Jesus was crucified not because He had to; He did it because He wanted to. He did it out of love. No one forced Him. He laid down His life voluntarily. He loved you so much He was willing to die in your place. I picture Him in my mind as He carries the cross on the way to Golgotha. But what He was carrying is much more than the cross. He carried the weight of the sins of the world on His shoulders. Remember how you felt when you were weighted down by the guilt of your sin. Now, multiply that guilt and shame times every man and woman who would ever live. That’s what Jesus carried.

Bleeding, gasping for air, lightheaded from loss of blood, Jesus stumbled down the Via Dolorosa until He was too weak to stand. Someone was pulled out of the crowd to carry the cross the rest of the way to Golgotha. All the while thousands upon thousands of angel warriors watched and waited for a signal. They were ready to stand at His side and defeat the forces of evil. But that signal never came. Jesus had to fight alone.

He was laid out on the cross. Large spikes were driven through His hands and feet into the wood. The cross was raised and then dropped rudely into the ground with a jerk that pulled at His flesh. He screamed in agony. Blood was everywhere. He could barely breathe. He was gasping for air. Naked and shamed. Bruised and bleeding. Pierced for our sins. Dying in our place. Hell was howling with laughter. The crowd was mocking. The Lamb of God was dying.

It was a pitiful sight. He had taken upon Himself everything – every sin. Every blow had been for a reason. Every stripe on His back, every drop of blood…there was a purpose for it all. Jesus fought off death until He knew the price was paid. When the deed was done, the Bible says Jesus lifted up His eyes toward heaven and let out a war cry that reverberated all the way to heaven. It seemed like an admission of defeat but it was really a victory cry. Jesus the Lamb of God summoned His last ounce of strength and shouted, “It is finished!” And He died.

Imagine what it must have been like to be all-powerful and do nothing. Jesus knew that the only way to win was to allow these things to happen. He could have stopped it at any moment. He could have fought back and sent those demons running. “He could have called ten thousand angels but He died alone, for you and me.” It was love for you and me that kept The Lamb of God on the cross when everything within Him wanted to come down and fight. But He knew he had to die in our place as a sinless sacrifice. Only by dying could He win a victory once and for all over sin. And you know what? HE DID WIN!

Now, what are you going to do about it? Could you say “No” to Him? Could you say “No” to His love? Today and throughout this passion week, remember Him and His love for you.



Through the photos and videos we invite you to witness God’s grace and glory! Experience God’s miracle in Dapitan and Dipolog…





• Awesome
• Notes
• Message/Call
• Songs/Videos
• Photos

Awesome

AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME…IS THE LORD! These are the only words that came out of my lips as I witnessed God’s glory and power in our recently concluded outreach/concert in Dapitan and Dipolog. Our words fail to describe what Jesus has done! In Dapitan there were more or less 200 people came forward to receive Christ and in Dipolog, with around 5,000 people in the complex, more or less 600 came to trust in Christ as their savior! What a blessing! And that’s not all! There were so many other things that happened that cannot be measured by numbers…through the photos and videos we invite you to witness God’s grace and glory!



Pastor Jo

Notes >>

Notes

God of the Breakthrough!

Who would imagine that a city as hard as Dapitan (in terms of religious stronghold – Roman Catholic Dominated and 15% of the population worship Jose Rizal!), many would flock inside the Auditorium (We’re told we’re the first Christian group who have successfully gathered that number of people – around 2,000?)? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Who would think that amidst the brownout people are like being sucked inside the Auditorium like wave after wave? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Who could ever see it – that even though there are lapses in the information dissemination that many a people were drawn to the concert? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Who could silence our doubts and feelings of defeat when we thought nobody or very few would come to the concert? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Who could pull us together as a team despite of the growing tensions that were brewing due to the tiredness, stress and pressures? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

To whom would you go to when the battle seems lost? Only to the God of the Breakthrough!

Who could ever do it that amidst the noises inside and the disturbances outside, God’s Word preached still pierced through the hearts of the unconverted souls? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Who could have done it, that hundreds of people coming forward, convicted of their sin and seeing their need of Jesus, found forgiveness and received salvation that night? Only the God of the Breakthrough!

Yes, these and many more are evidences of God’s power and grace. The battle was intense you could sensed it. But the enemy is no match against the God of the Breakthrough! Jesus is victorious. How it pays to know that we’re fighting not FOR victory but FROM victory. For Christ has already won the victory for us 2,000 years ago on the cross of Calvary! You may be going through some battles right now. Whatever it is look to the God of the breakthrough. It may look bleak and black but His light will shine through the dark clouds of doubts and through the black smoke of fear and worries.

Trust in the God of the Breakthrough today and you will see that indeed the battle belongs to the Lord!

<< AwesomeMessage/Call >>

Photos

Photo Gallery Table of Contents

Fasting/Prayer The H4U team in prayer and fasting, preparing for the outreach in Dapitan and Dipolog. 25 Photos Boat to Dapitan This is the first part of the trip to Dipolog and Dapitan to do evangelistic concerts, 20 Photos Dapitan This night the battle was really was intense...with all the delays, brownout, noises, too many of a distraction, etc...yet in the end JESUS is VICTORIOUS! He's the God of the Breakthrough! We just stood there and saw that indeed the battle belongs to the Lord! 20 Photos Dipolog This was by far the bigger of the two events, with about 5000 people in attendance. There were possibly about 500 to 600 people who gave their lives to the Lord that day... it was amazing. 20 Photos "Everything" This is a skit entitled "Everything" performed by the members of the Living Vessels Fellowship. 20 Photos

<< Songs/Videos

It’s better late than never. Typically, commencement speakers address the graduates, offering them words of wisdom for life in the “real world.” If you’re part of this year’s graduating class, I’m sure you’re receiving lots of advice from counselors, friends, and family. They’re doing their best to help you make wise decisions about your future. As a pastor let me say this – as a follower of Christ, be careful what you buy into.

When it comes to spiritual matters, it’s vitally important that we are not deceived. The Apostle John offers this warning: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:11 John 4:1
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
4 ¹ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  

WP-Bible plugin). You see, there was a problem in the early church because people tended to be swayed by anyone who showed up in their church service claiming to speak truth. Unfortunately we do the same thing today; we trust people just because they’re on the radio, write books, or have incredible charisma. But Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15Matt. 7:15
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15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  

WP-Bible plugin).

The question is, how do you tell the difference between truth and something disguised as truth? The key is to test everything against Scripture. We can learn an important lesson from Paul’s missionary visit to Berea. The Jews there “received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11Acts 17:11
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11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.  

WP-Bible plugin). In other words, they didn’t just accept what they heard at face value; they checked it out to make sure it was true.

So, some words of advice to graduates: Stay in God’s Word so you don’t get burned by the world. Your school exams may be over, but the real tests of life have just begun. As you prepare for the next phase of your life, whether you’re moving into the job market or furthering your education, remember to be like the Bereans – test everything you hear against Scripture. Always remember that God’s advice is the best advice you’ll ever receive.

When my kids were small I told them they had my permission to come into my study room whenever they wanted, no matter what, no matter when. I wanted them to know that their concerns and questions were important to me, because they were important to me. And they took advantage of that right–sometimes to the surprise of my visitors or people I was counseling! (hahaha)

Did you know that we have the same access to God? It’s true. The God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all that exists, is available to you at all times, for any reason. Hebrews 4:16Hebrews 4:16
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16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.  

WP-Bible plugin says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” The reason we can come “boldly” is in verse 15. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” That High Priest is Jesus Christ. He understands it all, and He is never surprised at our struggles.

God doesn’t condemn us for our sin when we approach the Throne of Grace. After all, when we come to Him, we’ve already admitted we’re in the wrong, we have a problem, and we need His help. If we didn’t want to admit we were wrong, we would hide. That brings me to the scripture that I want you to read. Psalm 139 is full of wonderful truths about God and His knowledge and love for us. Read it over slowly several times and digest it.

Verse 7 in particular stands out. “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” The psalm goes on to explain how that very idea is nonsense. There’s nowhere to hide. But that’s the great part. Not only is there nowhere to hide, there’s no reason to even try. We can come to Him at any time, with any problem.

Are you struggling with a sin? Come to the Throne of Grace. Are you depressed or grieving? Come to the Throne of Grace. Are you angry, or confused, or full of doubt? You guessed it–come to the Throne of Grace. God is waiting there, eager to hear your problem, eager to give you His solution, His care, and His love. You can come anytime. Isn’t that what being a child of God is all about? He’s never too busy, and He’s never annoyed that you want to talk to Him. What a wonderful God we serve! What a wonderful Father we have!

Do one of Two things this coming year

Unnecessarily worry about your mistakes?


Here we are at the door of 2009. Counting this day we are 4 days to go into the New Year. It seems that with each passing year time just speeds up. We all can do the one of two things this coming year:

1. We can waste it away by sitting around and worrying about the things we failed to accomplish last year, or the mistakes we made through out the year; we can sit around and have a pity party because things didn’t go the way we wanted them to;
2. OR, we can decide to make the most of this coming New Year that God has granted us.

The fact is for some of you perhaps the year 2008 was more of a disappointment than a joy. Some of you may have experienced a loss of some kind. For some of you it may have been a year of set backs and failures. The bad news is there is nothing we can do to change this year. The good news is we can learn from the past and today we have the opportunity to start over and make some changes. God brings life to us in small pieces that we know as hours, days and months. At the beginning of every year He says, let’s wipe the slate clean and let’s start with a brand new year. Its like God is saying, “ Let’s start over. ” And that’s good news! The good news is that, amid so many changes, there is one unchanging reality you can always count on. Hebrews 13:8Hebrews 13:8
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8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.  

WP-Bible plugin says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Jesus never changes, and His faithfulness to those who believe in Him never changes. “His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart (Psalm 91:4Psalm 91:4
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4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  

WP-Bible plugin).



Standing firmly on the rock-solid reality of Christ

Have you ever had a rough ride in an airplane? Turbulence tosses the plane this way and that. An air pocket makes the plane drop suddenly, and your stomach jumps into your mouth! As you near your destination and come in for a landing, the plane shakes and sways in the wind. When it reaches the runway, the plane bounces a few times before screeching to a stop. After such a wild and bumpy ride, what a relief to be on firm ground! It feels great to have both feet standing on something solid. So too, if you’ve been blown this way and that by turbulence and changing times, it feels great to have both feet standing firmly on the rock-solid reality of Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ brings security and stability you can’t find anywhere else.

Your health can change, your relationships 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.  

WP-Bible plugin). So, beloved, rejoice in Him who holds you secure – and know that nothing can pluck you out His powerful and loving hands!



The Take No Glory – MUSICIANARIES came to Dumaguete City June 2008 to do an evangelistic concert. A lot of Dumaguetenos came forward and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. What a harvest! The Lord indeed is awesome and amazing… We share with you some pictures and a Christmas greeting from Eric and Mandy of TNG.











Download their New Christmas song for FREE by clicking here.

Excerpts from the Take No Glory Blog…Please read the full narrative by clicking here.



…On Sunday morning, we played at Calvary Chapel Dumaguete for both morning services 8:30es 8:30
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WP-Bible pluginam and 10:30am. It was an awesome blessing to worship with fellow believers. The house was packed out for each service.

…God opened the door for us to play a full evangelistic concert at Sillman University. Missionaries established this university in 1901 and we have been told they have NEVER let a band come do an evangelistic concert before. So, all the locals kept telling us this is a VERY big deal that we are invited to play and preach the Gospel. What great favor the Lord has shown us!

We just got back from the event. It was packed with almost a thousand people there. Eric and Ian boldly shared the Gospel with all the students. They exhorted them to make a commitment to Christ and to have a personal relationship with Him. Lives were be changed and the students were able to connect with the local churches to get discipled. Hearts were convicted and refreshed as we worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth. The Lord worked in supernatural ways as we witnessed spiritual revivals within the hearts of these college students.

…This Saturday June 21st at 7pm is the BIG free concert at the Macias Sports Complex. Prayerfully, the local churches are expecting 5,000g 5,000
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se začne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin people to be there. Take No Glory is the only band playing and we will hand out as many free CDs as possible while also connecting the attendees to the local churches. The Gospel will be preached and there will be a call to respond. Right now there are almost 200 volunteers available to serve!! Please pray for this important event. May it transform Dumaguete City.



Wake Me Up






The Children’s Christmas Party

There’s a story of a 15 year old boy whose name is Sammy. He was a handicap, he is slightly retarded. Christmas is an exciting time for him. They were in church for children’s Christmas party. The pastor started picking up presents and calling out names; Sarah, Bobby, Susan… Sammy was on the edge of his seat — he was about to burst with anticipation. When his name was called, oh he leap on his feet and gladly received it. Sammy took the box and gently took off the bow, his heart was pounding. Sammy removed all the paper and laid it beside the box. And then he began to remove the lid — in his mind, all of the things he hoped to see flashed before his eyes in a second. Finally, as he got his big box open and he looked inside… he saw…NOTHING! He saw nothing — someone had played a trick on Sammy. When Sammy lifted his head, huge tears were streaming down his face. Who would do something so cruel — who would play such a mean trick on Sammy? The box was empty.

The Empty Box with Pretty Paper and a Beautiful Bow

Oh beloved, everyday, not just during Christmas season, all around the world, this same trick is being played. Though the names and exact situation are a little different — the results are still the same. The world promises people great things; happiness, wealth, pleasure, relationships, fame, success, power. And it wraps them up in a great big box, with pretty paper and a beautiful bow. And it hands us this box as a gift, we get excited; and we take off the bow — we unwrap the box and we open it with great expectations. And when we look inside, just like Sammy, all we find is an empty box. No hope, no life, no joy, no happiness — just huge tears of heart break streaming down our face! That’s the kind of gifts this world gives us! Have you ever opened one of its boxes? I think you have and it’s not fun is it? But beloved, the good news is, the greatest gift we could ever receive is a gift of Jesus from the Father in heaven; and this gift is not found in a box nor under the Christmas tree, but once was hanged on a tree! God has a Christmas tree – it’s called the Cross!



Remember the Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown!

Christmas is
not
just a
baby in a cradle
Remember this, Christmas is not just a baby in a cradle, but also the God-man on the cross. The angel said to Joseph, “You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins!” The Cross is the ultimate goal of Christmas. And yet the story does not stop there. After the Cross is the Crown! Jesus resurrected from the dead and He’s alive forevermore! Because HE is risen, our sins are forgiven and we have eternal life! We have hope in this life and the life to come. That’s the good news of Christmas!
This Christmas season and all the seasons of life, remember the Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown!

“You Will Not Have to Fight this Battle”

Do you know what the middle verse of the Old Testament is? It’s 2 Chronicles 20:172 Chronicles 20:17
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17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.  

WP-Bible plugin:

“You will not have to fight in this battle.”

This is a significant verse – and not just because it’s the middle point of the Old Testament. It’s significant because of what it says to those of us fighting a battle – and we all are. King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites were about to be attacked by three enemies: the Moabites, the Ammonites, and the Meunites. Imagine, three against one! This was a triple threat. Jehoshaphat had to be worried about how they could defend themselves in such a battle, but God knew what he was thinking. He said, “You will not have to fight in this battle.”

God is much better at fighting your battles

What God tells Jehoshaphat in this passage, and what he would remind us today, is this: “The battle is not yours; it’s mine. You don’t have to fight in it.” It’s God’s problem. Let Him solve it. The fact is, if you are God’s child, then your problems are His problems. And He’s much better at fighting your battles and solving your problems than you will ever be. Your job is to trust Him to work it all out. The reason why we have so many tired, fatigued, and discouraged Christians is they walk around with this Atlas complex – “I’m carrying the entire world on my shoulders! And it all depends on me.” The day you resign as General Manager of the Universe, you’re going to find that it doesn’t fall apart. You can relax in faith, trusting that God is able to run things without your help.



God doesn’t lose battles!

Twice in this passage it says, “Don’t be afraid,” and “Don’t be discouraged.” Has God ever lost a battle? No. He doesn’t lose battles. And because He’s never lost a battle, we should never be afraid. God has a reputation for winning. We are on the winning side. Regardless of the problems or difficulties or the barriers or the circumstances or the delays, ultimately, we are on the winning side. Oh yeah we may lose a few skirmishes here and there, but ultimately, we’re on the winning side. There’s an important phrase in verse 17. God tells Jehoshaphat, “Take up your positions and stand firm.” What does it mean to stand firm? It means to have a mental attitude of quiet confidence. It is never God’s will for you to run from a difficult situation. Instead trust Him. Now what am I to stand firm on while I’m waiting for God to fight my battles? You stand firm on two things:

1. The character of God. He’s faithful. He does not bring us this far just to leave us and let us down. Have faith in the nature and character of God.
2. The truth of His Word. God’s Word is faithful. You can count on the promises found in the Bible.

So beloved, stand still. Remember Who the battle belongs to. Trust that He is able to deliver you. And then watch Him do it!

Pressing on toward the goal

Last Sunday we indeed had an awesome time as a church celebrating our anniversary. I was in awe of what God has done in the past, that meditating on it during worship I found tears flowing down my cheeks. But I also know that we’re not to glory in the past and live there. We need to press on to know the Lord – press on to fulfill His purposes for us. The apostle Paul wrote, “ Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.3:13-14)

Walk by faith and not by feeling

Every muscle
of
the runner
is burning
The word used for “press” in Philippians 3:14Philippians 3:14
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14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  

WP-Bible plugin carries in the meaning of “strong exertion.” Every muscle of the runner is burning. He can see the ribbon. He has only a few more feet to go in the race. He must press on. It is the same in our lives as Christians. There are times when it just gets hard. But it is then that we learn what it means to walk by faith and not by feeling. You can’t live on an emotional high as a Christian. You must pace yourself in this race you are running. You can’t expect that every time you go to church, you will have some great emotional encounter with God. Sometimes you will. Sometimes you won’t. Growing up and learning to walk by faith are part of spiritual maturity.

When you first made a commitment to Christ, you discovered the joy and wonderful peace that comes from being forgiven. But you must realize that this is a walk by faith. You must press on even when it gets hard. Maybe, as you have been running, you have found yourself in a place where you are dragging burdens, sins, or other things along. Maybe you find that you don’t even know why you are running the race anymore. Maybe you have become discouraged.

Jesus gives us the strength to press on

Look up and remember that it is Jesus whom you are running for. Two thousand years ago, He loved you so much that He went to the cross and died there. He shed His blood for you. Then He rose again from the dead. Because He did that for you, you can live for Him today. He will give you the strength to press on…until we see Him face to face!

Global financial crisis…

The U.S. financial crisis has many people worried. And the troubles are worldwide. We’re facing a global financial crisis, just as the Bible predicted will happen in the last days. In the book of 2 Kings, Samaria was in a crisis that threatened their very lives. The Syrians had besieged the city, and there was a famine so terrible that people had resorted to eating horrifying things. Then Elisha prophesied to the king that by the next day “a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel” (2 Kings 7:12 Kings 7:1
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7 ¹ Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.  

WP-Bible plugin). A seah is about seven quarts, and a shekel is worth about 25 cents, so this would be a huge turnaround in their fate.

“Windows in heaven”

At this point, one of the king’s officers said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” (7:2). His reaction is understandable, on a purely human level. They were starving, with enemies all around them. But God was about to provide for the people in a miraculous way. You can read this fascinating story in 2 Kings 6:25-7:202 Kings 6:25-7:20
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25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. ²⁶ And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. ²⁷ And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? If...: or, Let not the LORD save thee ²⁸ And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. ²⁹ So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. next: Heb. other ³⁰ And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. ³¹ Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day. ³² But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? ³³ And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer? ^{7 1} Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. ² Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. a lord...: Heb. a lord which belonged to the king leaning upon his hand ³ And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? ⁴ If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. ⁵ And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. ⁶ For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. ⁷ Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. ⁸ And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. ⁹ Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household. some...: Heb. we shall find punishment ¹⁰ So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. ¹¹ And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within. ¹² And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. ¹³ And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, and let us send and see. in the city: Heb. in it ¹⁴ They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. ¹⁵ And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king. ¹⁶ And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. ¹⁷ And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. ¹⁸ And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: ¹⁹ And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. ²⁰ And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.  

WP-Bible plugin. But look back at the expression the officer used: “windows in heaven.” I picture a building so filled with grain that when the windows are opened, it pours out like a flood. And this description was pretty much true. There were “windows in heaven.” God had a plan, and God provided.

I know who holds the future!

Are you
not
of more
value than they?
Now I want to draw you to the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on… Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew 6:25-26Matthew 6:25-26
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ²⁶ Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  

WP-Bible plugin). Several times in this section (v. 25-34) He repeats that message: “Don’t worry.” I think it’s no accident that Jesus talks about worry right after the folly of trusting in wealth. Riches are insecure, just like everything else in this world. But the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills isn’t worried. His storehouse is full, and He cares for you.

I won’t try to predict what will happen in the financial world; I’m a preacher, not an economist. But I want to echo the words of Jesus: “Don’t worry.” As the old song says, “I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.”

Vision:

To be an extension ministry of the church committed to equip and challenge our young people to be living examples of the Great Commandment and Great Commission.

Mission Statement:

• Devoting ourselves to Christ
• Connecting our lives with the truth
• Building up and Serving one another
• Reaching out in Love

Purpose:

DEVOTING…We desire to know Jesus in a deep, personal way. Because we believe all that the Bible says about God’s love for us, we want to love Him back by worshiping Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

CONNECTING…We desire to stay strong in this new relationship with Jesus by studying His Word verse by verse. The Bible is God’s love letter to us and it teaches us how to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

BUILDING…We desire to build unity among the youth. Jesus said that people would know you are my disciples by your love for one another. God not only wants us to connect with Him, but also with our peers. We do this by giving special time for fellowship at all our gatherings.

SERVING….We desire to follow the example of Jesus…He did not come to this earth to be served but to serve and to give His life for others. God has given each of us a special gift/talent to serve others with and we desire to develop these gifts among the youth for the glory of God.

REACHING… We desire to tell the world of God’s great love. Jesus told us to go out and share the Good News. We do this by encouraging the youth to reach out to their friends, teaching them how to share their faith and giving them opportunities to minister through outreaches and missions trips.

Leadership:

Youth Pastor: Jerry Camacho
Assistant Leaders: Glen & Abba Tantio

Leaders:
Marisa Camacho
Izzy Maxino
Karen Moleta
Aaron Yost

Areas of Ministry:

• The Core –
  This ministry is devoted to building up college students who desire to have a deeper relationship with God and to live a life centered on Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 3:111 Cor 3:11
  English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
  11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  
  
  WP-Bible plugin) Our Bibles studies are interactive as we focus on being doers of God’s word not just hearers. We meet at the Moleta’s Residence Wednesdays at 7pm.

CORE Casaroro Falls Outing

The CORE College Group

• Living Stones –
  This ministry is devoted to building up the next generation for Jesus. This is a fellowship night open to ALL high school and college students. We worship the Lord, learn from His Word and hang out with other youth from different schools. We have a full calendar of events that include, game nights, movie nights, prayer nights, birthday celebrations and a lot more! We meet at the CCD Fridays at 7pm.

Living Stones Friday NIght Fellowship

Living Stones Planning Committee

Living Stones Youth Group

Pastor Jerry teaching the Living Stones Friday Night Fellowship

• BATTLEzONE…
  A student led prayer meeting where students from ALL schools are invited to intercede in prayer for their campus, teachers, classmates and friends. We meet Monday nights 7-8pm at the Chapel next to CBA building.
• PRAY for the NATIONS – Student-led ministry of prayer for the unreached nations around the world. Each month we feature a different country or people group by sharing their situation and specific prayer needs. The goal is to build missions awareness among the youth and develop a heart for missions through intercessory prayer.
• MC2I (Men Committed to Integrity) – Men’s small group discipleship for college students. We meet weekly to study God’s Word and equip ourselves to be godly men committed to living a life of integrity. We meet Thursdays 11:00am at Miracle Mile.
• W.A.G.O.H. (Women After God’s Own Heart) – Ladies small group discipleship for college students. We meet weekly to study God’s Word, pray for one another, and pursue a heart after God’s own heart. We meet Saturdays 1:30pm at Café Antonio.

EMAIL: livingstones07@yahoo.com

Manila Outreach

Covenant Keepers Outreach to the Rainbow Village Ministries


Test Post

Valentine Fellowship

Fellowship at Lake Balanan

Youth Camp 2008

COME, FOLLOW ME

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:61 John 2:6
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.  

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VISION:

Jesus came and walked on this earth leaving us a shining example of absolute obedience to God the Father. Our desire is that the youth would understand the crucial truth that those who profess to be His followers and to abide with Him must walk with Him, following His pattern and example. Jesus lived a victorious life on earth and promised that if we accept His invitation to follow Him in obedience, we too will live victoriously!

PRAISE:

After more than 7 years of opening our youth camps to other Calvary Chapel churches, the Lord impressed on our hearts that this year needed to be different. Our youth group was going through a rebuilding stage and we felt strongly that the Lord was moving us to focus on the young people in our own church. We were excited to have a smaller group that would allow for the opportunity to break down barriers and build unity among our youth. That was our hearts desire and the Lord granted us that and so much more.

We learned to follow the footsteps of Jesus through 6 powerful sessions entitled:

• The Invitation
• Carry Your Cross
• Press On
• Saved to Serve
• Forgiveness, and
• Called to Love

We also enjoyed an exciting two-day Sports Fest and Relay Obstacle Course, sweet worship, interactive workshops and Purity sessions, bonfire fellowships, and so much more.

On the last day of camp, we were blessed and moved by the heartfelt testimonies of the youth who stood up to praise God for what He had showed them and to encourage each other to keep following Jesus no matter what! Every camp is an awesome experience with Lord and the youth go home on fire and excited.

But, after a few weeks or months the ‘experience’ can be pushed into the past by problems, pressures, friends, etc. That is why our camps are planned out to be more than just an experience with God but to be a life-changing encounter that would be a turning point in their lives.

We praise the Lord for the awesome work He did through this camp and we give Him all the glory and honor!