KidZania : Make Believe

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Published: Monday, 20 November 2017 08:28
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KidZania : Make Believe

Global City, Taguig

LSCA Field Trip

November 18, 2017 (Saturday); 9:00 A.M



We live the way we believe in. In the same way, Roy T. Bennett in “The Light in the Heart” said this: “Be brave to stand for what you believe in even if you stand alone.” And a well- respected apostle, Apostle Paul said, “for I know whom I have believed,” (2 Timothy 1:12b). Finally, Paul died as a martyr in the same way to what he believed in to his Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

Are you willing to stick and to die to whatever you truly believe in? Believe in or make-believe?

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KidZania in “The Fort” (Photo by Peps)

 

Role-playing

So when we visited Kidzania, the word “make-believe” was the 1st impression that got stuck in my mind as we entered to this recreational and educational facility somewhere in the The Fort which they call “Fort Bonifacio Global City” on November 18, 2017.

 

Make-believe is like role-playing. We often play a role that we are truly interested into. It is like perceiving who we are in the future. You can call it “envisioning” also if not “dreaming.” That is setting up goal for your future.

 

So when LSCA students took their breakfast at Mc Donald’s at past 7 in the morning, we did proceed right away to KidZania, just few steps away which is being housed in the same building.
We literally opened the educational facility as we passed through make-believe “Immigration” area after checking at from a make-believe “Cebu Pacific “ Airline counter in their branded flight attendant uniforms.

As soon, the four (4) buses-loaded passengers got in the facility, KidZania personnel started to sing and dance before us as their Welcome gesture as they opened the whole entertainment area to the public. We were then the largest delegation and on the TV monitor, the words, “Living Stone” are being flashed on their TV screens. And that is being branded as “Living Stone.”

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Left Photo: The “respondent” former LSCA student Nicole and her defending lawyer, Gaius Mariano and another LSCA student court lady-judge. Middle Photo : Taken from the internet. Right Photo: LSCA students performing after being trained the made-believe “Performing Academy.”



Role-playing ushers

Role-playing can usher you to the future.

 

We have this Living Stone Christian Academy aka LSCA since 1995. And as far I know I am not inclined to secular teaching not until I surrendered my life to Christ in 1986 and I became a preacher then a teacher of the Scriptures.

But I remember when I was in Grade 3 when I would take children ages 4-6 and bring them to our house basement and I give them stools where they can sit down and listen to me as if I was teaching them with matching blackboard in front of them.



Isaac’s role-playing

Isaac’s first boarded on a plane when he was 4 or 5 years old on our domestic flight to Ilo-Ilo City. I talked to the pilot and co-pilot if my son could take a look inside the cockpit and they obliged. They did not only show how the cockpit looks like but they also allowed Isaac to sit down on the pilot seat. From that time on, Isaac could not forget that. Isaac’s role playing includes reading the papers or praying with his bible on his hands.

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We have gone financial difficulty and that is a fact but Isaac became a licensed private pilot at the age 22.

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Point of Preferences

After the KidZania personnel’s presentation, our students have gone frenzy wild running and looking everywhere that stir their point of interests. Some have gone to the bank, or to the performing arts academy, if not to radio station. Four of them went to make-believe St. Luke Hospital where our students are being trained as paediatricians, others were being trained as fire-fighters, others in food processing, to name a few. That’s the point of preferences. And I noticed that there was no church nor chapel there (which must not be taken for granted).

 

 

As for me

As for me, when we get there, what attracted me most are these two (2):

1st, the made-believe Supreme Court of KidZania and

2nd, the made-believe Performing Arts Academy by ABS-CBN.

 

 

Why these two?

Why these two?

 

Perhaps because one of today’s most controversial issue from the government of the threatening impeachment of two government’s independent bodies like the Ombudsman Chief Morales-Carpio and the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Sereno. Besides I’ve been a victim as well for character-assassination where I was made a respondent or a criminal suspects from the two criminal lawsuits filed against me.

 

And second, performing acts became my point of interest where i could truly relate myself with on the basis of experience. Because I used to dream to be an actor and had an audition with ABS-CBN that gone pfff... And from there it ushered me to the fields of arts and stage during my college days.

 

Role-Playing or Envisioning?

In early years, KidZania will stir your point of preference, your dream or destination in life. It is a made-believe role-playing of what you want in the future to give you a sense of direction. You may call it role-playing, self-identification, goal-setting or whatever.



You can be a firefighter, singer or actor, musician or dancer, aviator, food processor, banker, lawyer, judge, banker, cargo-handler, etc.

 

Remember what a Greek philosopher once said, “Whatever you mind can conceive, your body can achieve.” Then Pharmaton, a branded health company is using their motto in the advertising ads. The same is true in what they call, “visualizing” the latest terminology being used which is equal to “goal-setting”. Because visualization or envisioning refers to vision or sight.

What do you envision in your spiritual walk and life? How do you visualize your church whether it is a church of Christ or an Imperial Cult look-alike? Are churches today are being ran like the way earthly politics do?

Just few days ago, I saw one pastor in a mall and he shared that their denomination split up very recently. He now joins the newly split group. If you remember that many members of the Congress whose were member of the “yellow group” or Naciolistas with the Aquino bolted away and they joined political party called Laban when Duterte won the presidency. Am I right? And the saying goes, “balimbing.” The same is true to Christian and Churches today.

 

KidZania

Going back to KidZania ...

 

KidZania is one of the fastest growing kid’s interactive entertainment brands in the world. It is an interactive kids’ city combining inspiration, fun and learning through realistic role-play for children 2-14. Kids independently explore an 80,000 square foot kid-sized city with over 100 exciting careers that they can try. Kidzania can be found in UK, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Dubai, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and now in the Philippines - 19 countries in all.

 

Kidzania is designed similarly or look like the shopping mall, “The Groove,” in Los Angeles, California which is also patterned like exactly the same of what we call, “Eastwood City Cyberpark, “ in Eastwood Ave, Libisin Quezon City.

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Left photo: Some LSCA students preferred to learn something on food processing. Middle Photo: Myself and Nelids. Right Photo: Some students were camouflaged like a fire-fighters.

 

Have your heard the song entitled “Make Believe” by Marco Sison. That is how you can describe KidZania, “Make believe” according to Webster means “to pretend” or “to feign.” To pretend as a verb is to imagine and act (a particular role, situation, etc.). As transitive verb, make believe means to give a false appearance or performing. From there, a name of Roman Emperor came to my mind, no less than Nero (right after identifying myself with the Supreme Court and Performiing Arts). Why Nero?

 

Why Nero? Because Nero used his persuasive and mesmerizing words for people and the Roman Senate to believe in him. Nero is known not only combative but also a good orator and actor. In other words, Nero is not only a politician but actor too. And I was surprised during the most recent presidential election when a particular candidate did sing instead of giving his political platform (agenda). What a mess! Politics or Governance today become a stage play rather than public service.

 

The word “actor” is used in Greek alphabet. “hupokrites” is also means stage player or pretender when Christ accused the scribes and Pharisees as “hypocrites” in Luke 11:44.

 

Every one of us needs a hero if not an idol that we would like to pattern our lives on. That is why we buy branded items by our favourite product endorser normally movie personalities in the like of Kris Aquino or a popular public figure like Pacman. But the Bible teaches us to pattern ourselves not of this world’s but of Christ when Paul said,

 

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. ..For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, “(Romans 12:2; 8:29).

 

 

The Roman Cult of Emperor Worship

Many scholars see worship of the emperor as the background for the worship of the Beast in Revelation 13:4, 15-16; 14:9-11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4.  If this is true, then we need to know when emperor worship will become an empire-wide phenomenon in the near future.  The standard view of Emperor-worship called “Imperial Cult” can be found in many popular commentaries comes from William Ramsay, writing at the turn of the 20th century:

“…In no part of the world was there such fervent and sincere loyalty to the emperors as in Asia. Augustus had been a saviour to the Asian peoples, and they deified him as the Saviour of mankind, and worshiped him with the most whole-hearted devotion as the ‘present deity’.” W. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches (New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1909) 115.

Amazingly, I observed many evangelical churches display the same fervour of look-alike Imperial Cult worship before, during and after Presidential Election when the clergy and laymen’s allegiance seemingly focused to men rather than to God and to the sweet-promises of the politicians rather than to the Word of God. As Bishop Daniel Balais once said after he observed evangelical Christians fighting one another through Face Book and Twitter, “Our allegiance must be to Jesus Christ and to His Word.”


“Julius Caesar allowed himself to be worshiped as a god, but his successor Augustus only allowed emperor worship outside of the city of Rome.  Augustus is known in some inscriptions  as  CAESAR DIVI FILIUS, Son of God, that is, Son of eternal Caesar. 

Caesar is disguised or made-believe as divine Even Seneca, a powerful member of the Roman Senate called him as the long-awaited savior of the world.”

The word “disguised” in another English word, “transformed” has two meaning in the Greek words, “metamorphoo” in Romans 12:2 as Christ or a Christian as “transfigured” or “metaschematizo” or “to disguised” as ”Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light,” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

“Oaths were taken on the divine spirit of the emperor. His image was publicly adored. Worship of the image was a regular military duty.   Caligula was the first emperor to demand to be worshiped, he demanded that citizens everywhere bow to his statue.  Nero also claimed to be divine, although in neither case was there a requirement to worship the emperor.  As Augustus had been Zeus incarnate, so Nero was Apollo incarnate.”

 

ASIA MINOR

How prevalent was the imperial cult in Asia Minor?  Of the seven cities mentioned in Revelation 2-3, five have imperial priests and altars (all but Philadelphia and Laodica) and six have imperial temples (all but Thyatira).  At Pergamum an imperial temple was established as early as 28 B.C.  The city was so central to the imperial cult that Revelation describes this city as having the “throne of Satan.”  In short, a Christian in Asia Minor could not avoid the Imperial Cult the reading says.

In other words, even in the ancient time of Paul, Timothy and Titus, the churches’ allegiance shifted from Christ to the Emperor of Rome. If you remember that when Pontius Pilate asked the Jewish nation particularly the Pharisees with this question, “ Pilate saith unto them Shall I crucify your King?” Look at the answers of the elders who know the Torah or Law of Moses well? “The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.” (John 19:15). In other words, the Sanhedrin displayed the Imperial-Cult worship.



So when a Church leaders or evangelical pastors give their allegiance to the cunning words of a king, emperor or government official more than to the Truth of Jesus (John 14:6), that is Imperial Cult worship – worshipping men rather than God.

When the church leaders render allegiance to the worldly government than to Christ, to the Kingdom of God and His Word, how will you call it?

The Imperial Cult is widely practiced among the Seven Churches of Asia according to history. Below are some of the photos taken from the ancient cities where the Seven Churches of Asia can be found. And the Imperial Cult is very much alive today and in the End Times as it is written in the Book of Revelation. As one bishop says recently to another church, “they have eaten with the greed of power in the government.”

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Author of Imperial Cult

Who is the author of Imperial Cult?

 

Why walking inside the mall of SM-Rosales, I saw a young man wearing a shirt that says, “I, me, myself.” What does it mean to you?

When we were in Mt. Sinai, Egypt last May, 2017, prophet Sadhu Selvaraj said, “The I in us must die.”

What Sadhu meant is that our self-serving attitude must be put to end just like what Paul said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It is a sacrificial-worship, not self-centred and self-service.

Who is then again the author of Imperial Cult? The answer is LUCIFER

Isaiah 14:12-15, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”



The “I” is there. Is it the “I” in us still lives? The “overcomer” is the only one that will survive. Revelation 12:11 says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death”.while in John 12:25, “He that loveth his life shall lose it.”



The Imperial Cult author and affiliates has this manipulative power of witchcraft or sometimes we call this in this present-day form of government as “manipulative, controlling and oppressive” look-alike as “tyrannical” whose words are like divine like that of Emperor Nero. They are on the air, underneath, in the churches or perhaps occupying the executive, legislative and judicial powers in our society today as what the Scriptures provides:



For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places – Ephesians 6:12



Lucifer has many faces. He is truly a good actor. He can wear his different masks on anytime, anywhere depending on season, culture, trend just like that role-playing we had in KidZania. He can be a priest, a king, a queen, or a beast. He can influence King Ahaz or Queen Jezebel or the Beast in the Book of Revelation or the Church in Pergamos where it said by the Scriptures, “Where Satan lives” and “where the throne of Satan is.” It does not mean if you are a Christian Church, Satan can no longer dwell with you there? C’mon don’t be too naive. Being naive is a sin. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people perished because of lack of knowledge.”

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Role-Playing

So when I saw the Supreme Court of Kidzania, I felt as if was in euphoric state; as if I am dreaming that I was a powerful magistrate that can give fair, impartial and godly judgment to all to protect the poor and the innocent, to defend what is right and true.


Well, you can be one too – like a powerful magistrate.

 

How? Through intercession.

 

Intercession, prayer, pleading, appeal, appearance in the court and others are one and the same in the origin of the word (etymology).

 

If we stop to intercede, we might as well give Satan a victory over us on a silver platter. So we must act like a defending lawyer if not a judge as if we make-believe we are a look-alike of those we dream or wish to become.

 

 

Intercession

Intercession is like in a court room.

 

A legal counsel of the defendant acts as an intercessor to the judge inside the courtroom. The judge verdict does not only depends from the solid evidences gathered against the accused but also depends to the bright, persuasive and convincing interpolations of the defense counsel to reverse the possible guilty verdict. The same is true to a Christian intercessor when he is falsely accused by the Devil who is known as the “accuser of the brethren.”

 

 

Appeal

Even Satan can appeal to God against the Lord’s servant.

 

Job was known as perfect and upright (Job 1:10). Until Satan called “sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also among them,” (Job 1:6).

 

The word “present” in Hebrew “yatsab” means “to take one’s stand” which is being used in a court as a “witness.” Satan argued to the Lord that Job is only perfect and upright because God blessed him so much (materially) yet once his possessions will be taken away from him, he will start cursing God. Satan’s defense is this, “Doth Job fear God for nought (nothing)?” (Job 1:9). Satan’s verbal argument with God as a Judge seeming sounds very “substantial” until God as if said to Satan, “Ok, sustain..” Since then God gave Satan the power to oppress Job (Job 1:12).

 

In the same way, we can also appeal to God to reverse the satanic cases hurled against us should God will listen to our plea.





Reversal of the case

When Christ was crucified and breathed his last, one of the soldiers wanted to cut down his bones in the same way he did to others who died with crucifixion. Yet there was a “reversal of the decision“ made when the soldier finally changed his mind. Who changed his mind? Who interceded in behalf of the dead body of Jesus Christ? Is it Peter who was watching nearby? May be. Can we say the “cloud of witnesses” who are interceding in Hebrew 12:1? Perhaps? And that is very, very possible.

 

John 19:32-36,

“Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.” That jibes with the prophetic word in Psalm 34:20 that no body from the Messiah will be broken. That is what we call “reversal of the case.”

 

In the Old Testament, reversal of divine cases can be found as well.

 

Remember Moses who interceded in behalf of Israel when God wanted to destroy them all due to their consistent grumbling and rebellion. Moses was able to change God’s mind and even shew His glory to His servant (Exodus 33:5, 18)

 

King Hezekiah was prophesied by Isaiah to die. Righter there and the, the king “turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord,” (2 Kings 20:1-6). And do not under-estimate prayer. Prayer can reverse the judgment of death. The word “prayer” in Hebrew “palal” means “to mediate, to intercede, to intreat.” To intreat or entreat is “to plead in order to persuade,” or “to negotiate, or “to implore.” Even our Preamble of Philippine Constitution goes this way, “We the sovereign Filipino people, imploring the aid of Almighty God.” The word “implore” is a form of supplication or prayer when God listen and reverse judgment. Furthermore, the humble act of King Hezekiah resulted to the reversal of divine judgment and the Lord God added to his life another 15 years.



Call for Prayer

Lately I received an email message from the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) to intercede for the nation’s calling. In that message, our nation is on the “fork-road” meaning either our calling will be withdrawn and we will get the judgment of God instead.

 

But like Moses and Hezekiah who made an appeal to God for the reversal of judgment. We need to make a role-playing to act as a defense counsel to file a petition to the Divine Court of Heaven and to appeal for our case for the reversal of verdict. That we can in prayer, petition and intercession.

 

 

Built-in

We as Christian have a built-n mechanism for intercession no less than the Holy Spirit who strengthens us in our frailty.

 

Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we

should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which

cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,

because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

 

 

Defense counsel

While the accused or respondent can lose his chance for “not-guilty verdict “ due to the weak

defence of his legal counsel, our attorney is nevertheless very credible and dependable, no

less than Christ Himself. Romans 8:34 says, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

 

Not only our defense lawyer pleads or appeals for our case, he also paid the penalty of our sins and that is his winning legal argument before the Most High God and Judge for the reversal of our case. His bruised body on the cross, His death on the cross and by His precious blood speaks of our winning “verbal arguments” in the Divine Court of Justice to seek acquittal of our cases. Those are our winning piece.



“Never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying, and never stop learning,” and that what Roy T. Bennett said.