I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest...

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.

“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.”

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.

Now is the day of salvation! There is no day that God stops from reaching out to somebody needing His salvation!

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!

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.

“The wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart”

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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...true freedom—spiritual freedom—is found only in knowing Jesus Christ.

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.

Stay in God’s Word so that you can be strengthened within...

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!

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.

The winning number for the lottery had just been announced...

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!

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 32,000re 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!

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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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?

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"...

“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.

Think! Be wise! Look out for detours that take us away from God - and keep your guard up!

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 a just judge..."

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!

Automobile drivers know that the rear view mirror is an important part of a vehicle…but they don’t fix their eyes on it, always looking at what’s behind. It’s going to be disaster if they do! And do you notice that it’s so small compared to the windshield in front of you? What is it saying? That we’re to look ahead more than we look back! As we enter into the new year, I have a Word from the Lord for all of us: THE LORD SAYS, `Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I’m doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18Isaiah 43:18
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18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.  

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God is saying, …”don’t think about the past. It’s over. If you can learn from it, learn well, but the book’s closed on it.”



Listen to what God is saying in this verse. Forget about what’s happened before. He says don’t think about the past. It’s over. If you can learn from it, learn well, but the book’s closed on it. We need to understand that God is far more interested in our future than He is in our past. Some people think that God is stuck on their past. That all He wants to do is remind them of the things that they have done wrong. God is more interested in your future than He is with your past. That’s where you’re going to spend the rest of your life. He says, “Forget about your past. Forget about the former things. Don’t think about it. Look at the new thing I’m going to do.”

Israel was being punished for their sins and rebellion against God. God wanted to give hope and encouragement to His people. He wanted them to know that even though they were being punished they were not being forsaken. God wanted His people to understand that the punishment that they were experiencing would not be the end of them. The fact is that God want to give them a fresh start in life, a new Beginning in life. Israel no doubt was discouraged because they thought this was the end of them. They had gone too far, they had sinned and rebelled against God to the point that He would no longer be their God. Maybe they thought ‘God would not deliver us again, it’s over’. They could remember the former things, but they couldn’t see their future. That is why God said; “ I am going to do something new.



Every new day His mercies are fresh and every day is an invitation to receive afresh His mercy, His forgiveness.

Maybe that is where you are this morning! You feel that you have made so many mistakes, you have failed God so many times and you have sinned it all away. That God doesn’t want anything to do with you. You feel and believe that you have no future with God. The good news is, God is saying, “ It’s not over, I have plans for your life. I am about to do something new for you. ” And you don’t have to wait for a new year to do that. Every new day His mercies are fresh and every day is an invitation to receive afresh His mercy, His forgiveness. God wants to do a new thing in your life. Come to Him with humility and repentance today, with heart wide open to receive His healing grace and with your mouth ready to declare His goodness and faithfulness!

A SPIRIT-FILLED, CHRIST GLORIFYING NEW YEAR TO ALL!



The Bezalel Circle

In keeping with the Conviction, Mission, and Vision of Calvary Chapel Dumaguete which is anchored on the foundation of true faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a group of gifted artistic Christians called The Bezalel Circle is organized.

"Genesis"

The CALVARY CHAPEL DUMAGUETE MISSION STATEMENT

WE are a family of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, worshipping, discipling and mobilizing people towards Christ in love — equipping them for unity and maturity, encouraging and sending them out to serve.



Bezalel Circle Sunrise Fellowship/Photoshoot at the Rizal Boulevard

Photos by Michael Farrar

Photo by Gail

SYNOPSIS:

The name Bezalel (Hebrew בְּצַלְאֵל – “beZel El”, transcribed as Betzalel and most accurately as B’tzalel) is taken from the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, which means “in the shadow of God”. BEZALEL is the name of the chosen chief architect of the desert Tabernacle. In Exodus 31: 1- 6Exodus 31: 1- 6
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin the Lord said to Moses,

“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you…”

Cartoon Art by Lanni

OUR CONVICTION

WE acknowledge that

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father
of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17James 1:17
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  

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WE acknowledge that

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (1Peter 4:10r 4:10
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.  

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WE acknowledge that

In Jesus, “we are chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him
who works out everything in conformity
with the purpose of His will …” (Ephesians 1:11Ephesians 1:11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  

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ALL for the praise of His glory.

OUR MISSION:

In obedience to the Lord’s calling —

• WE offer ourselves as an extension of the Lord’s hand to do HIS will in assisting the church and its different ministries. We hope to be of help by providing the various ministries information, guidance, ideas and skills they may need to maximize the effectiveness of their creative and art projects;

• we would like to teach and to share to those who display an interest in gaining the knowledge and skills for creating art in its various forms;

• we will encourage one another to devote ourselves in reaching out – to help others discover and develop their gifts of the arts through the power of the Holy Spirit.

• WE commit ourselves to serve others as a privilege of the Lord’s calling, always dwelling “in the shadow of God” upon Whom all things are possible.

Photo by Mark Diamoaden

OUR VISION:

In prayer —

WE desire GRACE from the Lord that we may become a blessing to the church and its various ministries;

WE desire WISDOM from the Lord that our teaching others on the gifts HE has given will bear much fruit for the glory of HIS Kingdom;

WE desire HOPE from the Lord that others may see the fullness of their gifts through the power of the Holy Spirit and use them for HIS glory;

WE desire HUMILITY from the Lord that we may create works of art as an expression of the beauty of worship, proclaiming the glory of God;

WE desire ACCEPTANCE from the Lord that our service may be a fragrant offering sweet and pleasing to HIM;

ABOVE ALL, We desire MERCY from the Lord that we will remain faithful to our calling until HE returns.

VERSE:

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you…” (Exodus 31: 1- 6Exodus 31: 1- 6
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

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MARK MICHAEL ANTHONY DIAMOADEN – Ministry Leader

Members:

Ana
Gail
Lanni
Beth
Jaycee
Marlyn
Besheil
Jennie
Cheew
Kylie

Sounds familiar? Facebookers see this all the time in their Facebook account. And there they write whatever is on their mind. Glad that there is still some control of what is only allowed to be written there. Can you imagine if everything that goes on in our mind is written there? If you’re honest, it’s not all pleasant. And so, speaking of the mind, don’t you know that the greatest conflict taking place in the world today is the battle for control of our minds? So much of the walk of the Christian comes down to our minds.

The greatest conflict taking place in the world today is the battle for control of our minds…

You see, what feeds our fears and anxieties are an unhealthy thinking. What intensifies our worries is having negative and bad thoughts. It’s in the mind where worries and fears find their nest. The battle is in the mind. Wrong thinking leads to wrong feelings and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart and we are strangled by worry and paralyzed by fear. Somebody wrote, “Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

The battle for any temptation in your life begins in your mind; regardless of what the temptation is, the battle begins in our mind. What we think about, we will eventually feel, and what we feel we will eventually act on. Beloved, pay attention to what you are thinking about. Don’t allow your mind to wander in all kinds of directions. Instead we are to think of whatever is “true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Phil.4:8)!

Here are 8 filters. Everything we hear & everything we see need to pass through them. And if it doesn’t make it through these 8 filters then it shouldn’t be in our mind & in our heart. These are guidelines for us to have good discernment in a world that is full of lies and impurities! There is so much garbage in this world. And the old saying “garbage in, garbage out” is true. So think about it.

We are commanded to have pure thoughts, to have minds focused on what pleases God…

Church, we are commanded to have pure thoughts, to have minds focused on what pleases God. The Christian life is to be marked by a holy mind-set – that leads to holy living. We of course do this through the Word of God, giving regular, focused attention to the Bible, opening our minds to its truths, wanting God to mold our thinking by His Word. We do this through fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, building each other up. And through the working of His Holy Spirit in us!

So, WHAT’S ON YOR MIND?

We live in the generation of Information Overload. Have any question, a topic to research, a subject to study…just google it and boom…not one, not two, but hundreds of links for answers right before your eyes! And sometimes hours are spent just to get into all that! Now I wonder…how many followers of Christ spend time in their Bible reading it, meditating on it, studying it with the desire to apply it in their lives? I know one thing based on observation – there are many who are ignorant of the Scriptures. Just to give you an example of the Bible ignorance, here’s an excerpt from an article — in it contains real answers given on a Bible knowledge test –





People who said they knew their Bible gave the following answers: 1) Noah’s wife was Joan of Ark; 2) Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by the day and a ball of fire by night; 3) Moses went to the top of Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments; 4) The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not admit adultery;” 5) Jesus was born because Mary had an immaculate contraption; 6) The people who followed Jesus were called decibels; 7) The epistles were the wives of the apostles; 8 ) Paul preached acrimony, which is another name for marriage; 9) David fought the Finklesteins, which is a race of people who lived in Bible times; 10) A Christian should have only one wife. This is called monotony!

I know it’s funny…but it’s serious at the same time! How can we expect to make a difference in this fallen, self-centered world when the very thing that can bring a change, God’s Word, is not known by those who claim to be followers of it? The members of a certain Chinese church used to have a saying, “No Bible – No Breakfast.” If we follow that motto, I wonder how many of us would go hungry!

For the unbelievers you cannot really expect them to have the right answers. But it is tragic when a person who calls himself a Christian is ignorant of the Word. Ignorance of the Word is ignorance of the Lord. Not knowing the God of the Word is an invitation for deception. And of course, it’s even more tragic when we claim we’re Christian, attend Bible studies and even occupy positions in church yet completely live lives that are opposite biblical teachings. We can know our doctrines, the Bible characters, know the Greek and the Hebrew, but if it’s not translated into daily living and becoming more like Jesus, it’s indeed a tragedy. In this situation, the opposite of biblical knowledge is not ignorance but simply disobedience!





So beloved, log off from Facebook, Myspace, Multiply, Twitter, etc…and be logged on to His Word! It’s a shame to have all the knowledge and infos the internet provides but so lacking and “niwang” about His life-giving and life-changing personal encounter with His UNCHANGING WORD!




Intimacy

Jesus desires to have a very meaningful loving relationship with you. He loves you more than you will ever know. As Paul was praying for the Ephesian church, he prayed that they might know the length, the breadth, depth, the height of the love of Christ which he said, “passes knowledge”. The love of Christ is so great, so intense, so deep and so rich you’ll never know the full depth of His love. Jesus said to his disciples, “Greater love has no man than this that a man will lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus loves you more than you will ever know and He desires that His love for you will spark a responsive love in your own heart as it did with His disciples. John wrote, “we love him because he first loved us”. As we come to understand His love for us, it strikes within our hearts a responsive cord. I find my heart responding to His tremendous love for me. As my heart responds to His love, I’m drawn unto Him in this deep loving relationship. As the Lord said to the Nation of Israel through the Old Testament prophet, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn you with loving-kindness”.

You remember His message to the church of Ephesus? It was a church that had all kinds of commendation. They were a working church, they were a discerning church. Yes, they even have their theology right. And yet the Lord said, “I have this against you in that you have left your first love. Repent and go back and do the things you did at first”. The Lord is calling the church to come back to that first love, to come back to that deep, intimate loving relationship.

There are many people who have not yet experienced this loving relationship with God. They go to church as sort of a performance kind of an activity or sometimes out of obligation. They have a sense of obligation to be moral and to be community pillars and to live a proper life and it’s proper to go to church, it’s accepted culturally. Church to them is an obligation, a duty. They don’t really know the intimacy of a relationship with Jesus – that glorious loving relationship where you are just caught up in rapture with His glory, with His beauty, with the wonder of His love for you. Where you just sit at times just letting your cup overflow with the consciousness of His love and of His presence and of His goodness, where you pour out your heart and soul to Him and your expressions of love. So when you come into this loving relationship with the Lord, you know the joy. You know the glory, you know the excitement of His presence, the excitement of your heart being so filled with love and the one that you love is there, He’s with you.

This is the theme of our Night of Psalms tonight. Come out and let’s express our love and devotion to the Lord together. But don’t wait for tonight. Let’s do it this morning as we come to worship Him!

The Old Gospel Song

It’s been raining hard, floods in some parts of Manila, classes and offices suspended at the time of this writing. And there I was missing my kids terribly, can’t wait to go home. It was a good time with my family though. Nice to minister and spend time with my Dad and Mom who are not getting any younger. Well your life may be in a storm right now and the flood waters are engulfing you. If you are, let me remind you that God has the whole world in His hands.” Remember the old gospel song? He’s got the wind, the rain, the tiny little baby, yes, even you and me in His hands.



He’s got the Middle East in His hands (that’s a relief, isn’t it?), not to mention North Korea and Iran…

His Sovereign Hands

How easy it is to forget that! And it isn’t limited to our geography or our culture, you know. He’s got the Middle East in His hands (that’s a relief, isn’t it?), not to mention North Korea and Iran, Cuba and India, Indonesia and Russia—all right there in the palms of His sovereign hands. And while we’re at it, He’s got our future, our children, our circumstances, our friends, and our foes in His hands . . . within His grasp . . . under His control. He’s there—in charge.



God Knows Your Ways . . .

But there are times when we find it really hard to believe that our circumstance is truly in His hands. Not only are the wind and the rain and the tiny little baby in His hands, but so are life’s minor interruptions as well as major calamities. In fact, would you believe they never leave His attention? There will be times we will need the reminder of the wise prophet named Isaiah, “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49:16Isaiah 49:16
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.  

WP-Bible plugin) In other words, God sees us exactly as we are . . . warts and all, needs and all. He sees everything. And how close does He view it? It’s in the palms of His hands. God knows your ways . . . and He knows them continually. That includes your responses, your experiences, your reactions, what you call your calamities, your dead ends, your so-called impossible situations.



He has inscribed you and me on His palms. Things aren’t out of control…

Unshockable

Not only does He have you and me, the wind and the rain, and the tiny little baby in His hands, He has yesterday’s failures. He has today’s challenges, He has tomorrow’s surprises right there in His hands. And not one of them causes God to gasp. Not one causes Him to react with surprise, “Ah! I never knew that.” Not one. He is unshockable, He is immutable.

He’s got the whole world in His hands. What’s more, He has inscribed you and me on His palms. Things aren’t out of control.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1Timothy 4:12







This is the welcome letter the campers received from Glen and Abba Tantio, a young couple who are youth ministry leaders in Calvary Chapel Dumaguete.



LIVINGSTONES YOUTH MINISTRY OF CALVARY CHAPEL DUMAGUETE

WELCOMES YOU TO YOUTH CAMP 2009!

Dear Camper,



I want you to know from the start that we are so excited you are here! You may be here for the first time and not too sure what to expect. You may have come unwillingly, or you may have come before and are expecting more of  the same. Whatever it may be, God has brought you here for a purpose. He wants to speak to you. I encourage you to lay all your expectations aside and be open to whatever the Lord may want to do in and through you this week.

God desires that you would know Him not just as some spiritual force or creator but as a loving, caring Father who loves you so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to die for your sins. This intimacy is only possible through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that through this Camp God would develop in you an unquenchable hunger and thirst for more of Him. I pray you will surrender your life to Him and allow Him to transform you by His awesome power.

We have an exciting week ahead of learning, worship, fun activities and building new friendships so don’t miss out by holding back. Let go and let God have His way! I promise…you will never be the same again!


In His Grip,



Glen and Abba Tantio

Congrats to Glen and Abba on the new addition to
their family! Zar is now a ‘Kuya’ to baby Selah…




Snapshots








Evening Lecture Sessions with Pastor Jo:

1. “In Speech”
2. “In Life”
3. “In Faith”
4. “In Love”
5. “Jesus the Ultimate Example”



*For more photos of the Youth Camp visit the Livingstones Youth Ministry at their multiply website: www.livingstonesministry.multiply.com