As relief efforts continue to come, road damages are being repaired, life and business are in recovery mode, with lesser aftershocks felt, it seem it’s almost back to normal and business as usual for the people affected by the earthquake.

But as a church, as followers of Christ, can we really do business as usual? Is there time in these last days that we can just put down our shield and lay down our sword? Not really. It can never be business as usual. We should be in our Father’s business continually; continue progressing, learning, serving and pressing on to know the Lord and to make Him known to a world who knew Him not!

People are still dying without Christ and many slip into eternity lost forever! “Be always on “Watching and Praying”, Jesus said. If you aren’t watching, you won’t know how to pray. If you aren’t praying it doesn’t matter what you see.

Remember what Jesus said in Luke 17:26-27Luke 17:26-27
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. ²⁷ They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  

WP-Bible plugin – “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.  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.”

His message is that people across the world in that day were caught up in doing the ordinary things…business as usual. They were taking life as it came, just living day to day. And they were completely ignoring the warnings all around them. Rather than turning to God in repentance they were drifting alone with the prevailing culture, living lives characterized by the attitudes of the day. And Jesus says that is the way it will before He returns. But as a church it should be different! We’re to build our lives on God’s Word, we’re to guard our hearts and we’re to keep watching and Praying!

When we were on our way to La Libertad, we were warned about the bridge that was destroyed and we were led to take another route. This message may be called a road sign of warning. Some may look at a sign that reads: THE BRIDGE IS OUT, and say, “Oh, someone is just trying to scare us into taking another road; let’s go on the same way.” And they go on and plunge to their death. The sign was not meant to scare people, but to warn them of impending danger. The sign was put there, because someone cared and didn’t want others to perish. DO YOU CARE? JESUS CARES!

Beloved, we have this ever shining hope in our hearts, are we sharing it? Do we tell others of this hope we have in Christ? Why not when God wants to use you to be a messenger of hope in this ever darkening times!

Announcement:

WATER BAPTISM & FAMILY BEACH FELLOWSHIP this coming Saturday, March 3 at 10 am, Dulamal’s Beach House (Ate Asha’s) in Cangmating. If you want to obey the Lord in water baptism, please sign up at the back after the service.

• It is a Lovefeast (potluck) affair so bring a dish to be shared.
• Bring your own eating utensils.
• Those who will be baptized please bring extra clothes.
• If you need directions we have a map for you at the back.
• If you need a ride, assembly place will be at the Quezon Park in front of Tops and Bottom, 9:00 am on March 3.
• We need vehicles & drivers to transport people who need rides.  Please approach Noel or Janice.

COVENANT KEEPERS Movie Night tonight, Feb. 26 at 6:30 pm, CCD! Inviting all couples to come and join us!

The outreach to La Libertad was a blessing and so satisfying…not just because we gave some relief goods, but that because many gave their lives to Christ! More than food that spoils is eternal life that sustains the soul! That is always our priority, our focus and our goal. Whatever humanitarian aid we give is a platform to share the gospel. We’re not a social club, nor a humanitarian organization, we’re the church. And the church is to proclaim the gospel at all cost, in any way possible, at all times. Paul said, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season…” (2 Tim.4:2)

Jesus said, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt.4:4) A simple reminder for all of us:  What digestion is to the body, meditation is to the soul. As we read the Word and meditate on it, we receive spiritual health and strength for the inner person, and this enables us to obey the will of God. You see the problem is we think that life is just about meeting our physical needs – that this is all there is! So we work and work, do this – do that,  study hard, nothing necessarily wrong with these things – but being consumed by just these things at the cost of neglecting the spiritual being – which is supposed to be the priority – is imbalanced and doomed to fall!

Jesus is saying, “Life is not just about bread but it’s about God who gives the bread!”  Why is this? Because we are a spiritual being. Man is consists of spirit, soul and body. And God who is Spirit is the only one who can satisfy the spiritual need of man! So if our focus is only the physical we will always be dissatisfied, discontented and lacking! Right after the feeding of the 5,000he 5,000
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin, Jesus said to the crowd who were looking for Him, “I tell you the truth, you’re looking for Me not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you…(Jn.6:26-27).”

Jesus’ words are clear: Put God first. Don’t spend all your energies and your efforts and your time, your resources, talents, and everything you have for that which is going to perish! Laboring for all the temporal, the material, everything that are seen is going to vanish away, but that which is unseen is eternal! Are you working only for the temporal? Only for the material? Only for the food that will spoil or perish? Or are you laboring for the food which will endure unto everlasting life? Food for the body is necessary but not the most important. What the people need is not food but eternal life which Jesus alone can give, for He is the Bread of Life!

ANNOUNCEMENT:

1. H4U Medtech on Monday, Feb. 20, at 7 pm at the Silliman Amphitheater. Please come out and support our H4U and pray for a fruitful harvest!

2. The Living Vessels will be holding an Evangelistic Valentines Dinner on Feb. 25, Saturday at 6:30 pm at Bethel Guesthouse.

• The Theme is “The Greatest . . . . An Affair of the Heart 2012” with theme verse, “And now these remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.”  1 Cor. 13:131 Cor. 13:13
  English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
  13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.  
  
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• Registration Fee is P250.00 / person
• Limited slots only
• Registration is ongoing.

Please approach Lorraine or Gerchelle Yam for inquiries.  This is an evangelistic event, so please invite, or better yet, sponsor your unbelieving friends, relatives, and co-workers.  This is open to all college students, young professionals, and young couples.

3. Mark Your Calendar: WATER BAPTISM  and BEACH FAMILY FELLOWSHIP on March 3 at 10 am, Dulamal’s Beach House in Cangmating. If you want to obey the Lord in water baptism, please sign up at the back after the bible study.

• It is a Lovefeast (potluck) affair so bring a dish to be shared.
• Bring your own eating utensils
• Those who will be baptized please bring extra clothes.
• If you need directions we have a map for you at the back.
• If you need a ride, assembly place will be at the Quezon Park in front of Tops and Bottom, 9:00 am on March 3.

The earthquake last Monday surely got all of our attention. Saddened and heart-broken by the devastation, it made me think of what really matters most – and it’s God, His Word and the souls of men and women. That really, all the material world as we know it will soon pass away…and sometimes…just like that! Rom.8:22 says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Remember when God finished His creation, it was a good creation (Gen.1:31), but today it is a groaning creation. There is suffering and death; there is pain, all of which is, of course, the result of man’s sin. Note the words Paul used to describe the plight of creation: frustration (Rom.8:20), bondage, decay (Rom.8:21), and pains (Rom.8:22).

However, there will be an end to all these. Jesus compared it to a woman in travail. There is pain, but the pain will end when the child is delivered. One day when Jesus returns on earth and establishes His kingdom, the groaning creation will become a glorious creation! Let us then pay careful attention to what the creation is telling us. It’s not only that creation declares the glory of God, it also declares to the world the nearness of the return of the Son of God!

But not only God is speaking to the world through the groaning creation, of course most of all from God’s Word, He is also calling out for people to repent and turn to Him through circumstances happening in the world today.

The May 1984 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC shows through color photos and drawings the swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79. The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden the residents were killed while in their routine: men and women were at the market, the rich in their luxurious homes, slaves working. They died amid volcanic ash and superheated gases. Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate. It takes little imagination to picture the panic of that terrible day. The saddest part is that these people did not have to die.

Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers record—weeks of rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion. Even a warning sign of smoke was clearly visible from the mountain days before the eruption. If only they had been able to read and respond to Vesuvius’s warning!  There are similar “rumblings” in our world:  earthquakes, the nuclear threat, economic woes, breakdown of the family and moral standards. While not exactly new, these things do point to a coming Day of Judgment. People need not be caught unprepared. God warns and provides an escape to those who will heed the rumblings. And the escape is Jesus Christ! And if you are a follower of Christ then that should be primary in your heart and mind right now – how to make your life count by pointing people to the only savior Jesus Christ.

Ask yourself, “Who or what is most important in my life?” I’m hoping that your answer will be, “My relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, is most important to me.” If so, then put that at the top of your list of priorities, & say, “This will affect my decisions, my scheduling, my relationship with others, & my whole outlook on life.” I pray this to be true to all of us.

“Psalm 25:12Psalm 25:12
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  

WP-Bible plugin″ – “Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.” What a promise for those who fear the Lord…guidance, direction. Notice it says, “He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.” There’s already a way, a path chosen by God for us – and it’s the best way, because He knows what is best for us. Our responsibility is to let Him lead us and guide us to that way He already set for us. How do we do that? Get out of the way! Don’t get in the way of God in your life by stubbornly pursuing your own agenda, your own selfish ambition.

How can you be sure you’re making the right decision? Sometimes it may seem as if God plays hide and seek when we’re trying to know His will, but that’s not the way He operates. He wants to give us clear direction. The real question is, “What do you need to do to hear His voice?”

Clear the pathway. We have two main obstacles that hinder our discernment: sin in our life and our own strong desires about the situation. To receive the Lord’s guidance, we must repent of all known sin and make our desires secondary to His.

Exercise patience. Sometimes it takes a great deal of strength to stand still when everything within you is shouting, “Hurry! Time is running out!” But if you rush ahead of God, you may miss His will.

Persist in prayer. The Bible clearly instructs us to keep coming to the Lord with our concerns. As we continue to pray, He will gradually weed out anything confusing until we come to His conclusion about the matter.

Search the Scriptures. The Word of God has an answer for every need, and the Holy Spirit knows just how to point us in the right direction. There were times while I was reading the Bible that a verse jumped off the page and supplied the exact answer I needed to make an important decision.

So often when we’re faced with a critical choice, all we want from the Lord is a quick answer. But He delights to meet with us in order to deepen our relationship with Him. Don’t let the urgency of your need keep you from enjoying the intimacy of His presence as you seek His will. Don’t just go for His answer, go for Him. In the process of seeking  is where you know Him more.  This is intimacy with God!

Psa.25:14 says, “The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”  God makes known His will, His ways to those who fear Him. The word “covenant” here was not merely a conditional contract, offering rewards in return for obedience, but a privileged and intimate relationship of friendship. The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear Him. Didn’t Jesus echo this truth to His disciples? In Jn. 15:15Jn. 15:15
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.  

WP-Bible plugin, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” God favors with His presence and guidance those who trust and love Him.

Announcement:

THAI MISSION 2012 TEAM! We still have 6 slots opened. For ministry leaders and those whom Ptr. Jo has personally invited, deadline for your final decision will be on Feb. 12.  If there are still slots available, we will be opening it up to the church volunteers/workers and the deadline for your decision will be on Feb. 18.

The Living Vessels will be holding an EVANGELISTIC VALENTINES DINNER on Feb. 25, Saturday at 6:30 pm at Bethel Guesthouse.  the Theme is “The Greatest . . . . An Affair of the Heart 2012”.

• Registration Fee is P250.00 / person
• Limited slots only
• Registration starts today, Feb. 5, 2012

Please approach Lorraine or Gerchelle Yam for inquiries.  Please invite, or better yet, sponsor your unbelieving friends, relatives, and co-workers.  This is open to all college students, young professionals, and young couples.

FYI:  H4U CBA is on Feb. 13, at 7 pm at the Silliman CBA grounds and H4U Medtech is on Feb. 15, at 7 pm at the Silliman Amphitheater.  Please come out and support our H4U and pray for a fruitful harvest!

Pray for the SUNDAY SCHOOL KIDS OUTREACH on Feb. 18, 2012, 3-5 pm at Habitat Candau-ay.  If you want to get involve and donate the GIFT SHOEBOXES or a cash donation of P300 , please submit it  to Gaily Echin or Lolit Jo, or at the table at the back.

Mark Your Calendar: WATER BAPTISM on March 3.  Details will be announced later.