Thursday, January 14, 2021
When We Fall Short
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18
It was not without some scientific basis that the prophet Micah, some seven centuries before Christ, exclaimed, "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?" Micah believed that God would have compassion and would "hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:18-19).
Only in recent years have scientists—chiefly oceanographers and hydrologists—come to appreciate the depths of the ocean floors. We do know that almost without exception, where there is no light, there is no life, and the deeper you go beneath the surface of the ocean, the more difficult it is, not only for humans to survive, but for anything to survive.
Nahum said that God pardons our sin, and because of His compassion, He hurls our sins into the depths of the sea. The Mariana Trench is among the deepest part of the ocean floor, but I would hardly expect to find my sins there. No. It was a picture, a beautiful one, which the prophet gave us to help us understand that when God forgives, the issue is settled, finished, never to be discussed again.
No matter how good you are or how evil you are, sooner or later you face the issue of finding acceptance before the Almighty. Does forgiveness come because of what we have done, or is it because of what Christ did, which God credits to us, as the Bible contends?
That is the issue! It was also the issue which confronted one of our Guidelines listeners who ended up in prison thinking that for him, life was finished. Let me quote his letter. "I was arrested on September 13, 1993. At the time I was looking at, the very least, 36 years in prison. I contemplated suicide and even went so far as to write my mother a suicide note. Then I found a pocket-sized New Testament Bible and began reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. I had never read a Bible before and although I didn't know what I was reading, I knew it was about Jesus Christ. Then some Christians came into my jail cell, and I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and all my suicide thoughts vanished. And I told God that I was a sinner, and I deserved all the years they wanted to give me. I thank the Lord so much for bringing me out of the miry clay and making me a vessel of honor. Before I made Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior, I never had anyone tell me what Jesus Christ did for me." And the letter was signed, "A brother in Christ."
This issue of falling short of God's expectations, of missing the mark, of going astray, or turning your back on God and what you know is right, is what the Bible describes as sin. We are all afflicted with the disease. Isaiah put it, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
"Too easy!" you may be thinking. "Isn't there something I must do?" we ask. The simplicity is profound. Isaiah says (1) We turned our back on God and chose our own devious ways, but (2) God sought us as a shepherd looks for lost sheep, and (3) He forgives our sin in response to our plea for help, and then (4) He walks with us as a shepherd, guiding us into the green pastures.
A word of warning: The simple things are never easy. The real issue isn't all the heathen over there but the darkness of my own heart within. The most difficult thing is to acknowledge your personal need and to realize that the solution is still the grace of God bringing forgiveness and restoration.
Resource reading: Isaiah 53.
PRRD hopes successor to be resolute vs. corruption
By Azer Parrocha
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday expressed hope that his successor would be resolute in preventing corrupt practices at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
In a speech during the inauguration of Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 Project, Duterte expressed hope that the next President would also go after officials involved in anomalous biddings for infrastructure projects by the district engineering offices of the DPWH.
“I hope that the next President would be as forceful and resolute to confront this almost evil practice of people going around the country, naghahanap ng mga bidding tapos paghati-hatian lang nila kaya ang mga proyekto natin, ang pera ng Pilipino hindi sapat doon sa budgeted sa isang eksuwelahan…because of corruption (looking for bidding and then splitting it among themselves that’s why we lack funds to put up schools),” he said.
Upon Duterte’s orders, the Department of Justice (DOJ) in October 2020 investigated government-wide corruption, starting with the DPWH.
“With the ongoing revamp, I expect a more…when I leave the office, medyo kailangan lang i-control ng susunod sa akin (my successor will need to be able to control them),” he said.
He also congratulated DPWH Mark Villar for initiating a “total revamp” in his agency.
Late last month, Duterte bared the names of nine incumbent and former lawmakers allegedly involved in anomalous infrastructure projects.
The list of names was given to Duterte by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) which recently initiated a probe on the alleged corruption in the DPWH.
He, however, clarified that the inclusion in the PACC list does not mean “condemnation or indictment.”
Duterte said they were entitled to presumption of innocence until proven guilty, adding the public should not take the list as “gospel truth.”
Meanwhile, Duterte also thanked the Supreme Court for heeding his call not to delay infrastructure projects with restraining orders.
“Sabi ko (I said) ‘Stop it. Unless there is really a compelling reason for the graft and corruption involved, do not delay. Do not hinder the progress of the country,’” he said.
Batangas provincial board supports bill seeking to renew ABS-CBN franchise
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Batangas has expressed support for a Senate bill seeking to give ABS-CBN Corp. a new franchise after a House panel rejected the company's application for a license to operate last year.
On Monday, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution expressing support for the bill filed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, which seeks to give the broadcasting company a new license to operate its television and radio broadcasting stations for 25 years.
The resolution was sponsored by board member Bibong Mendoza, who said ABS-CBN Channel 2's closure had a "wide effect" on the Southern Tagalog region, where Batangas is a part of and where the company operated a regional channel.
In July, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises denied a new broadcast franchise for ABS-CBN Corp., which also prompted the shutdown of the regional stations.
Mendoza also acknowledged that network's significant contributions, such as when it delivered relief to the province following the eruption of Taal Volcano last year and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At least 13 senators have backed Sotto's bill.
Under the law, all local, spending and franchise bills must first be approved on final reading in the House of Representatives before the Senate can tackle it in plenary.
Barangay chairman, patay sa pamamaril sa loob ng bahay sa Davao Occidental
Pinatay ng mga hindi pa nakikilalang salarin ang isang chairman ng barangay sa bayan ng Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental nitong Lunes ng hapon.
Ayon sa mga awtoridad, binaril sa loob mismo ng kaniyang bahay si Alex Abe sa Jassi Street sa Brgy Poblacion.
Iniimbestigahan pa ng pulisya at inaalam ang mga responsable sa krimen.
Kilala si Abe bilang masigasig sa kampaniya kontra ilegal na droga at nakatanggap umano ito ng mga banta sa kaniyang buhay matapos hulihin ang dalawang kilalang drug dealer sa kanyang sinasakupan.
Kinondena ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Davao Occidental ang krimen.
Ayon kay Davao Occidental Gov. Claude Bautista, nanghihinayang siya sa pagkawala ng opisyal, na isa sa mga pinakamasipag na public servant sa kanilang lalawigan.
"We guarantee that a speedy investigations and soon immediate arrests will be done," ani Bautista.--Ulat ni Hernel Tocmo
For Enchong and Jasmine, streaming platforms expand artists’ reach
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| Jasmine Curtis-Smith |
We all miss the unique, immersive experience of watching films on the big screen. Streaming movies and TV series on platforms like Netflix, HBO Go, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, iWantTFC, iwant and others has upended the way we consume filmed entertainment.
But Enchong Dee and Jasmine Curtis-Smith also see the upside of streaming, which has become the predominant way people watch films these days—no thanks to the pandemic.
Expanded visibility
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| Enchong Dee |
In fact, Enchong and Jasmine, last seen together in the Netflix film “Alter Me,” like the way streaming platforms make their films accessible to more people. “Steaming services stretch a film or genre’s reach,” says Enchong. “Now more than ever, artists are given the freedom to think outside the box—and this pushes us forward, to create more content and pursue themes that are timely, modern and relatable.”
For her part, Jasmine extols the expanded visibility it gives to artists everywhere. “Streaming networks like Netflix allow Filipino filmmakers to be seen across Asia and beyond. The same goes for actors—now, we have a wider platform to demonstrate what we can do.
“Also, if you’re an actor who wants to be a part of the regional or international scene, your exposure on a streaming site will give your audition a little push—it’s something you can be proud of. At kung nandoon ka na sa final level ng audition, and they ask, ‘Where can we watch any of your films?,’ you can say, ‘I have a film on Netflix.’
“Another thing, streaming platforms provide a second wind to some films that don’t do well at the box office when they’re shown in commercial theaters. Some of them came and went unnoticed, then became a hit when they were eventually streamed. It opens up our films to different types of audiences.”