As you don't know, our film, Love At First Plite(Fare) made it to the finals of UPelikula 2014, an inter-university film contest by the University of the Philippines - Cebu.
It was of weird feelings when I knew about the news. Excited, expectant, but more of nervous, thinking we might not bag any award. But that's ok. If we make it, then good. If not, then it's still good. The fact that we made it to the finals (out of 91 entries) is more than enough recognition for us. It is our pride and honor to be on that list. Just goes to show, that people actually appreciate our work. And we're grateful for it. We can't ask for more. But of course, it would be nice if we would actually win the awards. HAHA :)
Anyway, I'll try my best to keep you updated on UPelikula activities, before the big night on the 22nd.
Well, I just want to share about my tuesday (February 11, 2014). Over the weekend, we met with a client for an event. They booked us, and I guess we were on for a surprise. We were going to be performing on the same event as the International Singing Sensation, Charice, and the classic, Rex Smith!
We were so excited for that day to come (hey, only 2 days since we got called up. haha). It is our pride and honor to be able to perform on the same event as they were. And yes, starstruck to the max! :D
Well, it was a corporate event. It was the 2nd anniversary of LRI-Therpharma (a medicine company by UNILAB), held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City.
Also present in the event, was Alyssa Quijano of XFactor Philippines (who is popularly known as Charice's girlfriend) and young inspirational singer, Fatima Soriano, who by the way, made every bit of hair in me stand, when she sang the opening prayer. Anointed!
Anyway, I would also just want to say how well-pampered we were by the hotel staff and the production team. And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, we were surprised to know that we were to share the same holding room as...Charice. Yes, you heard it right! Charice. haha
O how blessed are we to experience such once-in-a-lifetime event. This right here is a testimony of how good God is. His favor is amazing!
By the way, here's a selfie pic my bro and I took before we stepped on stage to perform. Yes, we went neon for that night. And I loved it! The colors are especially requested by the client. haha
Once again, thank
you to LRI-Therpharma and AD Central Systems for having us grace your
event. This, for sure, we will never forget.
Well, Happy New Year everyone. I know it's a little too late for a new year's post. But I'm writing this to share some stuff to you guys.
"First", that is the title I chose for this blog post, because it would specifically talk about some of my "firsts". Btw, this is also my first blog post for 2014. :)
Anyway, this post is primarily dedicated to Love At First Plite. My first film, that has given me my first taste of what it feels like to be a Youtube sensation.
Yes, you're seeing it right. Love At First Plite just hit 100k view on Youtube! Unbelievable! Glory to God!
Once again, in behalf of the whole team, I would just like to thank everyone who watched the film up on Youtube. All of you contributed to our success. And this isn't only our team's success, but it's ALL our success.
On the other hand, what's more to celebrate, is that it's a breakthrough for Cebuano/Bisdak films to actually, slowly, be able to tickle the taste of the people. The same goes for Cebuano music too. I'm glad that we're finally on the way to being proud of our own (film, music, whatever) once again. And in time, I'm certain that the era of "baduy" will soon be out the window. :)
That's it. hehe
Anyway, I've got more firsts just when the new year started ticking. But some, I've got to keep for myself. :p
We have been given so much as believers in Christ. We are forgiven,
redeemed, and called out of sin and into a new life of glorious
freedoms... but what do we do with what we are given? How do we show
our thanks to Christ? Evangelism should be a lifestyle, a part of our
daily active worship to God. Let your light shine, don't hide it under a
bushel. Show others the gift of salvation that God has given you. God
is calling you to a life that is different. How are you different from
anyone else? How do you stand out, shine, and live every day like it is
a brand new start? With a mindset of putting others before yourself,
reaching out in times of need (because we all know what it's like to go
through hardship)... I want to challenge you to step out and do
something this month, talk to someone you wouldn't normally talk to.
The biggest blessings come from the most unlikely circumstances.
The
word "Christian" means "little Christ". We need to be reflections of
Jesus. We are his hands and feet, showing others his great love through
the works we do in our lives. We are not saved by works alone, but
what is faith without works? It's dead, cold, frozen... I just want to
challenge you today to a lifestyle that is different, a lifestyle where
people can look at you and know that you are living your life in a
different way than you did before you accepted Christ so that they will
want what you have. They will want that incredible joy that God has
filled you up with. I want to leave you with this quote as an
encouragement. I heard it today and just loved it:
God does not call the equipped... he equips the called.
Follow His lead.
Here's a video I want to share showing an example of a true love from a father. We have a father in Heaven who truly loves us unconditionally and the only one who can bring us true peace that surpasses all understanding.
I
know it's not going to be easy, because I myself as a christian even
fail, I mean all of us do. No one is perfect, that's why we need to call
on the Lord everyday for help and strength. It's all through God's
Grace my friends. :)) God Bless!
"Is it enough to cry? Is it enough to say goodbye? Is it enough to thank the heavens we're alive?"
Two weeks ago, my friend, Homer Cang (composer, singer, music producer), wrote a song (in just less than a day) in remembrance of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda that badly struck and devastated the Philippines. Entitled MORE THAN ENOUGH, it's a song dedicated to both the victims and the survivors of the typhoon, even to the those who just weren't really affected by the typhoon at all.
So... I am very happy I got the call. My friend asked some of my singer friends and I, if we would willingly do the backup vocals for the song. Of course, we said yes! It was our great pleasure and honor to be a part of something so beautiful! :)
Now, two weeks later, we've finally finished the song after a couple of recording sessions. 'Twas really fun and very fulfilling!
I hope you'll enjoy this song.
Let's love, till the love we give becomes more than enough. :)
(From L-R: My bro-John Walt Bordario, Daryl Leong, Me, Lizette Uy, Niqi Alo, Miriam Uy, and Apple Suico.) *First session
(From L-R: My bro-John Walt Bordario, Me, Daryl Leong, Lizette Uy, Miriam Uy, and Apple Suico) *Second session
Check the song and lyrics below:
VERSE 1
Is it enough to cry
Is it enough to say goodbye
Is it enough to thank the heavens we're alive
VERSE 2
Is it enough to feel
Is it enough to feed the hungry
Is it enough to pray for a bright and better day
PRE-CHORUS 1
Let's take it deeper
Deeper than the love the world could ever offer
And bring it higher
Higher than the human spirit has ever gone
CHORUS
Love like we've never loved before
Don't wait until tomorrow
It's all or nothing now
Pour your heart out to the world
Give till it hurts - beyond all reason
When it's in and out of season
Let’s make a difference now
Till the love we give
Becomes more than enough
VERSE 3
Is it enough to try
To live your life just to survive
Is it enough to know the sun will shine your way
VERSE 4
Is it enough to receive
All the pleasures for you and me
Is it enough to count your blessings
And turn a blind eye to others' needs
PRE-CHORUS 2
There's a faith that's stronger
Stronger than the loudest wind could ever blow
A hope that's wider
Wider than the greatest river has ever flowed
*(CHORUS)
BRIDGE
Let's come together
It's now or never
Let's change the world and make it brighter
it's not too late
No, It's not too late
*(CHORUS)
CODA
It's not enough to cry
It's not enough to say goodbye
It's time to change the world -- you and I
There are all kinds of advice
out there about dating today, but a lot of it is about dating in the
world rather than Christian dating. Christians need to have a different
attitude toward dating. However, even among Christians there are
differences as to whether you should or should not date. The choice is
up to you and your parents, but Christian teens should still know
God’s perspective on dating. Non-Christians have a different
perspective on dating. You see the magazines, TV shows, and movies that
tell you how you’re young, and you should date a lot of people before
you get married. You see certain “role models” jumping from one dating
relationship to another. Yet God has more in store for you than
just jumping from one relationship to another. He is clear on whom you
should date and why you should date. When it comes to Christian dating,
you live according to a different standard – God’s. Yet it’s not just
about following the rules. There are some solid reasons why God asks us
to live a certain way, and dating is no different. Why Should Christian Teens Date (Or Not Date)? While
most people have differing opinions about dating, it is one area of
the Bible where there is not a lot of information. However, Christian
teens can get some idea of God’s expectations from certain scripture
verses:
Genesis 2:24: “For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become
one flesh.” (NIV)
Proverbs 4:23: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (NIV)
1
Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (NIV)
These three scriptures give insight into the Christian dating life. We need to realize that God means for us to meet the ONE person that we are meant to marry.
According to Genesis, a man will leave home to marry one women to
become one flesh. You do not need to date a lot of people – just the
right one. Also, Christian teens need to guard their hearts. The word “love” is thrown around with little thought. Yet, we often live for love. We live for God’s love first and foremost, but we also live for the love of others. While there are many definitions of love, 1Corinthians tells us how God defines love. It is love that should drive Christian teens to date,
but it should not be the shallow version of love. When you date it
should be taken seriously. You should know the person you are dating and
know their beliefs. You should check your potential boyfriend against the values listed in 1 Corinthians.
Ask yourself if the two of you are patient and kind to one another. Are
you envious of one another? Do you boast about one another or to each
other? Go through the characteristics to measure your relationship.
Only Date Believers God is pretty picky on this one, and the Bible makes this issue very clear.
Deuteronomy
7:3: “Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their
sons or take their daughters for your sons” (NIV)
2Corinthians
6:14: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do
righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can
light have with darkness?”(NIV)
The Bible seriously warns
us about dating non-Christians. While you may not be looking at
marrying anyone at the moment, it should always be in the back of your
head. Why get involved emotionally with someone that you should not
marry? This does not mean you cannot be friends with that person, but
you should not date them. This also means that you should
avoid “missionary dating,” which is dating a non-believer in the hopes
that you can convert him or her. Your intentions may be noble, but the relationships rarely work out. Some Christians have even gotten married to non-believers, hoping that they can convert their spouse, but often the relationships end up in disaster. On
the other hand, some Christian teens believe that interracial
dating is inappropriate due to the scriptures that tells Christians to
avoid being yoked to non-Christians. However, there is actually nothing
in the Bible that prohibits dating people of other races. The Bible
places more emphasis on Christians dating other Christians. It is
culture and society that place an emphasis on race. So
make sure you are only dating those who share your beliefs. Otherwise
you may find that your relationship is a struggle rather than a joy. Be careful of recreational dating, where you date for the sake of dating. God calls us to love one another, but the scripture is clear that He asks us to be careful. While love is a beautiful thing, the breaking off of relationships is hard.
There is a reason they call it a “broken heart.” God understands the
power in love and the damage a broken heart can do. This is why it is
important for Christian teens to really pray, know their hearts, and listen to God when they decide to date.
Looking for a completely countercultural path
to marriage? Here's how to apply God's Word to dating, finding a spouse
and getting married.
The system today's young men and women have inherited
for finding and marrying a future spouse leaves a lot to be desired. We
often hear complaints from readers about the confusion, hurt and sexual
sin they've encountered despite their best intentions. Many want to
know how they can go about getting to know someone and eventually
getting married without getting hurt or compromising their faith. At Focus on the Family, we've offered a range of resources and
expert advice bringing biblical principles to bear in this area. Some of
the messages we've presented have taken the position that Christians
can apply their faith in such a way that they can still work within the
system they've inherited. Other messages have stressed that Christians
need to be much more counter-cultural. Joshua Harris, for instance, has
promoted a model of courtship that harkens back to a model used broadly
before modern dating evolved. People attempting to follow a courtship model within today's
culture, however, often run into a lot of practical questions, such as,
"What if her dad is unavailable or uninterested in being involved?" or
"What do you do when you live hundreds of miles from your family?" The goal of this series of articles, beginning with this
introduction, is to provide our readers with a place to bring those
questions. Scott Croft is an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church where
he teaches a seminar on friendship, courtship and marriage. He is also
an attorney who is used to tackling tough questions. The answers he brings may be different from anything you've heard
before. The topics he's going to be dealing with are ones in which
equally committed Christians have found different biblical
interpretations. Not all will agree with Scott's approach, and we invite
feedback from anyone who believes there are better interpretations for
the biblical passages Scott draws from. It's our hope that this Q&A series will be valuable both for
those who think the Bible gives sufficient guidance for operating within
our current system as well as for those who are looking for a
completely countercultural path to marriage.
* * *
If you're reading this, you're interested in dating. You've done it,
you're doing it, you'd like to do it, or you need to teach somebody else
how to do it. Don't worry. You're not alone. In our society, dating has
become something of an obsession. It is expected to be a universal
phenomenon. It's just something you do if you're single and of age (and
that age is quickly dropping) in America. It is considered the natural
precursor to marriage, and is generally considered something to be
desired, whatever form it might take. It's also big business. If you were to Google the word "matchmaker,"
you would receive something in the neighborhood of 21,200,000 responses —
with a few of these outfits claiming to be Christian, but most making
no such claim. "Dating" will get you 790,000,000 hits. As evangelical Christians, we're called to be distinct in the ways we
think and act about all issues that confront us and those around us.
This topic is no exception. So is there such a thing as biblical
dating? If so, what is it? How can Christians think differently about
this pervasive issue in media and culture? How are we doing so far? The answer to that last question is "not well." Surveys consistently
indicate that professing Christians behave almost exactly like
non-Christians in terms of sexual involvement outside of marriage (in
both percentage of people involved and how deeply involved they are —
how far they're going), living together before marriage, and infidelity
and divorce after marriage. In fact, depending on which statistics one
believes, the divorce rate for professing Christians may actually be higher
than for Americans as a whole. Granted, not all of these people are
evangelicals, but we're not doing so well either. Indeed, the central
issue we need to confront — and the reason I write and speak on this
topic — is that when it comes to dating and relationships, perhaps more
than in any other area of the everyday Christian life, the church is
largely indistinguishable from the world. That truth has brought
immeasurable emotional pain and other consequences to many Christians.
Worse, it has brought great dishonor to the name of Christ and to the
witness of individuals and the church. It doesn't have to be this way. For Christians, the Lord has given us
His Word, and the Holy Spirit helps us to understand it. We have
brothers and sisters in Christ to hold us accountable and to help us
apply the Word to our lives. If you're a Christian, that's the biblical
life you're called to. That's what I hope this column will be about — applying God's Word to dating, finding a spouse and getting married.
Scripture Rules
I have to start by explaining the theological doctrine that drives
the approach I want to outline (and advocate). That doctrine is called
the sufficiency of Scripture. Almost all professing evangelical Christians are familiar with and vigorously defend the doctrine of the inerrancy
of Scripture (which states that the Bible is the authoritative Word of
God, it's true, and it contains no falsity or error). I certainly agree
with the inerrancy of Scripture, but that's not what I'm talking about
here. The doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture assumes
inerrancy but then goes a step further. This doctrine simply holds that
the Bible is sufficient to guide and instruct us authoritatively in all
areas of our faith and life, and that there is no area of life about
which the Bible has no guidance for us. The sufficiency of Scripture is
taught explicitly and implicitly in many passages, but perhaps the most
obvious is 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of
God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So how does the sufficiency of Scripture apply to our coming
discussions? Well, many evangelicals who otherwise believe in the
inerrancy of the Bible and who might generally agree with the
sufficiency of Scripture have nonetheless embraced the world's
ideas about dating. In doing so, some make the argument that Scripture
doesn't speak to this topic. I believe it does. The Bible speaks to every
area of our faith and life at some level. Some things it talks about
explicitly, like salvation or sanctification or marriage or elders. The
Bible guides us in some areas by broader, more general principles and
ideas we can build on as we strive to live the Christian life in
practical ways. In either case, no area of life falls totally outside of
the guidance and authority of God's Word. My point is that we cannot simply state that the Bible "doesn't
mention dating or courtship," and then think we're off the hook to
pursue this area of our lives either on the world's terms or however
seems best to us without diligent, submissive reference to God's Word.
If the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is true, then God's Word
does have authoritative guidance for us about how we might best glorify
God in this area of our lives. That means our conversation has to be a biblical
conversation. I mention the sufficiency of Scripture as part of the
groundwork for this column because it's one of those doctrines that
touches every area of our lives, and it is at the heart of the approach
to dating (and life) that we'll talk about here.
Biblical Dating
OK. Let's take care of some basic definitions. We may define biblical dating as a method of introduction and carrying out of a pre-marital relationship between a single man and a single woman:
That begins (maybe) with the man approaching and going through the woman's father or family;
that is conducted under the authority of the woman's father or family or church; and
that always has marriage (or at least a determination regarding marriage to a specific person) as its direct goal.
The Scriptural support for the idea of biblical dating is largely by
example and implication. We will look at a number of passages over the
course of our discussions that support various aspects of biblical
dating, but for the moment, let me just give you some references to
study:
1 Corinthians 6:9-7:19 (command to be pure, seriousness of sexual sin and instructions regarding marriage)
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (do not wrong or defraud one another in relationships — by implying a relationship or commitment by your words or conduct that does not actually exist)
Song of Solomon 2:7 ("do not awaken love before it pleases" — i.e. before the proper time, meaning marriage)
Proverbs 6:20-7:27 (warning to avoid sexual sin and foolish relationships)
James 1:13-15 (temptation is to be taken very seriously)
Romans 13:8-14 (love others, work for their soul's good; don't look to please self)
Romans 14:1-15:7 (favor others, not self ... value what's good to their souls)
1 Timothy 5:1-2 (treat single women as sisters in Christ, with absolute purity)
Titus 2:1-8 (young men and women should focus on self-control/godliness)
John 14:15 (if you love Christ, you will obey His commands — read: above your own desires — and live biblically)
We'll talk more about these and other passages as we deal with other topics in this series.
Modern Dating
We may basically define modern dating as a method of introduction and carrying out of a pre-marital relationship between a single man and a single woman:
that begins with either the man or the woman initiating with the other;
that is conducted outside the formal oversight or authority of either person's family or church; and
that may or may not have marriage as its goal and is often purely "recreational" or "educational."
Now, the biblical support for the modern approach to dating ...
(insert crickets, tumbleweeds, person whistling here).... That was it.
There isn't any. The very idea of extended romantic or sexual
involvement outside of marriage doesn't even appear in Scripture unless
it is described as illicit (sinful). Furthermore, it doesn't even appear
in any society, western or otherwise, in any systematic way until the
20th century. While the principles supporting biblical dating have their
beginnings with the very structure of the family, modern dating has its
origins with the sexual revolution of the 1960s. It is brand new, and
yet, seemingly, it is all we know.
Differences Between Modern Dating and Biblical Dating
So what's the real difference? Here are some fundamentals: Modern dating philosophy assumes that there will be several intimate
romantic relationships in a person's life before marriage. In fact, it
advocates "playing the field" in order to determine "what one wants" in a
mate. Biblical dating has as its goal to be emotionally and physically
intimate with only one member of the opposite sex ... your spouse. Modern dating tends to be egalitarian (no differences between men and
women in spiritual or emotional "wiring" or God-given roles). Biblical dating tends to be complementarian
(God has created men and women differently and has ordained each of
these spiritual equals to play different and valuable roles in the
church and in the family). Modern dating tends to assume that you will spend a great deal of
time together (most of it alone). Biblical dating tends to encourage
time spent in group activities or with other people the couple knows
well. Modern dating tends to assume that you need to get to know a person
more deeply than anyone else in the world to figure out whether you
should be with him or her. The biblical approach suggests that real
commitment to the other person should precede such a high level of
intimacy. Modern dating tends to assume that a good relationship will "meet all my
needs and desires," and a bad one won't — it's essentially a
self-centered approach. Biblical dating approaches relationships from a
completely different perspective — one of ministry and service and
bringing glory to God. Modern dating tends to assume that there will be a high level of
emotional involvement in a dating relationship, and some level of
physical involvement as well. Biblical dating assumes no physical intimacy and more limited emotional intimacy outside of marriage. Modern dating assumes that what I do and who I date as an adult is
entirely up to me and is private (my family or the church has no formal
or practical authority). Biblical dating assumes a context of spiritual
accountability, as is true in every other area of the Christian life. Basically, we can make three general statements about modern dating
vs. biblical dating in terms of their respective philosophies:
Modern dating seems to be about "finding" the right person for me (as my friend Michael Lawrence has written on this site, "Stop Test-Driving Your Girlfriend"); biblical dating is more about "being" the right person to serve my future spouse's needs and be a God-glorifying husband or wife.
In modern dating, intimacy precedes commitment. In biblical dating, commitment precedes intimacy.
The modern dating approach tells us that the way to figure out whether I want to marry someone is to act like we are
married. If we like it, we make it official. If we don't, then we go
through something emotionally — and probably physically — like a
divorce. In biblical dating, Scripture guides us as to how to find a
mate and marry, and the Bible teaches, among other things, that we
should act in such a way so as not to imply a marriage-level commitment until that commitment exists before the Lord.
I'm supremely confident that as we go back and forth in the coming
months, some — perhaps many — of you will disagree (if you don't
already) or be initially annoyed at some of my statements. Ask yourself
why. What are you trying to hold onto that you think this approach will
take from you (privacy, autonomy, a secular idea of freedom or of your
own rights)? I have a particular challenge for those of you whose main objection
is that the practical details we'll talk about here "are not explicitly
biblical": think about the details of how you conduct (or would like to
conduct) your dating life. Can you find explicit support for the modern
approach in Scripture? Are there even broad principles in
Scripture that justify the modern vision of dating (or yours, whatever
it may be)? The Bible simply doesn't give us explicit instructions on
some of what we'll discuss. Fair enough. In such a situation, we should
ask what gets us closest to clear biblical teaching. In other
words, within the many gray areas here, what conduct in our dating lives
will help us to best care for our brothers and sisters in Christ and
bring honor to His name? That's it. That's a basic framework for biblical dating as best I can
discern it from the principles of God's Word. Now, you're on. No
question is too broad or too specific, too theoretical, too theological,
or too practical. Agree with what I've said, or challenge it. This is
how iron sharpens iron. Just remember one thing: we're in this together — for His Glory. (C) www.boundless.org/relationships/2012/biblical-dating-how-its-different-from-modern-dating
