Two weeks from now we get to witness again God’s power and grace through our Hope For You concert. What a privilege that the Lord counted us worthy to be part of His harvest. I remember what Jesus said in John 4:35John 4:35
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35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.  

WP-Bible plugin. He said, “Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”

The soul-harvest is a matter of immediate urgency. There are many who still need to be saved. It’s easy to lose the burden for the lost or think that the work is done! The truth is there’s a lot of work yet to be done! Jesus said the harvest is before us. The lesson for us is: The Time is NOW! The time is now to do God’s will. The time is now to reach out to the lost; the time is now to share the love of God.

What are we waiting for? To hear a voice from heaven? Don’t you know that thousands die and slip into eternal fire without Christ? I’m not saying that we could save the whole world but I’m saying that God has called us to participate in the harvest. And you know what’s God’s number one priority is? His glory in the saving of souls! We need to pray toward that end, we need to give toward that end, we need to serve toward that end.

Jesus continued in vs.36 of John 4, “Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.” Notice the idea of rejoicing there. What great joy there is in serving God, in doing His will, in finishing His work – and hearing those words, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter in to the joy of the Lord!” There will be rewards for faithful service.

In John 4:37-38John 4:37-38
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37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. ³⁸ I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.  

WP-Bible plugin, Jesus followed up, “Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” In other words, this is the work of everyone! Your prayer, your witnessing, your giving, support in anyway contribute to the work of spreading the gospel! One sows another reaps. And there’s joy, there are rewards for everyone!

The Bible says, “Now is the day of salvation! There is no day that God stops from reaching out to somebody needing His salvation! There’s a harvest out there – what is needed are faithful witnesses, faithful workers who will bring in the harvest to God’s kingdom! What is your priority? What is most important to you? Is your priority in line with God’s priority? Do you seek to know God’s will for your life, do it and continuing in it? This is God’s best for you, for us all. This is the secret of satisfaction!

As most of you know my voice was failing last week. Praise be to God that I was still able to preach His Word. But when I was on my sickbed, with my voice reduced to a whisper-like sound, I thought, “How can I preach without a voice?” Of course it’s only temporary but then I was thinking about the many voices that we hear today telling us how to live, what to do, what to wear, where to go. It reminded me of Proverbs 1:20Proverbs 1:20
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20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: Wisdom: Heb. Wisdoms, that is, Excellent wisdom  

WP-Bible plugin – “Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square…”

Wisdom calls out at the entrance to the city to all of those who pass by and are heading into dangerous surroundings. There are a myriad of voices that are calling to us from every corner. The voices call out to people of every age group, in every race, and in every socio-economic class. Now among the chaotic choir of voices, enticing us and trying to lure us into what looks inviting, but is actually a dead end road, there is one voice that cries out with clarity for those who desire to hear—it is the voice of Wisdom. Wisdom is the voice of God. He calls out to us, He desires to teach us, and He wants to protect us from the destruction that comes to those who choose not to listen.

As second semester rolls, imagine the scenario: The young man has left the security of his home. He has left the safety of his surroundings with his mom and dad, and he has matured to the place where now he is headed to the city. As he arrives at the entrance to the city, Wisdom cries out. Wisdom cries out above the noise of the Deejay at the school dance. Wisdom pleads with those who are standing at the crossroads of right and wrong. God is speaking to us right where we live!

As the young man comes to the city, Wisdom is already there making her plea to those who are going to be eaten alive by city life, by those who will take advantage of anyone to get what they want. Wisdom shouts out her counsel. Wisdom cries out to the young who are tempted to roll their eyes at her advice and live life any way they desire. Wisdom also makes it very clear that those who reject her counsel will pay a heavy price.

Beloved, do not allow God’s voice, His Word to be drowned out by the voices of men – no matter how inviting and sounds exciting. This is a call to follow Jesus, the wisdom of God! It’s a call to let Jesus through His Word direct us in every area of our lives. Jesus is there to help us make wise choices with the big things and the little things of our lives. God makes wisdom available to us, but we must choose to respond to His direction and leading. We can either listen to God showing ourselves wise, or we can do our own thing showing ourselves to be a fool.

It’s a call to confess our sin—our simple-minded ways, our foolishness, and begin to live our life only for Christ – listening only to the one voice that comes to bless us, teach us, and lead us to safety and rest!

It’s been in the news, talk programs and social networks all over the world with mix reactions and comments, good and bad. No. I’m not referring to the Miss Universe Pageant that landed our own Miss Venus Raj to the Fourth runner-up position. I’m referring to a more serious and tragic event – the Hostage massacre that killed eight tourists last Monday. It was a sad day indeed.

Now, Scripture tells us that there is a terrorist out there lying in wait to take you hostage. He is a spiritual terrorist, but he is very real. One of his tactics is to keep you away from the truth. Jesus said, “The wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19Matthew 13:19
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19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.  

WP-Bible plugin). Don’t fall prey to this adversary by failing to listen to and obey God’s Word. Maintain a steady schedule of Bible study so that you can stay safe from the devil’s wiles.

Scripture calls Satan “the tempter” (1 Thessalonians 3:51 Thessalonians 3:5
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5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.  

WP-Bible plugin). Another of his tactics is to lead you into temptation so that you’ll walk away from God and into the enemy camp. When temptation comes your way, know that it’s a scheme to lure you from the God you love. Trust that “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:131 Corinthians 10:13
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13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. common...: or, moderate  

WP-Bible plugin). God is stronger than the tempter, so rely on Him for strength to fight the temptation. Remember, “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:41 John 4:4
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4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  

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We’re thankful for those who have been freed by the hostage-taker. And true freedom—spiritual freedom—is found only in knowing Jesus Christ. This freedom can never be taken away; this freedom is not limited by race, nationality, or social status; this freedom is available to all who choose to follow Christ. Are you bound today by something? Are you being held as a hostage today – unforgiveness, alcoholism, pornography, bitterness, any other addiction? Admit it before God and ask Jesus to break the chains that bind you. For whom the Son has set free is free indeed (John 8:36John 8:36
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36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.  

WP-Bible plugin)! If you already have found freedom in Christ, take a moment this morning to thank Him for liberating you from the bondage of sin and your past.

Beloved, the world is an ugly place and “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:81 Peter 5:8
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8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  

WP-Bible plugin). But you can “resist him, steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter 5:91 Peter 5:9
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9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  

WP-Bible plugin). Stay in God’s Word so that you can be strengthened within. Stay in fellowship with other believers because there truly is strength in numbers. And stay in prayer so that you are walking strong in obedience to God’s will for your life. You can overcome the ultimate terrorist by faithfully following your great God. And hey, let me remind you, he’s already a defeated foe!

“The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” (1 Samuel 10:61 Samuel 10:6
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6 And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.  

WP-Bible plugin). The past week was one of those times when my mind’s running 100 kilometers per hour! It was so far my tightest, most hectic week so far since we had our H4U Ozamiz outreach. No. I’m not complaining. The truth is I enjoy what I do. It’s always an honor and a privilege. But sometimes you get tired too, physically, mentally and emotionally. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

So looking back to that week I pondered, “How did I make it through. How did I accomplish those things that needed to be accomplished?” And the answer is clear – the ministry of the Holy Spirit! Have you ever looked at ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary things in the kingdom of God and wonder how they do it? Our mistake is that we look only at the person rather than at the power behind the person – the Holy Spirit.

The subject of the Holy Spirit evokes uneasiness among some. Excesses they’ve seen in the past come to mind and, as a result, they want nothing to do with Him. Then there are the thrill seekers who think there must be emotional drama manifested or the Holy Spirit wasn’t present, so they feel disappointed. Both are extreme positions that require balance. The Holy Spirit is our divine Helper – that’s how Jesus described Him. He’s not just an observer but an active participant in the believer’s life: strengthening, advocating, interceding, and helping. (I say we can use all the help we can get!) In our own strength, the Christian life is impossible. The Holy Spirit gives us the help to pull it off.

So what does the Holy Spirit do? Jesus said, “He will glorify Me” (John 16:14John 16:14
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14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.  

WP-Bible plugin). That’s the Spirit’s primary task – to point people to the Savior and in doing so bringing Him glory. Everything else He does is built upon that. When He gives gifts, when He heals, when He manifests Himself in any way, it is for the sole purpose of glorifying Jesus. And how does He glorify Jesus? One way is through us, His people. He empowers us to do that which we cannot do on our own strength! Yes, there’s power available for living and for service!

Beloved, the Holy Spirit wants to take your ordinary life and help you to do extraordinary things for His glory. Let Him fill you today, let Him pour His life in you, and then let Him flow through you!

Amazing how in our modern time still there are people who are superstitious about Friday the 13th! Many believe it is bad luck, seriously or jokingly. But sad that there are those who base their lives on luck. Bad news! You certainly can’t count on luck. If you believe in luck, you may think you’re having great luck one moment, only for it to turn into rotten luck the next moment.

There’s a true story of a couple Woodrow and his wife Lois. They were thrilled. The winning number for the lottery had just been announced, and that exact number was on their ticket. The grand prize was $12 million. Woodrow and Lois were jubilant—at least for a few hours. Then lottery officials found that there had been a proofreading error when the winning number was published. The ticket wasn’t worth $12 million after all; it was worth nothing. It had all been a mistake. The next day Woodrow died of a heart attack.

When you hear that true story, you may say, “What rotten luck!” But I think all luck is rotten. I think it’s disastrous to trust in luck. Every story where luck is the main theme will eventually have a sad ending. You may disagree and think luck is important. You may like lotteries or casinos or some other kind of gambling. You may use good luck charms or lucky numbers to improve your chances, and you may avoid certain things that might bring you bad luck. Then again, you may not believe in charms or omens, and you may think it’s dumb to throw money away on gambling. But you still might believe that life is just a series of random events. That life is a lottery, a matter of luck.

The trouble with luck is that you can’t really trust it. You never know whether luck is going to be for you or against you. You can be praising your good luck one moment, only to find out the next moment that your luck has gone bad. If you’re like Woodrow, your faith in luck can give you $12 million dollars one day and then take it away and kill you the next day. In this life I couldn’t bear to think that everything that’s going to happen is just a random jumble of chance events. I couldn’t handle the wondering and worrying. I couldn’t feel safe or secure. But I don’t believe in luck. I believe something better than luck. I believe in the unchanging faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

The good news is that, amid so many changes, there is one unchanging reality you can always count on. The fact is, your health can change, your finances can change, weather patterns can change, economies can change, technology can change, governments and national boundaries can change, but “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Changing times don’t change the Lord. All other things, even the very earth and sky, are changing. The Bible says earth and sky are like clothes that eventually wear out and must be changed. “But,” says the Bible of Jesus, “you remain the same, and your years will never end” (Hebrews 1:11-12Hebrews 1:11-12
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11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; ¹² And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.  

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So, beloved, don’t look to the stars to guide your life, instead entrust your life to the One who created the stars!

Russia has wildfires, Pakistan has flooding, bomb attack in Zamboanga City airport and a murder committed in our neighborhood. Just some of the bad news from last week. In times like these, how can we remain steady and secure? Psalms 21:7Psalms 21:7
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7 For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.  

WP-Bible plugin – For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.”This is where our victory and security lies, – trust in God’s unfailing love! Isa. 54:10Isa. 54:10
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10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.  

WP-Bible plugin – “Though the mountains be shaken, and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

Beloved, in a time when all of man’s programs and systems are failing…

Beloved, in a time when all of man’s programs and systems are failing, when the foundations of the world are crumbling, when uncertainties have left nations and households with a sense of apprehension, there is one thing that is sure, that is certain — which we can trust – God’s unfailing love! What does it mean to trust in His unfailing love? First, trusting in His unfailing love means knowing that God is aware of every situation. Isn’t that comforting – that He is aware of every situation? “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies. Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed the very hairs of your head are numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows (Lk. 12:6-7Lk. 12:6-7
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6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? ⁷ But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.  

WP-Bible plugin).” Our Father in heaven knows your tears and your fears. You are not alone in your situation.

…trusting in HIS unfailing Love…

2nd, to trust in His unfailing love means to know that God is in control. The Lord’s sovereign rule extends over everyone and everything. This includes both the situations that He directly causes to occur, as well as the ones He indirectly allows to take place. And in the end, His purposes and will, will be fulfilled. 3rd, to trust in His unfailing love is to know that He is Wise and Understanding. From the very beginning, the Lord has always exercised His sovereignty with wisdom and understanding (Prov.3:19). In our troubled times, it is good to know that God knows what He’s doing and what He’s allowing. It may not be clear to us, we may not understand everything, but we can trust in a loving God whose ways are just and pure, working behind the scenes to a glorious end! 4rt, to trust in His unfailing love means to know that God is able to bring good out of bad situations (read Rom. 8:28Rom. 8:28
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28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  

WP-Bible plugin). He can use global uncertainties to focus lives once again upon Him as the only “hiding place” in a dangerous world!

He Himself will become the place where we find refuge and safety in the storms of life...

Beloved, when times change like shifting sand, when events unfold that leave us overwhelmed within, how wonderful it is to know that God is our Rock and stability and strength. When we don’t know what to say or what to do, we can quietly look to God alone to work. When our hope seems to diminish, we can put our expectations upon the Lord. He will be our stability. He will be our defender. He will keep us from being blown away by impossible circumstances. He will bring His glorious grace to bear upon our situation. He Himself will become the place where we find refuge and safety in the storms of life.

Come April 27 we depart to Bangkok for a mission trip. Including Uganda Mission last 2004, this is the 4th time we sent a mission team outside of the country. It’s the third time in Thailand. God uses people to accomplish His purpose. And you are that people, dear church. With your generous help and support, responding to God’s call, you have made yourselves partners with us. And with that, thank you!

Oh how great our God is! He is our sufficiency. He specializes in using the weak to shame the strong! He is expert in the impossibilities – for what is impossible with man, is possible with God! Remember the story of Gideon? Gideon’s force was already hugely outnumbered. The Midianite army was 135,000 strong, while Gideon’s force numbered a mere 32,000re 32,000
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja! Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin. Gideon must’ve been pondering his slim chance of survival. Yet God said, “That’s too many.” The downsizing resulted in a vulnerable 22,000e 22,000
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja! Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin man reduction-in-force. Gideon was left with a meager 300 troops. His only option was to trust God or perish. He was left virtually without an army. God’s reason for this downsizing is so that they would not glory in themselves, that they would not say it’s their own strength that gave them victory. You know the story – God gave the victory!

Now God frequently trims our resources to get us to depend entirely on Him. Sickness, financial reversal, family conflict, and other difficulties cause us to turn our lives over to God. Unlike popular psychologists, God does not propose that we should believe in ourselves. Our self-centered society celebrates self-reliance. But God strips us bare, forcing us to recognize our frailty and inadequacy. God shows us that human resources are insufficient for the battles we face. God then teaches us the lesson of dependence, which results in confidence. Here’s the truth of the matter: When the odds seem overwhelming, God overwhelms the odds!

Missionary statesman Hudson Taylor had complete trust in God’s faithfulness. In his journal he wrote: Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One. He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning… He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years. We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all… Depend on it, God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.

And I say, “Amen” to that!

This is the theme of our recently concluded Pastors and Wives Conference. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12Matthew 5:3-12
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3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. falsely: Gr. lying ¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  

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BLESSING. We like that word. Besides God is God of blessing. He does want to bless His people. Just about every time I pray for someone, for anyone, I pray that God may richly bless them. But what do I mean with that? Depending on what our understanding of blessing is, it can mean very different things. So in the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus gives us a whole other meaning to the word “blessing”. There are two basic measures of blessing. There are worldly measures, and there is a Godly measure. Jesus only has one measure. But the world has many. The Jews of Jesus’ time used worldly measures of their blessings. By the world’s measure, if you are rich, successful, happy and popular, that means you are blessed by God. By the same token, the world says that if you are poor, miserable, ugly and rejected, you have a disability, then you or someone in your family has done something to displease God.

Blessings, by worldly standards, are understood as circumstances. There are possessions, independence, fame, power. All those things are located in the realm of this world. Now don’t misunderstand, of course, God blesses us materially or financially too but that’s only a part of a greater blessing that cannot be measured by what we see nor touch. It’s within. It’s an attitude. This we see from the Beatitudes. Notice it’s a BE-attitude not a DO-attitude. It’s not a means to salvation but rather characteristics of those who have received salvation; those who are subjects of God’s kingdom, those who have submitted their lives to the King, Jesus!

The word “blessed” means “How satisfied, how fulfilled, how truly happy you are.” However, we must be careful not to reduce blessedness to merely being happy. To be “blessed” means to be approved or to find approval. In this case approved of God. And there can be no higher “blessing” than to have God’s approval, God’s favour, undeserved favour! The fundamental question is, who’s approval will you seek? Will you seek man’s approval, or God’s approval? And in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus describes the characteristics of one who has God’s approval. How? By trusting in Christ as one’s saviour and totally submitting to His lordship over our lives. That produces in us the characteristics of blessedness. Are you blessed?

Few days ago the Thai government put the nation under state of emergency due to the protesters briefly forcing their way into the parliament compound wherein Lawmakers fled and several senior government figures were airlifted by military helicopter to safety. You see, in a spiritual sense, being Christians in a hostile world we are always in a “state of emergency.” We cannot put our guard down for our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (1 Pet.5:8). Eph.5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

“Be very careful” – These are words which are very familiar to all of us. In fact, we use these words to exhort one another quite often. When our children leave the house, we often say, “Be careful.” If one is driving the car, we might say, “Be careful, drive safely.” What we are saying is “Watch out! Don’t do something foolish! Look out for the other guy! Watch your step!” You see the words “Be careful” comes from two Latin words which mean “Looking around” which literally means, “exactly, uprightly.” It’s to keep our eyes wide open, looking around, and discerning the times. The Christian’s walk is to be one that is given careful consideration. It is one that is to be the outgrowth of thought, of purpose, of deliberate and disciplined action. The opposite would be walking carelessly and without proper guidance and forethought.

I read of a news about the senseless injuries and deaths of men and women soldiers after the Persian Gulf War ended. It happened because these soldiers were lulled into a false sense of safety and security. Sometimes in the course of duty, and other times in the pursuit of souvenirs, soldiers carelessly went about in places where mines and booby traps had been placed by the enemy. And this carelessness led to injury and death for some. Now how would you walk when you know that there are booby traps and mines buried somewhere in the ground? You would walk very carefully not carelessly. Christians live in a fallen world, in a hostile and dangerous world. We dare not live our lives in a haphazard fashion. We must give careful thought to our attitudes and actions and decisions. This is what God’s Spirit calls for, nothing less.

With these words Paul is telling us to look down the road before we make our choices, to consider the consequences of our actions before we act. We all know how easy it is to become distracted. We also know what can happen when we are distracted. Think of driving a car. It’s dangerous when you’re driving and you allow yourself to be distracted by anything. Our walk with God should be one that is given great care. We need to watch what we are doing. We need to watch our steps, giving attention to circumstances and consequences, by guarding against everything improper and unbecoming for a Christian. Look first, consider the situation before you take a step! So Paul says, “Don’t be unthinking when you make those choices. Think! Be wise! Look out for detours that take us away from God – and keep your guard up!

It’s such a blessing to come together as a church family to celebrate the most important event in the history of man. In this very day the whole nation and millions all over the world celebrate the best news man has ever heard – that Jesus Christ rose from the dead! This is the single greatest event that changed the world permanently. The world has never been the same again. Indeed He is Lord of all!

And because it’s the first Sunday of the month we will break bread together. Today we also remember the cross for before the resurrection is the cross. What does the cross of Jesus mean?

In the days of Jesus, the Roman Empire had a strict and ruthless justice system. They glorified courage and viewed mercy as a sign of weakness. A popular philosopher called mercy “the disease of the soul.” Jesus came into this heartless society teaching the benefits of mercy. In the Sermon on the Mount He said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7Matt. 5:7
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7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  

WP-Bible plugin). Mercy is a characteristic of God, an essential part of His nature. The psalmist declares: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy” (Ps. 103:8Ps. 103:8
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8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  

WP-Bible plugin). Mercy can be defined as providing for people in need, ministering to the miserable, helping the hurting… in essence , offering people what they don’t deserve.

God is also completely just. The psalmist reveals: “God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day” (Ps. 7:11Ps. 7:11
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11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. judgeth...: or, is a righteous judge  

WP-Bible plugin). Another word for justice is righteousness. It means to render everyone their due. Therefore, you might logically say, “I don’t understand! How can God be both just and merciful at the same time? If God is completely just, shouldn’t He punish sin? If He’s completely merciful, doesn’t that negate His justice?” Good questions! But God had the answer: Jesus Christ.

At the cross, both justice and mercy were accomplished. Justice was served when Jesus died, paying the price for our sins. Mercy was extended through Christ’s atoning death. We did not receive the punishment we deserved, but were offered eternal life instead. God is truly the Supreme Judge! Beloved, as we partake of the bread and drink of the cup, remembering the Lord this morning, thank God for being both a merciful and just judge. For if He’s not, we won’t even be here today!

It was an interesting week. Interesting in a sense that, within a week, there were a number of deaths that occurred to loved ones of whom we’re directly or indirectly connected to. Now, I know deaths are occurring every day, it’s just that it reoccurred to my mind that we’re indeed dying; how life is so fragile and short. And the thing is – life is fragile and short and so many people are not living their lives to the full. And when they leave the earth, with wasted lives, directionless and meaningless, no joy nor bliss nor glory await them but ultimate suffering.

That is what God has decreed upon men – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The only way to have life and live life to the fullest is surrendering one’s life to Jesus Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life. But for us who have been born-again, who have this hope of eternal life, what kind of life should we be living here and now? How can we live the life to the fullest? When we live for the glory of God (1 Cor.10:31). “So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it (2 Cor.5:9).”

This world is not our home…

There is no other way. And be reminded that we are strangers and aliens in this world (1 Pet.2:11). This world is not our home. All the great blessings of life would not necessarily be found in this present time but we’re waiting for them in glory. Therefore we do not need to be distressed if we do not have everything that those around us are trying to get in this life. That is the truth that will deliver us from the pressures of the times. We must hold things lightly. We must not think that houses, cars, money and material gain is all that important. Even if we lack these things, the great treasures of our life remain untouched. To strive constantly to gain what everyone else has is a mistake. God teaches us to hold these things lightly. We must never forget that we are in the world but not of it. We are never to settle down here for good. C.S.Lewis has put it: “Our kind heavenly Father has provided many wonderful inns for us along our journey, but He takes special care to see that we never mistake any of them for home.”

We are pilgrims and strangers, passing through this world…

We are pilgrims and strangers, passing through this world. We are involved in it, deeply sometimes, but we are never to see ourselves as a part of it. And one day, we’ll be home just as He promised! “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor.4:18). “Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Col.3:2-4).”

Congratulations to the Graduates! To the College students (and to the parents’ wallet also!) there’s always that feeling of relief and release! All the time, energy and money spent will culminate in graduation day. Alas! Whew! They’re not a waste after all. Praise God! Another chapter of their lives is done and another chapter will be written.

Following Jesus is not a one hundred meter-dash run but it’s a marathon…

“What’s next?” is the big question. Some might have the idea already but many may still be standing on the crossroads of life wondering which way to take. May our Lord Jesus give them wisdom and guidance as look to His guidance. The Christian life is like that. Following Jesus is not a one hundred meter-dash run but it’s a marathon. It’s a lifelong assignment. Empowered by His Spirit and guided by His gracious hand, we go from chapter to chapter, phase after phase, change after change, from faith to faith until we reach the finish line. And there at the finish line, is our graduation day. We graduate from this life either by translation (via rapture airlines) or by physical death. The Bible calls our “graduation day” the “Bema Seat of Christ.” It’s a judgment not unto condemnation but unto rewards or lost of rewards (1 Cor.3:12-15).” For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:102 Cor. 5:10
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.  

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Until that day, like the apostle Paul, by the grace of God we must FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, FINISH THE RACE AND KEEP THE FAITH (2 Tim.4:7).” If we do there is in store for us the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to us on that day – to all who have longed for His appearing (2 Tim.4:8).”

Crossroads…

For those who are on the crossroads, let me share this with you:



“Sometimes, when I look back and think of all the “could-have-beens” in my life,

I often wonder: did I make the right choice? Did I miss a road sign?…

Am I on the right track?… CROSSROADS…

They happen all the time — saying goodbye to some, choosing only one.

Letting go, holding on… settling for now, but facing what must come…

Yes, in life we all reach a crossroad sometime.

We make painful decisions and take some risks as we pursue our dreams.

But one should not stay at the CROSSROADS too long.

For even the birds have to leave their nests sometime and learn how to fly.

Life’s road is long and rough, and there are stretches when one has to do it all alone.

And should you meet the cross at the road, be consoled.

Yes, more often than not, the road less traveled will surely bring you home.

Face the light and the shadow falls behind you.

Turn your back and the shadow stays in front of you.

Indeed the truth hurts, but it will surely set you free.

The bitter pangs of parting will give birth to another moment called growing.

So grow on… until it’s time for you to move on…and face the crossroads again,

knowing that God loves you and is in control of everything. Be strong at the crossroads.” 




No. This is not about the boxing match between Manny Pacquaio and Joshua Clottey dubbed as “The Event.” It is about the next great event that will take place in the world – the rapture of the church! Just to remind us as His people of that blessed hope that will soon come – lest we are caught sleeping when He comes. What is the rapture? It’s the church being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air –1 Thess.4:15-17 – “According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

…we who are still alive and are left will be CAUGHT UP together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

Now that word “caught up” is the Greek word harpadzo. We got the word “rapture” from the Latin word, ”rapare” which means “to take away” or “snatched out”, which is the literal meaning of the word, “caught up.” It’s a snatching away with force – by the collar, like what the angels did to Lot. Beloved, there’ll be a great snatching away that will occur anytime! And it’s going to be quick! 1 Corinthians 15 describes it like the twinkling of an eye. That’s how fast it’s going to happen. Blinking and twinkling are not the same. See how fast you can blink your eye. It’s not that. That’s about one four hundredth of a second. The twinkling of an eye is the time it takes your eye to see someone you are looking for and recognize them–that’s the twinkling of an eye.

Some people think when Jesus comes to rapture the church, they are going to have time to get on their knees and repent. They think He’s going to come floating down on a parachute. “Hello, Lord. I want to get saved!” No it’ll be so sudden. 1 Thess.5:9 – “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” What an awesome truth! The word “appoint” means “a destiny, an appointed end.” You know we all plan for the future. Most of you have already planned where you will eat lunch after church today. Our plans don’t always work out the way we intend, but God’s plan for us is so certain that we can call it a destiny, or an “appointment.” And if you have trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, we have nothing to fear because God didn’t save us from our sin and call us to follow Jesus only to pour out His wrath on us. No. He died to save us not only from hell but from the God’s judgement that will upon the earth! Rom.5:9 – “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!”

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus come!

Beloved, the coming of Jesus for His bride is indeed our blessed hope! With all what’s going on in the world today, there is hope for us who believe in Jesus. It may look bleak and black but the brightness of His coming will change all that! Nobody knows the day nor the hour of His coming for His bride, but we know it is coming soon and very soon! Don’t fall asleep. Be watchful. Be faithful. Be light and salt. Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus come!

With all that’s happening in the world today (earthquakes, El Nino, political instability, moral downward spiral, etc), this is a timely reminder. Our text says, “Be still….” Other versions translate it as, “Cease striving…” It literally means “relax”, “to let go, to let your arms down to your side.” What? Is it possible to relax when you are in trouble? Yes! God’s Word says so! Of course this is not our normal response to troubles; so this advice doesn’t seem to make much sense. Any time I have been involved in a struggle I have wanted to do something.

Is it possible to relax when you are in trouble?

Think how vulnerable you feel when you drop your arms, let go, cease striving, and relax! Yet, this is what God instructs us to do in this Psalm. But God doesn’t just tell us what to do here….He doesn’t just tell us to “relax”….He also tells us how to relax. He says “Be still………AND KNOW that I am God.” In other words, there is something we can KNOW to help us cease our striving in the midst of the battles of life. There is something we can KNOW that will help us to relax when things get rough. Often we respond to problems in life emotionally…based on feelings of fear and insecurity and panic….but here, God challenges us to respond…not emotionally but on the basis of something we KNOW….instead of something we feel. So what? What is that we can know in the midst of our battles?

KNOW THAT HE IS GOD! That He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble(Psa.46:1); that He is the River of Life, the Fountain within us, the source of everything that we need (vs. 4-5); that He is the Lord Almighty (vs.7); the Victorious One who defeats His enemies (vs.8&9); He is the Ever-present One, who never leaves us nor forsakes us (vs.11 – The Lord Almighty is WITH us)! Know that God is sovereign and absolutely perfect in His dealings with us. It means that there is nothing which escapes His notice, and there is nothing which is beyond His ability!

He is the River of Life, the Fountain within us, the source of everything that we need…

Another thing that we can KNOW when we face the battles of life – We know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28Rom. 8:28
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  

WP-Bible plugin).” There is a story about a fisherman who, with his two sons, went out fishing. The catch was good; but by mid-afternoon a sudden storm blotted out the shoreline, leaving the men groping for the direction home. Meanwhile, a fire broke out in the kitchen of their cottage. Before it could be extinguished, the fire had destroyed the family’s earthly possessions.

Finally, the father and sons were able to row their boat ashore. The man’s wife was waiting to tell him the tragic news of the fire. “Honey, fire has destroyed everything,” she said tearfully. “We have nothing left.” But the husband was unmoved by the news. Didn’t you hear me?” she asked. “The house is gone!” “Yes, I hear you,” he replied. “But a few hours ago were lost at sea. For hours I thought we would perish. Then something happened: I saw a yellow dim glow in the distance. It grew larger and larger. We turned our boat toward the light. The same blaze which destroyed our home was the light that saved our lives!”

The same blaze which destroyed our home was the light that saved our lives!

So when we face the struggles and battles of life we may not KNOW how things are going to work out presently, but we can be still…we can cease striving…we can relax….because even though we don’t know how things are going to work out, we do know Who is going to work things out – and when He does things, He does it for our good! Life is not always good, often the battle turns against us…we do WIN some and LOSE SOME….life is fickle…good for some and bad for others…but God is always good! And beloved, this God is for us, not against us!

We will have a Night of Psalms this coming Sept. 20 at 6 pm. Visayan Service will be moved to 3 pm on this day.

We will have a Night of Psalms this coming Sept. 20 at 6 pm. Visayan Service will be moved to 3 pm on this day.

There will be a Citipoint Concert on Sept. 16, Wednesday, 7 pm at Macias Sports Complex. Tickets are at P250 to P300 and are available at Mart 1, Nerisse Restaurant, Cangs’, and PCBS.

Hospital Ministry will have a meeting after hospital visitation this Sunday, Sept. 13.

We praise God for His moving during the Praise & Worship Seminar and the Night of Psalms in Dipolog. Thank you so much for your prayers!