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V-Day is Coming!  That means I’ll have a busier-than-normal speaking schedule this month.  Here’s what I have planned so far:

February 1: TLW@Joy Student Fellowship, Intramuros

February 8: Generation Congregation

February 10 and 12: TLW@Philippine Normal University (4 seminars)

February 12: Resonate Worship: Valentine's Day Special

February 13: TLW@City College of Manila

February 15:TLW@UCCP-Ellinwood Malate Church

February 17: TLW@Technological Institute of the Philippines

February 18: TLW@Saint Pedro Poveda College

February 20: TLW@Tabernacle of Faith Christian Academy

February 22: TLW@Greenhills Christian Fellowship—Marikina Valley

February 27: TLW@Supreme Court Christian Fellowship

February 28: TLW@Anchor Baptist Church, Malabon

Please pray for these events--pray that students will embrace the message of purity.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, by Francis Chan

Why do so many of us settle for lukewarm, half-hearted devotion to God?  What are you doing in your life that requires true faith?  What if you stopped believing in God—would anyone notice?  When is the last time you sacrificed something for the sake of Christ?  Francis Chan takes these issues head-on in Crazy Love.
 
This book is a modern, refreshing look at ancient truths.  It reminded me of God’s call to live a life of passion, dedication and faith, holding nothing back. 

I’ll paraphrase one of my favorite examples from the book:

Imagine you are an extra in a movie—there’s a one-second scene where the back of your head can be seen in a crowd.  Now, imagine inviting hundreds of your friends to this movie and telling them it’s about you.  How absurd! 

“So many of us think and live like the movie of life is all about us,” Chan concludes.

Here’s something else that impressed me: Francis Chan practices what he preaches.  He moved his family into a smaller house so they could give more to ministry.  His church downgraded their building plan so more money could go to missions/ministry—why is this the exception and not the rule among churches?

Here are some of the author’s concluding remarks:
I wrote this book because much of our talk doesn’t match our lives.  We say things like, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” and “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”  Then we live and plan like we don’t believe God exists.

I highly recommend this book. 

One minor disagreement:
Chan argues that the “lukewarm” in Revelation 3 were not true Christians.  I disagree with his conclusion: the “church” is, by definition, God’s people (literally “the called out ones”).  I believe the rebuke of Revelation 3:14-22 was directed at God’s church/people, not unbelievers. 

Regardless, I agree 100% with the spirit of Chan’s message: lukewarm “faith” is nauseating and unacceptable to God.   

Apparently there's a new Mac virus: the iServices.A Trojan horse.  The virus is disguised as a bootleg copy of iWork 09 and is spread through BitTorrent.  Once downloaded and installed, it can be used to steal information from your Mac and take control of it.  Only 20,000 machines have been infected, but the problem could get worse.

Let's keep something in mind: Macs are still much safer than PC's in terms of viruses.  For a Mac to get this virus, the user must download the program and install it on his/her computer--a Mac can't get "passively" infected.

There's a removal tool available, but I can't vouch for it (I haven't tried it). 

Want to avoid getting your Mac infected?  It's simple: don't download and install pirated software.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live . . .
-Deuteronomy 30:19

I used to be a substance abuse counselor.  We frequently had training on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

I remember a discussion we had about the means of HIV transmission.  One of the lecturers said something that struck me to the core.  HIV, she said, was transmitted through fluids we associate with life (blood and sexual fluids).  “Whoa!” I thought to myself.  Intentionally or not, she had said something remarkably profound—so profound that I remember it years later.

I had never thought about it this way—maybe you haven’t either.  We’ve taken that which should create life and used it to cause death! 

Consider these HIV/AIDS statistics:

*Every 24 hours, 8,000 people die of AIDS.
*There are now over 30 million people infected with HIV.
*More than 25 million people have died from AIDS since the disease’s discovery.
*Africa has over 11 million “AIDS orphans”—children whose parents died due to the disease.



This tragic reality doesn’t stop with HIV.  Just consider the silent holocaust of abortion—the millions of children who are murdered before they are allowed to take their first breath:

*Approximately 42 million abortions happen every year worldwide—115,000 per day. 
*Over 400,000 abortions per year happen in the Philippines.
*In the United States, approximately 43% of all women will have at least one abortion before age 45.
*Repeat abortions by teenage girls have gone up almost 70% since 1991.  



Like the Apostle Paul said, we “invent ways of doing evil” (Romans 1:30).

All of this because we won’t obey God.  All of this because we’ve decided we’re smarter than He is when it comes to the gift of sex.

Beloved readers, this is why sexual purity is so important.  It isn’t just a matter of guilt, shame or emotional baggage—it’s a matter of life and death!  When we lose respect for the process that creates life, we inevitably lose respect for life itself.

Choose purity.  Choose Life.

You'll notice I've added a new button after each post--the small buton that says SHARE.  When you put your cursor on it, it will expand like so:

Clicking some of these items, such as Digg and Yahoo Buzz, will help submit my articles for others to read.  If the article has already been submitted, your click will be a vote--which will make it more likely for others to read the same article (more votes=the article is ranked higher).

You can also post blog articles into your FaceBook and MySpace profiles. 

So, if you see something on my website that you like, please use this button to promote it.  It won't cost you anything and will just take a few seconds.

PS:  If any of you are wondering, I found this button at http://www.addthis.com

Listen to the testimony of Gianna Jessen, who survived a late-term abortion attempt.

Part 1


Part 2


"My whole intent in living here is to make God smile."
Powerful stuff!

We answer your questions and reflect on the Life Changers event in Baguio.
Just go to my podcast page (http://kuyakevin.libsyn.com) to download it.

I'll try to make a lower file size available soon.  The problem is I have limited storage space per month, so I'm not sure I can keep uploading two episodes per week.  We'll see if we can find a solution to this--maybe one medium-sized file per week. 

As you probably know, a pendulum is a weight that swings back and forth from a fixed point.  Unfortunately, the pendulum symbolizes the way we’ve treated the gift of sex—going from one non-biblical extreme to another.  

As I’ve mentioned before, religion has an unfortunate history of treating sex as something dirty and shameful.   Even now, those of us who advocate purity must carefully guard against legalism.   

Then there’s the other extreme—a “liberated” mentality in which anything goes and all modesty is lost.  When society allows the pendulum to swing in this direction, the results are incredibly destructive.   

I don’t want to be like a pendulum.  I don’t want to react (and overreact) to the problems I see around me.  There’s another way, and another symbol: the plumb line.

A plumb line is a pointed weight on the end of a string.  This tool produces a straight line every time—gravity ensures it.  The Lord Himself used the plumb line as a symbol of His perfect, unchanging standards.


When it comes to sex, God’s “plumb line” runs consistently through the Bible.  It begins in Genesis 2:24, where He describes the beautiful, mysterious “one flesh” union between husband and wife.  Jesus quoted this very passage when teaching about marital fidelity (Matthew 19:5).  Paul quoted it in making his case against sexual promiscuity (1 Corinthians 6:16).  God designed sex to be experienced only within marriage--His mind hasn't changed.  

I pray that we will act as plumb lines, not pendulums.  Let’s continue to present God’s standard: no more, no less.

Related Posts:

One Flesh: Sex and the Human Soul

A Veil and False Eyelashes: Ruining the Gift

Related Podcast:

Adam and Eve--A Glimpse of the Garden
  

  

O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
      Your glory is higher than the heavens.
   You have taught children and infants
      to tell of your strength,
   silencing your enemies
      and all who oppose you.
   When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
      the moon and the stars you set in place—
   what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
      human beings that you should care for them
      -Psalm 8:1-4

I mentioned wanting to spend more time on my rooftop.  Here I am now, writing this post.  I am blessed to live in a 25-story condominium.  I often joke that I have a lovely view of the Pasig River (a heavily polluted river that runs through the city).  All kidding aside, my rooftop does provide a unique perspective of the city: lights, cars, and buildings as far as you can see.   It really is something to behold.


Coming up here helps me put things in perspective:

*Lizards scampering on the walls make me think of a previous post.  

*I’m reminded of my own insignificance in the grand scheme of things, which helps me not to take myself too seriously.

*I’m reminded to view life with a certain of awe and wonder as our Creator intended.

*I get a tiny glimpse of the greatness of God, which deepens my sense of reference for Him.

*I fathom the size of God’s heart—a heart big enough to individually love everyone in this sea of humanity below me.

*I think about the awesome task of reaching the multitudes with the gospel.

*I consider how meaningless all the busyness, commotion and “progress” is if life is lived without God. 

It’s now almost 1:00 a.m.   Yesterday’s Baguio adventure (and bus rides) has altered my biorhythms to a more nocturnal schedule.  But I think I can get to sleep soon, so I’ll go back to my apartment.  I’m glad I decided to come up here tonight.  I’ll be back soon. 

Here are some pictures from the Baguio Lifechangers event. 

I met Paul Wrenn, a world champion powerlifter.  I really enjoyed talking with him and getting some weightlifting tips.  Paul used impressive feats of strength as part of an evangelistic presentation, such as lifting me off the floor using a neck harness (no hands).  My 200lb body wasn't much of a challenge for him.  I've posted more of his pictures over at strongandfit.net. 



I had an awesome time and made several new friends.  I even had the opportunity to counsel with a few young men who wanted relationship advice.  God is raising up a generation that is passionate about serving Him!

LJ Salceda has written another great article! It is called To Stay or Not to Stay, and you can read it here at Mom's magazine.

Related Post:

LJ's Story: Lessons from an Absentee Father

Encouragement for those who have family problems

I got serious about my faith when I was still a teenager.  I knew following Jesus meant a call to service, so I wasted no time finding ministry opportunities. 

One of my first ministry experiences was doing Bible study in a reform school—an institution for juvenile criminal offenders.  I was seventeen at the time, so a few of the students were actually older than I was (some of them had turned 18 after they started serving their sentence).  As you can imagine, I heard some heartbreaking stories about their family environments.

The reform school would not be my last exposure to the “down-and-out” members of society.  I worked as a foster care case manager after I graduated college.  I did my best to help kids who had been removed from abusive home environments.  My next job was in substance abuse counseling.  Many of my clients had experienced abuse/neglect during their childhood.

By the time I was 25 years old, I had heard more horrific family stories than most will in a lifetime.

I still encounter those who are hurting from family problems. Sometimes this is caused by the OFW phenomenon.  Sometimes the problem is an irresponsible or absentee parent.  The pain is real, regardless of the specific details. Filipino students, like youth everywhere, suffer from broken homes and broken hearts.

After years of ministry, two things have become painfully obvious to me:
1.    Many children do not grow up in stable families.
2.    Family problems can have profound, negative effects on a child’s soul.

I would like to offer some encouragement for those who are hurting.  I’m not trying to give you “five steps to mend your heart.”   Instead, I’m simply offering some truths and principles that I believe to be helpful:

Remember God’s Love

It’s easy to forget God’s love when you are in pain.  You might even question God’s love (or His very existence) or blame Him.  This is normal—we all wonder why a good God would allow bad things to happen to us.

But keep this in mind—we don’t always see God’s love in our immediate environment.  This is especially true if your family members make choices that hurt us. 

Can you find proof of God’s love?  Yes!  There’s one place where you can see absolute proof: the cross.  Consider what the Bible tells us about the death of Jesus:

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. –Romans 5:8

No matter what is happening in your family, remember that Jesus Christ died for you.  He’s already expressed His love for you by making the ultimate sacrifice—His own life.  Jesus Himself said this:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. –John 15:13

Please don’t forget this truth.  No matter who you are or what your family is like, Jesus Christ loved you enough to die for you. 

Cry Out to your Heavenly Father

Jesus’ death allows us to be part of God’s family.  He offers us a fresh, new, start—a spiritual birth:

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.  –John 1:12-13

Placing your faith in Christ not only gives you a fresh start, but it also makes you one of God’s children.  You can have a Heavenly Father that will never leave your or forsake you!  In fact, He has a special place in His heart for those from broken homes:

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
       is God in his holy dwelling.
  -Psalm 68:5

This Father will also listen attentively to whatever is on your heart.  I’m amazed when I read the Psalms—God’s children expressed hurt and anger as well as praise.

Find a Spiritual Family

We know Jesus loved his biological family, but he also emphasized another kind of family:

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."

He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." –Matthew 12:46-49

Jesus was not being disrespectful to his mother or brothers.  He simply wanted his hearers to see the value of having a spiritual family. 

Those who are in Christ are part of this spiritual family.  It’s important to find other Christians who can support you and help you grow in Christ.  God’s family can provide you with the love and guidance that may be missing at home.

Recognize your Vulnerabilities

You need to be aware of something: having a bad family life can make you more vulnerable to bad decisions—especially when it comes to relationships.  Girls with absentee fathers, for example, often seek out male love/attention.  This can be a recipe for disaster: she may fall for the first bolero (flatterer) that crosses her path.  The end result is more heartbreak.

If you can simply be aware of this problem, you’ll be on your way to healing.  Just keep it mind when considering relationship decisions.  Don’t be afraid to ask for some extra advice/help from those who have your best interest at heart.

Break the Cycle

Sadly, family problems tend to pass down through generations.  There’s a tendency to follow the patterns set in our own family of origin.  Here’s the good news: you can choose to break the cycle!

God can change the way we think—a metamorphosis of the soul:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. –Romans 12:2

This isn’t easy, but it is possible through the transforming power of Christ.  People like LJ Salceda are living proof.  She's not the only example--some of the students who came through our ministry decided to be “cycle breakers.”  They made a decision not to repeat the sins of their family.  I pray you will do the same.

Related Posts:

Isaiah 42: Broken Things

Isaiah 49: Can a Mother Forget Her Child?

You are NOT an Accident

David and Goliath: When the Armor Doesn't Fit

OK guys, I've restocked my supply of books!  For those who live in or near the "ubelt" area of Manila, you can buy Basta LoveLife from me directly for 150 pesos (25% off the retail price).  This price is only available by buying directly from me.  Just contact me and arrange to meet me here in the ubelt. 

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching . . .

Are you a Mac user?  Do you need to get more organized in 2009?  Try Task Paper, a simple to-do list software.  I've been using this for about a month now, and I highly recommend it.  This user-friendly program allows you to create lists and mark tasks as completed.  I use it to keep track of my blog article ideas.  Here's a sample list to give you an idea of how it works:

The Edge Interview

I had a fantastic time last night at The Edge Radio.  We talked about overcoming heartbreaks.  Owie asked some good questions--I hope I responded coherently in my partially jet-lagged state.  Thanks to all who got online and chatted with us, and thanks for everyone who was listening.

Missionary Moment

Something kind of interesting happened before the interview.  I had a late lunch at Chilli Pepper's, a little restaraunt located close to the station.  While looking at the menu, I told the cashier I forgot what I ordered last time (I remembered that it was quite tasty, and I wanted to order it again).  "Tuna steak," said the cashier's co-worker.  I looked at the center of the menu board, and sure enough, there it was--the dish I ordered about six months ago (before my previous interview).  I was a bit surprised--how in the world did this guy remember my order? 

I pondered this while eating.  I vaguely remembered complementing the chef last time I was there (I said masarap, which means "delicious").  I guess it left more of an impression than I realized.  It was just one more reminder that a Mr. Clean look-alike is never anonymous, even in a city of over 12 million people.

Related Posts:

Confessions of a Suki

Unforgettable Moments (That I'm not Sure I Want to Remember)

This free event will be held at the Baguio Convention Center.  I'll do a book signing from 3-6 and Erwin's band will be playing that evening.  Show some love, Baguio!

Episode Four is online.  Erwin and I discuss the issue of over-spiritualization in relationship issues. Just visit the PODCAST PAGE (http://kuyakevin.libsyn.com) to listen or download.

We're trying something new for this episode.  There's a high and lower quality version available.  The lower quality is a smaller file size for those with slower internet connections.  We're still working on making a smaller file size that sounds decent, so bear with us.

Today is Thess' birthday!  Visit her blog (women-ish) and greet her!

Related Posts

Polio, Paralysis and Perseverance: Thess' Story

A Beautiful Woman (by Thess)

I'm back in Manila, and ready for the fat report.

I'll be back on the Edge Radio Friday evening. Hope you'll tune in or watch it online.

Erwin and I discussed teen magazines in one of our recent podcast episodes.  I reminded our female audience members not to compare themselves to American celebrities (see also: Brown is Beautiful).

Here's something you may not know:  most celebrities only release edited (retouched) photos to the public.  I didn't realize just how common the practice is before I watched this video. 




There are similar examples here in the Philippines.

Just remember that much of what you see in magazines is an illusion.  

See Also:

Three Filipinas Discuss True Beauty

Note:
My book has a chapter entitled How Important is Physical Attraction?

"Millions call themselves by His name, it is true, and pay some token respect to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put ot the proof on the question of who or what is above, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice between God and money, God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However the man may protest, the proof is in the choices he makes day after day throughout his life."

A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

I read this book years ago--I need to read it again this year.  

 Let’s face it: most of us don’t even remember our resolutions—much less do them.

I do vaguely remember the one I made last year.  I think I accomplished it, but it’s kind of hard to say. 

I’m going to take a different approach to my resolutions this year.  I’m going to focus on things I can do this month, hence the “turbo-charged” title.  I think these steps will help set the tone for this year. 

Here are some of my "resolutions," not necessarily in any order:

*I want to spend more time  praying for our ministry.

*I’ll go hang out on my rooftop at least once a week.  It is a great place for prayer, contemplation, and writing.  I don’t take advantage of it nearly enough (I’ll write a more about this in a few days). 

*I bought some books over the holidays.  I think I can read at least one or two of them this month.  Maybe I’ll give you my reading list soon. 

*I’ll get back to consistent workouts and better eating habits.  I’ve stayed in decent shape over the holidays, but I need to get back into my full lifting routine.  I also need to get off the “Santa Claus diet” that I’ve been on the past few days. 

This is what I've thought up so far. What are your resolutions?

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
      may I never forget the good things he does for me.
--Psalm 103:2

It’s New Years Day here in the States--a great day to ponder everything God did last year.  I’m overwhelmed with a sense of awe and gratitude as I think about this past year.  Here are a few highlights of 2008:

*Basta LoveLife: Without question, the highlight of 2008 was the release of my book.  I signed the publishing contract right before last year’s Christmas vacation.  It was in stores within a few months.  It has now sold over 1,000 copies—not a big deal for big name authors, but it’s a huge deal for me.  I hope it continues to bless those who read it.

*Radio Interviews: The Lord blessed me with some awesome radio interviews last year.  LJ invited to join them for their Valentine’s Day special over at DZAS.  Jordan and I had fun over at Against the Flow, and I was on air with the awesome folks at The Edge Radio. Thanks to all who invited me for interviews!  I hope to do more interviews this year--maybe even some "secular" shows/stations.

*True Love Waits: I’m not sure how many students attended one of our TLW seminars in ’08 (I usually keep statistics by school year).   It’s always a great honor to spread the message of purity. 

*People: I met some fascinating new people in 2008--the Blackabys and the President to name a few. 

*Preaching: I’ve probably preached more this past year than any previous year of ministry. Blessings to those who managed to stay awake during my sermons.  One of these days I’ll finish with 1st Timothy—promise.

*Radio Show: Erwin and I signed a six month contract for our own radio show.  We pray more stations will broadcast it this year. 

*I tried different methods for advertising this blog.  Some worked better than others.  It definitely made a difference in terms of traffic, and I should pass the 300,000 hit mark some time this year. 

Speaking of the blog, here are a few of my favorite posts from this past year.  If you are new to this blog, maybe you’ll take the time to check them out:

Devotional Thoughts


Righteous Risks

David and Goliath: When the Armor Doesn’t Fit

You are NOT and Accident

Relationship Articles

One Flesh: Sex and the Human Soul

The Downward Spiral

MU: Mutual Understanding and Ambiguous Relationships

The Power of a Modest Woman


Other Posts:

Confessions of a CyberPastor

Brown Is Beautiful

Textolog: Text Messaging in the Philippines

Barhopping at Dawn

These are highlights, but here's what makes every day special for me--serving Jesus and Manila college students!  I love my job! 

I hope all of you will think about God's work in your life last year.

The New Year's episode is online!  This episode focuses on the seven questions I mentioned before.  I'm able to ellaborate a little more since it is a whole episode and not just a blog post.  Just click here to listen/download.