Recently in the progressive city of Muntinlupa, over 9,000 public school students received from the City Government their respective scholarship allowances according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
More than 9,000 public school students received their scholarship allowance from the Muntinlupa City government.
According to the Muntinlupa Scholarship Division (MSD), 9,409 students were given their allowance from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3 for the 1st Tranche Educational Assistance for the school year 2023 to 2024.
Of the total, 2,983 were students of Muntinlupa Elementary School; 1,840 from Putatan Elementary School; 1,359 from Soldier’s Hills Elementary School; 1,111 from F. De Mesa Elementary School; and 2,109 from Bayanan Elementary School.
Each student gets a P400 monthly allowance in elementary, P500 per month in junior high school and P600 per month in senior high school.
The allowances are given in two tranches with each tranche equivalent to five months. College students get P5,000 to P10,000 per semester depending on their grades.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? Do you personally support the Tranche Educational Assistance program?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, over P180 million worth of illegal drugs were recovered by local police officers inside an abandoned car and the said substances were contained in tea bags, the Manila Bulletin reported. There were also other notable items found inside.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
Tea bags containing more than P180 million worth of shabu were recovered by members of the Parañaque police inside an abandoned car early morning of Thursday, Feb. 9.
Col. Renato Ocampo, city police chief, said Mark Joseph Espinosa, a barangay watchman, reported to the Tambo police sub-station the discovery of an abandoned vehicle — a red Toyota Innova with plate number CDI 9724.
Ocampo said the vehicle was discovered abandoned around 2:00 a.m. at the corner of Quirino Avenue and M. Delos Santos St., Barangay Tambo.
During the inspection conducted by members of Tambo police sub-station, operatives noticed that the SUV’s doors were left unlocked and one brown backpack, a box, and a sack were found at the backseat.
The Tambo police sub-station operatives and the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) found sealed tea packs containing 27 kilos of suspected shabu worth ₱183,600,000 inside the sack.
Ocampo said that aside from the 27 kilos of suspected shabu, police operatives also discovered two photo copies of the original receipt, car registration, deed of sale of the Toyota Innova, original receipt and car registration of a Nissan Sentra with plate number TKS 429, two photo copies of driver’s licenses and birth certificate under the name of Ma. Teresa Fernandez, identification and vaccination cards belonging to a certain Patani Barauntong and other personal belongings inside the vehicle.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? What do you think could explain why the vehicle was left abandoned even though it had several important items inside?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the 1980s and examine a small part of the Marvel Comics universe through a tale of the Amazing Spider-Man monthly series.
Back in the year 1988, Spider-Man fans enjoyed and got very intrigued with the first-ever Venom storyline which climaxed in Amazing Spider-Man #300. Some of you might be wondering what happened after the 300th issue of the series.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Amazing Spider-Man #301, published in 1988 by Marvel Comics with a story written by David Michelinie and drawn by Todd McFarlane.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with a group of armed personnel doing a mission inside a building. In the middle of the corridor, several over-head turrets pop out and fire paint balls at the team which used shields for protection. Moments after, they communicate with an executive called Mr. Cruz by means of live video feeds. Cruz tells them they failed the test.
Shortly after, Mr. Cruz and Silver Sable meet with Mr. Pruett and discuss key aspects about the Pruett building’s security. It turns out Pruett himself advertised his building as being the safest locale in New York. Cruz tells him that Silver Sable’s Wild Pack team was fine to a certain extent but he feels much more confident if Sable herself would test building security. After some thinking about her team – international bounty hunters –, their role with the economy of her home country of Symkaria and the less-than-impressive success her team achieved recently, she accepts the contract from Pruett worth $100,000.
Meanwhile at another location within the city, Mary Jane Parker carefully decides where should her husband Peter (carrying a sofa and a large seat with his own super strength) should put furniture in their home. MJ then has to rush to attend a magazine cover photo session while Peter has to go out and check on an advanced photography course at a university…
Quality
The new couple Peter and Mary Jane Parker together with domestic life.
This is one of the more unique Spider-Man tales of the 1980s I have read. Silver Sable herself is the big feature of this comic book, even overshadowing the famous web-slinger. As this was published years before the Silver Sable and the Wild Pack monthly series launched, David Michelinie portrayed the character as a professional business woman who also happens to be a very capable physical fighter and infiltrator while carrying with her the pride of her homeland Symkaria. Through Silver Sable, you can see the richness of Michelinie’s writing and feel the uniqueness of her personality which makes her stand out among the many other supporting characters or heroes Spider-Man ever interacted with.
As a story set shortly after the climax of the Venom storyline, Peter Parker is portrayed to be in the middle of a transition having gone through college and recently getting married with Mary Jane. Even with the challenges and complications of life, he still finds himself stuck with the perceived obligations of the superhero life. There is also a sub-plot here about a white-haired man searching for him.
Going into the plot itself, Peter Parker could not contain himself from going out again in full costume and web-swinging as Spider-Man as he finds Mr. Cruz a suspicious figure. While it looks like the right thing to do for any superhero, it shows weakness in Peter Parker’s struggle to balance his life. The use of irony is nicely portrayed here.
Conclusion
This is how Silver Sable looked like in the late 1980s.
While the good-versus-evil element of the story is very subtle, Amazing Spider-Man #301 (1988) still succeeded in engaging and entertaining me primarily due to David Michelinie’s very solid storytelling and characterization. Unsurprisingly, Michelinie’s script is brought to life with Todd McFarlane’s fine art from start to finish. Don’t expect Spider-Man nor Silver Sable get to fight some dangerous villain in personal combat as the plot is more about suspense and intrigue laced with some twists. Still, there is plenty of superhero action to enjoy here and McFarlane’s art remains impressive. Silver Sable is very well defined in this comic book and by the end, you will get a solid grasp of herself and her background. This comic book is a must-read before you jump into the Silver Sable and the Wild Pack comic book series.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 20th century arts and culture enthusiasts, fans of Marvel and DC Comics, and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1976 to examine what is truly a landmark event in the history of superhero comic book publishing – the first-ever superhero crossover event of Marvel Comics and DC Comics with Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (also referred to as Superman vs. Spider-Man for short).
For the newcomers reading this, I previously reviewed the 2nd Superman-Spider-Man crossover comic book titled Superman and Spider-Man. That was released in 1981 and was handled by a different creative team (led by Jim Shooter as writer) compared to the 1976 crossover of the two icons of Marvel and DC. Going back to the 1970s, a crossover between Marvel and DC looked like an impossible dream as the idea of the two companies coming into agreements over the legal, creative and financial aspects was perceived to be unachievable. Indeed there were headaches and challenges during the negotiations but ultimately Marvel and DC came into an agreement to publish a special comic book featuring Superman, Spider-Man and the related supervillains and supporting characters from both sides. Take note that the two publishing giants worked together previously with publishing an official comic book adaptation of the movie The Wizard of Oz (1939).
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, published in 1976 by Marvel Comics and DC Comics with a story written by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru. This crossover event was described as the battle of the century.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins at the World News Conference in New York City. Separated by several feet apart, Clark Kent (Superman) and Peter Parker (Spider-Man) arrive with their respective companions and associates. What the two heroes do not know is that Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus recently escaped from prison.
Peter Parker gets berated by his boss J. Jonah Jameson for not being good enough as a photographer while Clark Kent learns the bad news from Edge Morgan that he is not wanted for the coverage of a national convention.
Shortly after, Lois Lane climbs up a scaffold to get a good view for some photography. Just as she is about to fall down, Peter Parker suddenly grabs her and pulls her to safety. After an exchange of pleasantries, Peter introduces Lois to Mary Jane Watson. Just as MJ and Lois start conversing, Superman suddenly arrives. The Superman figure then fires beams of light from eyes to Lois and MJ, causing them to vanish into thin air. It turns out, the caped figure is an impostor as Peter Parker and Clark Kent react in shock.
Peter quickly runs to the roof of the building and changes into Spider-Man. As soon as he leaps into action, he comes face to face with Superman himself…
Quality
Superman, Spider-Man, Luthor, Dr. Octopus, Lois Lane and Mary Jane Watson shown in this scene.
I can loudly say that this is one pretty enjoyable crossover tale that not only featured Superman and Spider-Man, but also gave their respective mortal enemies Luthor and Dr. Octopus a good share of the spotlight. To be very clear, the story and set-up of scenes do have a somewhat restrictive structure as the creators clearly did their best to make the spotlight on the characters more or less equal in terms of imagery, dialogue amount and the sharing of dynamic shots. While some may easily complain about the so-called old and tired formula of the major characters getting into fighting each other due to a misunderstanding followed by setting aside their differences to work together, take note that the said formula worked really well in this story written by Gerry Conway.
The story concept Conway came up was clearly made to justify Superman and Spider-Man encountering each other (note: the same goes with the super villains and supporting characters) and the way he wrote the two interacting with each other worked seamlessly and convincingly. There are lots of nice exchanges of dialogue between the Man of Steel and the webslinger.
Even the superiors of Clark Kent and Peter Parker had their own crossover.
Don’t let the woke and socialists fool you. There is nothing racist in this comic book. Wokeness is foolishness. Political correctness distorts perception of reality.
Even though the script has this set of creative restrictions to ensure fairness on both Marvel and DC’s sides, the synergy of friendship and cooperation between Superman and Spider-Man is fantastic to read. Similar qualities are also evident with the scenes of Luthor and Dr. Octopus. Very clearly, the creative team did intense research on the Marvel and DC characters and found ways to create a unique mix that resonates with the fans of Superman and Spider-Man.
As expected, this comic book has lots of superhero spectacle for readers to enjoy. The superhero violence is not intense but the action scenes were entertaining to look at. In my opinion, the highlights of the spectacle here is when Superman and Spider-Man literally exchanged mortal enemies to fight with. As for the fight between the two icons as emphasized in the title, it definitely is a special event that really kicked the story into high gear.
While this is indeed a fun superhero crossover to read, there are some notable weak points here. For one thing, the plot itself lacks a strong concept and Luthor’s evil plan is very flawed and unconvincing. That being said, as I read and re-read this comic book, there never was a sense of danger building up nor was the Luthor-Dr. Octopus team ever a grave threat.
Conclusion
This is only a small sample of the fun in the battle between Superman and Spider-Man.
By today’s standards, Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976) is still a fun superhero crossover comic book to read and it remains as a significant part of not just Marvel and DC’s history of collaboration but also that of inter-company superhero crossover comic book publishing in general. While it is better than many other inter-company superhero crossover comic books I have read through the decades, this one is certainly not the best one from Marvel and DC. For me, Superman and Spider-Man (1981) has a more elaborate plot, higher fun factor and deeper impact than this comic book. Meanwhile, Batman vs. The Incredible Hulk (1981) exceeded this comic book in terms of plotting, character interactions, super villain portrayals and establishing a real sense of danger that requires the super heroes to solve. Still, Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976) remains an enjoyable read and it definitely is worthy as the strong beginning of Marvel-DC superhero crossover projects of the 1970s and 1980s. It also has more dynamic visuals than its 1981 sequel. This one is also part of the Crossover Classics: The Marvel-DC Collection paperback.
Overall, Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976) is recommended!
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts, Marvel 2099 fans and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the Marvel 2099 franchise within Marvel Comics’ shared universe during the 1990s. Specifically speaking, we take a look back at one of the early tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In this retro comic book review, Spider-Man made it back to his home after encountering Vulture 2099 and seeing the low life and inhabitants of the people living in the old City of New York far below. His return, however, is not joyful not only because of the growing tension between Miguel O’Hara and the people his connected with but also because his mother suffered a health-related attack.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #10, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins inside a hospital room. Conchata O’Hara is slowly recovering and near her are her sons Miguel (Spider-Man) and Gabriel as well as Dana. Conchata starts to feel and move restlessly but for Miguel (who heard his mother call his brother Gabriel a good son), she was just acting. Conchata then gets up from her bed and Gabriel encourages his brother to talk to her. Miguel responds saying that their mother hates him because he reminds her of his father – George O’Hara. Dana and Gabriel tell him to talk to her…
Quality
Spider-Man takes on the local authorities. Does this make him a criminal or a social justice symbol? Read the comic book.
To put it straight, this comic book tells the story of the O’Hara family complete with flashbacks from key points of the past. Unsurprisingly, Peter David’s writing is very rich and in-depth with details which made it a compelling read in my experience, and it should be more engaging for readers who passionate follow Spider-Man 2099 and his civilian life as Miguel.
Without going too far with the details, I can say that this comic book explains why Miguel has a very uneasy relationship with his own mother who in turn is close with Gabriel while also resentful of George. As this is a Spider-Man 2099 story, you will see Miguel do his best to make his mother understand his views and himself better no matter the rift between them. There is also a notable superhero-related twist within the Miguel-Conchata interactions that readers who have troubled relationships with their own mothers (especially those who engage in idolatry which is foolish and unholy) will find strongly relevant personally. Miguel’s own personal assessment of his 2nd life as Spider-Man alone deserves your deep attention. Again, Peter David’s writing here is literally solid gold in terms of richness and characterization.
Conclusion
A quick look at the past of the O’Hara family.
While there is no good-versus-evil conflict for superhero enthusiasts to look forward to, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is a highly engaging, character-driven story that highlights Miguel O’Hara on a very personal level while also having enough space to explain to readers why the O’Hara family relationships are strained. There are even flashbacks that nicely dramatized the past and the one scene in which Miguel goes out in public in full costume as Spider-Man will make you wonder what the protagonist really believes in and where he plans to take his life to. Peter David’s writing here made all the difference.
Overall, Spider-Man 2099 #10 (1993) is recommended!
Recently in the city of Las Piñas, the local police arrested two men for illegally possessing weapons and shabu. The weird thing is that a vehicular accident led to the apprehension according to a news report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer news report. Some parts in boldface…
A vehicular accident in Las Piñas City resulted in the arrest of two men for alleged illegal possession of firearms and shabu, the police said Monday.
The Las Piñas City police, in a report, said its officers were responding to an incident along Alabang Zapote at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday when suspects Jefferson Garin, 32, and Raymund Mangubat, 39, attempted to flee the scene.
Officers who came to help captured the suspects on Neltex Street in Barangay Pamplona.
During the procedural body search, the suspects yielded a .9mm Pietro Beretta pistol and three plastic sachets of suspected shabu worth around P40,000.
Garin and Mangubat were brought to the Station Investigation and Detection Management unit of Las Piñas City police station.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that loose firearms and illegal substances are affecting your local community?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Cambodia, the nation that will be hosting the 32nd edition of the Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as SEA Games and Cambodia 2023, click here and here), is aiming to attract between 3 million to 4 million foreign tourists for the year 2023 and improve over what was achieved in 2022, according to Khmer Times news report. For the year 2022, Cambodia attracted 2.28 million foreign tourists while the Philippines and Israel attracted 2.65 million and 2.675 million foreign tourists respectively.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Khmer Times news report. Some parts in boldface…
Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed his hope that between three and four million foreign tourists will visit Cambodia this year.
At a get-together with the 1,049 grade A students of the 2021-2022 academic year held here at Chroy Changvar International Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning, Hun Sen said two major events this year, including the Angkor Sankranta in April and the SEA Games-ASEAN Para Games in May and June, will attract more foreign visitors to the country.
“This year, we hope to welcome the return of foreign tourists, from three to four millions of them,” he underlined.
At the same time, Prime Minister Hun Sen also called on all Cambodians overseas to visit their home country, particularly during these two upcoming big events.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s statistics, Cambodia welcomed 2.28 million foreign visitors last year, a sharp rise by 1,059 percent compared to 2021.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this new development? Have you ever visited Cambodia for tourism? If you did, how would you rate the quality of their tourist spots and how hospitable are Cambodia’s tourism industry workers?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the wild 1990s and explore the far future of 2099 within the Marvel Comics shared universe through one of the tales of Spider-Man 2099.
In my previous retro review, the futuristic Spider-Man got involved with his era’s version of Vulture (Vulture 2099 to us readers). It turns out, Vulture 2099 is not your typical evil supervillain but the leader of a group of violent radical people who are willing to dominate society with a destructive mindset even though there are other opposing groups around them. And then Spidey 2099 realized something very wrong about the Vulture which leads to a big battle between them.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Spider-Man 2099 #8, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter David and drawn by Rick Leonardi.
The cover.
Early story
The story begins with Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 crashing into the interiors of the ancient St. Patrick’s Cathedral located in old New York City (underneath the modern city). Unsurprisingly, the people inside the cathedral got very surprised about the unexpected entry of the two fighters.
Elsewhere, Miguel O’Hara’s brother Gabriel helps Kasey with her head. She tells him that she saw Miguel but Gabriel does not believe her. Suddenly, members of a gang knock on the door and Kasey opens it.
Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture continues. Spider-Man remembers that he has lapsed as a Catholic and he feels very uneasy about the trouble he and his enemy are causing inside the old church structure. Vulture suddenly throws a wooden bench at Spidey but breaks open a glass window and then goes outside. Upon looking outside, Spider-Man notices a group of Vulture’s gang…the Freakers.
Quality
The battle between Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 is intense and very compelling to read.
Here is the good news about this comic book…the story here is a fitting conclusion to what happened in issue #7. The conflict between Spider-Man and Vulture here was carefully crafted and there were several key moments or scenes the provided readers some breathing room to grasp and understand the society of 2099 New York as well as the conflict between the downtown social groups who are deprived of the higher standard of living many miles above them. In some ways, the social divisions portrayed in this comic book is a sad reminder about modern day America and the many radical groups or gangs of people who divide society on race, ethnicity, social class, gender and ideology.
As expected, there is a lot of action executed in the fight between Spider-Man and Vulture of 2099 but there were pauses in between. This is not surprising considering how Peter David crafted the action-packed battles Spidey 2099 had with other enemies in the comic books released before this one. Without spoiling what happened, I can say that the battle between the two was nicely built-up and the conclusion turned out very satisfying to see.
Still on the story, Peter David added some layers of complexity into the conflict that easily made things much more difficult for Spider-Man 2099 on a personal level. I’m talking about his brother Gabriel and Kasey getting involved in the gang war against the Freakers.
Vulture 2099 is once again a standout opposition figure here. Not only is his ability to fly and cause chaos above his obsessed Freakers below is symbolic, his distorted, hardcore beliefs are reflected with his unrelenting use of violence as he fights Spider-Man. Not only that, he turns out to be very philosophical thanks to the rich dialogue Peter David came up with. It is also here that the futuristic Vulture is opposed to God and being the socialist-indoctrinated person he is, he easily blames Alchemax for God’s absence. This should remind you that through Vulture 2099, evil comes with fatal attraction that people could not realize until it is too late. The futuristic Vulture has a lot of common with the evil leaders of Black Lives Matter, Antifa, the Democratic Socialists of America and the long-time regime of Iran. Lastly, I should state that radical socialists are always wrong about God and they often live with distorted perceptions about Him. Vulture 2099 qualifies as a woke figure of 2099 and ultimately wokeness is foolishness.
Speaking of sub-plots, this comic book emphasizes Tyler Stone on how he handles ambitious projects of Alchemax that he believes will benefit people. His interactions with Dana here also sheds light about his very own obsession about the future of humanity.
Conclusion
Spider-Man in trouble with the Vulture’s gang members.
With rich writing, notable in-story details and a very well designed conflict between the futuristic Spider-Man and Vulture, Spider-Man 2099 #8 (1993) is both very engaging and entertainting to read from start to finish. It is a great pay-off to what was built-up in issue #7. Very notably, the conflict between Vulture 2099 and the protagonist is great to see and it is clear that Vulture is not a disposable supervillain but one of the most definitive forces of opposition against Spider-Man 2099. Of course, as comic book history turned out, Vulture 2099 made it in the crossover comic book event between classic Spider-Man and Spidey of 2099. Along the way, the creative team succeeded with expanding the lore of 2099 and the social underclass of New York.
Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on How Great is Our God, a very well-known worship song written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash and Jesse Reeves. The song was part of the DVD release of the live praise-and-worship Hillsong Worship album titled Mighty to Save.
If you want to discover and learn more about Hillsong Worship, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page), here (Instagram) and here (YouTube). To learn more about Chris Tomlin, click here (Facebook), here (Instagram) and here (official website).
Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of How Great is Our God, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash and Jesse Reeves.
Lyrics:
The splendor of a king
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
–
He wraps Himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
Trembles at His voice
–
How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God
–
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end
–
The Godhead Three in One
Father, Spirit and Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb
–
How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God
–
Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
–
Name above all names
You are worthy of all praise
And my heart will sing
How great is our God
–
[3x]
How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see
How great, how great is our God
–
To begin with, let’s take a close look at the first section of the lyrics above: The splendor of a king,Clothed in majesty, Let all the earth rejoice, All the earth rejoice.
The above lines emphasize the greatness of God in Heaven. In His Kingdom, the Lord is the ultimate which is undeniably true and as His faithful children, we do our part honoring Him, praising Him, serving Him, rejoicing with Him and keep on having an eternal personal relationship with Him. God’s greatness also rewards us as we keep on having unwavering faith in Him. Do not forget that submitting to His Son Jesus is the only way to the Heavenly Father. Learn from the following holy scriptures below…
To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all yours! You’ve raised yourself high over all.
1 Chronicles 29:11 (MSG)
And I said: “I pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,”
Nehemiah 1:5 (NKJV)
For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.
1 Samuel 12:22 (ESV)
Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.”
John 14:6 (TPT)
Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me. Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (TPT)
Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!
Philippians 4:4 (MSG)
Next, take a close look at the next batch of lines from the lyrics: He wraps Himself in light, And darkness tries to hide, And trembles at His voice, Trembles at His voice
The above lines explain that the holiness of the Heavenly Father is true and eternal. God is great and His light shines upon His faithful children as well as the other souls who repented and submitted to His Son Lord Jesus to come to Him in the Kingdom of Light. Darkness, sin, destruction, poverty and other elements of the enemy have no place in God’s kingdom nor in the hearts of the children of God. With unwavering and unbreakable faith in the Lord, you can defeat Satan and his minions and stay high with the Lord’s holiness! Pay close attention to the following holy scriptures.
Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, You are very great! You are clothed with honor and majesty—
[You are the One] Who covers Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain or a tent,
Who lays the beams of the upper room of His abode in the waters [above the firmament], Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind,
Psalm 104:1-3 (AMPC)
Everything I am will praise and bless the Lord!
O Lord, my God, your greatness takes my breath away,
overwhelming me by your majesty, beauty, and splendor!
You wrap yourself with a shimmering, glistening light.
You wear sunshine like a garment of glory.
You stretch out the starry skies like a tapestry.
You build your balconies with light beams
and ride as King in a chariot you made from clouds.
You fly upon the wings of the wind.
Psalms 104:1-3 (TPT)
There is none holy like the Lord, there is none besides You; there is no Rock like our God.
1 Samuel 2:2 (AMPC)
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
James 2:19 (NKJV)
Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.
[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins.
[Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation.
Colossians 1:12-15 (AMPC)
Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”
John 8:12 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the next batch of lines from the lyrics. Specifically, the following are lines from the chorus of the song: How great is our God, Sing with me, How great is our God, And all will see, How great, how great is our God.
The above lines emphasize again the greatness of God. It teaches us that as His faithful children, we should be ready to always recognize true greatness comes from the Lord and no other forms of greatness will ever come close to His. The greatness of the Lord is a lively reminder that we must dedicated ourselves to Him, spread His Word to others and help the lost and unsaved souls come to Lord Jesus to be with the Heavenly Father and realize His greatness. Read the hole scriptures below…
There is none like you, O Lord;
you are great, and your name is great in might.
Jeremiah 10:6 (ESV)
For God is the triumphant King; all the powers of the earth are his. So sing your celebration songs of highest praise to the glorious Enlightened One!
Psalms 47:7 (TPT)
The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for me; holy is his name!
Luke 1:49 (TPT)
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
1 John 3:1 (NKJV)
Death once held us in its grip, and by the blunder of one man, death reigned as king over humanity. But now, how much more are we held in the grip of grace and continue reigning as kings in life, enjoying our regal freedom through the gift of perfect righteousness in the one and only Jesus, the Messiah!
Romans 5:17 (TPT)
The time came to observe the winter Feast of Renewal in Jerusalem. Jesus walked into the temple area under Solomon’s covered walkway when the Jewish leaders encircled him and said, “How much longer will you keep us in suspense? Tell us the truth and clarify this for us once and for all. Are you really the Messiah, the Anointed One?”
Jesus answered them, “I have told you the truth already and you did not believe me. The proof of who I am is revealed by all the miracles that I do in the name of my Father. Yet, you stubbornly refuse to follow me, because you are not my sheep. As I’ve told you before: My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands. My Father, who has given them to me as his gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care. The Father and I are one.”
John 10:22-30 (TPT)
For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
1 Timothy 2:5 (AMPC)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
The Lord has done great things for us;
We are joyful.
Psalm 126:3 (NASB)
The above lines emphasize that the Lord is eternal and He does not change Himself. He is always present to guide the faithful and provide for them. He is always there to fight battles that are too great for us to handle. God is always present to emphasize His faithfulness to those who dedicated themselves to Him. He is always present to spend time with each of us – His faithful children – and is always ready to welcome the souls who got born again after repenting to Lord Jesus and accepting Him as their Lord and Savior. Learn from the scriptures below…
The eternal God is your refuge and dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He drove the enemy before you and thrust them out, saying, Destroy!
Deuteronomy 33:27 (AMPC)
For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
Even to death.
Psalm 48:14 (NKJV)
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3 (NASB)
“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!”
John 14:12 (TPT)
Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me. Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (TPT)
Next, take a close look at the following lines of lyrics: The Godhead Three in One, Father, Spirit and Son, The Lion and the Lamb, The Lion and the Lamb.
The above lines refers to the Holy Trinity composed of God the Heavenly Father, His Son Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Having the Holy Trinity is essential in our faith in the Lord as well as Christian living. The lion and the lamb mentioned symbolize our Lord.
Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).
Matthew 28:19 (AMPC)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17 (ESV)
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29 (NKJV)
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
Revelation 5:11-13 (NKJV)
And I wept audibly and bitterly because no one was found fit to open the scroll or to inspect it.
Then one of the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said to me, Stop weeping! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root (Source) of David, has won (has overcome and conquered)! He can open the scroll and break its seven seals!
Revelation 5:4-5 (AMPC)
The Lord also will roar from Zion,
And utter His voice from Jerusalem;
The heavens and earth will shake;
But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,
And the strength of the children of Israel.
Joel 3:16 (NKJV)
Finally, we take a close look at the following lines of lyrics of the song in two similar looking batches: Name above all names, Worthy of all praise, My heart will sing, How great is our Godand Name above all names, You are worthy of all praise, And my heart will sing, How great is our God.
Our Lord’s name is the ultimate of all names. No name can be greater than the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus, the only begotten son of God sent here on Earth to lead humanity out of darkness. Jesus died on the cross carrying all of humanity’s sins and trespasses with Him, and a few days later He returned from the dead (conquered death), made His presence felt to the faithful and ascended to Heaven with the promise of returning in the future. Lord Jesus is the Messiah, the King of all kings and the One we must follow in order to be with the Heavenly Father in His kingdom. The Lord is worthy of all our praise! Learn from the following scriptures below…
Because of that obedience, God exalted him and multiplied his greatness! He has now been given the greatest of all names! The authority of the name of Jesus causes every knee to bow in reverence! Everything and everyone will one day submit to this name—in the heavenly realm, in the earthly realm, and in the demonic realm. And every tongue will proclaim in every language: “Jesus Christ is Lord Yahweh,” bringing glory and honor to God, his Father!
Philippians 2:9-11 (TPT)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:16-17 (NKJV)
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:16 (NKJV)
She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21 (NASB)
I will exalt You, my God, the King,
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation will praise Your works to another,
And will declare Your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
People will speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
Psalm 145:1-6 (NASB)
For through the eternal and living Word of God you have been born again. And this “seed” that he planted within you can never be destroyed but will live and grow inside of you forever. For: Human beings are frail and temporary, like grass, and the glory of man fleeting like blossoms of the field. The grass dries and withers and the flowers fall off, but the Word of the Lord endures forever!
1 Peter 1:23-25 (TPT)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah is God’s spiritual child and has been fathered by God himself. And everyone who loves Father God loves his children as well. This is how we can be sure that we love the children of God: by having a passionate love for God and by obedience to his commands. True love for God means obeying his commands, and his commands don’t weigh us down as heavy burdens. You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
1 John 5:1-5 (TPT)
Very clearly, the worship song How Great is Our God is a very holy song. Indeed, the lyrics composed by the writers are very biblical and it is safe to say that the Lord anointed them as well as their musicians to make this great praise-and-worship song. Musically, it is unsurprisingly beautiful to listen to and easily it is ideal to lead your fellow faithful Christians at church to the Lord with. How Great is Our God will easily fit in with your local church’s Sunday worship service music as well as during special worship events that involve the church’s music team. Ultimately, How Great is Our God will not only remind you of His everlasting greatness but also inspire you to deepen your faith in Him and help lead the lost and unsaved souls to Him through Lord Jesus!
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While living here in the Philippines doing your daily chores and fulfilling other objectives, do you still remember how much money did you spend buying rice grain for your household over the last six months? Do you find the current prices of rice expensive nowadays? As far as rice is concerned, the nation of Cambodia could become the next new source of rice grain for the Philippines, according to a news article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
Cambodia is exploring opportunities to directly export rice to the Philippines, offering an alternative and cheaper source of rice for the country.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual met with a Cambodian delegation on Thursday, led by chief executive officer of the state-owned Green Trade Company Chan Sokty and the president of the Cambodia Rice Federation Okhna Chan Sokheang.
Green Trade is the counterpart of DTI’s Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC).
The Cambodian delegates are also exploring exporting rice through a government-to-government arrangement between Green Trade and PITC.
“They are still in the fact-finding stage. They are surveying our markets,” Pascual told reporters.
Pascual said Cambodia has a rice surplus of 50 percent of its total rice production, and the Southeast Asian country intends to sell it directly to neighboring countries and also in Europe.
Cambodian rice can enter the Philippine market at 35 percent tariff rate.
Pascual added the Cambodian delegates said they can commit to supply 3 million metric tons of rice to the Philippines, which is the level of imported rice by the country in 2022.
Earlier, Go Negosyo founder and ASEAN Business Advisory Council chair Joey Concepcion said Cambodia expressed intention to directly export unmilled rice to the Philippines on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in November 2022.
Concepcion then said Cambodia exports unprocessed rice to Vietnam, wherein the country processes the rice before exporting to other countries like the Philippines.
More than 80 percent of the country’s rice imports are sourced from Vietnam, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think rice imported from Cambodia will surely bring down the local rice prices?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 