This is a very early election-related crime. The involvement of some authorities are very disappointing and alarming for citizens like me because the people who supposedly protect our rights and life were the ones involved. Sad because politics in our country is not getting better instead, its getting worst! More disappointing because there are people who do not value life, the life which is not owned by anyone but God. I firmly believed that whatever the reason maybe, no man should get back life, even their own lives, much more other man’s life. Only God can get back our lives because He is the giver of it.

The number of election-related crimes will undoubtedly increase as the election day gets nearer. And this reflects that more and more politicians are resorting to “dirty tricks” just to gain power, wealth and fame. I can’t help, but be reminded of how Satan tempted Jesus Christ when Jesus was in the wilderness. Isn’t these were the three things that Satan offer to Jesus but Jesus victoriously refused? And until now, Satan’s offer didn’t changed! These are still the things he is offering to man to take man away from God. Many are being deceived. The Bible’s advise is to be sober, be vigilant because our adversary, the devil, like a roaring lion, seeking about whom he may devour. Let us not fall into the devil’s wiles.

We were thankful that the typhoon spared Metro Manila but we were pained to see our fellow Filipinos in the North suffered the anger of Typhoon Pepeng. As of the weather update earlier this evening, Typhoon Pepeng haven’t leave yet the Philippine area of responsibility and yet another typhoon is coming in.

More and more typhoons will be coming in the future. The intensity might be stronger and the hit might be more frequent. We will be bracing more floods and all other effects of storms. And not only Philippines will experience it. Will the earth be erased because of flood?

It is being reported over the news that the ice in the north and south pole had started to melt and bodies of water had started to eat up more lands. Will this phenomenon washed the earth?

The first great flood happened long time ago when only eight people survived, Noah, his wife, his sons, Sham, Japheth and Ham, and his sons’ three wives and the beast that were with them in the ark.

Genesis 7:22-23 says

All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

But this will no longer be God’s way to destroy the earth. God made a promise to Noah that He will no longer destroy the earth through a flood.

Genesis 9:11 says

“And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”

And the proof of this promise is the rainbow .

Genesis 9:12-17 says

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

So rest assured that no matter how strong he storm or rain is, it is not yet the end of the world. The world will be purified not by water but by fire.

I was monitoring the news the whole day of Saturday because my husband asked me to wait if there would be any announcement about the LET the next day.  The TV stations were only able to air  some video footages late afternoon. Even their field reporters and cameramen were trapped in congested traffic  and flooded streets.

While the rain was pouring and while I was watching the news,  here are some of the things that entered into my mind.

The power of Jesus over nature
I remembered how Jesus commanded the storm to be still when He and His disciple were on a boat crossing the sea. He simply commanded the boisterous wind and roaring sea to stop and be still and it was so. Nature obeys His word. So when I prayed last Saturday, I claimed His power manifested in this event. I trust God’s power to to stop the rain.

Safety is the Lord(Proverbs 21:31)
While the rain was pouring very hard last Saturday, my mother sent me an SMS. She informed me that the river near their place was swelling and the water reached the first phases of the village where they live. Two more phases and the water would already reached their place. She also informed me that they no longer have electricity and water supply and my father was not yet home.

Earlier that day, my father decided to go out and drive his jeepney thinking that the rain would eventually stop. Unfortunately, the rain didn’t stopped. I saw on TV that the roads included in my father’s route were mostly flooded. I was thinking of my father’s situation. He must already be very wet if ever he was stranded on the flood and traffic.

In that situation where my father was still out and my mother was alone with my younger brother who is a special child, I was lost how I could help them if the situation didn’t get better. There was nothing that I can do for them. I admitted my limitations and uttered short prayers from time to time. I plead God to keep my family safe because only Him can do it.

Early evening, my mother informed me that my father was home already. According to my father’s story, he was already near the main gate of the villages at around 3pm but he could not pass through on the bridge because of the swelling river and flood. He waited the water to subside. I thank God for His goodness to my family.

Only treasures laid up in heaven are incorruptible and indestructible (Matthew 16:19-20)
Billions worth of properties were destroyed by Typhoon Ondoy. Properties like houses, cars, appliances, furnitures were destructed in just a matter of hours. For sure, these properties were not acquired in just few hours. Probably, those who own these properties took some months or even years saving some money for these things. And it will take them another months or years before they would be able to set-up the things they lost.

These is really saddening. Here in the Philippines, it is very hard to acquire properties because they are very expensive. Ordinary workers like me would really need so much time to save some money just to buy a new television set or a new refrigerator. But this is the really of life. Anything we invested here on earth is temporal. We don’t know until when it will last but it will end definitely. This is the reason why God encouraged His children to laid up their treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor thieves can break through to steal. For those who manage their wealth wisely and gave back what is due unto the Lord, they may lost everything that they have here on earth, but rest assured that what they have in heaven will still be there. They will enjoy them in time. And our God who owns every single thing in this world, is able to give them back what they have lost, more abundantly.

So how about you, what are the precious things you learned from Typhoon Ondoy?