptural statements of faith or the Holy Bible which consistently tells us that homosexual activity is a grievous sin and it should be ceased right away because it is abominable in the sight of God. Furthermore, it teaches precisely that homosexuality is a result of denying and disobeying God.

To support the Holy Bible through its chapters and verses like Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, Genesis 19: 1-13, when people continue in sin and unbelief, God "gives them over" to even more wicked and depraved sin in order to show them the futility and hopelessness of life apart from God. It proclaims that homosexual offenders will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Homosexuality is not inborn. It is self-made which developed gradually through peers who live in the same environment. The upbringing of the family is also part of the blame and indignation. Perhaps, the parents lack of disciplining and guiding the child to be straight and not to be swayed with evil and lust that the world can offer. Like other violations of the law of chastity, homosexual behavior is a serious sin. Most of the modern-day prophets have spoken about the perils of homosexual behavior and about the church's concern for people who may have such inclinations. Here are the straight reminders that help you excogitate about your self-identity crisis and unusual behaviors, and how you wield over your inclinations which are so powerful and which may be difficult to control. The indispensable techniques are:

1. Pray always to God for helping you control your sexual drives and inclinations towards a person of the same sex;

2. Don't do anything to arouse the powerful feelings that must be expressed only in marriage;

3. Try to compel yourself to think of the Holy Bible to guide and protect you if you start thinking to engage in fornication of the same sex;

4. Don't participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person of the same sex, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person's body, with or without clothing;

5. Don't arouse completely those emotions in your body because your body is a temple of God; and

6. Think always of yourself about the Holy Bible and God made man and woman to unite together for procreation with proper blessings and it is God's "plan of salvation."

Homosexuality will be controlled if the person has the self-drive to change positively in accordance with God's volition under His care and with gospel principles. Satan's plan is to deceive as many of us as he can to prevent us from returning to live with our Heavenly Father. One of the most damaging things he can do is to entice us by breaking the law of chastity. He is cunning and powerful. He wants us to be like him who does immoral things on earth. One major example is homosexuality practice where the lovers of the same sex engage in exotic, but brutal sex foreplay in bed.

There are also other things to stop you from being homosexual. You might try to look around and catch sight of other alternative for pleasure like masturbation, thinking only of the opposite sex and no one else-- if you can change so that you won't be gay. In this method, perchance you can be straight. You have to try these eccentric observations and pleasurable practices for your own sake! Express yourself in a world wherein you and a woman live together. Think deeply of something like having a sexual intercourse with her. If you think it does not work, retry! Think also straight fantasies to make you sexually active!