1) THE BLOOD OF JESUS – When Satan comes sneaking up to you and starts whispering in your ear and starts accusing and telling you how dirty, rotten, sinful you are you just turn to him and you tell him, “Satan, my sins have been placed under the blood of Jesus Christ.” That’s how you overcome him according to the word Calvary.

The victory is NOT in ourselves but faith in the blood of Jesus! It’s not how loud we shout nor whatever religious calisthenics we do or how many catechisms we attend – it’s only through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ! When we confront Satan with the blood of Jesus, he remembers the cross – the sacrifice of Jesus that ultimately disarmed, dethroned and defeated him!

2) THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY – This is the 2nd weapon we believers have for defeating Satan’s attacks – the mouth that testifies of God’s goodness! You see the devil will use every clever devise to keep us from being willing to share our faith with others. He’ll say, “You’re inadequate!” “You don’t know the Bible!” “You’re too young,” “You’re too old!” etc… So many excuses! But beloved, you don’t have to know everything in the Bible to be able to witness. Do you have a testimony? How did you become a Christian? Start there! Every Christian has a testimony. What is a testimony? Acts 4:20 – “For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

3) THEY DID NOT LOVE THEIR LIVES SO MUCH –When the Roman Empire was expanding and sent out legions of soldiers to conquer new lands, every piece of property within sailing distance, they sent two or three ships to these remote countries and remote islands and they would bring their ships up on the shore. Then all the soldiers would get out with all of their weapons and all of their horses and all of their supplies. Then they would set their ships on fire and push them out into the water and watch as their ships would burn. The natives of those countries and those islands laid down their weapons and surrendered in the face of such commitment. The Roman soldiers said, “We did not come to retreat. We came to conquer or to die!” That’s commitment.

When you start burning your boats and start burning your bridges, you start discovering the kind of commitment that really does overcome the devil! This is what offends many people. We like Christ’s invitation, “Come and dine with me,” but when He says, “Come and DIE for me,” we think twice! But this is the cost! Because Jesus gave His life for us, “To live is Christ, to die is gain!” You live for yourself, you lose in the end; you live for Christ today, you gain even more in the end!

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 1:20 – “Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square…”

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...

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!

This is a call to follow Jesus, the wisdom of God!

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—

Now that election is over, what shall we, as Church, do now in relation to the government…to our country?

1. Everyone must submit himself to governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who REBELS against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves (Rom. 13:1-2).” It is God’s will that we respect the “position “ regardless of the personality behind it.

2. “Requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim. 2:1-2).”

3. “Do everything without COMPLAINING OR ARGUING, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the WORD OF LIFE (Phil. 2:14-16a).”  AND,

4. Keep in mind the great responsibility and privilege God has entrusted to us – “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God was making an appeal through us (2 Cor. 5:19b-20a).”

Everybody longs for change.

Beloved, if we really want a genuine change in our nation, it begins with us the church. Don’t blame the ills of our society only to the government. The question is, “Are we living a life worthy of our calling?” Are we living in a way that people around us are affected by our faith, our witness? This verse is still timely for us to really consider and heed: “If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chr. 7:14).”

Everybody longs for change. Every Presidentiables promised change. But can politics alone bring true and lasting change? The answer is NO! The gospel of Jesus Christ alone brings genuine change. Because if there’s change, it must begin in the heart. Can a believer of Christ contribute for change? Yes. Only if he/she remains to be salt of the earth and light of the world. Only if he/she uses His God-given position as a tool and means for the gospel of  Jesus Christ to be known. Only if he/she will remain true and faithful to God’s call upon his/her life. Only if the church of Jesus Christ would continue to be the church as Christ designed her to be and not reduce to a mere political party nor a social club!

But as citizens of heaven, share with boldness the life-changing message of Jesus Christ!

Precious people of God, with the unstable and shaky political and economic situation our country is facing today, rooted in religious bondage and spiritual blindness, let’s keep our eyes, let’s exert effort on man’s most important need – not a shelter to live in, food for the table, clothes to wear, money to spend (they are important, yes –but temporal) – but the salvation of the soul! Our country needs Jesus more than ever before! Prov. 14:34  “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” Exercise your God-given responsibility as a citizen of this country (Rom. 13). But as citizens of heaven, share with boldness the life-changing message of Jesus Christ!

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!

Remember the story of Gideon? Gideon’s force was already hugely outnumbered...

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 32,000. Gideon must’ve been pondering his slim chance of survival. Yet God said, “That’s too many.” The downsizing resulted in a vulnerable 22,000 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!

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!

Have you been reluctant to use God’s gifts for God because you think you don’t have enough time?

How true also with us. God expects us to put into practice, to use the gifts He has given us for the benefit of God’s kingdom. He has given each one of His servants valuable gifts. He has commanded us to “do business”, to occupy until He returns – for whose benefit? Ourselves? No, His kingdom! Now we all have different amounts of money, and spiritual abilities, but what are some of the things all of us have been given equally by God? I can think of at least three gifts we’ve all been given in equal amounts –

(1) Time – I’m not talking about the length of your life, because that varies. But each of us has the same amount of time each day–24 hours. Even though we have the same amount, wouldn’t you agree some servants do a better job managing those 24 hours in terms of doing business for God? Have you been reluctant to use God’s gifts for God because you think you don’t have enough time? Do you need more time? Here’s what you do. Start using the time you have to do business for God. Soon you’ll find you have more time. You won’t get 25 hours a day, or eight days a week, it will just seem like you have more time! If you don’t believe it, try this. Starting tomorrow, get up 30 minutes earlier and give that time to God in prayer and personal Bible Study. If you do that regularly, you’ll find you seem to have more time instead of less time.

(2) Truth – As servants of God, we all have the same instruction manual, the truth found in God’s Word, the Bible. God hasn’t given me any more truth than what is available to you. What do you do with the truth you know?

All of us have opportunities to serve our Master…

(3) Opportunities to serve God – All of us have opportunities to serve our Master. Some servants just do a better job of taking advantage of those opportunities. The faithful servants in the parable didn’t play it safe. They risked their lives in doing business for the Master. God honors that kind of bold faith. When you risk it all on serving God, even though you may be afraid, you’ll find that God gives you more and more opportunities!

The undeniable truth is we will be judged by how we manage His gifts. God is looking for a few good spiritual entrepreneurs who are willing to risk their lives doing His business because they love Him. Will you be one? I pray so.

Years ago I found myself sitting in a hotel room on the 11th floor, early in the morning, sleepily watching and just observing everything I see through the wide window glass. It was still quiet until the sun begins to rise and the streets begin to be filled up with people from all walks of life going to different directions…then cars, jeepneys, pedicabs start to join in signaling another start of a new busy day.   Think about it. If you were to do a little fun research to discover the sheer quantity of activities that happen each day, you’d be amazed. Consider, for example, the number of cups of coffee consumed, the number of babies born, the number of people who take a taxi, go to the grocery, go to work, watch prime-time television, ride on an airplane, and go to school.



The problem is it’s easy to get selfishly swept up in the whirlwind of our own little world…

So what? That’s trivia, right? When you multiply all those things by 365, you get the general idea that there’s a fair amount of energy, money, activity, and trauma going on in a year’s time. And that’s just here in the Philippines—representing only a portion of the world’s population. We may not be big, but we’re busy. The problem is it’s easy to get selfishly swept up in the whirlwind of our own little world. Every so often it’s helpful to stop the annual merry-go-round, get off, look objectively, and think clearly. It’s not only helpful, it’s essential for the Christian. We tend to be deafened by the blare of our own cry for more stuff and blinded by the lights of our own importance.

That needs to change. We need to hear the voice of the Lord of the Harvest as He raises His hand to say: “We interrupt this program to bring all of you a reminder that the world in which you live is not the whole world . . . but only a very small part of the world for which I died.” The Great Commission is still “the Great Commission.” Jesus still looks out across a wide world and weeps over men and women and children who do not know—have never heard—His healing, life-giving Name.

Jesus still looks out across a wide world and weeps over men and women and children who do not know—have never heard—His healing, life-giving Name…

Can you feel His pain? What could you do this week to reach farther, see wider, feel deeper? What could help you kindle a greater understanding, perspective, and compassion for this vast hurting world of ours? Taking a missionary out for coffee?  Reading—really absorbing—a good missions magazine?  Writing a letter to some battle-weary missions veteran in the trenches of a distant country?  Making friends with a lonely international student?  Praying that the Lord would give you an opportunity to serve Him in a cross-cultural experience—even for one year? Sound risky? Maybe. But I’ve got a hunch that when the score is added up one day as we stand before our Lord, many of us will wish we’d played a lot more Risk . . . and a lot less Trivial Pursuit!

But missions didn’t begin with the Great Commission. Missions began with God. It first beat in His heart…

Usually, when we think of missions we think of the Great Commission. But missions didn’t begin with the Great Commission. Missions began with God. It first beat in His heart before it was ever breathed as the life sustaining force into His church. Our God is missions-minded. If He were not, there would be no Christian mission. The Gospel He has given us is a missions message. If it could not save every sinner, there would be no reason to take it to every nation. And the Great Commission is a missions mandate. It identifies the local church as the center for world evangelism.

A strong missions program rests on these three foundations:

I. A Compassionate God. That God so loved the world…(John 3:16). It is an extravagant love. It is a love so infinite that it is everlasting (Jer. 31:3). It is a love so incomprehensible that it passes knowledge (Eph. 3:19). It is a love so indiscriminate that it would be given to the least worthy, sinners (Rom. 5:8). It is exhaustive – it’s for “the world”. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). It is expressive – “He gave His Son.” He promised a Savior to deal with the problem of sin (Gen. 3:15). And then He came. He died. He rose again (1 Cor. 15:3-4). To the everlasting praise of God, salvation is now offered on the sole condition of faith in the finished work of Christ upon Calvary.

II. A Compelling Message – In Romans 1:14-16, Paul declares that he is indebted to God to give the world the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Having heard the greatest message in the world, he was compelled to share it with whomever he could. So great was this sense of obligation that Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “ Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!!” It is a distinct message. Every major religion relies upon performance for salvation. Hinduism preaches a fourfold path to salvation. Buddhism leads its followers down an eightfold path to salvation. The salvation offered by Islam rests upon Five Pillars. In Catholicism, salvation is gained through fulfilling five sacraments. But the Gospel centers upon a Person for salvation…Jesus Christ! (John 14:6). Peter declared, “There is none other name …whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). The Gospel finds its source, content, and meaning in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from Him, there is no salvation. Other messages tell men what they must DO to be saved; the Gospel tells men what has been DONE to save them.

No one is exempted from the responsibility to evangelize the lost. Christ’s command means that you are either sent or you send…

III. A Commissioned Church – (Mark 16:15) Every member involved. Missions is imperative - “Go”. Multitudes are born and die whether or not anyone is prepared to reach them. Missions is inclusive. “You.” No one is exempted from the responsibility to evangelize the lost. Christ’s command means that you are either sent or you send, but you cannot remain uninvolved and be obedient to Jesus Christ.

Where do you stand today? Are you involved? If not, what’s your excuse?

The leaders of the tribe huddled up to devise a plan. The logical thing, the reasonable thing, the necessary thing, the sensible thing was to leave the weak ones behind. They were going to be killed anyway… why risk losing the strong in a futile effort to save the others? That was the rational answer but they couldn’t do it! Instead, they decided that those who were strong would pick up the weaker ones and put them on their shoulders. So, the little children, the elderly, those who were ill or wounded, were all carried on the backs of the stronger. With great fear, they waded out into the rapid waters of the river and they were met with a great surprise. To their astonishment, they discovered that the weight on their shoulders enabled them to keep their footing through the treacherous current… and to make it safely to the other side. Their kindness saved them. What they did was not the reasonable thing to do, but it was the right thing to do.

The point is: If you who are strong and comfortable and well-fed, will reach out in generosity and help somebody in need, you will be surprised to discover that the life you save may also be your own. In words and action, God’s Word taught us to carry each other’s burdens, for in this way we fulfill the law of Christ (Gal.6:2).