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!!!!