Why the resurrection of Jesus is significant to you

The gospel is the greatest example of God’s love for mankind. Jesus came to the earth as a man, died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day. But I suddenly realized while contemplating on today’s Sunday message, what is really the significance of the resurrection for me. I have always been overwhelmed at the love of God displayed through the cross. Numerous sermons and preaching’s have moved me to really love God because He loved me first. When I asked myself, “Why haven’t I gave any real significance in the resurrection but have always focused on the crucifixion?” I suddenly realized I haven’t really given this much thought.

Read more here.

Blessed are the meek

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5

Continuing my series on the beatitudes, I ponder upon the verse above. I like what John MacArthur wrote about what being meek is all about.

Meekness is the opposite of being out of control. It is not weakness, but rather supreme self-control empowered by the Spirit

Read more here.

Retrospect of a Grace Showered Individual – The B1G South Ministry

Has it been one year already? Time just really passes by when you love what you are doing. It has been a year since we re-launched the singles ministry in Alabang and I want to take a look back at how it all started for me.

B1G7 was the start, this was my first singles retreat after how many JZONE retreats I have attended. The retreat really brought into my attention the movement that is happening within young adults. I was burdened when we got back to CCF Alabang. I kept on thinking why there was so much activity in the singles ministry of the North while back in my “home” I didn’t see any. With the love for God overflowing within me, I was determined to help in any way I can to raise the singles ministry in Alabang again.

Read more here.

Embrace It

We are always put in a situation where we don’t want to be – an awkward situation where you are in the middle of a fight, a job that you don’t want to do or even a situation where you still don’t have a job yet after how many months of looking for one. Or given the current situation of our country, I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to be in a place where their house has been flooded. It’s not easy to react well in that terrible situation.

But we need to learn to embrace it and accept it.

Am I to leave this entry with just a word of encouragement to “embrace it” and not explain why? God has been teaching me to embrace a lot of things in my life. I have been secretly holding it back and refusing to accepting it. There is just so much growth waiting when we learn to embrace our unacceptable situation. It helps build our character. We learn to be thankful despite the situation. And as we take those steps of faith: that we don’t want to be in this situation but we accept it - knowing that God is sovereign, God shows to us why we need to go through the situation and we get to know who he is, how he delivers and how he will always be faithful. We can easily look at the negative perspective of the situation, but we are missing out on seeing that we have a great God who loves us and cares for us. 

Ecclesiastes - Wisdom for the Young

Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless! This is how the teacher started his book. But behind those words are wisdom beyond years and understanding. 

(Verses I highlighted which really caught my attention)

• Ecclesiastes 1:9 - What was been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

•  As the saying goes, “History repeats itself”. Now, isn’t this true? Maybe not to the detail but to the essence? I hope you get the point.

• Ecclesiastes 1:18 - For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.

•  The wisest man has realized - there is nothing new under the sun, Man works but leaves all he owns with death, a lot is meaningless - is wisdom then suppose to make you happy? Happiness can be found in God alone.

• Ecclesiastes 2:21 - For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

• Death is a reality for everyone. You came in with nothing and will go out the same.

• Ecclesiastes 2:24 - A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

• How many times have I seen this in the book! Love life! Love God!

• Ecclesiastes 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

• Ecclesiastes 3 has the theme of everything has it’s own time. In that whole expanse of time in your life, there will always be that “something” that you are looking for. In the end I hope you realize, who you just need is God.

• Ecclesiastes 5:19 - Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God. 

•  Understand then that your wealth is not a outcome of your hard work but of the Lord. There is really nothing to be proud of but just thank God.

• Ecclesiastes 7:10 - Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these?” For it is not wise to ask such questions.

• Do not dwell on the past. Be concerned on the here and now. You’ll never be able to move on.

• Ecclesiastes 7:14 - When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future

• God is in control of the bad and good. He holds everything in place and has a purpose. Be thankful no matter the situation because He loves you.

• Ecclesiastes 8: 17 - then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

• Why be consumed about the ‘God particle’? Can’t we understand that there are things that are of God and not man?

• Ecclesiastes 9:9 - Enjoy life with you wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun - all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

• Where are thou wife that I may love thee while young :)

• Ecclesiastes 11:9 - Be happy, young man, while you are young and let you heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment

• While you are full of energy, zeal and passion living in your younger years commit them all to the Lord. Live life to the fullest while the possibilities are endless. Don’t be scared to make mistakes but if you do, learn from them. Bottom-line, for me - Love life! Love God

Nehemiah 10 – March 23, 2013

The covenant that the people did in Nehemiah 10 was a declaration of their faith and commitment to him while being accountable to one another. They declared faithfulness in how they would handle relationships, how they would do business and how they would support God’s work. All of the terms they have listed down are not new but were long ago commanded by God because He wanted them to be a people that identifies with Him alone. His chosen people.

Read more here.

B1G South Ministry Update – March 16, 2013

It’s amazing to see how God has always been faithful by looking back at how God established the B1G South Ministry.

Read more here.

The secret of living a life of victory

It is possible! We walk this earth desiring to be victorious over our flesh – wanting a life of victory, to be victorious over sin. We have fallen and have tried to stand up once more. Our tired life have failed some and have won some. But mostly, failure clouds us and we lose hope. Just like Paul in Romans 7:15, we feel the same.

“For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate”

Read more here.

My Portion

While browsing facebook, I saw a posted verse that is so simple, direct to the point and full of meaning. It moved me to turn the pages of my bible and read it myself. Why did I miss this while finishing the book of proverbs? I need to keep this in my heart that I may not stray away from You.

Proverbs 30:8

Keep me from being rich if that would just draw me away from you, make me proud or lose my dependence on you. Keep me from being poor as well to spare me from thinking too much and worrying of how I will provide and to keep me from stealing or manipulating others. But just give me what I need that I may find my contentment in you and realize every day that I only need you.  For my daily bread is You, Lord.

Delight = Desire? Not Exactly.

A common verse that everyone dwells on when they want to claim something that they eagerly desire:

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4, NIV)

A verse that may commonly be misinterpreted as “I might be able to get anything I want as long as I delight in the Lord”. But before we go to the desire part - a thought that everyone wants to happily think of whether it’s a dream job, the perfect mate, the salvation of someone dear, or anything else that we fervently want - there is a need first. And it starts first with delighting in the Lord. But what exactly is delighting in the Lord?

Delighting in this context is taking pleasure in the Lord, being close to Him and drawing near to Him. It is a relationship where you are closely walking together and being one. It is a position of happiness alone in God and as he delights having a relationship with you, you experience the same. So what does this mean? As long as I draw closer to him, get to know him and delight in him I get to ask anything and get anything I want?

Not exactly.

Read more here