People: What Would God Say To Steve Jobs?

"Steve Jobs Resigns From Apple"

Early Wednesday evening of August 24, 2011, news about Steve Jobs' resignation as CEO of Apple hit the internet. 

In response to this, a lot of people expressed their thoughts online on social networks like Twitter. Some people expressed deep admiration for Steve Job and his contributions:

"He was one of the most innovative and incredible men ever. I will not be the only one to shed a few tears over this news."

"I'll miss him. I'll miss his vision. I'll miss his character. I'll miss every terajoule of his near unlimited energy."

Truth be told, there were also a lot out there who hated the man, for reasons relatively theirs.

In all these, I also wondered about what God would say to Steve Jobs.

The God we know of in the Bible is one who relates with people from all walks of life.

In the Bible, we see accounts of his interactions with people - his thoughts, feelings, words, and acts.

If we were then to imagine God talking with Steve Jobs in person, 

the very same God who interacted with the patriarchs of Israel, 

its prophets, kings, priests, men, women, both young and old, 

the very same God who communes with us today through the Holy Spirit and His Word, the Bible, He would most likely say:

"Steve Jobs, I am the God who created you."

"For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139:13)

"Steve Jobs, I created you unique - with your own set of abilities, for a noble purpose."

    "I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well." 

(Psalm 139:14)

"Steve Jobs, no one else is like you. However, I created everyone else equally special, with my purposes for and through them in mind."

    "For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16)

"Steve Jobs, your real worth to me is not based on your inherent abilities or occupational success."

    "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, 

it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

"Steve Jobs, your life is in my hands."

    "He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist..." (Acts 17:25-28)

"Steve Jobs, I am fully aware of your drive to be the best that you can be."

    "I know your deeds..." (Revelation 2:19)

"Steve Jobs, I am likewise aware of all your imperfections, short-comings, misgivings, waywardness."

    "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead." 

(Revelation 3:1)

"Steve Jobs, none of those are a hindrance to my great love for you."

    "For while we were still helpless, 

at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 

For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)

"Steve Jobs, only you can choose to acknowledge my love for you in a personal way."

    "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

"Steve Jobs, your vision, drivenness, innovativeness, corporate and marketing skills, have impacted the way people use and enjoy technology. But only I can bring about lasting impact and change in your life - from the inside out."

    "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

    "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; 

behold, new things have come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

"Steve Jobs, success, my way, is not necessarily about how much you keep for yourself, but on how much you give away following my lead."

    "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal." (John 12:24-25)

"Steve Jobs, the message of my unconditional love is now in a lot of your Macbooks, iPhones, iPods, iTunes, and iPads. Will you now make the choice of taking it into your heart?"

    "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:19-20)

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Steve Jobs

Taking Chances - Glee?

• GLEE! Okay, it seems like Glee is a quest by a lot of people these days. But just what is glee for you? 

• WHAT IS GLEE? The Thesaurus defines glee (noun) as delight, pleasure, happiness, joy, gladness, elation, euphoria, amusement, mirth, merriment, excitement, gaiety, exuberance; relish, triumph, jubilation, satisfaction, gratification, ANTONYM disappointment.

• THE PURSUIT OF GLEE. Now I find the antonym of glee very interesting too! See, the very opposite of glee is disappointment.  I wouldn't want to live in disappointment. Would you? 

• THE PRICE FOR GLEE. It's close to saying, I would do everything it takes, just to experience all that glee is all about. Right? But what must I do? How do I achieve it in this lifetime? Most importantly, how do I take hold of one that doesn't just come and go - oh so quickly? 

• GLEE SONG: "TAKING CHANCES" Just recently, I had the chance to listen to this song. The melody is contemporary. I bet a lot of us out there truly like this song. But when I checked the song's lyrics online,  I somehow wondered, is this the price to pay for glee? 

Glee's "Taking Chances" song lyrics: 

"Don't know much about your life, don't know much about your world, but don't want to be alone tonight on this planet they call earth.

You don't know about my past. And I don't have a future figured out. And maybe this is going too fast. And maybe its not meant to last.

But what do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping off the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below, or hand to hold, or hell to pay. What do you say, what do you say? 

I just want to start again. Maybe you could show me how to try. Maybe you could take me in somewhere underneath your skin.  

But what do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping off the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below, or hand to hold, or hell to pay. What do you say, what do you say? 

And I had my heart beating down, but I always come back for more, yeah. There's nothing like love to pull you up, when you're lying down the floor there. So talk to me, talk to me like lovers do. Yeah, walk with me, walk with me like lovers do, like lovers do.

What do you say to taking chances? What do you say to jumping of the edge? Never knowing if there's solid ground below, or hand to hold, or hell to pay. What do you say, what do you say?"

• GLEE SONG: "TAKING CHANCES" Review. Now, I must admit it's never easy being in this situation - lonely, heart-broken, and looking for love - one that truly satisfies. I have had many acquaintances who have also expressed the very same sentiment. Perhaps, you have also read about the same things in a lot of novels; heard the same message in a lot of "love" songs; watched the very same plot in a lot of "love" story movies, at times even on chick flicks! The message? The need and longing is a reality for most people around the world. Nobody wants to dwell in that situation, if only there is a way out. But what are you willing to do just to get out of it? How far would you go for it? What chances are you willing to take?

To be honest, I wouldn't be delighted in any way, hearing my daughter sing this song, ever. I say this on two very important convictions.

As a father, I desire the best for my daughters. No one in their right minds would be apathetic about seeing their daughters in the very predicament portrayed in the song. Oh if only I have the power to make all things possible for my daughters, I would. I would keep them from all hurt. I would make sure they are loved. I would try to make their futures secure - stable, provided for. I would make sure they end up in a relationship with a man who is faithful and true for all of life. But I admit, their lives are not in the palm of my hands. 

However, I can love them as much as I can while they are with me, or within my responsible reach. I will show them the beauty as well as the dangers that are in this world. I will commit myself to protecting them. But I have to do everything to point them to the One who can truly be their sufficiency - God. He loves them more than I do. He cares about them more than I do. He promises to protect them and give them hope and a wonderful future, more than what my earthly life can do and give for my beloved daughters. I trust Him to write their very own love stories - and I will do my best to help my daughters understand and believe that fact.

The second reason why I wouldn't be delighted in seeing or hearing my daughters sing that song is because it's a lie. It wouldn't be right for them holding on to the same value, or taking the same path implied in the song. We all know it doesn't lead to glee, rather to disappointment. 

Instead, I will do everything within my power to teach them about life and relationships as early as possible. Reading a book to them about the subject wouldn't be enough. I need to reinforce it with practical experiences. In time, there has to be a way to let them know the difference between lust and true love. They need to know the value of building healthy relationships, of temperance, of self-control. They need to grow up making godly choices between right and wrong - understanding the life-long consequences of each. 

Talk With Teens About Feelings, Family, Relationships, and the Future: 50 Guided Discussions for School and Counseling Groups 

Do I know what to do in all these? No. I would need all the help I can. I need to build a safe network of relationships with people whom I know who would be of great help, in very practical ways. If I can't find any at the moment, I will surround myself with helpful resources, books, to reinforce the learning and discipline I need to cultivate. 

Parenting: Loving Our Children with God's Love (Lifeguide Bible Studies) 

Having said and thought of all these measures, the challenge is still for me to personally take my daughters by the hand, and lead them through their growing up years. I need to hug them tight day in and day out. I need to communicate to them, in word and deed, that they are cherished and loved. I need to assure them that I am always there, in good times and bad. 

Most importantly, I have to let them know why I am doing all these - it's because God loves them very much. His love for them never ever fails. His ways are sure and perfect. If they obey Him and follow in His ways, He is powerful to shape their hearts and minds and make them strong inside out. I can never fully protect my daughters from the ills of society, try as I must. But God's love covers them for life, never leaving nor forsaking them. I will bow the knee for as long as I live and ask for His divine favor to be experienced by my daughters as they grow up and have lives of their own. In Him, I rest my case. Why take chances when I don't have to? Instead, I trust Him to keep that which is not within my keeping. 

Are you taking chances right now?

Would it not be best to take the right chances instead, while you still can? The following resources are very helpful in reinforcing the message of God's love to our children:

Psaltys Songs for Little Praisers, Volume 1: God Loves Me So Much [VHS] 

It's About Love - Album Version 

Marriage: Our Love, His Story!

It's our fifth wedding anniversary!
I celebrate that by thanking the Lord for His wondrous grace.
Until today, I still am awed at the thought that He has graciously given me such a wonderful, loving, smart, and supportive wife.

I always tell people,  "My wife is not an answer to my prayers, yesterday." Instead, God has given me so much more than what I have asked. If God only based His generosity on my requests, I would not have the kind of wife she is to me today. She is more than what I asked for, nor even dared dream about. Indeed, God has been very gracious and generous. Every moment I spend with her is always an impetus for thanksgiving and praise.

Yes, I have had many insecurities in the past.
"Will I ever have a girlfriend?"
"Will I ever end up marrying my kind of girl?"
"Will there be anyone who would be interested to marry me?"
"What could happen if she knew of my inabilities and weaknesses?"
All these and more preoccupied my thoughts and threatened my aspirations.

Yet, in retrospect, I say God is good.
At times, such a thought just remains a lofty idea, not until you really yield to His sovereign control and allow Him to prepare you and that other person for each other. He doesn't just know what's best, He also gives you who's best.

This book, When God Writes Your Love Story (Expanded Edition): The Ultimate Guide to Guy/Girl Relationships  has really helped me a lot during those times of being anxious over the prospect of whom and when to get married.

During our wedding ceremony, I had the opportunity to sing this song to her.
And this song will forever be my theme: "When God Made You"


My wife came up with this quote about us, yesterday:

"Bellies are bigger, arms are floppier... BUT conversations are longer, laughters are louder, friendship is deeper, goals are higher, understanding is wider, and hugs are tighter! That's after five years... and counting! Thank you Lord for your grace."

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao's Story of Hope, Resilience, and Never Say Never Determination

I went to the bookstore today to buy something,
then I chanced upon this book right at the "Featured Books Section".
I am talking about Manny Pacquiao's autobiography:

Pacman: My Story of Hope, Resilience, and Never-Say-Never Determination


It caught my attention, not because the book appears to be written by Manny Pacquiao himself, but because for quite some time now,
I have learned to admire the guy.

I am not so much of a boxing fan myself, but who could miss the national fervor when it comes to our much celebrated Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao? Whenever it's his scheduled fight abroad, to a certain extent, the whole country pauses from its regular activities, and "fights" with him. His victory is likewise shared by most of my countrymen, that at the end of the day, there is a sense of national esteem experienced and shared by most Filipinos.


But see, that was not the case during his earlier "fights" in life.
He was practically against life's odds, so to speak, and there was not much who stood and struggled with him to the win. The massive crowds today who cheer for him in his fights in the boxing ring, were never there yesterday when he fought against poverty, lack of opportunities, broken dreams, and all.


Today he is celebrated as a hero, but before all these, he was close to zero - except for innate hope, resilience, and never say never determination. Being born in a very poor family, left behind by their father for another woman, he practically had to support a family of five. He didn't have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Early on, he dreamed of becoming a Roman Catholic priest, but due to financial lack, his mother couldn't send him to seminary. For this reason, Manny Pacquiao pursued boxing to earn a living and put food on the table.


I celebrate Manny Pacquiao, not just for his present boxing victories, but most specially for how he was truly a fighter in life. A lot of Filipinos live below poverty level. Most of them are in that condition for almost the very same contributing factors that Manny Pacquiao had experienced early on. The way out of that predicament might not be through the same route and opportunity that Manny Pacquiao had. But each one somehow needs to have that similar "heart" that Manny Pacquiao had through it all. 


In this fight in life, no one wins by grumbling, finger pointing, or lazily waiting for the right opportunities to come. Worse, no one wins by doing nothing, hoping on luck, depending on dole outs, cutting corners, or involving in corrupt practices. 


Yes, life is never easy. 
Sometimes, solutions to life's challenges are easier said than done.
But no one said it can never be done. Right?
In these challenging times in our lives, 
one of the most important things you can do for yourself,
is to avoid grumblers, and "nay-sayers". 
Instead, surround yourself with people who are not denying reality,
yet see these challenges from a winner's perspective.
Let them inspire you with their lives, their faith, their resilience and determination. 


I can't have all of these kinds of people around me.
But thanks to books these days, in a way it makes up for the absence, to a certain degree.
I myself can begin doing that through Manny Pacquiao's autobiography:


Pacman: My Story of Hope, Resilience, and Never-Say-Never Determination 

Family: What Are They Teaching Our Children?

Are your children left alone in front of the television set the whole day?

Most of us perhaps are busy parents. We just can't afford hiring somebody to provide daycare services for our children while we are away for work.

One of the ways we parents cope with this situation is to leave our children at home,
consoled by the fact that the television is there to at least preoccupy our children's attention while we are gone or perhaps just at home doing some household chores.

Just be mindful of the fact that our children quickly pick up and learn from what they see and hear from shows they watch over television.

Barney: Learning Pack (Six-Disc Set)

My daughter Samantha learned a lot of her early English vocabulary from Barney and friends!
She has watched Barney's DVD shows over and over again.

Then there was Hermie and friends by Max Lucado!
I personally liked the Christian values taught in their shows.

Hermie & Friends: Milo the Mantis Who Wouldnt Pray

Similar to it were those Veggie Tales DVD shows.
These cartoon characters taught good values to our children.

Veggie Tales Bundle 30pk Gift Set

I would smile whenever my daughter would recite some rhymes or sing out some of the songs she has learned from watching these shows over and over again.

Now that she is older, I allowed her to watch cartoon shows over cable television.
At first I thought there was no harm to it, not until recently I learned that not all cartoon shows are for kids!

Who would have thought cable channels like that of Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon featured shows that were best suited for adults? For example, the Bart Simpson show is not for kids, but its in cartoons. There are also other shows in these channels that have language that are not suited for young ages.
If we as parents don't really take the time to watch these shows with them, we wouldn't know.

Just recently, I'm glad to have found a safe alternative - Baby TV.
It's a very good and safe show for our young ones.
No foul language, none of those violence kind of shows.

Watch over those television commercials as well.
Just a few weeks ago, I have been hearing my daughter say "I hate you" a couple of times.
Well, it was not said with angst.
Just the same, it made me and my wife wonder where she heard those words.
Not until we have seen this television commercial at home,
from the very television set our daughter was watching.











Another television commercial worth giving concern over is this ad used by McDonalds.
We all know how these campaigns are made so effective, it even influences our children to patronize their products.











Right now, my daughter has learned to use the term "boyfriend" and "girlfriend".
She might not understand the adult implications of those terms yet,
but seeing television commercials like these somehow relates actions, terms, and values in a subtle way.

The challenge then is for us to really take active responsibility over our children's learning.
Some parents have embraced this challenge by opting to have their children learn through home school. Among many other valid reasons, they feel its safer and more effective for them to personally teach their children than to leave them in schools, exposing them to a lot of those uncontrollable influences that are not desirable.

Isn't it shocking to note how many children out there have become victims of bullying from their peers or even strangers? You can just imagine the trauma it brings to these children, without their parents even knowing about it at times. But what does this kind of experiences teach children about themselves?

This will never be a perfect world, I know.
But the greatest evil that can happen is when those who are "good"
don't do anything to avoid or overcome that which is potentially evil.

Our children are helpless, very helpless.
The least we can do is somehow to do something about what we already know is harmful towards them.

I might have more questions than answers about effective parenting.
But the concern and desire to proactively do something about these "evil" realities,
should be a good compulsion for me to act responsibly onwards.

Finding Strength and Spiritual Insight In Moments of Waiting on God (3)

"Can life get any better than this?"

You get up from bed to a brand new day.
Well not really much the kind of newness you hoped to wake up to.
You look out the window, and you only see much of the familiar world you saw yesterday. Same circumstances... same questions... same struggles... same routine... same uncertainties.

You have learned to cope with all these by simply accepting it as part of your reality. The thought of change, wonderful as it may be, has become wishful thinking at most. You have stopped wishing, dreaming, believing. For you, what you see, is what you get.


There was a time you worked so hard,
believing things will become better if you only have the money for it.
But it proved to be an elusive dream.

There was a time when you felt strong and healthy,
able to  engage in any worthwhile activity under the sun,
able to pursue your plans and fulfill them.

There was a time when your relationships were a delight.
You were confident of a brighter tomorrow with family and friends.

But all of it came to a halt.
What happened?
You wished you knew...
But you've become tired of asking and wondering.
You've lost strength to hope for anything better than fate.

Who doesn't want a brand new day?
A progressive change for the better.
You know you were never lazy - you dreamed, you pursued them.
But to no avail.



Can I invite you to find hope anew?
This time, not on your dreams, pursuits, and circumstances...
But on the Lord Himself.

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."               (Isaiah 40:31)

It's been said, "Life is what we make it."
Could this be true?
You know to a certain extent it is.
But you never thought you can never be fully in control of every desired outcome.
Such truth hurts our self-esteem at times.
It tells us that life's real success ultimately rests in the hands of the one who gave it - God.

We come to realize that He is not just the life giver.
He sustains it from day to day.
He leads it and uses it according to His purposes,
He determines and empowers success out of it, regardless.
If only this is surrendered to Him.

Through the seeming challenges and impossibilities we go through,
We find rest in the knowledge of His great love for us from day to day.
We cease struggling and reaching out for our own illusive source of hope and confidence,
Because we ultimately understand that it is not based there, but in Him alone.

We learn to understand that success, His way, is both a journey and a destiny.
We find our real significance in who we are in His sight - deeply loved, in spite of our inabilities.
We lean on Him, trusting Him to clear away the hurt, the fears, the anger, the doubts.
In our waiting moments, He replaces the former with His love, grace, peace, joy, and hope.



He leads us from day to day, and makes us see His beauty even through the harsh realities of life.
In the midst of our need, He reveals Himself as our Sufficiency.
In the midst of our pain, He becomes our Healer.
In the midst of our uncertainties, He is our Wisdom.
In the midst of our exhaustion, His joy becomes our strength.

We find in Him our real purpose and worthwhile pursuit in the midst of all these.
We are no longer struggling for what we feel should be ours.
Instead, we lavishly share what we have been graciously given,
to a world who's still burdened with care.


We cherish those who are presently with us 
- our family, our friends, our co-workers, our new acquaintances.
We learn to laugh with them, even cry with them.
We learn to acknowledge the good things we see in life, regardless of how few they may be.
We see possibilities of change in those which are currently in bad shape.
We redeem and use the little that we have for His greater purposes.
We extend a helping hand to the needy,
We give comfort to the sad and lonely.

If all of life's goodness is just dependent on human pursuit, then all is a loss.
In this life, everything is fleeting, here today and gone tomorrow.
The giver of life has designed it to be that way.
But in His goodness, He calls us to rest in His Sovereign knowledge and grace.
He calls us to surrender, to wait, to trust.
Not in a way that is resigned to life, ceasing to live out our unique God-given capacities.
But in a way that is actively abiding, actively waiting, taking our cue from Him - in everything.