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!

More than 100,000 people were feared dead Wednesday after a cataclysmic earthquake with 7.0 magnitude in the Richter scale struck Haiti, filling the streets with corpses and burying thousands under razed schools, hotels and hospitals. Parliament has collapsed. The tax office has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed. What a devastation! As many people are, my heart breaks and go out to the victims and to the survivors. Pray that God would use whatever happened there to turn hearts to Jesus Christ!

He wants to tear down the scaffolding and reveal the unshakable realities that are eternal…

GOD TODAY IS SHAKING THINGS. He wants to tear down the scaffolding and reveal the unshakable realities that are eternal. Too many people are building their lives on things that can shake. But a Christian can be confident, for we shall receive an unshakable kingdom. In fact, we are part of God’s kingdom today! Now what shall we do as we live in a shaking world? Listen to God speak and obey Him. Receive grace day by day to serve Him with reverence and awe. Do not be distracted or frightened by the tremendous changes going on around us. Keep looking to Jesus Christ and run with perseverance. While others are being frightened we can be confident!

ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES. When you begin to establish priorities, you have to decide just where God stands in your life. So ask yourself, “Who or what is most important in my life?” And 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.” The next in the list is your family. If you’re married – Your wife; if you have small kids – Your kids. They’re growing up ever so fast. These are precious moments. Don’t let them get away. Make sure that you spend quality time with your children. Make sure that your family is very high on the list.

And if you are single, listen to Paul’s advice: “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man/woman is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he/she can please the Lord. Her/His aim is to be devoted tot he Lord in both body and spirit (1 Cor. 7:32-341 Cor. 7:32-34
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32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: that belong…: Gr. of the Lord ³³ But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. ³⁴ There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.  

WP-Bible plugin).” And for the church as a whole – let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and the harvest field – for they are ripe for harvest; and let’s continue to be faithful to His Word and to help others know the Word – to disciple them – for this is Christ’s mandate for the church!

See to it that we do not refuse Him who speak (Heb.12:25). God still do speak through His Word…

See to it that we do not refuse Him who speak (Heb.12:25). God still do speak through His Word and His creation today. Is anybody listening? Are we listening, church? 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! Jesus’ return is near. Is anybody listening?

“Lord, grant us ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts that are yielded to You only. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.”

My kids are very excited, counting down the days…to our Manila trip.



They long to be with their cousins, uncles, aunts, grandpa and grandma! My dad and mom can’t wait either. They’ll be surprised to see the kids grown up and tall! Whew! Time flies so fast indeed. But in every second that ticks, every minute that passes and every hour that turns to shadow, the closer we get to see our Savior Jesus! That, I can’t wait!

I don’t claim to know the exact date when He will return. Nobody knows – only the Father. Yet God has given us signs to sense where we are now in the fulfillment of His plan and program. And indeed, it’s very near. But how many of the world’s people today expect it? How many really long for it? Or how many dismiss it as a fable or as nonsense borne out of a fictitious tale? How about you who profess to be a Christian? Do you “still” believe it? Or we have been seduced by the world and caught up in the web of deception that our vision of His coming has been blurred so that our life-style show it?



“…have we been seduced by the world and caught up in the web of deception that our vision of His coming has been blurred so that our life-style show it?”

Jesus warned, “Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap…Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man (Lk.21:34,36).”

A little girl had been listening while her mother’s friends were speaking about the imminent return of the Lord. After some time she was missed, so her mother went in search of her. She found her looking out a window at the top of the house. Asked what she was doing she said, “Oh, Mother, I heard you say Jesus might come today, and I wanted to be the first to see Him. See, I washed myself and put on a clean dress.” 1 Jn.3:3 says, “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.”

Beloved, before you really get stressed out and started pulling your hair this Christmas season, remember what it’s all about: Jesus was BORN TO DIE for our sins, DIED TO LIVE AGAIN for our justification, ASCENDED back to the Father to intercede for us and one day soon will be COMING AGAIN to take us where He is! In the meantime, we’re to be the Salt and Light of the world as we abide in Him who is faithful and true!





The more I watched on TV the aftermath of typhoon Ondoy, the more heartbroken I become for the victims. Such tragedy. Such pain. Such lost. And then the tsunami in Samoan Island (169 reported dead) and the earthquake in Indonesia (1,100 perished at the time of this writing), are painful reminders that life on earth is very fragile, that in this life there is no guarantee that we’ll be free from any calamity. If not typhoons, earthquakes or tsunamis there may be something else. Everything, just like that, can be swept away! That’s why we’re not to put our hope in this world and the things of the world.

In this life there is no guarantee that we’ll be free from any calamity…

Isaiah 24:18Isaiah 24:18
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18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.  

WP-Bible pluginb-20, “The floodgates of the heavens are opened, the foundations of the earth shake. The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is thoroughly shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of rebellion that it falls – never to rise again.” That’s a decisive prophecy that this world is going to totter on its foundations someday and collapse as we know it; and it will be over.

Before the end comes, God has appointed that this great final shaking be preceded by smaller earthquakes and other calamities to give notice of something awesome, the way contractions and labor pains precede the birth of a child and tell us that it’s coming (Matt. 24:7-8Matt. 24:7-8
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7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.  

WP-Bible plugin). Why birth-pangs? What does it mean? It means that there will be an increasing frequency of these things as the end comes near and that the intensity of them will increase — because that’s the way it happens with labor pains before a birth.

If you ask, “Why should God ordain that there be an increasing frequency and intensity of calamities toward the end of the age, as the Lord draws near?” Well again consider a woman having labor pains. The labor pains warn a mother and father to get ready and go to a safe place to have the baby. God means to give birth-pangs to the world so that the world wakes up and knows something is about to happen. This is mercy with all the tragedy that there is in all the calamities of the world. It’s the loud, clear voice of a holy God saying ‘Get ready there is a shaking coming that will leave no house standing, no building standing, no place to stand but the throne.

Shakable things will be removed and replaced by the unshakable… (Read also 1 John 2:171 John 2:17
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17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  

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Divine shaking separates the shakable from the unshakable (read Heb. 12:25-29Heb. 12:25-29
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25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: ²⁶ Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. ²⁷ And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. are shaken: or, may be shaken ²⁸ Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: let…: or, let us hold fast ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.  

WP-Bible plugin). When God shakes the world, people will know what things will last, what will not. Shakable things will be removed and replaced by the unshakable (Read also 1 John 2:171 John 2:17
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17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  

WP-Bible plugin). Divine shaking intends to bring to an end the worldly system to bring about the kingdom rule of Christ. Again and again He is shaking people to awake to the reality of the instability of this world — to turn their eyes on that which is eternal and find hope – Jesus Christ and His Word!

Beloved, no guarantees here on earth, but in Christ we are guaranteed eternal life. There are only three things that are eternal: God, His Word and man’s soul. The soul that sins shall die but the soul redeemed by His blood is safe and secure forever!

Last week, the United Kingdom again came face to face with the horror of terrorism when two Mercedes were found to be packed with explosives and nails. Shortly afterwards a burning Jeep was driven into the Glasgow Airport. Citizens in Britain and America have been put on high alert because of these threats. Living in uncertain times can cause us to feel shaky and uncertain about the future. But as Christians we can have a confident view of the future if we have a heightened awareness of the Word of the Lord and the Lord of the Word. In Revelation 1:1-20Revelation 1:1-20
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The Revelation of St. John the Divine ^{1 1} The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: ² Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. ³ Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. ⁴ John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; ⁵ And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, ⁶ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. ⁷ Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. ⁸ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. ⁹ I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, ¹¹ Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. ¹² And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; ¹³ And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. ¹⁴ His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; ¹⁵ And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. ¹⁷ And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: ¹⁸ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. ¹⁹ Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; ²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.  

WP-Bible plugin, we find John exiled on the island of Patmos. Though his life circumstances weren’t pleasant, he was given a new vision of His Savior and a future view of the world. John paid fresh attention to the Lord’s voice, gained a fresh perspective of His Savior, and had a fresh experience of worship. If we are spiritually alert, we can learn from John’s experience.

First, let’s consider the voice John heard, “I [John] was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet” (Revelation 1:10Revelation 1:10
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10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,  

WP-Bible plugin). Jesus Himself was speaking to John. Pretty amazing, wouldn’t you say? It had been about sixty years since John had heard the voice of his Master. But he recognized the voice as the man from Galilee. And Jesus reminded John that He is God, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last” (v.11). John also gained a fresh perspective of Jesus Christ as he gazed upon Him. He saw Jesus standing among seven golden lampstands which Jesus explained are the seven churches.”

What a wonderful description of the church! A lampstand’s purpose is to give light, dispel darkness, and show the way. Jesus said He is the “light of the world” (John 8:12John 8:12
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12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.  

WP-Bible plugin). He also gave that distinction to His church: “You are the light of the world…so let your light shine before men” (Matthew 5:14-16Matthew 5:14-16
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14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. ¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. a bushel: the word in the original signifieth a measure containing about a pint less than a peck ¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  

WP-Bible plugin). Jesus stands in the midst of His church, the church that is meant to illuminate the pathway out of spiritual darkness. If you are terrorized by the darkness around you, the only place to turn is to the light that Jesus shines.

John then described the image of Jesus wearing a garment that flowed to His feet. This symbolizes Christ’s majesty and greatness. His hair was “white like wool” and “His eyes like a flame of fire” (v. 14). John saw the Jesus of judgment. Jesus revealed Himself in this way because His message was about God’s judgment on the earth. One day He will come to judge the earth. Thankfully, although He must judge us, He has mercifully paid the debt we owe. Jesus, the judge, paid the price for our sin with His own blood. God can’t turn His back on sin, yet He won’t turn His back on us. Have you asked this mighty judge for forgiveness from your sin? If you have, then you need not fear.

John’s fresh perspective of Jesus launched him into a fresh experience of worship: “When I saw Him I fell at His feet as dead” (v. 17). Why did John fall at the feet of Jesus? It was probably partly because of the radical, magnificent vision before his eyes. More than that, he probably fell down in awe that the Holy God was speaking to him personally. Thankfully, you too can see and hear the Savior. Gaze at Jesus as described by John and know that He is your Savior. Be thrilled and encouraged and humbled all over again.

While recent events have turned us into a world living in a heightened state of awareness, let’s remember to remain spiritually alert to Jesus Christ by paying attention to His voice, remembering His majesty, and worshipping Him anew.

Bible Prophecy

The current financial meltdown that is taking place in the US that affects many countries like a domino effect may very soon lead to a global economic solution that will set up a one world system. These are the things that Bible prophecy scholars were warning about 20 years ago. The pieces of the puzzle are falling in place at the present time. Yes, Jesus’ coming is very, very near!

How Do We Respond?

But how do we, as Christians, respond to this? First of all, we need not fear for the Lord will rapture us in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. And while waiting for that day, He will make sure that He will provide for His people’s needs for God’s economy is not affected by the world’s economy. We live by a different principle, we breathe under the reign of the King of the universe, who loves us and gave His life for us! “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Rom.8:31-32).

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

Secondly, “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34Matthew 6:33-34
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33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. ³⁴ Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  

WP-Bible plugin). It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the world’s troubles. There are not enough hours in the day to pray for all the problems out there! It’s easier to focus on the things in our own lives, our own family members and our own finances and troubles. It’s harder to care deeply and daily about people whose faces we’ve never seen. Yet, even as we pour out our hearts to God for the things important in our own lives, we need to remember something vital Jesus said and that is to seek first His Kingdom. God knows we need to pay our bills. He knows we want Him to protect and guide our children. He knows we need His direction. And, we should definitely keep praying for these things and trusting Him for them daily. Even so, we should also take some time every day to simply seek God’s Kingdom.

Seek Ye First His Kingdom…

How can we partner with God in accomplishing His will in the darkest places on earth? It could be that God is ready to do something wonderful in a life, or a town, or a country, if only His people are willing to ask Him for it. Seek first His Kingdom. Jesus says if we do, all those other things we need taken care of will be taken care of. Keep praying. The gates of Hell will not prevail if we do!