Part II: Giving out Blood - Health Benefits

In the first part of this blog, we have understood that giving blood is part of the Christian way of Life, however, donating blood can not only help save lives of others but can also help us achieve a better health.


How?


Studies have shown that, in general, most people tend to consume more iron on a daily basis than is necessary for good health. Ingestion of quantities of iron beyond a certain quantity can promote formation of free radicals in the body. Free radicals have justly earned their reputation for causing cellular changes which can disrupt normal cell function and increase the risk of certain chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. This is more likely to be a problem for men and post menopausal women since women of child bearing age shed excess iron through regular menstrual cycles. If a person happens to be a red meat eater, the risk for iron overload can be even higher.

How does blood donation help with iron overload?

Blood donation removes some of the excess iron which can cause free radical formation in the body. In fact, studies have shown that men who donate blood on a regular basis have a lower risk of heart disease. With heart disease being the number one cause of death in males, this is, indeed, an important health benefit of donating blood.

How can you be sure you’re not giving away too much iron? Before you’re allowed to donate blood, your hemoglobin level, a rough measure of your iron levels, will be checked. If it’s deemed too low, you won’t be allowed to donate that day. Your hemoglobin level will be monitored closely every time you present for donation and you’ll only be allowed to donate every eight weeks to prevent too much iron from being removed from your body. It’s a free and easy way to keep track of your iron levels. When you consider the potential health benefits of giving blood along with the joy of giving to others in need, it’s no wonder the donation of blood has become so popular. An hour spent relaxing in a chair every two months is all it takes to benefit both your health and the health of the recipient. (Source: http://www.healthmad.com)


Parallelism: Spiritual Health Benefit


While giving blood helps remove excessive iron in our body which in turn is advantageous to our physical well-being, the primary benefit is actually on our spiritual health. An enormous feeling of being able to give to someone who needs it is satisfying, but, fulfilling one of God's greatest commandment is something that would give us an unexplainable feeling. Being able to follow our Lord Jesus Christ's example is spiritually rewarding, but most of all, we are able to acquire the greatest love of any man can possessed (John 15:13).

Acquiring the greatest love of all enriches our spirit and soul, or rather, donating blood enriches our spirituality. So in turn, blood donation enhances not only our physical health but also our spiritual health.

Above all, we are pleasing God every time we give our life to our fellowmen. You can just imagine if we give our life(blood) not only once but several times (or every blood donation drive).

How many times can we make our God happy?

Ang Dating Daan group is diminishing in numbers?

There have been claims from several religious groups that the members of the well-known religious organization "Ang Dating Daan" with similar program aired on UNTV 37 television which is hosted by the famous and most talked-about religious leader Bro. Eliseo Soriano is already diminishing in numbers. However, these claims proves to be the opposite of what has transpired inside the organization during my visit to the church's convention center in Apalit, Pampanga.

Working as a SAP Consultant in one of the most busiest and well-developed city in Asia, I thought of grabbing the opportunity of the long week Chinese New Year holiday celebration to make a quick visit to the Philippines. Coincidentally, it was also the week where the group's Mass Indoctrination session was in its final stages. The indoctrination sessions are intended for non-members of the church who would like to gain basic knowledge and understanding about the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also a mandatory requirement for anyone who wishes to join the group and know more about the inner teachings of God and mystery of the Bible.

I went to the Convention Center early Friday morning and was surprised by a huge, I mean, really huge number of people inside the place as if a rock metal concert was being held. The last time I saw similar volume of crowd was during Jon Bon Jovi's concert in Manila in the early 90's where Rizal Memorial Stadium was completely filled with screaming fans, in fact, I was one of the gatecrashers; one of the mobs who forcibly destroyed the barb wires from the back entrance just to gain access; it happened during my teenage days.

Anyway, back to the Convention Center, I learned that it was the day of so-called Mass Baptism. My eyes could not comprehend what I am seeing as it is almost impossible to baptize that large number of people in one day. I don't how the organizers manage the large influx of people but the baptism that started closed to 11am ended at around 7pm Singapore time. Based on unofficial reports from a church insider, the number of the newly baptized on that day alone is more than 3,500.

Honestly, I haven't seen such a number of people being baptized in a day, not even could I find any record in the Bible having such vast number of baptized souls in one day alone.

But again, my doubting mind was telling me that maybe they gain 3500+ new members but losing much more than that. The only way to investigate is to join and observe the regular thanksgiving day which is done every saturday of the week. Normally, members residing near Pampanga and as far as Manila gathers and congregates during this day, so it is a good gauge of their numbers. I went back the following day at around 5:30am, hoping to take a shot at empty chairs, but was proven wrong again, and to my surprise, the convention center was already fully occupied and crowded, in fact you can hardly walk inside. It's like finding a needle in a haystack if you lose your handbag.

Based on what I saw, it's quite difficult not to think that other religious organizations are just being jealous of the "Ang Dating Daan" group. These big and century-old powerful religious groups that have existed for years could not accept that such a small organization have already surpassed them in terms of turn-around numbers of followers.

Perhaps, could it be the other way around? that they are losing their members to the Members of the Church of God International or popularly known as "Ang Dating Daan"?




*** The images were taken inside the ADD Convention Center with my outdated Sony Ericsson P1i Camera Phone***

Part I: Giving out Blood – Will it make me weaker? Is there a benefit ? Or would it just ruin my body?

Part I: Giving out Blood
I am 37 years old, a Christian, and I admit, that for the past 37 years of my life, I haven't donated a single drop of my blood.

But why?

First, because I have a great dislike for needles, specially those big scary ones.


Second, I do have fear in blood, I am not used to seeing blood, it makes me vomit and turns my stomach upside down.

Third, I’ m afraid that if blood is drawn from my body, it would weaken me, drop my immune system and dried me up just like those zombies in horror movies.

Fourth, I am a Manny Pacquiao fanatic (not the Manny Pacquiao at UNTV 37).  And what is Pacquiao's connection with what I’m trying to say ? Simple. Remember, Pacquiao was supposed to fight Mayweather, but it didn't materialize because Mayweather and his cohorts demanded an Olympic-style random blood testing in which Pacquiao rejected because drawing blood very close to the day of the fight would disrupt him, and getting blood during the day of the fight would weaken him. This statement coming from Pacquiao himself who is a great athlete has further reinforced my belief.

But then one day, while I was watching a Bible Exposition hosted by Bro. Eli Soriano, one of the guests who is a member of a known international religious group asked if blood transfusion is really against the Bible’s teaching as claimed by their leaders. While Bro. Eli was answering the question, I was astonished by one of the verses that he used, the verse says that “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. And then Bro. Eli was saying, “blood is life, if you give your life (blood) to those who needs life (blood), then Greater love has no man than this”.

It does make sense, because, first, I thought that I have to die physically for a fellow human being in order to posses such great love.

Then I realize, I can give life to those who need it without having to die literally, and not only achieve the greatest love that a man can possess, but most importantly, I will be able to follow one of God’s greatest commandments.

The verse has totally changed my perception. I have known the importance of giving blood as a Christian and as a follower of God.

Afraid of needles?

But now, my next problem is that I am afraid of the needles? How am I going to overcome this fear?

Again, the Bible never ceases for an answer. I know for a fact that Jesus died on the cross and gave His own blood, but what I failed to notice is the parallelism. Jesus gave His blood on God’s will; it is the will of both the Father and the Son as both of them are one in Spirit. If we examine it closely, Jesus voluntarily gave His own blood to give life to the sinners. If we give or donate blood, we are in fact giving life, and we are following Jesus’ example. However, the manner in which the blood was drawn from Jesus was not done using needles, but instead by hanging Him on the cross and pounding Him with sharp object to His heart until His blood burst out. Not to mention that blood was also taken out from His head, again not via needles but by thorns in a form of a crown.

Pondering about it makes me say that, I’d rather be seated in a chair with the needles inserted in my arm on top of the table than hanging on the cross with thorns crowned in my head and a spear tucked in my heart.

Now, are we ready to posses the greatest love of all with the help and grace of God? All it takes is a little needle and a Faith as small as a mustard seed.

Part II of this blog will discuss the incredible benefits of donating blood or giving life, and of course, its parallelism in the Bible.

Has God forgotten His promise of a judgement day?

It's been more than 2000 years since the apostles and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself foretold about the judgement day, saying that the end is near and that we are already in the last days, but...

We are now in the year 2010, whatever happened to His promise? whatever happened to the prophecy? is God being lenient? did God changed His mind? several generations have passed, several people have died, some of His followers were patiently waiting, in the hope that the day would arrive soon and ease their sufferings and get their rewards for being faithful, but up to this very last minute, it hasn't came yet.

Since this prophecy comes from the Bible, no one can answer these questions except the Bible itself. Now let's start the ball rolling ...

Judgement Day...What is it all about?

But before we even look for the answers to these questions, it is important that we have a knowledge on what we are dealing with, otherwise, we will not get the right answers. Now first, let us find out from the Bible itself on what the Judgement Day is all about, how does the Bible defines or describes the judgement day?

In 2 Peters 3:7, it says, " But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved to fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

The verse clearly states that the judgement day is actually the perdition or destruction of ungodly, or sinful, or wicked men, those who disobey God and deny His teachings.

In another verse such as in Revelation, the judgement day is also defined as "the day where men will be rewarded according to his work".

Revelation 22:11-12, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

In 1st Peters, it also says, it is the end of those who did not obey God and is again supplemented as the condemnation of the world in 1st Corinthians.

1 Peters 4:17, "For the time is come that judgement must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"

1 Corinthians 11:32, "But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."

While the above verses focuses on the bad outcome of the judgment day for those who will not obey God, the verse in Titus also shows that the judgement day is actually a "blessed hope" for those who follow God's will and obey his commandments.

In Titus 2:13, it says,"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;"

There are other verses that defines the judgement day, all of which states the same definition, and that is, condemnation to those who do wrong in the sight of God, and reward to those who follows Him.


Now, we go to our main question. Has God forgotten His promise? is He slow of His promised judgement day?

Is God being sluggish on His promised judgement day?

We have cleared up the definition of the judgement day, we now go to our main question... is God not being firm on His promise? is He being slack? 

Let's hear what the Bible has to say in 2 Peters 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

That was a direct answer from the Bible, God is not slack, or slow nor is He not firm, but is actually "long-suffering towards us", in other translation it says "patient for our sake". But why is He patient with us? Because He doesn't want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way we think and act so that we could all be saved. In fact, if we take a look at 2 Peters, God's patience is also defined as salvation.

2 Peters 3:15 states " Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him."


Basing on those verses, we can actually say that God is not being lenient nor slow in His promise but is patient with us because He wants everyone to be saved. The last verse left me stunned, it reminds me of what has transpired during Noah's days, especially before the great flood. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.  God has actually been very patient for them, waiting for them to repent, to turn away from their sins, God was hoping He could save all of them as St. Peter described in 1 Peters 3:20 which says, "who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water," 


What has strike me most is the similarity between Noah's days and our days... people are eating, people are drinking, people are enjoying this life's pleasure without even regards to God... and this has been going on for a long time... Now we can truly say that God is being patient with us because He wants us all to be save. 


I say, let's not put to waste this opportunity that God has given us.




* This is my first blog, please bear with my grammar and my disorganized process of thoughts.