Sports, Entertainment, Athletes and Games Network: 06/30/21

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

July 1 - STAR’s Tanya Lara, Jose Antonio Gonzalez, Bobby Novenario, Pitang Tiongson, Vivian Yano, Jeff Arevalo and Dennis Valdes

July 2 - Aida Cobankiat, China Bank vice chair Gilbert Dee, Buddy Recio, and Celuch Manahan

July 3 - Consul Louie Ablaza, Vicky Veloso-Barrera, Viring Ongkeko, Tommy Manotoc and Edgardo Tordesillas

July 4 - The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts (BH&R) managing director Patrick Chan, former vice president Teofisto Guingona, Jr., Peter Go Pailan and Johnny Velasquez

July 5 - Anton Antenorcruz, Mura, Eagle Riggs, Arron Villaflor, Chef Cyril Ermita and Kesong P's Ian Palabyab

July 6 – former vice president Noli de Castro, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, Toni Parsons, Boy Perlas

July 7 - Dingdong Avanzado, Ruel Bayani, Akihiro Blanco, PJ Endrinal, Luis Hontiveros, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, John Lapus, Freya Montierro, Venus Raj, Antonio Roxas-Chua, Jr., Marex Gaba, Lester Tiu and Ramon Atayde

July 8 - Rafael “Paing” Hechanova, Minerva Mondejar Steiner, Mylene Ong Flores, Ces Drilon, Earl Andrew Figueroa, Willie Nepomuceno and Alfonso Reyno, Jr.

July 9 - Kat Alano, Donnalyn Bartolome, Seth Fedelin, Kate Lapuz, Mitchel Musso, Uno Popoy, Herminia Roman, Jake Vargas, Anna Vicente, Edward Go and Cheryl de Leon

July 10 - Sarah Jane Abad, Prince de Angelo, Ritch de Leon, Wilma Dassent, Doug Kramer, Billy Lontayao, Vicky Morales, and Marco Sison, Minerva Tanseco, Lin-Ay Rufino and actress Tessie Tomas

July 11 – Sylvia Reynoso-Gala, Bro. Bo Sanchez, Linda Yu, Carolyn Lee Tan, Cris Albert and Pinky Tobiano Robles

July 12 - Marco Alcaraz, Former Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay, Santino Espinoza, Jamie Harrell, Xian Lim, Krystal Mejes, Joy Mendiola and Lilygem Yulores, Ria Rebano and Trina Yujuico

July 13 - Florencio Abad, Maria Claire Adorna, Lia Cruz, Gary David, Eduardo Ermita, Freddie Garcia, Jonathan Malaya, Willie Miller, Marlo Peralta, Jake Roxas and Mary Joy Tabal

July 14 - Mariole Alberto, Jed Madela, Barbara Miguel, PLDT, Smart Communications, Inc., TV5 and Metro Pacific Investments Corporation chairman Manny Pangilinan, Rico Robles, Jasmin Romero and Karlo Ezekiel Torres

July 15 - Sen. Sonny Angara, Julius Babao, Edward Barber, K Brosas, Viveika Ravanes, Chris Tiu, Jong Uichico, Ford Valencia, Menchu de las Alas Concepcion, Rina Lopez Bautista, David Ambrus, Robina Gokongwei-Pe and my twins, John and Michael

How to Confront Hard Issues With Grace

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. James 4:17

Jesus said, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26). I don’t know whether Jesus had old Jeremiah in mind, but there is one thing for sure: In his day Jeremiah never had to worry about people saying many nice things about him. He was despised, persecuted, and forsaken by friends.

On occasion Jeremiah would stand in a public place and weep openly for his nation. None could say he did not have heart, but few wanted to really listen to what he was saying.

Are things much different today? Have you gone to the school board lately to complain about what your son or daughter is being taught which violates what you believe is wholesome or right? Have you gone to the town council, or to the seat of your public government to question their allowing sex-related businesses to coexist with schools and churches in the same neighborhood? Condom distribution at school, but no Bible Club?

You quickly discover that not everyone is on the side of children, what was once considered community decency, and God. And that’s when you are confronted with the issue of dealing with wrong or hibernating and running the other way–fight or flight; but before you really do either, consider the following guidelines when you are confronted with a situation you feel is wrong:

Guideline #1: Pray about the issue before you do anything. This often helps you deal with anger and outrage and helps you channel those feelings productively.

Guideline #2: Talk to others in your community or peer group. It is amazing at times how many people are seriously annoyed by something but feel as though they must be the only ones bothered by it. Your raising the issue may be the catalyst which God can use to accomplish great good. Evil has a way of insidiously creeping into society like dandelions in a spring lawn unless someone does something about it.

Guideline #3: Do some research. Find out what the law is, or who is in authority in charge of a given situation. If it is the school, you need to know whether the policy is that of a teacher, the head of the school, the school board or whom.

Guideline #4: Raise the issue without raising your voice if you possibly can. If that doesn’t work, then you may need to escalate the protest. Talk to a teacher, then if you get nowhere, talk to the principal. If you can’t get any satisfaction, talk to the school board. I am amazed how individuals respond to public pressure as well. When one parent objects to something, someone may or may not pay much attention to the issue. But when 30 parents all object to the same issue, it gets attention and plenty fast.

Guideline #5: Don’t give up when you know you are right. When a businessman who is a Gideon asked to distribute free Bibles to grade school children, the school principal replied, “Over my dead body!” Two years later, the same man had a heart attack and died. The same business man went back and asked the new school administrator the same question, and this time he was told, “Certainly, we’d be glad to have you do that.”

Edmund Burke, the British patriot, once said, “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Never, never sell short your influence! Make your voice heard. Your voice may make the difference.

Resource reading: James 4:1-17.

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/how-to-confront-hard-issues-with-grace/