THE JOURNEY TOWARDS PROSPERITY

THE JOURNEY TOWARDS PROSPERITY

Every one wants to be prosperous. I believe that is the motivating factor behind many of the things that we do in this life. We dream about it, we think about it, we talk about it. Sa ating mga Pilipino masyadong inaasa sa gobyerno o sa mga pulitiko ang pag-unlad ng ating pamumuhay. Can the government deliver? Will our politicians serve us prosperity in a silver platter?
How does one become prosperous? This topic is very important that’s why many are using it or teaching it. In fact, it has already become a big business. In many seminars and gatherings the favorite topic is prosperity. People are willing to pay much just to be able to attend those seminars but sad to say only the lecturer gets rich. There are also many preachers who talk about prosperity every time they open their mouth.
Prosperity is really very attractive; it is not wrong. The Lord wants us to be prosperous. Why did God create all the riches in the world? To give it to the children of darkness? Or did He create all these for His children? Does God want His people to prosper? Or at least be sufficient? The question is HOW?
Some religious groups believe that to be holy you have to be poor. Is it biblical? What does God want for His children?

“For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Every bird of the mountains and all the animals of the field belong to me” Psalm 50:10-11.
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one over all things. Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion the people are made great and given strength” 1 Chronicles 29:11-12.
We are going to study a series entitled THE JOURNEY TOWARDS PROSPERITY. It is a journey. It does not happen by chance or pure luck. It starts with a decision and a desire to be prosperous. After making a decision, it requires discipline.
In this journey, there are several steps. Let us begin with step one.

STEP #1: WORK HARD

It is only in the dictionary the prosperity comes before work. In reality work comes before prosperity. If you would succeed, work hard. The most miserable man in the world is the one who has no work to dedicate himself to. King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 3:22, “So I saw that there is nothing better for people than to be happy in their work. That is why they are here!”


Thomas Edison sent the following recommendations to a youth assembly that requested a message from him:
1. Always be interested in whatever you undertake.
2. Don’t mind the clock, but keep at it, and let nature indicate the necessity of rest.
3. Failures, so called, are the fingerposts pointing out the right direction to those who are willing to learn.

Why should we work? What are the reasons for work? There are several reasons that we are going to discuss.

1. GOD COMMANDS US TO WORK.
Every able-bodied person is commanded to work. In Exodus 20:9, the Lord commands, “Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God.” Six days of work and one day break. God commands that we should all work. Laziness is sin and it leads to poverty: “Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich” Ecclesiastes 10:4.
There are parents who let their children work for them. Their children sell cigarette, sampaguita, balut o hindi kaya ang mga bata ay ibinubugaw sa mga foreigners. While the parents stay home enjoying the fruits of their children’s hard labor.
It was commanded by God that we should all work. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11, it says, “This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands…” Why did Paul emphasize working with your hands? Because there are people who work with other people’s hands. Utos nang utos pero sila walang ginagawa.
The Bible says – make it your ambition to work with your hands. Godly people are working people. Ephesians 4:28 says, “If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work…” Again, the Bible emphasizes “your hands.” The meaning of stealing here is not just the conventional meaning of stealing. It also means harvesting what you did not plant, borrowing money without paying, copying the answer of others during exam, submitting a requirement that is not the product of your own labor, enjoying something without any contribution is as good as stealing.
There are many reasons why our country is poor. Sometimes only one in a family of six or seven or ten is gainfully employed. All the rest are consumers. Hindi pa nga sumusuweldo ay nagastos na or naipangutang na o naipangako na ng ina sa hinuhulugang aircon.
So, we should all work and not steal. All able-bodied individuals are commanded to work. Tingnan nga ninyo ang inyong katabi, magnanakaw kaya iyan? Hindi naman mukhang magnanakaw, di ba? Don’t judge the book by its cover. Minsan pag pusturang-pustura, ang yabang-yabang, baka iyan pa nga. You will never be prosperous unless you work.
II. GOD COMMENDS WORK
We work because it is commended by God. Pinupuri ng Diyos ang mga nagtatrabaho. In the Bible, God commends a hard working woman. This commendation is found in Proverbs 31:13, “She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.” Siguro ang kamay ng huwarang babaeng ito ay hindi na hubog-kandila dahil siya ay hard worker o masipag. Hindi siya katulad ng ibang mga babae diyan na isang metro ang haba ng mga kuko. Kung sobrang flawless ang mga kamay, it’s either you have many servants or you’re just simply lazy. Hindi nakakahiya na may kalyo ang ating mga kamay dahil sa pagtatrabaho. Ngayon, kung masipag ka na at flawless pa rin ang iyong mga daliri , eh di mas mabuti!
It is important that we work because it is commended by God. Students, if you think school is boring, try working in the farm under the heat of the sun.

III. GOD EXEMPLIFIED WORK.
Another reason why we should work is this: Work is exemplified by God Himself. In Genesis 2:22, “On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work.”
God finished all His work in six days and rested for one day. Hindi kaya kalabisan kung mas marami tayong pahinga kaysa sa trabaho? God knows how to rest because He knows how to work. Ang ibang tao puro rest wala namang work.

IV. GOD PROVIDES FOR US AND PROSPERS US THROUGH WORK.
Another reason why we should work is this: it is God’s way and provision through prosperity. Work is God’s design for us. Workers earn their food. God gives every bird its food but does not drop it into the nest. Ang isang taong nagtatrabaho ay dapat kumakain. Isa sa ating matandang kaugalian ay ang bayanihan – nagpapatrabaho, tapos nagpapakain. Ang mga nagtatrabaho ay pinakakain. Ngayon, meron namang medyo makakapal. Hindi nagtatrabaho, pero pag oras na ng kainan nandiyan na, dadampot ng martilyo, gagawa ng konti, nagpapanggap. But you earn your food by working. Kahit sa ating pamilya, kung hindi ka pa gainfully employed, you earn your food by working. Do household chores. Kapag marunong ng humingi ng allowance, dapat marunong na ring magtrabaho. It is the way we earn our food. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, it says, “Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘Whoever does not work should not eat.’” That is the way we earn our food.
We drink as much water as we want, inhale as much oxygen as we want, for what? Para lang maging walang silbi? Even fruit trees that do not bear fruit should be cut off according to Jesus. Hindi pwedeng puro dahon lang at walang bunga. Ganoon din ang mga tao – kailangan may bunga. Workers earn their keep and their wages through work.
This applies even to ministers of God who preach the gospel. Jesus said in Matthew 10:10, “Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with an extra coat and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.”

And then why should we work?

1. Work earns profit.
Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit.” Hindi nakakahiyang magtrabaho at hindi nakakahiyang magtinda nang may tubo. Bakit ka magnenegosyo kung walang kita? Kaya kayo namang mga Christians – kung may negosyo ang inyong mga kasama sa church, huwag kayong hingi ng hingi ng discount. Bayaan niyo naman siyang kumita! We all should encourage industry and commerce among us. We are not meant to be poor. Many of us are poor because we have a poverty mentality, and we have a lifestyle that is designed for poverty. Workers earn profits. Workers open the channels to prosperity. According to Psalm 128:2, “You will eat the fruit of your labor.”

2. Workers earn good sleep.
King Solomon who was a worker himself said in Ecclesiastes 5:12, “People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much.”
Even good sleep is a gift of God. He grants sleep to those whom He loves. And napakasarap na pahinga ay yung pahinga ng mga taong pagod. Pero ang pahinga ng taong napapagod na sa kapapahinga, iyan ang walang kuwenta.




THE BLESSEDNESS OF WORK


If we want to be prosperous we have to work hard. God commanded us to work. He commended the woman in Proverbs for her hard work and He Himself exemplified work. In the creation account, He worked for six days and rested for one day. Work is also God’s way and provision through prosperity.
What about the blessedness of work? How does God bless work? God blesses work through….

I. GOD’S JUSTICE.
God’s justice requires that the worker be blessed. The Lord is the author of all natural laws and phenomena. He established certain formula that when do you something, that something will produce results. Isa doon ang work. When you work, you have a reward. That is a natural law. In Proverbs 24:12, it says, “Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” The justice of God will see to it that we get rewarded. So if you want to be prosperous, work.
Then there’s another angle to the blessedness of work.

II. GOD’S FAVOR OR GOD’S PLEASURE.
A man in the Bible named Job was a very rich man. Satan knew that God’s favor was with Job when he said in Job 1:10, “Yes, Job fears God, but not without good reason! You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is!
So there is such a thing as God’s favor or God’s pleasure.
There’s also such a thing as God’s withholding of a blessing. The Bible calls it curse. There are works that God despises or hates. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says, “It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you don’t follow through on. In such cases, your mouth is making you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.”
The context of this is that people make a promise or pledge to God but don’t fulfill it. We usually make a promise to God when we are in a desperate situation. (Lord, makapasar lang jud ko magsimba na jud ko pirme. Lord, mauyab lang nako na si _____ pwede na jud ko mabuang. Lord, maayo lang ko ihatag jud nako ang akong tibuok tithes, etc). But as soon as we recover from that desperate situation we immediately forget all the promise that we made and say, “My vow was a mistake.” What does the Word of God say? “That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.” God has the power to bless and He also has the power to destroy.
Favor is God’s prerogative. He alone decides who to bless. That’s why there are people who work just little but become prosperous, while there are also people who work so hard but do not prosper (farmers, ice cream/ice drop peddlers, laborers, cabinet peddlers, etc). Baka wala yung favor ni Lord. If God’s favor is not in our work, let us examine our tongue instead of questioning God.
If God’s favor is not with us, it has something to do with our tongue. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 says, “It is better to say nothing than to promise something that you don’t follow through on…. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved.”
Is there a way to override God’s destruction? Only when God puts a protective fence around us. Without God’s protection, we will be destroyed naturally, automatically. But God is so gracious; most of the time, in spite of who we are, He exempts us from the consequences of sin. But yes, the Lord can give favor, and the Lord can destroy one’s work just by withdrawing His protection.
We ask, “Why is he prosperous? Why am I poor?” Don’t blame God. Don’t examine other people’s lives. Examine your tongue. We are accountable for every word that we say. There is power in the spoken word. God spoke and everything came into existence.
Be careful with what you say, it might come back to you. Instead of cursing people, bless them instead. Say something nice or good about others. Para yun din ang bumalik sa inyo. Some people have the habit of complaining about how difficult life is. Some mothers love to talk about other mother’s daughter but comes back to their own daughter! Yung mga taong mahilig magsalita o mamintas ng ganito ganyan, iyon tuloy ang nangyayari sa kanila. So be careful with your words! Your words know your address.
God surely blesses godly work. Godly work is governed by several ethical standards.

1. Focused Work.
Godly work is concentrated. Hindi sabog-sabog. Kailangan may focus. Jesus says in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters.” When you run after two ducks, you will catch neither. Kailangan may concentration.

2. Steadfast Work.
Godly work has steadfastness. Hindi dahil nabugnot ka, iiwan mo na. Hindi dahil hindi mo magawa, titigil ka na. Hindi dahil pagod ka na, aayaw ka na. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during WW11, was asked to give a commencement address. He was introduced, and he stood up and said firmly, “Never quit!” and he sat down. This was probably the shortest commencement address in history.
Psalm 104:23 says, “Then people go off to their work; they labor until the evening shadows fall again.”
Godly work is steadfast; you labor until evening.
3. Righteous Work.
Work should be governed by righteousness. Ito at pagtatrabaho na walang halong pandaraya o kasinungalingan. Walang pagsasamantala. (Chinese businessmen sold siopao na carton ang palaman.) Proverbs 10:16 says, “The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.” Kaya huwag kayong mainggit sa mga kumikita ng malaki dahil sa paggawa ng masama.
Asaph, a worship leader in the Old Testament complained, “Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong? All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.” After considering the wealth, the life, the happiness of the wicked, Asaph became envious. But in the end he said, “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My heart may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

4. Honest Work.
Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.”

5. Industry.
“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Kung puro satsat, puro salita, pero wala namang trabaho, it will bring only poverty. What is one great way to prosperity? Hard work.

Let’s glorify God through work. We worship through singing, we worship through dancing, we worship through giving – but people of God also worship through work. Work is one of the best ways to worship God.




THE JOURNEY TO PROSPERITY (Part 3)


All other things being equal, walang magulang na gustong makita ang kanilang mga anak na naghihirap. Pangarap ng bawat magulang na guminhawa ang buhay ng kanilang mga anak at hindi nila danasin ang mga hirap na kanilang pinagdaanan. If that is true with our earthly parents, how much more with our Heavenly Father. God does not want us to be poor. God created this planet and all its resources just so we could live in it and enjoy it and live to the fullest. Such a beautiful truth but does not reflect reality. Only those who have the most toys and money are seem to be living to the fullest. But reality cannot or does not change the truth that God wants His children to be prosperous much more than earthly parents.
God has established certain rules or steps that we have to follow for us to be prosperous. The first step is WORK HARD o magtrabaho ng puspusan. The second step is INVESTING o pamumuhunan – putting our blessings, properties, possessions in a place where they earn profit or they increase their value. To invest is to increase. Is this biblical? Let’s read Matthew 25:14-30:
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a trip. He called together his servants and gave them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last – dividing it in proportion to their abilities – and then left on his trip. The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money. But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money for safekeeping.
After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of gold said, ‘Sir, you gave me five bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Next came the servant who had received the two bags of gold, with the report, ‘Sir, you gave me two bags of gold to invest, and I have doubled the amount.’ The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Then the servant with the one bag of gold came and said, ‘Sir, I know you are a hard man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth and here it is.’
But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! You think I’m a hard man, do you, harvesting crops I didn’t plant and gathering crops I didn’t cultivate? Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this servant and give it to the one with the ten bags of gold. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who are unfaithful, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

STEP #2: INVEST

A bag of gold or talent is equivalent to $1000.00. The first servant was given 5 bags of gold or $5000.00, the second $2000.00, the third $1000.00. With the present exchange rate $1 = Php45, the first received Php225,000, the second Php90,000, and the third Php45,000.
What will you do if somebody gives you Php225,000? Ask also your friends. Kahit man lang sa guni-guni ay mag-enjoy ka!
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. The Lord gives capital to each one of us. We are all servants of God and we owe Him everything. He has given each of us capital to invest – it may be material like money or riches; it may be land or other possessions; it may be friends or connections na maaaring maging paraan para bumukas ang pinto ng kasaganaan. There is also the literal meaning of talent – ability, knowledge and imagination.
What is God’s basis in giving us capital or talent to invest?

I. WE ARE GIVEN ACCORDING TO OUR ABILITY TO RECEIVE AND INCREASE.
“He gave five bags of gold to one, two bags of gold to another, and one bag of gold to the last – dividing it in proportion to their abilities…” Matthew 25:15.
God gives us according to our ability to receive and ability to increase what we received. It has nothing to do with God’s stinginess. God is not stingy. He is a gracious God. The only limitation is our own ability to receive and increase. Do not accuse God of being unfair. “Bakit yung isa lima ang ibinigay samantalang yung isa isa lang? Napaka-unfair naman.” You have to consider first what is your ability. What’s the point of giving you five talents if you can’t even handle one? Ipagkakatiwala mo ba ang iyong kayamanan sa isang taong walang ginawa kondi ang magwaldas? Kaya wala tayong karapatang mainggit sa mga taong talented at nagiging mas talented pa o mayaman na, mas yumayaman pa. Ask yourself, “Napagyaman ko ba ang ibinigay sa akin? Napalago ko ba ito?” If the answer is no, then, we don’t have the right to demand for more. What will you do with Php225,000? Your answer to that question speaks strongly whether you are headed for prosperity or not.


1. HANDLING MONEY – THE FILIPINO WAY!
We, Filipinos, are more into spending than investing. Game show hosts would usually ask their contestants, “What will you do if you win 1 million pesos?” The most common answer: “A, bibili ako ng bahay at lupa. Wala pa kasi kaming bahay.” O hindi kaya, “Ipapaayos ko po yung bahay namin.” Atat na atat tayo diyan sa bahay at lupa. Kapag ang isang member ng family ay nag-abroad, malalaman mo na kumikita na siya doon kasi yung mga kaanak niyang naiwan magpapaayos na ng bahay o bibili ng bahay at lupa. Yung master’s bedroom, naka-aircon na, may terrace na, naka-tiles na ang sala, ang dog house may escalator na, etc.
Pagkatapos ng maraming taon na pagpapakahirap sa labas ng bansa, uuwi na ang Pinoy sa kanyang magandang bahay na kanyang naipundar.
Basically, that is the Filipino dream – to own a house. Well, it’s good to have a beautiful house. But if the flow of money is not sustained, mamaya nakasanla na rin yung bahay at lupa.
King Solomon in all his wisdom said: “Develop your business first before building your house” Proverbs 24:27.

2. THE BUSINESS MENTALITY OF THE FILIPINO-CHINESE
In the Philippines, those who have one syllable names control the economy – Sy, Ty, Tan, Ng, Yu, Uy. Two generations ago, these Chinese migrants were very poor. They came to the Philippines in search of a greener pasture. Back in China life was miserable – talagang sobrang hirap. Masuwerte na sila kapag may makakain na daga, kamote, at kung anu-ano. Pero ngayon sila ang may hawak sa mga malalaking negosyo sa Pilipinas. Kahit saang bayan ka magpunta, sila ang may hawak ng mga negosyo.
What happened? How have they become so rich? Simple. They know how to increase their money. Kahit iyan ay may pera, hindi agad yan bibili ng bahay at lupa. Ang gagawin nila, magrerent ng isang maliit na tindahan, magnenegosyo, titira sa isang gilid o sulok, at magtitiis. They live simply but they have lots of money. They know how to invest.
Students, we have to change our mentality - from spending mentality to investing mentality. Learn how to do business. Kahit gaano kaliit ang capital pwedeng lumago. Pwede kayong magbenta ng load, o hindi kaya magdala kaya ng mga produkto mula sa lugar ninyo katulad ng mga prutas na pwedeng ibenta pagbalik ninyo dito, o mag register sa direct selling, o hindi kaya magbenta kayo ng yema, ng pulboron, at kung anu-ano. If you know how to do business, hindi ka mawawalan ng pera. Do not just dream of getting a good job. Dream of giving jobs to people. Learn to invest.
What does God expect from those who received talents?



II. WE ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
In Matthew 25:16-17, we read, “The servant who received the five bags of gold began immediately to invest the money and soon doubled it. The servant with two bags of gold also went right to work and doubled the money.”
Notice the word IMMEDIATELY. Right after receiving the money, they invested it. That is what God expects. And what did God say to the one who did not invest what he received?
“Well, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest” Matthew 25:27.
But what if you were born poor? What can you invest when you have nothing to invest, when what you have is not even enough for your daily existence? It’s not your fault if you were born poor. But if you die poor that already is your responsibility. We cannot choose our parents and the circumstances we were born with but we certainly can choose how we live. Mahirap maging mahirap lalo na yung ipinanganak na mahirap at namatay na mahirap. Kailan pa tayo makakaahon sa hirap kung ganyan?
Those who were born rich and those who were born poor are both given 24 hours a day. How you make use of it will determine the difference. The Lord expects our talents to be invested. And the Lord expects that they earn profits. The Lord expects profit from the capital that He gives us. Katulad nung binigyan ng limang talents at dalawang talents, pagkatanggap, nagtrabaho sila agad, nagsumikap. Hindi nila sinabing, “Saka na, next time, magpahinga muna tayo.”
How do we waste God’s resources and opportunities? We read this line in the parable: “But the servant who received the one bag of gold dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money for safekeeping” Matthew 25:18.
Iisa na nga lang ang ibinigay, wala pang nangyari. If you want something done immediately, give it to someone who is busy.
We should be busy. Yung isa na isa na nga lang ang ibinigay sa kanya, inilubog pa sa lupa. There are people who are like that – wala na ngang papel sa buhay, bigyan niyo ng konting trabaho, hindi pa aasikasuhin. Paano kayo bibigyan ng mas malaking papel? When there’s a lot to be done rise to the occasion. Sleep less, work more. When there is more to do, you just have to work more. Because, to whom much is given, much is required. And remember: To those who deliver more, more will be given.

THE PRIORITY OF EVANGELISM

God created man, placed him in a perfect environment, and enjoyed his fellowship. But man chose to rebel against God. In that rebellion, the sentence of death has passed upon all men. God could have carried out a just judgment and destroyed humankind at that time. Instead, God created a plan to save humankind.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.
Jesus Christ—the Son of God came. At the age of thirty He started His public ministry. He healed the sick, cast out demons, and taught about the Kingdom of God. One time, He appointed 72 disciples to go to towns and preach about the Kingdom of God.

Before going back to heaven, He appointed the whole church to go and preach the Gospel. And that is what we call EVANGELISM.

Evangelism is tough work. It is much easier to take care of the righteous than go after the unrighteous.

A CASE STUDY: MATTHEW AND FRIENDS (Matthew 9:9-13)

“As Jesus was going down the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax—collection booth. ‘Come, be my disciple’, Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. That night Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors and many notorious sinners. The Pharisees were indignant. ‘Why does your teacher eat with such scum?’ they asked his disciples. When he heard this, Jesus replied, ‘Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.’ Then he added, ‘Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices.’ For I have come to call sinners, not those who think they are already good enough.”

The sinking of the “unsinkable ship”, the Titanic, caused the death of approximately 1500 people. The nearest ship was miles away, but it was off duty. It could have rescued all the passengers if it were on duty. It could have rescued all the passengers if it were on duty. Similarly, many Christians are “off duty.”

If all Christians were off duty, we wouldn’t be here today. We’re here today because somebody cared and shared to us the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in honor of that person, we too must decide to make personal evangelism part of our lifestyle. The most important contribution that you can make to the Kingdom of God is to provide an opportunity for a person to meet the Lord.
The story of Matthew is a perfect example of how we can share the Gospel.

I. BARRIERS TO PERSONAL EVANGELISM THAT ARE XPOSED IN THE STORY OF MATTHEW
1. Some people are too sinful for God to forgive.
2. People are not interested in the Gospel of Jesus and may not respond.
3. I am not trained for personal evangelism; it’s difficult for me to do.
4. I will be criticized and embarrassed if people don’t respond.



II. THE STORY OF MATTHEW ANSWERS THESE BARRIERS

1. Some people are too sinful for God to forgive:
God forgave Matthew…..
 He had backslidden from the faith of his fathers.
 He had betrayed his people by becoming a tax collector.
 He cheated his neighbors by collecting too much.
 He also had a sinful lifestyle.
“He said to him, ‘follow me.’ And he rose and followed him” (v.9).

 Jesus cared about Matthew even though he made sinful choices and led a displeasing lifestyle.

 God loves sinners and does not want anyone to perish.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.

 Jesus came to save sinners.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” Matthew 1:21.

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick…For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners” Matthew 9:12-13.

JESUS IS IN THE WASHING BUSINESS!
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” Hebrews 8:12

2. People aren’t interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and may not respond:
“He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him” (v.9b).

a. Jesus meets every spiritual need. He ministered to the poor, the captive, the blind, and the sick.
Jesus knows how to reach the hurting soul. Once you share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit does the rest of the work.

“Every Saturday evening for over forty years a servant of God stood on a certain street corner handling out gospel tracts to the passerby. And then he stopped. Discouraged because he saw so little fruit, he abandoned his post. Some years later he happened on the spot and a young man stood there and gave him a gospel tract. He stopped, and addressing the young man he said, “How is it that you are here tonight?” “Well, sir, it is like this. An old man occupied this corner for years; I was saved by the means of a tract he gave me. Evidently, the old man is in heaven now for I’ve missed him here, and so I am seeking to fill his place.”
Tears filled the eyes of the older Christian as the young man thus spoke.
“I am the man who gave you the tract,” he said, “and by the grace of God I mean to stand my place until Jesus comes.”

3. I’m not trained in personal evangelism; it’s too difficult.
“That night Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners” (v.10).



a. Matthew used what he had to introduce others to Christ.
 His home
 His food
Many of the personal evangelism of Jesus Christ were done around the dining table. Eating relaxes people.

b. Matthew related to his old friends and relatives in a new way. A way that would save them.

c. Matthew’s new relationship with Jesus.
All that Matthew did was share what he had found in Jesus, nothing more. That was his witness for Christ.

4. I’ll be criticized or embarrassed if people don’t respond.
“And when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does you teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’” (v.11).

a. Doing God’s will is more important than other’s criticism or our embarrassment.
Remember Jesus lived a perfect life and performed many miracles yet they crucified him.

b. When people reject—don’t take it personal.


FIVE SIMPLE STEPS:

1. LOOK AROUND—who among your family, friends, neighbors, classmates, and acquaintances need Christ?

2. LOOK UP—pray for them. Ask God to open their hearts to Christ and give to you the opportunity to tell them about Christ.

3. LOOK OUT—find ways to build friendship with these people. Help them or ask them to help you. It is easier to talk about Christ when people are your friends.

4. LOOK FORWARD—plan to invite these people to your home, snacks outside, to church, to a cell meeting.

5. LOOK AFTER—some of these people will want to accept Christ. Help them grow as new Christian believers. Connect them to a cell group.

BECOMING LIKE CHRIST

You were created to become like Christ.
From the very beginning, God’s plan has been to make you like His Son, Jesus.
When the first disciples choose to follow Jesus, they didn’t understand all the implications of their decision. They simply responded to Jesus’ invitation. That’s all you need to get started: DECIDE to become a disciple.

We are not meant to remain as children…but to grow up in every way into Christ” EPHESIANS 4:14-15.
“For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him…should become like his Son…”
ROMANS 8:29.
“…that you may become mature Christians and may fulfill God’s will for you”
COLOSSIANS 4:12b.

DISCIPLE was Christ’s favorite word for those who followed Him. The Greek word for disciple, ‘mathetes’, is used 269 times in the Gospels and Acts. It means a ‘taught’ or ‘trained’ one.
DISCIPLESHIP is the process of becoming like Christ.
DISCIPLE was Christ’s favorite word for those who followed Him. The Greek word for disciple, ‘mathetes’, is used 269 times in the Gospels and Acts. It means a ‘taught’ or ‘trained’ one.

I. THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF A DISCIPLE

A. A disciple is a Christian who is involved in the word of God on a continual basis.
“[JESUS] You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings. And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” John 8:31-32.

B. A disciple is one who lays down his life for others.
“[JESUS] So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” John 13:34-35.
“ And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends” John 15:13.
We give up certain rights. We may have to sacrifice money, time, and possessions in order to love others better.



C. A disciple is one who abides daily in a fruit-bearing union with Christ.
“Remain in me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me…Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit” John 15:4-5.
“[JESUS] The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields” Matthew 9:37-38.

D. A disciple must carry his cross in order to follow Jesus.
“And you cannot be my disciple if you do not carry your own cross and follow me” Luke 14:27.

The world desperately needs DISCIPLES. We can help reach the world – that great harvest!


II. THE BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF A DISCIPLE
Once you decide to follow Christ, there are basic responsibilities and basic qualities.
“Timothy, my dear son, be strong with the special favor God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach many things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.
Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. And as Christ’s soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army. Follow the Lord’s rules for doing his work, just as an athlete either follows the rules or is disqualified and wins no prize. Hardworking farmers are the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will give you understanding in all these things” 2 TIMOTHY 2:1-7

A. GROW
“Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2:1)
The verb ‘grow’ is present and imperative. It is a command. It is in the present tense. Meaning, we should continue to grow, to remain strong, as growth is a continuing process.
Physical growth is painful, and so is spiritual growth. It is never easy.





FACTS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GROWTH:

1. IT’S NOT AUTOMATIC.
“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life, and doesn’t know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby-Christian!” HEBREWS 5:12-13.

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. You must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing.

Spiritual maturity is a gradual, progressive development that will take the rest of your life.

2. IT IS A PROCESS.
You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing the character of Jesus will take the rest of your life, and even then it won’t be completed here on earth. It will only be finished when you get to heaven or when Jesus returns. At that point, whatever unfinished work on your character is left will be wrapped up.
As long as we live, we’ll never reach the point where we can say, ‘I have arrived!’
ONCE WE STOP GROWING, WE STOP LIVING!
“Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ” 1 PETER 3:18.

3. IT TAKES DISCIPLINE.
“Train yourself to be godly” 1 TIMOTHY 4:7.
Like an athlete, we need discipline in order to grow spiritually.
Spiritual growth involves CHANGE. In every change there is fear or loss; and in every loss there is pain.
Spiritual growth is hard work. It takes time.


When God wants to make a mushroom, He does it overnight, but when He wants to make a giant oak, He takes a hundred years. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering.



B. MULTIPLY
“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2:2).
Paul urges Timothy to entrust to men who can be trusted the teachings he received so that they too could teach others.
“[JESUS] Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” MATTHEW 28:19-20.
WE ARE CALLED NOT ONLY TO BE A DISCIPLE, BUT ALSO TO MAKE DISCIPLES.

“IF YOU ARE PLANNING FOR A YEAR, PLANT GRAIN; IF YOU ARE PLANNING FOR A DECADE, PLANT TREES; IF YOU ARE PLANNING FOR A CENTURY, PLANT MEN” (Chinese proverb).

We should be bearing not only spiritual children but also grandchildren and great grand children, continually reaching out for souls to witness and disciple.
“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents…” LUKE 15:7.

GROW, THEN MULTIPLY! IF YOU DON’T MULTIPLY, YOU BEGIN TO EXPIRE!

THE POWER OF BELONGING

Ephesians 2:19

Abraham Maslow, a noted psychologist, believes that needs build on one another. Throughout our lives we move from one cluster of needs to another as motivations for our actions. One basic set of needs, he argues, springs from our bodies. They are called physiological needs – food, drink, recreation, etc.
Men and women also have needs that result from living with other people. These social-dependency needs include the desire for self-esteem, love and affection, security, self-realization, and self-expression. People want to know that they are loved, that they have worth, that they can grow, develop, and realize their potential.
In trying to satisfy these needs, people try many things…

I. In trying to satisfy his need to belong, man seeks love and affection from….

A. Social Groups
• Family
• Peers –same age group
• Fraternities/Sororities
• Friendship Groups
• Special Interest Groups – (Athletes, Dancers, Singers, Artists, Gays, Writers, Scholars, Book Worms, Leaders, Entrepreneurs, etc)
• Task Groups – (Cleaners, Janitors, Snack servers, etc.)
• Diads

These social groups that we belong to shape the way we think, the way we talk, the way we act, the way we live. They form our convictions and principles. They help us know ourselves. They affect and influence us in various ways. They help us feel sense of identity. That you belong!
However, these social groups are limited and temporary. Family, for one, is a beautiful gift from God but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably death. No matter how solid and wonderful relationships are there is always a time when you have to say goodbye.
Illus: High School life….



II. God has established a spiritual family to meet our need to belong and this family will last for eternity.
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family” Ephesians 2:19.
You are called to belong, not just to believe.
Even in the perfect, sinless environment of Eden, God said, “it is not good for man to be alone.” We are created for community, and formed for a family, and none of us can fulfill God’s purposes by ourselves. We need the Body of Christ – the Church, the community of believers.
For the organs of your body to fulfill their purpose, they must be connected to your body. Imagine your feet walking without you.
The same is true for you as a part of Christ’s body. You were created for a specific role, but you will miss this second purpose of your life if you’re not attached, committed to a living, local church.
Disconnected and cut off from a local body, your spiritual life will wither and eventually cease to exist. This is why the first symptom of spiritual decline is usually inconsistent attendance at worship services or gatherings of believers.
The Church is God’s agenda for the world. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” The Church is indestructible and will exist for eternity. The Church is so significant that Jesus died on the cross for it.
Many believe one can be a “good” Christian without committing to a local church, but God would strongly disagree.

WHY DO I NEED A LOCAL CHURCH?

1. A CHURCH FAMILY IDENTIFIES ME AS A GENUINE BELIEVER.
You can’t claim to be following Christ if you’re not committed to any specific group of believers. There’s no such thing as ‘bogus’ Christian. You can’t be a guest or attender forever without any identity, accountability, or commitment.

2. A CHURCH FAMILY MOVES ME OUT OF SELF-CENTERED ISOLATION.
The local church is the classroom for learning how to get along in God’s family. As a participating member, I learn to care about others and share the experiences of others. God expects us to give our lives for others.

3. A CHURCH FAMILY HELPS ME DEVELOP SPIRITUAL MUSCLES.
You’ll never learn to play basketball if you’re just in the sideline watching others play. In the same way, you will never grow to maturity just by attending worship services and being a passive spectator. Only participation in the full life of a local church builds spiritual muscle.
We need more than the Bible in order to grow; we need other believers. We grow faster and stronger by learning from each other and being accountable (responsible) to each other. That’s the main purpose of having a cell group. Kung wala ka may mga maghahanap. Kasi they care about you.

4. A CHURCH FAMILY HELPS ME DISCOVER, DEVELOP MY SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND NATURAL ABILITIES.
God has a unique role for you in His family. This is called your ‘ministry’. And God has gifted you for this assignment.
Your local fellowship is the place God designed for you to discover, develop, and use your gifts. It is also the place where we share in Christ’s mission for the world.
As members of Christ’s body, we are his hands, his feet, his eyes, and his heart. He works through us in the world. We each have a contribution to make.
Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I’m sending you.”

5. A CHURCH FAMILY WILL KEEP ME FROM BACKSLIDING.
‘Mind your own business’ is not a Christian phrase. We are called and commanded to be involved in each other’s lives.
We need a community. When you’re struggling with sin, you can’t battle it on your own. You need believers who will check on you, pray for you, encourage you, and reprimand you.
Life is difficult and we need the encouragement of other believers to get us through. Encouragement is not the responsibility of a gifted few, but the responsibility of all in the family of God. We live by encouragement, and we die without it – slowly, sadly, angrily.

IF THIS IS NOT A PLACE
(Ken Medema)

If this is not a place where tears are understood,
Then where shall I go to cry?
And if this is not a place where my spirit can take wings,
Then where shall I go to fly?

I don’t need another place for tryin’ to impress you
With just how good and virtuous I am, no, no, no.
I don’t need another place for always bein’ on top of things
Everybody knows that it’s a sham, it’s a sham (fake).
I don’t need another place for always wearin’ smiles
Even when it’s not the way I feel.
I don’t need another place to mouth the same platitudes (boredom)
Everybody knows that it’s not real.

So if this is not a place where my questions can be asked,
Then where shall I go to seek?
And if this is not a place where my heart’s cry can be heard,
Where, tell me where, shall I go to speak?
So if this is not a place where tears are understood,
Where shall I go, where shall I go to fly?

Do you have a spiritual family you can call your own? A family you can go to? A family who will welcome you home? A spiritual family personally chosen by you? A family that will help you grow in the Lord?

THE POWER OF BELONGING

John 1:12; Matthew 18:20

To more people that we would dare admit, attending church is a lot like watching a show. The better the entertainment, the more they enjoy coming. But the less they like what they see and hear, the more they grumble and complain. This ‘entertainment syndrome’ is so prevalent that it has produced ‘church shoppers and hoppers.’
All of this is true, of course, until you get serious about this business of “the church.” Things change when you do. You feel more like investing your time, your treasure…..your very life.
God is involved in only two worldwide construction projects. The first is called evangelism, where He stretches His big arms around the world to reach and to win the lost to Himself. The second worldwide program God is involved in is the Church.
Since the beginning of the Church, our Lord has been reaching down into the ranks of humanity, selecting, choosing, calling out, drawing people to Himself. These people are men, women, boys, girls, teenagers, older folks, all different sizes with all different personalities, from all different nations and tribes. He continues to call them out from the full spectrum of humanity, from busy urban centers to distant jungles. And He places them……where? He places each one of them in His Body, the Church.
Let’s learn a little history together.
The Church in the first century – in its perfect condition – was the object of God’s attention and affection. It was purified by persecution, which caused its influence to spread like a wildfire. Its contagious momentum impacted every corner of the known world. People all across the Roman Empire, much to the embarrassment of its emperor, began to buy into it. And before long there were pockets of believers in villages, towns, and cities, none of them with beautiful cathedrals, but all of them with a heart for God. Their leaders walked with Jesus and taught His truth. Most of them ran the race until martyrdom. Many of their followers were handed the responsibility and became the new leaders of the Church. They, too, were martyred.
This fervent, often bloody chapter of history continued into the second third, and fourth centuries. But during the latter part of that era, something strange happened in the Body. Church became a formal thing. Christianity ultimately became an “official religion.” It took upon itself the marks of an organization. Its leaders increased their roles of authority. Their authority finally shifted to unquestioned power, and soon there emerged the voice of the Church. Worshipers, kept ignorant of the Word of God, became increasingly more manipulated and intimidated.
Predictably, the Church lost its way as its divine power was replaced with human authority. Zeal and excitement drained away. The shadow of the Dark Ages edged across the religious landscape. The Church’s authoritative guide – the Bible – was chained to the pulpit, with its message now hidden in the secret language of the clergy. The common people remained in the dark – ignorant of the Scripture. It is hard to imagine the darkness of those decades. There were exceptions, but for the most part, God’s truth was silenced.
By the fourteenth, fifteenth, and into the sixteenth century, a growing band of straight-thinking, tough-minded men emerged from obscurity (anonymity). These “reformers” courageously stood against the uncontested power bloc of the official Church and had the boldness to bring back the authority of Holy Scripture. As they broke with tradition, they spoke for God. Vital doctrines were rethought, restated, and reintroduced to the common people so that they could understand them and apply them to their lives. As you would expect, many of those reformers became martyrs….but their vision lived on. The movement had gained too much momentum to be stopped. A spiritual revival flamed across Europe and into England, igniting the Great Awakening that ultimately crossed the Atlantic to America.
God’s Body-building program was again on the move. No power was strong enough to shut it down.
The Church is larger today than it was yesterday. It will be larger tomorrow than it is today, because God is forever reaching people with the good news of Christ and bringing them into His Body.
What is a church? What are the requirements to constitute a church?

THE CHURCH IS NOT A BUILDING; IT IS NOT A DENOMINATION NOR AN ORGANIZATION; BUT A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
It comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning “called-out ones”
In the New Testament the word ‘church’ may be applied to a group of believers at any level, ranging from a very small group meeting in a private home all the way to the group of all true believers in the universal Church.
According to Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather together in my name, I am there among them.”
That is the minimum requirement to constitute a church. You don’t need to have a building, to belong to a denomination; you don’t even need to have a pastor, a church board or a name before you can be called a church.
How can one be a member of God’s family? Is there a test? A membership fee? Initiation rites?

I. THE MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY
When we place our faith in Christ, God becomes our Father, we become His children, other believers become our brothers and sisters, and the Church becomes our spiritual family. The family of God includes all believers in the past, the present, and the future.
You become a part of the human family by your first birth, but you become a member of God’s family by your second birth, that is, your spiritual birth which happens the moment you put your trust in Christ for your salvation. Your first birth was not your choice. But your second birth is your choice. It is an individual decision. Jesus says, “Unless you are born again you can never see the kingdom of God (or you can never be a member of God’s family)” John 3:3.
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” John 1:12.

II. THE BENEFITS OF THE MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY
Your spiritual family is even more important than your physical family because it will last forever. Our families on earth are wonderful gifts from God, but they are temporary and fragile, often broken by divorce, distance, growing old, and inevitably death. On the other hand, our spiritual family – our relationship to other believers – will continue throughout eternity.
The New Testament gives great emphasis to our rich inheritance.
Here on earth we receive His grace, kindness, patience, glory, wisdom, power and mercy. But in eternity we will inherit more.

a. We will be with God forever.
b. We will be completely changed to be like Christ
c. We will be freed from all pain, suffering, and death
d. We will be rewarded and reassigned positions of service
e. We will get to share in God’s family

“God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” 1 Peter 1:4.
This means that your eternal inheritance in Christ is priceless, pure, permanent, and protected. No one can take it from you.

III. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE MEMBERS OF GOD’S FAMILY
Fraternities have tattoos. They also have final initiation rites. For Christians, we have water baptism. Baptism is not optional, to be delayed or postponed. It signifies your inclusion in God’s family. It publicly announces to the world, “I am not ashamed to be a part of God’s family.”
Jesus commands, “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:18-20.
Your first baptism was not your choice. It was a transaction between your parents and God. But your water baptism is your own choice.
Your baptism declares your faith, shares Christ’s burial and resurrection, symbolizes your death to your old life, and announces your new life in Christ. It is also a celebration of your inclusion in God’s family.
If you haven’t been baptized as an expression of your faith in Christ, do so as soon as possible, as Jesus commanded.

Jesus says, “...upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it” MATTHEW 16:18.
The Church is not the work of some pastor or body of elders or some other governing hierarchy. It is Jesus who builds it. The Church is solely his. The Church is not owned by some denomination or group of clergymen or some official religious organization.
Christ is our Boss, our final authority. Christ is our Lord and we are his servants. The Church was and is his...he originated it. He alone is its Master.

“...all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
In other words, if all the wicked forces were unleashed from the open gates of Hell itself, the Church would not be hindered in its growth. Nothing could ever destroy the Church. It’s a permanent building process that will never be crippled by some outside force, never be rendered obsolete, and never be stopped by any power, person, or plan.
I urge you to ask yourself several hard questions:
• Where do I really stand regarding the work of a local church?
• Is my participation halfhearted or wholehearted?
• Does my giving reflect generosity?
• Have I prayed for the church’s mission and ministry?
• Do I support it in active service, not simply in passive presence?

SIGNPOSTS ALONG LIFE’S JOURNEY

Proverbs 16:9


Happy New Year!
Is your new year new?
As you travel along the national highway there are signposts that give direction or warnings to travellers. Those signposts are very important especially when you’re travelling in an unfamiliar place, or when you’re travelling at night.
We Filipinos have many traditions in celebrating the new year (pagkain ng pansit, maghanda ng mga bilog na prutas, magsuot ng mga polka dots, maghasik ng bigas, magpaputok, at kung anu-ano.) Ginagawa ang mga iyon para daw pampaswerte. If it is true, eh di sana wala ng mahirap na Pilipino. Sana lagi na tayong swerte at wala ng mga calamities na tumatama sa ating bansa.
What does the word of God say?
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” Proverbs 16:9.

What are the signposts that we should observe as we go through 2010 and beyond?

1. PLAN BIG
“We can make our plans…”
What are your goals for 2010? What do you want to achieve? What are you aiming for? Or bahala na si Batman o ang tadhana o kuntento na tayo kung ano ang dumating? Many go through life without any plan/goal because planning is hardwork.
For those who have plans, how big are your plans? Are they humanly possible or impossible? If it is humanly possible then you do not need the power of God. Our God specializes in the impossible. If your plans are humanly possible, then, there is no room for God. You don’t need God.
I dare you to plan big. Dream big dreams. Dreams that will outlive you. Dreams that are humanly impossible.
In A Savior for All Seasons, William Barker relates the story of a bishop who paid a visit to a small, religious college. He stayed at the home of the college president, who also served as professor of physics and chemistry. After dinner the bishop declared that the millennium couldn’t be far off, because just about everything about nature had been discovered and all inventions conceived.
The young college president politely disagreed and said he felt there would be more discoveries. When the angered bishop challenged the president to name just one invention, the president replied he was certain that within fifty years men would be able to fly.
“Nonsense!” said the outraged bishop. “Only angels are intended to fly.”
The bishop’s name was Wright, and he had two boys at home who would prove to have greater vision that their father. Their names were Orville and Wilbur.
Keep asking yourself, “Survival, success, or significance?” Are you striving simply to survive, are you dreaming about success, or are you really out to make a truly significant difference? Making difference by being different.
Let me ask you, “What are you praying for?” What are you goals for your studies? What do you want to achieve? What are your goals for your business? To our cell leaders, do you have a goal to multiply? How many cell groups are you asking the Lord for? How many people are you asking the Lord for? Ask the Lord for a specific number? To those who do not have a cell group yet, what are you asking the Lord for? To those who are not yet committed, when will you commit? When will you make an influence? When will you truly live? If you are not making an impact, you are not living. You are merely existing!
The Lord challenges us, “Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the ends of the earth as your possession” Psalms 2:8.
“Keep on asking , and you will be given what you ask for….For everyone who asks, receives” Matthew 7:7-8.
Illustration: Keziah’s prayer (tindahan, car, house, money)

DREAM BIG DREAMS.
“By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope for” Ephesians 3:20.

II. HAVE FAITH
“What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot see” Hebrews 11:1.
Faith deals with things future (what we hope for) and things unseen (what we do not see). The NIV translation (Being sure of what we hope for) puts the emphasis on faith as an expression of our confidence in God’s promises. However, it is also possible translate, ‘faith is the substance of things hoped for’ or ‘faith gives substance to our hopes.’ It suggests that what we hope for becomes real and substantial by the exercise of our faith. Faith is being certain of what we do not see. It is the means of ‘proving’ or ‘testing’ invisible realities such as the existence of God, His faithfulness to His word and His control over our world and its affairs.
The world says, “To see is to believe.” The word of God says, “To believe is to see."
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” Matthew 21:22.
Faith is to believe what we do not see. The reward of this faith is to see what we believe.
Faith begins where man’s power ends. We have a God who delights in impossibilities.
III. TRUST GOD
“We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” Proverbs 16:9.
“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires” Psalms 37:3-4.
The word trust suggests the physical experience of supporting yourself on something or someone in total and helpless reliance and commitment.
As a proof of God’s trustworthiness, Paul says, “Since God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also gives us everything else?" Romans 8:31.
Christ is the ultimate proof that God can be trusted to keep His promises.
“Even strong lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will never lack any good thing” Psalms 34:10.
In what are you trusting? Trust in yourself and you are doomed to disappointment. Trust in your friends and they will die and leave you. Trust in money and you may have it taken from you. Trust in reputation and some slanderous tongue may blast it. But trust in God and you will never be defeated in time or eternity.

As a challenge, write your goals/plans for this year 2010 or beyond. Believe that God will accomplish great and mighty things through you. Be amazed as those dreams will come true. Never forget to give God the glory. Have a safe trip and enjoy the journey.

THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

John 10:10

Every year, the whole world celebrates Christmas. Both the religious and irreligious celebrate Christmas.
Christmas has come to mean – party, reunion, gift giving, exchange presents, eating, drinking, merrying, marrying. After 11 months of living a boring, busy life, people during the holiday season try a shot at happiness. That is, if they are lucky!
Everyone wants to be happy. And that is the motive behind everything we do.
Are you truly happy?
But man can never and will never be truly happy without God. Sin breaks our close relationship with God. It causes us to rebel against God and try to live our lives outside of God’s will.
When our relationship with God is not right, it causes PROBLEMS in every area of our lives. Wherever you go, you cannot escape that. Year in and year out, you celebrate Christmas but it’s not going to make any difference.
When people have problems, they often try many different ways of coping before turning to God, even when they know that their deepest need is God.

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?
“THE THIEF’S PURPOSE IS TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY. MY PURPOSE IS TO GIVE LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS” John 10:10.
In a nutshell, that is the meaning of Christmas. Jesus came to give us an abundant life –overflowing, rich, plentiful, meaningful life.
Is it possible? Yes! We can have an abundant life because Jesus Christ came to give us exactly that! That is what Christmas is all about. Without Jesus Christ, there would be no Christmas to celebrate.
Christmas means......

I. HOPE OF FORGIVENESS
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” Matthew 1:21.
JESUS – “the Lord Saves”

Salvation in the Old System:
“....There were two rooms in this tent. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and loaves of holy bread on the table. This was called the Holy Place. Then there was a curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place.
When these things were all in place, the priests went in and out of the first room regularly as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest goes into the Most Holy Place, and only once a year, and always with blood, which he offers to God to cover his own sins and the sins the people have committed in ignorance......the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them....” Hebrews 9:2-10.
“Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” Hebrews 9:22.
“The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship....But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” Hebrews 10:2-4.

Salvation through Jesus Christ:
“Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever....Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins” Hebrews 9:12-15.
“Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand....Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices” Hebrews 10:11-12, 18.

II. HOPE OF DELIVERANCE
“When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him, and he unrolled the scroll to the place where it says:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” Luke 4:16-19.
After reading the Scripture, Jesus said, “today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” v.21.
He was saying, “I have come to fulfill the Scripture.”
The Apostle John says, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have enough room for the books that would be written” John 21:25.
Jesus came to declare deliverance to people who are oppressed by Satan. People are in bondage to sin, sickness, poverty, fear, and death. Jesus came to set people free!
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free...” Galatians 5:1.
Your freedom has been paid in full by the blood of Jesus Christ!
III. HOPE OF PEACE WITH GOD
Jesus came to declare God’s amnesty program. He came to let the world know that the God whom they had offended is willing to be reconciled to them, and accept them upon new terms; that there is yet a way of making their services acceptable to Him.
“We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else” Ephesians 2:3.
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners....So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God – all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God” Romans 5:8,11.

IV. HOPE OF GLORY
“Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” Romans 5:2.
“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later” Romans 8:18.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
“In my Father’s house are many rooms...I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” John 14:1-3.

The meaning of Christmas is hope. In Christ, there is hope. There is no hope in our good works, achievements, riches, religion. Christ is our only hope. In and through Christ, there is hope of forgiveness, hope of deliverance, hope of peace, and hope that one day when the history of the world will come to an end, we will be with the Lord forever!

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST OF WORSHIP

Luke 18:9-14

Man’s chief end is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. We probably delight in God more fully in worship than in any other activity in this life. Worship is an end in itself because we glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In worship, we do not come to give but to get. We do not watch; we participate. We don’t care what other people think. We’re focused on one thing: pleasing God and enjoying Him.
If worship has a reward, it also has a moral enemy. Jesus Christ makes this clear in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: ‘Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like the tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”


I. THE ENEMY OF WORSHIP
“The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like the tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income” v. 11-12.
Pharisees during the time of Christ were deeply religious people during the time of Christ. They keep the law of Moses and they were the official interpreters and teachers of the law in Israel. But Jesus denounced them publicly despite of their being religious.
Luke 11:37-52:
 They were hypocrites (v. 39)
 They give their tithes in everything (v. 42)
 They love public recognition (v. 43)
 They have burdened the people with many rules and regulations (v. 46)



Now, this particular Pharisee went to the Temple to worship. What’s wrong with his attitude?
 Attitude of comparing
 Attitude of self-sufficiency
“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them” Matthew 5:3.
The moral enemy of worship is DUTY. The Pharisee went to the Temple to worship because it was his duty. When worship becomes a duty, it dishonors God. When there is no longer the joy of worship, then, it is no longer worship. When you go to God in order to give rather than to get – worship becomes a duty. Let us not allow worship to become a mere performance. Let us God to quicken our spirits.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away” Matthew 15:8.

II. THE REWARD IN WORSHIP
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”
Tax collectors were very unpopular during the time of Christ. They were outcasts. They were irreligious. They were treated with contempt by the people because they were traitors against their own government and people. They were collecting taxes for the Roman government and they collect more than what was right. Pharisees looked at them with scorn and disgust.
His attitude in worship:
 He did not enter into the temple.
 He cannot look up.
 He was beating his chest in sorrow.
 He was asking God for mercy.
 He came to get not to give.

Jesus said it was the tax collector who went home justified or forgiven, not the Pharisee, who was a very religious man. God looked upon him with mercy and lifted the load of sin in his heart and filled him with overflowing joy. For the first time in his life he felt clean and experienced true happiness as a result of his attitude of humility before God. God gave Himself to him. That is the great reward in worship.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him” HEBREWS 11:6.
You cannot please God if you do not come to him for reward! The reward is not the gift, because worship is not a work that after doing it you receive a salary. Worship is a better deal!

AFTER PLEASING GOD IN WORSHIP, HE GIVES HIMSELF TO US. HE IS OUR EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD! WE FEAST ON HIM! WE ENJOY HIM. HE FILLS US WITH EXCEEDING JOY!

In God’s presence there is pleasure, joy, and delight.
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple” PSALM 27:4.

Dr. Ron Allen refers to worship as our CELEBRATION OF GOD. Listen to his words thoughtfully.
“What, then, is the essence of worship? It is the celebration of God! When we worship God, we celebrate Him: We extol Him, we sound His praises, we boast in Him.
Worship is not the mumbling of prayers or the mouthing of hymns with little thought and less heart; we celebrate God when we join together earnestly in prayer and intensely in song.
Worship is not self-aggrandizing (conceited) words or boring clichés (basta lami jud ang fud, try ninyo, basta enjoy jud siya promise) when one is asked to give a testimony; we celebrate when all of the parts of the service fit together and work to a common end.
Worship is not grudging gifts or compulsory service; we celebrate God when we give to Him hilariously and serve Him with integrity.
Worship is not haphazard music done poorly, not even great music done merely as a performance; we celebrate God when we enjoy and participate in music to His glory.
Worship is not a distracted endurance of the sermon; we celebrate God as we hear His Word gladly and seek to be conformed by it more and more to the image of our Savior.
Worship is not a sermon that is poorly prepared and carelessly delivered; we celebrate God when we honor His Word with our words, by His Spirit.
As a thoughtful gift is a celebration of a birthday, as a special evening out is a celebration of an anniversary, as a warm eulogy is a celebration of a life, as a sexual embrace is a celebration of a marriage – so a worship service is a celebration of God.”

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST OF WORSHIP

Luke 18:9-14

Man’s chief end is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. We probably delight in God more fully in worship than in any other activity in this life. Worship is an end in itself because we glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In worship, we do not come to give but to get. We do not watch; we participate. We don’t care what other people think. We’re focused on one thing: pleasing God and enjoying Him.
If worship has a reward, it also has a moral enemy. Jesus Christ makes this clear in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: ‘Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like the tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”


I. THE ENEMY OF WORSHIP
“The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like the tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t sin, I don’t commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income” v. 11-12.
Pharisees during the time of Christ were deeply religious people during the time of Christ. They keep the law of Moses and they were the official interpreters and teachers of the law in Israel. But Jesus denounced them publicly despite of their being religious.
Luke 11:37-52:
 They were hypocrites (v. 39)
 They give their tithes in everything (v. 42)
 They love public recognition (v. 43)
 They have burdened the people with many rules and regulations (v. 46)



Now, this particular Pharisee went to the Temple to worship. What’s wrong with his attitude?
 Attitude of comparing
 Attitude of self-sufficiency
“God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them” Matthew 5:3.
The moral enemy of worship is DUTY. The Pharisee went to the Temple to worship because it was his duty. When worship becomes a duty, it dishonors God. When there is no longer the joy of worship, then, it is no longer worship. When you go to God in order to give rather than to get – worship becomes a duty. Let us not allow worship to become a mere performance. Let us God to quicken our spirits.
“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away” Matthew 15:8.

II. THE REWARD IN WORSHIP
“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored.”
Tax collectors were very unpopular during the time of Christ. They were outcasts. They were irreligious. They were treated with contempt by the people because they were traitors against their own government and people. They were collecting taxes for the Roman government and they collect more than what was right. Pharisees looked at them with scorn and disgust.
His attitude in worship:
 He did not enter into the temple.
 He cannot look up.
 He was beating his chest in sorrow.
 He was asking God for mercy.
 He came to get not to give.

Jesus said it was the tax collector who went home justified or forgiven, not the Pharisee, who was a very religious man. God looked upon him with mercy and lifted the load of sin in his heart and filled him with overflowing joy. For the first time in his life he felt clean and experienced true happiness as a result of his attitude of humility before God. God gave Himself to him. That is the great reward in worship.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him” HEBREWS 11:6.
You cannot please God if you do not come to him for reward! The reward is not the gift, because worship is not a work that after doing it you receive a salary. Worship is a better deal!

AFTER PLEASING GOD IN WORSHIP, HE GIVES HIMSELF TO US. HE IS OUR EXCEEDING GREAT REWARD! WE FEAST ON HIM! WE ENJOY HIM. HE FILLS US WITH EXCEEDING JOY!

In God’s presence there is pleasure, joy, and delight.
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple” PSALM 27:4.

Dr. Ron Allen refers to worship as our CELEBRATION OF GOD. Listen to his words thoughtfully.
“What, then, is the essence of worship? It is the celebration of God! When we worship God, we celebrate Him: We extol Him, we sound His praises, we boast in Him.
Worship is not the mumbling of prayers or the mouthing of hymns with little thought and less heart; we celebrate God when we join together earnestly in prayer and intensely in song.
Worship is not self-aggrandizing (conceited) words or boring clichés (basta lami jud ang fud, try ninyo, basta enjoy jud siya promise) when one is asked to give a testimony; we celebrate when all of the parts of the service fit together and work to a common end.
Worship is not grudging gifts or compulsory service; we celebrate God when we give to Him hilariously and serve Him with integrity.
Worship is not haphazard music done poorly, not even great music done merely as a performance; we celebrate God when we enjoy and participate in music to His glory.
Worship is not a distracted endurance of the sermon; we celebrate God as we hear His Word gladly and seek to be conformed by it more and more to the image of our Savior.
Worship is not a sermon that is poorly prepared and carelessly delivered; we celebrate God when we honor His Word with our words, by His Spirit.
As a thoughtful gift is a celebration of a birthday, as a special evening out is a celebration of an anniversary, as a warm eulogy is a celebration of a life, as a sexual embrace is a celebration of a marriage – so a worship service is a celebration of God.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!