Return To The Lord With All Your Heart

There are people whose hearts are hardened by their experiences and starting to ignore God and denying His utmost participation in our daily lives. Some are due to sorrows, difficulties, and disabilities but others are due to their self-confessed successes in our lives. We tend to forget God when we are reaping fruits of our labour like bearing education, a well-paid job, a great career and promotion, a good business, and many more. Because we enjoy them most, we get rid the joy God has given and shared to us from the time we were borne.

In His ultimate plan for us to reconcile with Him, He called everyone to return to Him with true repentance. He allowed His own Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and be restored with Him in the same way Jesus has risen and ascended to heaven to join Him. But He wants with all of our heart and not of compulsion. Even before the time of Jesus ministry here in earth, God wants His people to return to Him as He is merciful, compassionate, slow to anger, and most of all His loyal love to all of us. He confirms this in Joel 2:12-13, 12 "Yet even now," the Lord says, "return to me with all your heart - with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!" 13 Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love - often relenting from calamitous punishment.

God, in the same way when Jesus arrives on earth to save the sinners, shows His abundant love to us (read John 3:16). Jesus is a reflection of God's mercy and compassion that He allowed Himself to submit selflessly to the will of God to save the humanity once and for all. Jesus teachings and words are all scattered like a seed in the field to grow. But the seed is now in the soil of our hearts to keep, to nurture, to grow, and to bear fruits. And no matter what external influences of the world to steal, kill and destroy it; we will remain steadfast and always returning to Him from this life and to the next life to come.
 

God bless everyone.

Christians - The Watchmen

Christians are known to be peace-loving people. We are expected to behave well both in private and most especially in public. As much as possible, we avoid getting involved in any trouble to anyone or caught having trouble to others but, of course, it's inevitable. 

There are times where we were witnessing others doing things which are against God's law and are evil in His eyes. Every believer is challenged when facing this kind of situation, especially if it involves our close families and friends. God drawn us to Jesus, therefore, we are saved by believing Him that He is the Lord, He is risen, and He is the Son of God. He has also given us His Lamp to be the Light of the world for those who are in darkness (Matthew 5:14-16) by doing righteous before the Lord.

God appoints us to be our brother's watchman. If we knew someone, whether we are in relationship with them or not, and they commit sins or wickedness; we MUST warn them! God spoke to His prophet in Ezekiel 33:8-9 that says "8 when I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you must certainly die,' and you do not warn the wicked about his behavior, the wicked man will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked man to change his behavior, and he refuses to change, he will die for his iniquity, but you have saved your own life.

We value our relationship to everyone around us, but if it's about time to rebuke, to correct, or to warn them even at the point of breaking our connection with them, we need to do it. It is our obligation to comply to bring the lost souls back to God's feet and live a righteous lives. Whether they will change or not, we have at least done our part as primary accountable to their ignorance of God's righteousness. Moreover, we should be accepting others warning as well as submission to this same command of God especially if we are caught sinning against Him. 

God bless everyone!

Both May Or May Not Prosper, So Do It Anyway!

On the very first time that I decided to start the new FBGC church service in Point Cook, I feel worried about the possibility that it may not work for me. Moreover, I was also ordained to be the local pastor in this new community of believers. Although I have that desire in my heart and seeing the vision in my mind for what this church will look like, I really have no idea that I will serve as the pastor of this church, given my lack of experience in this field.

With my doubt, I did not stop to do what God has called me to perform. We open our home to serve as our initial venue for the opening of our church service, we organize according to what task each pioneering members can carry out, we plan for some activities that help us to grow as a church for both workers and members like Beginners Bible Class, organizing Cell Group for smaller group bible studies and fellowship, and many more. At this moment, we have just moved to a new place God has prepared for us to serve as new place of meeting with Him.

Truly God confirms to me that we are called to be qualified even if we are not. He also revealed to me that everything we do for God, let us just do it as what said in Ecclesiastes 11:5-6 that " 5 Just as you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones form in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. 6 Sow your seed in the morning, and do not stop working until the evening; for you do not know which activity will succeed - whether this one or that one, or whether both will prosper equally."

Therefore, I urge you to continue to serve in whatever God called you for - whether it is for a small or big task, for simple or complex roles, and for obvious or discreet service. As long as we do our part, God will also do His part. The success is not for us to think of as we do not really know how our God works.

God bless everyone!

Always Take A Second Look

Everyone is dreaming a good life free of any troubles, hardships, and sorrows. Who doesn’t want it? But when we are going to ask Jesus about it, I think he will give us a very good illustration of taking the path between life and destruction which I think in my own opinion refers to facing the different problems we may encounter of choosing Him against the world.

Jesus says in Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." He is warning us of choosing life against death, Him or the evil world, heaven or hell. He is showing us the options and the rewards after you have taken which path.

Jesus unfolds to us the true life while we are here on earth and living a life imitating Him and His deeds. Our eyes, as the windows of our soul, are easily blinded by the world due to the lust of the flesh. And what we see is what we want, that is why Jesus reminded us many times that walking with Him must be through faith and not through sight. Though we are experiencing sufferings today by obeying our God, therefore we cannot enjoy what the world enjoys; we are going to be rewarded in the end.

I urge you to always have a second look of what choices we are making in our lives. Always get ourselves reminded of Jesus’ reflection of the two different gates. Sometimes, those less popular one and hard to find will give the most precious reward. Be patient always if you think what you are doing now doesn’t make sense, for all your hardships does no really equate to nothing rather to a beautiful gift of life not only today but to the days to come where we will be forever with Jesus.

God bless everyone!

Be a Blessing, Not a Curse

I forgive but I do not forget!"

This quote is one of the popular, if not the famous statement, that we can hear or read in social networking posts coming from persons who received pains, betrayals, sorrows, and troubles from family, friends, acquaintances, or even strangers. It is a sad situation to witness that once best of friends with their number of years of great relationship will simply be ruined because of sinning against each other that reach ones limit. Then when they start talking to each other, they will learn the things that they hate from each other before, although they have already forgiven themselves before, but it was not really forgotten.

This kind of relationship and situation are becoming very popular now. Worst thing a person can do to others is to retaliate verbally, physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. We tend to cast curses, slander, or do the same way how it was done to us even to point of threatening others’ lives. Scary but true. It is simply because evil is taking that opportunity where a person is most vulnerable and that's when they are in their burning anger.

I was reminded by the Bible verse in 1 Peter 3:9 which says "Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing." We mostly forget about this simple principle of acting graciously when we received evil and insult from others. Even Jesus teaching says that when someone strike us on our cheek, we turn the other as well (Matthew 5:39). Jesus knows that the person in anger is not fully aware of what he is going through. These people who are causing us pains are probably experiencing hatreds, sufferings, addictions, sins, troubles and problems; and reacting with same anger may not help them at all if the intention is to simply keep them away.

People in anger need help, they may be waiting for a blessing to come such us understanding, comfort, companion, sympathy, and the like. Instead of us returning them with evil and insult, why don't we try to bless them instead? Because with that humble attitude towards the others; you are already sharing the blessings that you have also received from Jesus --- the new you that bears the image of God. Therefore as a new creation, let us remember 1 Peter 3:8 - "Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble." Learn to be a blessing to everyone and not a curse.

God bless everyone!

The Bible and Its Design

The Bible is our “Basic Information Before Leaving Earth”. This serves as our primary reference for everything to live here on earth; in peace, in righteousness and in saving grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. It reveals great wisdom from different authors of the books, moreover, the scriptures spoken and written by our God. Everything written to it has great significance; well, it may be boring in some part of the books when read but that is of equal importance.

Why are we studying the Bible? Aside from being one of the longest surviving books of the early people, this is written not to entertain, inform, and teach the reader but to transform, inspire, refresh, and give insights and wisdom for those who dig on every stories, verses, and context inside of it. The message revealed is always new at every instance you read it, it maybe mysterious but this is how God designed it.

I have not seen any books that a single verse can give several meanings and penetrate the heart and mind of every vulnerable reader. The Bible is totally useless for those who do not want to be ruled by it. For some, it is a simple books placed in the corner of our bookshelves covered with dust. For most of us, even those who claim to be Christians, failed to unleash and experience the promises and power of every words embedded in it.

The Bible records what God did along with its endless stories, the Bible is also telling it again and again until the end has come. Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 (NET) "I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. God has made it this way, so that men will fear him. Whatever exists now has already been, and whatever will be has already been; for God will seek to do again what has occurred in the past.

God bless us always!

Jesus - A Soul Caretaker

There was a recent miracle witnessed by the whole world over the execution of Mary Jane Veloso, the convicted drug courier to Indonesia and sentenced with a death penalty through firing squad. It was, indeed, a miracle because she was the only one spared of life among the eight other prisoners who were in the same firing line to face the gruesome act of Indonesian laws.

All Filipinos around the globe are celebrating and truly overwhelmed by God’s Saving Grace and granting the prayers to spare MJ’s life. Everyone is in the attitude of praise, giving glory and honour to Him. This event is a true test of faith not only by the Filipinos but by MJ herself. The scripture is true that “only our own faith can saves us.” MJ says that “Na kahit gahibla na lang na oras ang natitira, kung gusto ng Panginoon na mabuhay ako, bubuhayin pa niya ako.” Her story really moves every Filipino in their faith and in tears simply because everyone believes, she is only a victim of human and drug trafficking syndicate.

I wonder during the times of Jesus crucifixion or even the time He was sentenced to death, how many people have prayed to get Him spared? Is there any single person ever question the rule of court to get Jesus freed from any convictions? Indeed, even Pontius Pilate did not found anything worthy for Jesus to be sentenced to death but he still forced to die. Not even Jesus or even our God – The Father, saves Him from this suffering. It is simply because Jesus came to the world to save, and not to be saved. His sufferings are our sins which His body carried and is crucified together in the Cross of Calvary.  Worse is that He has to die with it as this symbolizes that our sins need to die as well.

But Jesus death is not a bad news at all, it looked bad but it is indeed a very good news; because He was raised on the third day to live and bring righteousness to everyone who will believe in Him. God’s wounds allow us to get healed in our own wounds --- wounds in physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects of our lives, which can be found through all the sins we have committed against God. We may experience sufferings in times but like Jesus, we will gain righteousness and live with it the same like Him. And like Mary Jane, we may get lost our soul due to all troubles and pains; look for it again and return to God to let Him be the Caretaker of our souls.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. - (1 Peter 2:24-25)."

Improvement Through Faith

Preaching the Gospel of Jesus is the main task of every believer and follower of Christ. We will encounter many kinds of people of different norms and culture, life statuses, and levels of intelligence in every moment of sharing the good news brought to us by Jesus. And in the presence of dynamic information technology in today's generation, spreading the good news is being presented in more creative and fancy way, and distributed very fast and connecting to the world too easily.

But great power has great responsibility. Everyone wants to upgrade our skills in these technologies and embracing it, incorporating it, and becoming part of our daily lives. Our core of sharing the Gospel of Jesus is becoming a habit of simple explanation and message created by the author and we are agreeing only most often. Our job to scrutinize it, study it, and understand it is now disregarded; rather, we simply believe it to be the truth as it was revealed. If we lost our access to all our high technologies, we are getting lost as well in our faith.

Mostly, these technologies are becoming popular and forgetting the core of sharing the Gospel of Jesus. Instead of opening our bible and read it by ourselves with asking guidance from the Holy Spirit, we mostly rely to someone else's revelation. This attitude then reflects in our conduct to others, that is where everyone should be worried about. Paul reminds us in Colossians 4:5-6, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone."

With technologies, the sincerity of a person sharing the Gospel of Jesus is being hidden. The tone of voice, heart's faith, God's wisdom and revelation, and genuine emotions are not passed to the person whom we are sharing Jesus to. If we are true believer of Christ, we are responsible to maintain the integrity of every word of God and His scriptures; because modifying it will not cause any blessings at all but a curse. God is concerned more in upgrading ourselves through Faith rather than upgrading ourselves through technologies in the very Core of Jesus Gospel. 

God bless everyone!

Righteousness - A Work Of Faith

To most of us, churchgoers; coming to the church services is one way for us to show that we are active members of such church. However when outside of the church service, do we still keep ourselves active in expressing our faith? Or we simply keep ourselves quiet about it and simply go along with the worldly deeds of our unbeliever peers.

The brother of Jesus, James, reminds us in his epistle that faith must be accompanied with works -- "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." --James 2:26. There are two separate phrases in this verse which are correlated with each other as the former refers to the church and the latter to its member.

Being member of Christ's church does not start and end in coming and leaving the church service. Membership starts on the day of your salvation, the time you accepted Jesus as your Savior and repented on your sins; and ends in eternity with Jesus. Our physical death will not end our goal for eternity, it is only an end of our physical bodies but it continuous until Jesus has return and judge the world. Therefore, in everything we do, comprehend, think, and feel; it must exhibit our faith which Jesus established in our hearts. The faith that God gave us as a result of His salvation must support the fulfillment of the law of God and not to break it. The church that breaks the law of God does not bear the Spirit of God which he also leaves in us to be our guide and our power to advance all the good works God asked us to perform.

But being a member of the church is not a guarantee of eternity because every person has to work on its own salvation. Church of Christ has already established to bring every soul inside of it. But once you are in, every member needs to exercise the faith that they accepted, a visible faith that is lighted up and is giving light especially in darkness.

The faith does not just believe God and knowing Jesus, it has to be accompanied by works acceptable to God which is righteousness. As a clue in James 2:19 says "You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that - and tremble with fear."

God bless everyone!

Be Contented as a Child

When I was looking at the old photographs of my children, it reminds me how beautiful they are when they were still babies and I noticed how quiet and contented they are when I was carrying them in my arms. It is good to be a child, indeed, as you are not aware what things are happening around you. 

Psalms 131:1-3 

1 O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor do I have a haughty look. I do not have great aspirations, or concern myself with things that are beyond me. 

2 Indeed I am composed and quiet, like a young child carried by its mother; I am content like the young child I carry. 

3 O Israel, hope in the Lord now and forevermore! 

The psalmist in Psalms 131 is trying to console himself and not to concern the things that are beyond his. With our limited knowledge and wisdom, we cannot explain and longs for things that cannot reach by human capabilities. There are things that we can only hope for to God that everything we need will be taken care of by Him. Like a mother to His child, God want us to rest in His Hope. 

Though we all on our way to maturity in knowledge, experience, and physical aspects; our attitude toward God's control over our lives must remain like a child. We need to be humble before God and do not boast about ourselves as his child doing everything he required from us to do. Instead, he encouraged us to hope in God about concerns that we cannot understand even to the point of suffering while serving Him. 

God wants to reach us and hold in His arms, and take his rest. Resting before God assures us of peace away from any troubles we are worried about. God wants us to keep ourselves quiet and be a child before Him, that as a child we simply trust our mother as she carries us in her arms. 

There, our contentment allows us to enjoy the moment with her. The next time we come before God, let everyone of us hope to the Lord now and forever to enjoy peace in eternity with Him. 

God bless everyone!!!