Philippine Christians Voted Gay Marriage By Default

Mis Calculation

By. Rev. Jesse Amiel A. Ramoso

Most people who does not know music, ingenuously prefer triangle as their musical instrument when they’re asked what instrument they want to learn? Most people who does not know music thinks that triangle is one of the music instrument easy to learn along with the musical instrument in the world of music. They did not know what is behind triangle as a music instrument; because any musician pick this instrument must take four years bachelor course in music majoring to rhythmic subjects and plays only in an orchestra. As a music director and at the same time as a music teacher I just laugh back of my mind to anyone who chooses this instrument. Because I knew they’re thinking that they can learn and play this in the band in just one session of learning and rehearsal. This is clearly undermining the instrument. Those carelessly choose this instrument will reveal their self ignorance and inability in music. Same as to those who want to become a followers of Christ, it’s not easy.

To become born again is not easy, as what many thinks. Manny Paquiao has to gave all his fighting cocks just to avoid the gambling. He has to buy expensive personalized transportation and equipment just to make sure he can be always have more time to his family. He has to avoid all extra luxurious outdoor activities to avoid adultery. Most of all he has to provide more time to God. It’s not easy to be a son of God. You have to be first encounter God, proven Him that He changed you before enabling you to leave all luxuries and pleasures like Manny has; other wise nothing will change.

To follow Christ will cost you a lot even our life especially when you step into a higher calling.

This is what usually happened to those who want to become a pastor. They’re thinking that it is effortless to become a pastor and thinking they will be ordained the time they determine when they want it. That is why many of the pastor got their ordinations and license in somewhat a ” RECTO version”. Or the worst to come, kicking out their pastor and takeover the responsibility as a pastor and look for the organizations or church affiliation ordaining pastor without process like “academic and ministerial experiences”. No surprise many pastors are claiming to be son of god or became cult because at first they were not called.  Much more to those who lead the church without education for church leadership, doctrine or deeper relationship to God ends up exploiting members.  This is dangerous to those who guide the church that has the ultimate or autonomous power in the organization the end is disaster.  This kind of church usually ends up like a corporate or club, valuing the members as a customer/assets if they tithes or work without pay in the church and liabilities if they asked financial help in the church instead of working. They usually justify this by calling “involvement in the ministry” instead of helping them financially after sacrificing their time for work to give way for church even they don’t have yet food to eat.

 This kind of leadership are blinded themselves to moral responsibilities toward their members because they always prioritized on their “church building” but not the Body of Christ who reflected to the individual needs inside the church, it’s a sad fact but true. EXPLOITING MEMBERS and even to pastors, that is why many pastors are poor. Have mercy on us Lord. It happened to many ministers, who’s paying a high tuition pay in seminary or leaving a high paid job to just received below minimum “binabarat lang ang sahod nila sa” as church minister. Praise God they’re called so they prevail without moral compromising like stealing money from tithing boxes or intimidating members to give money to them or else they’re curse.

In my twelve years in studying pastoral course, the more I learn the Word of God in a deeper understanding the more I am afraid to handle a church. I am afraid because I might wrongly choose the wrong one and end myself abusing the authority and destroy myself. Another is that I am afraid that if I failed the expectations of the congregation and it cost humiliation due to misunderstanding. But what cause me to be more frightened is to get the position of the church because of the wrong motive like chasing the highest bidding of compensation in the country. If this what moves me to get involve in ministry then I would always say “I wish I did not waste my time in seminary for 12 years” rather than finish my engineering in just a few years in 1996 and get a job in abroad like my father who’s  earning much. But this is not what I want. I want to serve God wherever He wants me to serve even with or without compensation. I believed the sovereign provision of God.

Once I was asked, after my "Masteral course" and doctorate what’s next? I said I guess I will enroll another course and always in a full-time ministry, but definitely I can’t be a full-time in just one church/organization to minister. Meaning I want to be versatile and multi-tasking minister in order to widen my horizon of ministries and involvement and I can get in touch many souls as many as I can around the globe, if God willing. I think this is more logical for me to think rather than confining myself in just one corner and at the end of the day I just finish paper works but nothing life was change, if this what will happened to me, then it is easy to get lost. I realized that to be a pastor is not just an out of no-choice option but the real option to those who are called, because when time comes that our economic status being challenge by a contemporaries then it will reveal our true selves. When there is an open doors for us to get along with them financially, then that’s it leave the church and get a highest paying company. Finish! All that has been treasured for so many years has been lost in just a one moment. Have mercy on us Lord!

Therefore, if you feel to you are called today, then now is the time to get straight of God. Get yourself educated to the calling and make yourselves expert in that calling, do not dwell in average level, get excellence in all situations, study and study and be humble always. Challenge yourself. Do not rely to the applause of your friend but also listen to the mocking of your enemy because they might saying the truth that your friend cannot tell. Don't feel depress if you're not applauded or recognized of your success, this is what happened to Jesus. He experienced countless rejection by His own yet He prevailed. If we prevail in spite of rejections then that’s truly indication that God is calling us, and we’re not in a wrong way. Then it can never be a mis-calculation.