Journalese

Pastor Isabelo Magalit on Jn. 21:15-19

2012-01-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

This audio podcast features Pastor Isabelo Magalit of the Diliman Campus Bible Church preaching from John 21:15-19 for the annual church planning.

Jan. 20, 2012

Reflections and Prayers for the New Year

2012-01-06T07:31:00.000-08:00

I haven't been updating my blog for a while because I don't have the luxury of time. But I believe a post about some of my biggest lessons in ministry last year deserves to be written. So, I'm taking a few minutes to update you about God's workings in my life in the previous year.

2011 is my first full year in Christian ministry. It was a difficult year because of the adjustments I had to make. There were several times I felt idle because I couldn't put my schedule in order. I had full control of my time but the challenge was most of the ministry activities happened simultaneously in selected periods of the day or week. This left me with alternating jam-packed and excessively free time, and switching my biological mood from one mode to the other proved difficult.

By God's grace, however, I learned to handle my unorthodox schedule, slowly mastering how to use my time wisely. In 2012, I commit to be a better steward of this resource as my ministry work expanded to include not only the UP Diliman Campus but also Pisay Diliman and Krus na Ligas Elementary School.

Yes, last year, God opened two new ministry opportunities for me. I now serve students from elementary to college as a counselor, Bible and values teacher, a staff worker, or simply a "kuya." Each ministry has its own set of challenges. Work with elementary students stretch my patience a lot. The hyper-active sixth graders-- around fifty in each class --have difficulty focusing and listening. Many times I find myself consuming much time putting the class in order!

KNL is actually the most challenging of my ministries. I was discouraged many times because I felt that the students were not bearing fruit. Some were becoming worse despite the values lessons we had week after week. But, praise God, because He sustained me until the end of the year. I'm now excited to meet my students again next Monday. Pray with me that they'll be more behaved in the last three months of our meetings.

Pisay is a new territory for me. I decided to help in the ACTS ministry in the Diliman campus because I figured that most of the graduates of the high school enter UP in college. I wanted to minister to them as early as possible and also continue ministering in college especially when they pass UP Diliman. A few years back, several in our fellowship in the dorms started in ACTS. I desire to serve as a bridge to bring back the connection between their fellowship and ours in serving the students whom God led to our ministry.

I think the greatest challenge in Pisay is the seeming lack of interest of the students. Many of them are glued on their dreams and ambitions, and so find God and spiritual issues unappealing. There are also several restrictions on campus, making our projects and programs less flexible. Despite these, however, the potential of planting seeds of the Gospel is enormous. Pray with us as we continue to seek the Lord's guidance in expanding our ministry among the freshmen in Pisay.

I know that there will be much work in the coming months, but I have peace that God will be with us, giving us strength to persevere.

Finally, I still have my first ministry, the UP Diliman Campus. We were able to start a fellowship in the newest dorm on campus and I am very grateful to the Lord for that. I know that it is only by His grace that the vision became a reality. I'm also thankful because of the eagerness of other Christians in the Centennial dormitory to help in starting the fellowship. Continue to pray for us as we expand our activities in the said dormitory.

As for the other dorm fellowships, pray with us as we revive and revitalize them. 2 Corinthians 4:1 always resonates in my heart when I think about my ministry in DCF. God exhorts, "Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart."

It is by God's mercy and grace that we are ministering to our fellow dormers. He gave us this ministry and He will sustain us as long as He sees fit. We are dependent upon Him. If He desires to expand us, He will. If He desires to dissolve us, I know He will raise other people to minister to the dormers. But as long as we are here by His mercies, we continue to work for God and not lose heart.

There are so many things going on and I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Just thinking about the workload makes me tired, but I know God will sustain me. Please pray with me for people to really commit themselves to the Lord. Pray also for burdened hearts to reach out to the lost in the dorms and in UP as a whole.

I will end here for the mean time. I have so much more in mind, but I'll share them with you in the days to come. Remember me in your prayers.

In Christ,

Pau

The Gospel is for Everyone

2011-11-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

The Gospel is for everyone. This is a lesson I learned and continue to learn the hard way. We do not choose who to share it to; but our attitude should be like that of the apostles Peter and John who said “we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20).”

During the Missions Exposure Trip in Catanauan, God taught me to face this reality through the most unexpected people. I was sharing the Gospel to a friendly-looking teen on the shore when an old man who was evidently drunk called my attention.

“Totoy,” he barked,“Why don’t you come here and share what you’re teaching about God to us? We also want to listen.”

I turned my head and felt that I would rather not. I figured from my past Missions Trip experiences that drunken men weren’t the best people to share the Gospel to. I paused for what felt like eternity until finally, I wheeled reluctantly to where they were.

I sat and talked with them—around five if I remember right—for two whole hours. There were moments I felt giving up because our conversation was going in circles. But I held on and shared what I could of the Gospel because I sensed that they were really asking genuine questions.

I couldn’t forget the realization of one of the men when I started talking about the sinfulness of humanity. I shared that the Bible teaches that all have sinned and there is no way a person can cleanse himself of sin. Furthermore, unless this sin is removed, no one can enter God’s kingdom.

The man who called was jolted back to his senses and exclaimed, “You mean if I can’t cleanse my sin, when I die, I will go to hell? But there’s no way to cleanse sin!”

At that moment I tried my best to emphasize Jesus’ death on the cross as God’s means of cleansing sin, and faith and repentance as a person’s proper response to this gift. I don’t know if they understood it or if they believed it, but my joy is in the fact that they grasped the concept of sin and its punishment. I know that God will meet them where they are now.

I said my goodbye after praying for them when God gave me another surprise. One of the men approached me and asked, “Could you pray for me? I have a sin which I couldn’t lift up to God.” I was moved with compassion. Explaining that God alone forgives sins and I was only His instrument, I prayed for him, asking that God would help him know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

After the experience, I paused and asked God to forgive me for being choosy in sharing His Gospel. Had the man not called me, there would have been no way for me to share the Gospel to them. Now I know firsthand what it means to share the Gospel to all creation. And my prayer is that God would enable me to do so.

DCF's Alumni Homecoming

2011-10-09T23:29:00.000-07:00

I find it fitting to start my DCF Alumni Homecoming post with Steve Greene's "Find Us Faithful." The song's chorus goes:

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

This is my prayer as a DCF alumnus, that the ministry God entrusted to us will continue to inspire the younger generation. At the same time, I encourage those who are currently serving in DCF to never waste this God-given opportunity to work for the Lord. We pass through this route but once, so let us make the most out of it all for God's glory.

-----

Last Saturday's alumni homecoming forged stronger bonds between the Ates and Kuyas, and the younger members of the fellowship as they shared stories of their experiences in DCF.

The event was simple and personal, and the stories shared encouraged everyone to continue speaking about Jesus on campus and beyond. This is very timely especially with the upcoming Missions Exposure Trip to Catanauan. The members of the team who attended were blessed by the testimonies. And God's faithfulness was made evident especially in the stories of His provision and leading.

Alumni Sharing

From Left to Right: Kuya Jed, Kuya Luther, Kuya Rex, Ate Joan

Ate Joan, who belonged to the first batch of DCFers, emphasized the need to be FAT spiritually. That is, to be Faithful, Available and Teachable in doing God's ministry.

Kuya Rex, on the other hand, said he gained lifelong friends from the Narra Christian Fellowship (NCF). He described them as "the best set of friends" he ever had because of their genuine concern for him as a brother in Christ.

Another NCF alumnus and now a pastor of a local church noted that DCF lasted for 22 years only through God's enabling. Kuya Jed added that the fellowship has served as an avenue for Christian students to fulfill their calling as Christ's ambassadors in UP Diliman.

The youngest of the group, Kuya Luther urged his fellow alumni to continue supporting DCF's programs, especially the Missions Trip. He said he learned a lot and grew spiritually through his exposure to short-term missions. And he desires the same for the next generation of DCFers.

Learning from Barnabas

Kuya Marrick preaches at the alumni
homecoming

After the short testimonies, Kuya Marrick, now a pastor in Batangas and a UP professor, proceeded to share God's Message for the gathering.

Using Barnabas' zeal as example, he encouraged the attendees to continue serving the DCF ministry which was once their training ground as young Christians. He said gone were the days when a person needed formal training before he or she can serve in God's work.

Instead, what people are witnessing today is the growth of the church through the service of ordinary people, much like in the time of Barnabas. "I never attended Bible School. And I always considered CCC and DCF as my training grounds for ministry," he said.

Willingness to serve is not enough, however, if the Holy Spirit is not working in a person's life, he added. Barnabas was a believer first and foremost, and his zeal for the ministry came from his personal relationship with the Lord.

He was also a giver as evidenced by his offerings to the poor members of the early church. Yet Kuya Marrick emphasized that Barnabas' giving was not limited to finances or goods, but also included time, energy and an abundance of encouragement.

"No man can commit to follow Christ, until he gives first...Becoming a part of missions requires surrendering of self..." he said.

He added, no man will desire to be in the ministry unless he has a heart for people. "It is this heart that compels him to serve the brethren," Kuya Marrick said.

Capping the message, he encouraged the DCFers to look not on their abilities or intellect but on their relationship with God as they consider serving in the ministry. After all, those whom God calls, He also equips, he said.

My reflections

I started with Steve Greene's "Find Us Faithful," now I'll end with his other song, "I Answered the Call." The song goes:

The spirit of God is calling
Calling to men
Stirring within our hearts a call
To faithfulness again
First to our God
Then in our homes
Faithful in all we are
And with all that we own

I answer the call
I take my stand
I choose to live my days on earth
A faithful man
And to that end
I give my all
And in the strength and grace of God
I answer the call

Each of us has answered God's call when we turned to Him for salvation. But a greater calling is ever before us-- to live our Christianity and shine as salt and light wherever God plants us. May our lives be open Bibles to people that they may know God through our testimonies. And may God give us the strength to share Him in every opportunity He provides.

God bless us all. :)

Memory Verse 3- Romans 8:35, 37-39

2011-10-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Sem-ender at CCM with YCF and ICF

2011-10-05T20:14:00.000-07:00

God has been faithful to the Centennial Christian Movement. It was a tough start for us, but I'm convinced that the time we gave to the ministry was a worthy investment.

As I look back to our first semester, I'm led to read 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 once more:

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

We were able to start CCM only by God's mercy. He brought it to life and sustained it. So, if He blesses the fellowship and it grows, we have nothing to boast except in Jesus Christ. Or if God decides to close the fellowship, we should not be discouraged because we know that He is up to something greater for His Name.

After all, even in the absence of formal gatherings, a fellowship lives on so long as the people who compose it nurture their relationship with one another. I do not look at numbers as a basis of CCM's success or failure. Instead, I look at the people God brought together and I am concerned more with their spiritual standing before God.

I know that our ministry in the Centennial Dormitory is successful if every person God brings to the fellowship is walking the path towards Christlikeness. I'd rather see a fellowship with only a few, faithful believers walking together in the highway of holiness towards God, than have a large group where not a single one is truly regenerated.

We are starting out small in CCM as I pray that the few people we have will truly dedicate their lives to Christ, fearing no persecution as they share Him, having no reservations as they serve Him, and offering everything as they worship Him.

This is my prayer for CCM and for all other dorm fellowships in DCF: that we invest on our relationship with God as we slowly expand our circles and build genuine relationships with people, especially those who have not known Christ yet.

This can be a very slow process, but I believe it will result to more genuine relationships with Christ compared to the many "fast-food" and "pyramiding" techniques modern day churches have invented. And because the process is slow, we learn all the more to depend on other Christian groups to reach as many as possible.

Another semester is about to begin. I enjoin you all to continue lifting our ministry in prayer as we share Christ in the dorms and build up one another towards Christlikeness.

Loving One Another

2011-10-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).”

Christianity is counter-cultural in many ways. When the world chooses the path of war, Christianity calls for peace. When popular opinion says resist, it takes the route of submission. When people say assert your rights, Christ commands, "Turn the other cheek."

Many shy away from this side of our faith, saying it only breeds weakness. At the same time, they accuse people who try to live out these tenets as vulnerable, helpless and even hopeless. "Why," they ask, "do you let other people trample on you?"

I say, they are missing the point of love. When Jesus called us to Himself, He also called us to imitate His humility. He who is everything made Himself nothing for our sake. In the same way, Jesus wants us to think not of ourselves or our own good, but to place Him first, others second and ourselves last in our hierarchy of concerns. This is love in action.

In fact, when we meditate on the original Greek word for love used in the verses above-- agape -- we will realize that Jesus demanded from His followers a kind of love that expects nothing in return. He is telling us, "Love one another unconditionally, giving your all to serve, help, encourage, train, teach, rebuke, and correct your brothers and sisters. This, afterall, is the example I gave you on the cross."

"Love one another..."-- so simple a command but extremely difficult to fully obey. How can we love the unlovable? Does this mean we always take the gracious and forgiving side, letting our abusive brothers and sisters to go on their ways?

We are called to bear with each other, to forgive and to love (Col. 3:13) and this goes out to every believer. In practice, however, the more mature ones tend to apply this first, and the younger in the faith follow suit after some time. And they do, more often than not, only after the more mature ones exercise loving rebuke and correction about the unloving actions of the brother or sister.

Love is not just about the good feeling or the grace or the forgiveness. At times, it calls for serious confrontation of sin but always within Biblical parameters with the brother's restoration-- not one's self-righteousness-- as prime motivation.

The challenge is for us to exercise grace and forgiveness while helping an erring brother realize his unloving actions or attitudes with the prayer that he'll take the highway of change.

This has never been easy because the pride in us automatically rears its head the moment it feels threatened. Without us noticing, we slip into selfish argumentation. We claim to desire our brother's well-being when, in fact, our rebuke has become a struggle to prove our point and salvage our wounded pride. What a sad reality.

May we learn to truly love one another as Christ loved us. When we think of ourselves as nothing, we have no reason to protect our pride. Afterall, the humble attitude of Christ says, "I boast nothing about myself because I am but a worm... a slave... and my worth is only in my Savior, Jesus."

If this will be true to us, an inevitable revolution or revival even will sweep across our churches and fellowships. And the world will begin to see a marked difference in our circles, that we truly love one another.

If we open our mouths and say, "It is because Jesus loves us that we love one another," people will look at our Savior and realize His power to transform lives. And we never know, this can lead them to a saving relationship with Him.

Rummage Sale for the Missions Trip

2011-10-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

It took a while for me to blog again because I was busy with other things. I'm starting off with this post about last Saturday's rummage sale for the month of October.

First of all, our heart-felt thanks goes to all who gave items for the sale. We had a good supply of blouses and rubber shoes as well as long-sleeved polo from various alumni. During our sale, however, several tricycle drivers were asking for maong pants and men's T-shirts. We are still welcoming donations for our second round of sale.

Second, we want to thank everyone who gave their precious time to man the store last weekend. We are also encouraged by those who helped in the pricing and the transport of the items from our house to Ate Flor's at 41 Malinis. We also thank Ate Flor who generously opened her home for us and Dang, as well, for cooking great food for the volunteers.

Finally, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who spent a minute or two in prayer for the entire rummage sale. We acknowledge that your spiritual support made a lot of difference for us, volunteers. Though the day was wet, cold and exhausting, nothing energized us more than the thought of brothers and sisters lifting us all in prayer to the Lord.

Jim and Diana are busy cleaning the slippers and shoes for rummage. I am blessed by Jim's presence. He did not plan to help in the pricing but he joined us in the last minute from the pricing until our rummage shop's closing.

Marvee and Kuya Arnold joined Diana in pricing the dresses and shirts. We consulted Kuya Arn for the prices because he is a self-confessed ukay-ukay expert.

We sold mostly shirts, skirts and dresses for women. Here is a snap shot of our merchandise carefully folded by Diana and Marvee.

The Yakal and Ipil boys joined us the following day. They helped in carrying the merchandise from our house to Ate Flor's. It's amusing to realize that most of those present were boys but the items we were selling were for ladies. Here, we see Marko, Diana and Jayvee deciding on the price of a coat donated by Ate Flor.

Jim looks tired and grumpy here but he actually enjoyed the sale.

Finally, here's a photo of our shop. It's a bit messy because we had to cram the items in one corner of Ate Flor's garage to shade them from the drizzle. We usually spread the items all over the place but this time, we were constrained by the rain.

Here's another view of our rummage sale. The cloudy sky doesn't show in the photo but the entire Saturday was actually rainy. It's still amazing though because we were able to sell some items and raise P1,300 for the day. It isn't much but it's God's provision so we praise Him. Ate Shii and Kuya Butch also donated additional rummage items in the afternoon so we have new ones to sell next Wednesday. :)

Fund raising for the Missions Exposure Trip is truly a testing of faith. But I have peace because throughout the years, God has never failed in providing for our needs. I am actually excited to see Him work wonders and miracles one more time as we put together Php 82,000 for the Missions Exposure Trip.

Just an update, we have now raised around Php 23,000 and counting. Praise God! :D

Memory Verse 2: Romans 8:28

2011-10-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.

Memory Verse 1: John 1:1-5

2011-10-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

Pedring Onslaught

2011-09-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

Here are photos of devastation in UP after typhoon Pedring hit Manila yesterday:

This tree's branches snapped and are hanging by the bark.

Here's another tree falling over a house in our neighborhood.

A tree uprooted and fell on my former dorm.

Praise God we were spared at home. But my heart goes out to everyone affected by the typhoon.

On Shamcey Supsup's Q&A

2011-09-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of beauty pageants but this time around I find the Q&A portion of Miss Universe very interesting. I want to focus on the question given to Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup and her answer.

Here is a transcript of the question from Vivica Fox and Shamcey's answer:

Vivica Fox: "Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person you love? Why and why not?"
Miss Philippines: "If I had to change my religious beliefs, I will not marry the person that I love because the first person that I love is God, who created me. And I have my faith, my principles, and this is what makes (stet) me who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God too."

Shamsey gave a very brave answer, knowing that perhaps most of her judges belong to the liberal mindset of the West where a person's self-fulfillment takes precedence over anything, even over God.

It was a difficult question and no answer will please everyone in the crowd. This is generally true when we start talking about religion. But I affirm Shamcey because she moved from the man-made institution to focus on the heart of every faith-system, God.

And in her case, I have a feeling (this also comes from testimonies of Shamsey's friends and media interviews of people close to her) that the God she was referring to was the God of the Bible. It just saddens me that she may have yielded to ecumenical pressure by not specifying the God she was referring to.

Despite, this, however, I find her stand very bold as it spelled out her life's priorities. How many people can say to the world that God is number one in their life? Though it's difficult to gauge the veracity of Shamcey's answer, I think the fact that she dared to answer the way she did before an unbelieving world should be taken into account.

After all, she could have chosen to be inclusive by saying-- like the universalists --that all religions lead to the same God, so changing one's religion is a non-issue. But she did not choose this path, and instead, stood on the exclusivity of her belief and faith, which she said defined who she was.

But I want to take this discussion further. I find it fitting to clarify that Biblical Christianity is not really about religion. This will sound cliche for believers but I'll say it nonetheless, "It's about relationship."

In a way, one's religious background doesn't really matter when he or she's confronted by Jesus' Gospel of grace. God will not ask, "What is your religion?" before deciding whether or not you enter heaven. Instead, He'll inquire in the book of life if you belong to those whose lives were surrendered by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Yes, there is truly exclusivity in the Christian faith, one that makes other belief systems cry out, "Legalism!" But when you try and study Biblical Christianity from the Scriptures firsthand, you will see that it is the most reasonable belief system.

It tells us that God, in His love and mercy, sent His one and only Son, the man-God Jesus, to fulfill what we cannot do on our own-- paying for our sins for our salvation. Upon His completion of this great task, a way was opened for everyone to have a personal relationship with God. This relationship is by grace through faith in Jesus alone, not by good works.

But faith is not just head knowledge, but a total surrender of the person's life, a turning away from sin through repentance and a yielding of the self to the One True God by faith.

I would have loved it if Shamcey was able to include these words in her answer. :)

Dormwatch 2nd Issue for August

2011-09-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

DormWatch 2nd Issue 11-12

Tres Marias

2011-09-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Behind the famous Oblation statue, down the expanse of the University of the Philippines amphitheater, and enclosed in blocks of stone stands a remembrance to the contribution of three women to Philippine History.

Draped in their midst is the country’s foremost symbol—stripes of blue and red, a white triangle, three stars and an eight-rayed sun—the Philippine flag, first known as the “sun and the stars flag.”

Raised in a high pedestal at the center of the Charter’s Donors Garden, Napoleon V. Abueva’s “Three Women Sewing the First Philippine Flag” immortalizes the making of the country’s emblem in stone, granite and marble.

Sculpted in 1996, a year after the national artist’s retirement from the university and two years shy from the centenary of the Philippine Independence, the sculpture is Abueva’s rendition of Fernando Amorsolo’s painting, “The Making of the Philippine Flag.”

“Tres Marias,” as it is known among UP students, recognizes the talent, work and devotion of Marcela Agoncillo, her daughter Lorenza, and Mrs. Delfina Natividad in hand-sewing and embroidering the first Philippine flag back in 1897.

The Agoncillos in Hongkong

Marcela’s husband, Don Felipe, a wealthy young judge and diplomat during the Spanish and American period sailed for Japan on April of 1895 after learning of the Spanish Government’s plans to exile him to Jolo. Don Felipe is a revolutionist who supported the cause for Philippine independence. This support incurred the ire of the Spanish government, calling him a “filibustero” and blacklisting him as a threat to peace and stability. After a short period, he moved to Hong Kong from Yokohama to join other Filipino revolutionary exiles.

During these time, Marcela was left in the Philippines to care for their daughters in Malate, Manila. After almost two years, however, they followed Don Felipe in Hong Kong where they rented a house in the Wan Chai district.

The Agoncillos’ home in Hong Kong became a refuge for Filipino exiles. The couple welcomed Filipinos in need, providing them with shelter and food until they have adjusted to life in the tiny British colony. Almost everyday they had to hide fleeing Filipinos who are threatened to death and torture by the Spanish government in the Philippines.

It was in that same house that the Agoncillos met Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo with over 40 revolutionists went into voluntary exile on Dec. 1897 after the signing of the “Truce of Biak-na-bato.”

The Filipino general, familiar of Marcel’s needle and thread skills, asked her to sew a flag for the Philippine republic based on the design he himself made. Having had good education in the all-girls Sta. Catalina College and being the first Filipina to graduate from Oxford University, Marcela accepted the challenge.

The Sewing of the Philippine Emblem

For five days, Marcela, her daughter Lorenza, and Mrs.Natividad, Jose Rizal’s niece by her sister Lucia, worked on the flag. Marcela bought satin in Hong Kong and they used it for the Philippine emblem. They embroidered their work with gold thread, sewing the three stars on the corners of the white triangle and joining these with red and blue horizontal stripes.

From May 12 to 17, 1987, the three women unceasingly sewed by hand and machine to finish the Philippine flag. Marcela even wrote in her diary that they had to redo the sun after its rays were sewed in the wrong direction.

On the fifth day, Marcela personally delivered the item to Gen. Aguinaldo which was among the things he packed as he sailed back to Manila. On June, 1898, this same flag was unfurled in the balcony of the general's house declaring Philippine independence from Spain.

Tres Marias, Abuevas

Marcela and her two companions’ contribution had gone into history books and even into art forms. Amorsolo painted his vision of how the three women sewed the flag in Hong Kong. Abueva followed suit with his sculpture which now stands in UP between the amphitheater and the lagoon.

A plate with golden letters held the words “Abueva and Sons,” an acknowledgment of the passing on of talent from the master sculptor to his heirs. At the same time, the sculpture is a product of combined work of the Abuevas as the national artist’s age continues to limit his strength and endurance for the strenuous work that is sculpting.

Despite this, however, the combined effort in creating the work mirrored what the three women in Hong Kong did more than a hundred years ago to finish the Philippine National Flag—the same design that now banners the country’s independence.

Urgency of sharing the Gospel: My reflection and summary

2011-09-11T18:35:00.000-07:00

The urgency to share the Gospel is a reality in light of life’s unpredictability. God’s Word is clear; anyone who does not turn from sin to God through repentance and faith has no chance of ever being in His presence at the appointed time.

But because we do not know each person’s lifespan or the exact day of Jesus’ Second Coming, complacency has no room in the Great Commission.

These truths are behind DCF’s decision to hold a series on Evangelism in its General Assemblies throughout the semester. There is a longing for each member to actively share the Gospel to their friends and dormmates. This means living out one’s Christianity, being sensitive to Gospel openings brought by the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaiming the Good News to all creation.

This August, Kuya Caloy Novisteros kicked off the series with his challenge to evaluate one’s evangelism in light of Scripture. There is a need today to ensure that the message we preach and the methods we use adhere to the examples and teachings of the Bible.

The danger of the fast food culture is the unhealthy emphasis on increasing the number of “believers” in as short a time as possible. Using numbers as a measure for ministry success unwittingly attracts evangelists to “easy believism,” “decisionism” in evangelism, prosperity and man-centered gospels.

To safeguard our message and motives, Kuya Caloy gave six points which can guide us young ambassadors of the Good News.

1. We must have the right passion

If we are not truly concerned for the lost, we will never be effective evangelists. Paul has set the example. He went from town to town preaching salvation in Jesus because he loved his fellow Jews and even the Gentiles. Paul is so dedicated in his mission that he even wrote, “woe is me if I do not preach the gospel (1 Cor 9:16).”

The founder of the Overseas Missionaries Fellowship, Hudson Taylor, also exhibited this passion. His heart cried out for China and her people that he started the China Inland Mission despite the persecutions and challenges he had faced.

Both of these men’s passion for the lost comes from knowing and discovering God more and more. And if we lack such, pray that the Lord will give us the burden for the lost. Kuya Caloy said this is one prayer God truly answers.

2. We must have the right priority

In Acts 15:36, we read about Paul expressing his desire to go back and visit the churches that they have planted. He wanted to ensure that the young Christians there receive proper nourishment from the Word. His priority was to build up the believers that they may mature in faith by the Word of God.

3. Right Personnel

God doesn’t call the equipped. Instead, HE equips those whom He calls. One can never be prepared enough for ministry apart from the grace of God. And the key characteristics that one should possess include obedience, sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and dependence on God.

Take Jesus’ Apostles for example. They were in various stages of unpreparedness from the most unqualified backgrounds, but God molded them to become His Gospel Messengers throughout the known world of their time.

4. Right precaution

We are not just preaching the Gospel in thin air but to people with different cultures and background. We need to be aware of these things to effectively convey the Message, preventing unpleasant incidents for the evangelists.

When Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra, for example, they healed a man lame from birth as a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, something they usually do with the Jews.

Sadly, however, their audience that time was mostly Gentiles who believed in Greek mythology. The healing and preaching sent the wrong message to the people that the two apostles were Hermes and Zeus who have come to visit them.

When we preach the Gospel, we have to be sensitive to our audience’s needs and backgrounds for us to know the best ways of presenting the Gospel.

5. We need the right presentation

Needless to say, salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone. We do not smuggle in foreign teachings like health, wealth and prosperity promises just to entice people. We preach Jesus and not our churches or organizations.

We also do not put our faith in any method or strategy except on the power of God’s Word to convict people of sin, and the Holy Spirit in drawing them to God.

We can browse through the book of Acts to find examples of Gospel preaching by the Apostles. Most notable perhaps are Acts 2:14-41 and Acts 17:22-31. Learn from them.

6. They were in the right place

In Acts 16:7, we discover Paul’s overall director in his missionary journeys—the Holy Spirit. God was leading him to places where He wanted him to be, and he was sensitive enough to realize this.

God opens doors and closes windows. He prevents and allows. We just have to be discerning enough so that we can always keep step with the Spirit’s pace. Let us also pray for obedience that we may always yield to His desires.

These are but some principles to remember in evangelism. Ultimately, however, we rely on God who transforms people by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The UP Singing Ambassadors @ 31

2011-09-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

Taken from upsa2009.weebly.com

It was the last song they had to sing in one of their choir competitions in 2008. After this, they would find out whether they won or not.

It was a foreign song for the all-Filipino choir from the University of the Philippines. But they had to sing it, because Oregek, composed by Hungarian artist Zoltán Kodály, is one of Hungary’s very own. Afterall, the UP Singing Ambassadors was performing in the country for the 23rd Bela Bartok International Choir Competition.

The ladies were in their stunning blue gowns, complementing the gentlemen’s dark-red tunics. Their conductor’s white barong tagalog stood out in the group as he moved across the room to face the choir.

His hands made fluid movements, and, at once, the soft but mystical voices of the ladies filled the hall. Then came a brief silence. He raised his right hand, and, in one gesture, signaled the men to join in the singing, adding a new dimension to the already beautiful sound.

They were singing in Hungarian and captivated their audience with the wonderful blend of their voices. The varying vocal ranges were dancing in the air. Like one complicated acrobatic stunt, the minutest of details was important, and every member of the choir was sensitive to the slightest change in their singing.

They sang in alternating fast and slow, loud and soft, powerful and subdued. And their audience held their breath the entire five-minute presentation. When the last note was sang, everyone burst in loud applause, at first disconcerted but slowly turned into synchronized clapping. People cheered as they made their final bow, and the clapping followed them long after they had exited the stage.

No one thought that a choir that started out as pastime for freshmen dormers at the Kalayaan Residence Hall would one day sing before foreign audiences all over the world. Back in 1975, when it was still called the Kalayaan Chorale Crowd (KCC), UPSA members only had their co-dormers to applaud them whenever they performed on special dorm events.

However, with the encouragement of the then dorm manager, Sister Angelina Bernardo, the budding chorale group flourished. And in the pivotal year 1980, KCC was finally renamed the University of the Philippines Singing Ambassadors.

On the 12th of August that year, members representing five batches of KCC, met to discuss the future of the group. Together with their Kuya Ed Manguiat, still the present-day conductor of UPSA, they discussed possible new names that could better represent the membership of the choir. By that time, several upperclassmen dormers were no longer residing in Kalai.

“Singing Ambassadors” was chosen among others because it captured a new vision for the group. It is no longer an exclusive choir for freshmen dormers, but a group of students bound by their passion for music, desiring to be “ambassadors of goodwill” through Filipino musical genius.

UPSA’s dedication to excellence in their craft slowly placed them in the map of the best chorale groups in the country. They rose to the ranks of fellow renowned choirs like the Philippines Madrigal Singers, the UP Concert Chorus, UST Singers, and Ateneo College Glee Club among others.

It was since recognized as UP’s “official performing group for choreographed choral music.” It is also the “resident choir” of the UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters, performing regularly in college-wide events like CAL’s graduation ceremonies and anniversary.

Taken from upsa2009.weebly.com

But the horizons are wider for UPSA. It was destined to represent Filipino talent not only in the country but all over the world. Since 1992, it has not failed to bring pride to the Philippines with its numerous awards in various singing competitions.

In 2008, for example, UPSA brought home 12 awards from its two-month European tour in five countries, including Poland, Hungary, France, Wales and Switzeland. Of the twelve awards, they won two grand prizes, seven first prizes and three third prizes.

In all their victories, UPSA now has the distinction of being the only Asian choir to win the Grand Prize in the “Olympics” of choral singing in the 49th Guido d’Arrezo competition in Italy. It is also one of only four Filipino choirs to qualify in the European Gran Prix for Choral Singing.

Taken from upsa2009.weebly.com

All these years UPSA has reaped several victories for UP and the country. But its activities go beyond singing competitions into communities for the elderly, the orphans, sick, handicapped, prisoners, Overseas Filipino Workers and public school students among others.

It has provided choral clinics and voice lessons for interested youth. At the same time, UPSA spearheaded several fund-raising events for their beneficiaries Tahanang Walang Hagdanan and Bahay Mapagmahal, San Lazaro Hospital and the Golden Acres, among others.

In its official website, UPSA wrote, “The group will continue to sing and dance not just for the sake of music but also for charity and lifelong friendship with the less fortunate ones.”

Now on its 31st year, the UP Singing Ambassadors will, no doubt, continue its tradition of molding young and aspiring singers with the highest vocal quality and soulful performance. And as it molds them to become the future artists of the country, the group also imparts indispensable lessons on discipline and professionalism which they can bring and use in their future careers.

After all the applauses faded and the audience sat back on their seats, it was time to reveal the judges’ decision. There was silence in the hall, broken only by jittery sounds from excited supporters. The words from the emcees came and went, and then the drum rolls. When the first prize was called, the name UP Singing Ambassadors filled the room. UPSA won in the Mixed Choir category where they sang Zoltán Kodály’s Oregek.

----

You are all invited to watch the opening of the UP Singing Ambassador’s 31st anniversary exhibit at the Faculty Center, UP Diliman. There will be an opening presentation on Sept. 13, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

For my friend and brother in faith.

"make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing"

Psalm 98:5

After Three Fellowships (Reflections on CCM)

2011-09-10T03:18:00.000-07:00

I want to summarize the first three meetings of the Centennial Christian Movement with the word humbling. We do not deny the challenges and difficulties of starting a fellowship from nothing, but we also know that God is at work in this ministry.

CCM is humbling in many ways because God shows Himself worthy despite our unworthiness as the managers of the ministry. Many times we fail to guard our hearts from sin and wrong motives, and so cause our Lord dishonor. But He is always faithful. He lifts us up in from our fall and teaches us to once more walk the road which He has set before us.

It is also humbling because through CCM we have learned to depend on God more and more. In the first three meetings, we are unsure if anyone will show up, and there were times when we were so few, but this experience taught us to trust in Jesus.

Afterall, when we started CCM, we agreed among ourselves that number is not our measure of success. We look at changed lives through the Gospel.

And so we pray that God’s Name may be honored in the Centennial Dormitory. We also pray that we will be able to build genuine relationships with the people living there, especially those whom God has brought to our weekly gatherings.

In our second meeting, I reminded Kazel and Jim that their fellowship is not the weekly event but the community of people living in the dorm. And so, the challenge is to truly live out our Christianity in our daily activities.

It is now more difficult to invite people in Bible Studies. They eye every faith-related activity with suspicion. Thus, I encouraged them to bring Christ in their rooms, to season their conversations with salt, to pray always for sensitivity to Gospel openings and to ask God to put genuine desire in the hearts of their dormmates to know Him.

Our fellowship begins in the weekly gatherings and we are sent out after to be fishers of men and sowers of the Good News. I believe that more and more will know Christ through simple and honest conversations between friends. We have to cultivate what relationships we have now and pray that God will use these for us to share the Gospel.

Chloe brings her friends to the fellowship. (From Left to Right) Michael, RD and Kiel.

Our third fellowship is truly amazing. Chloe, our artist in DCF, invited three of her friends living in the Centennial Dorm. She had known them from her Kalayaan days. She said they usually meet as a barkada and so she used the opportunity to invite them in the fellowship.

Just later did I find out that she did not tell them where they’re going. It’s still a blessing, however, because her three friends were very open during the small group discussions. Please pray for Michael, RD and Kiel that they may know Christ and also have a relationship with Him.

Our friends whom we have been inviting for many weeks also came to the fellowship, Praise God! Patrick and JJ had free time so we were able to fellowship with them last week. Pray that we'll be able to minister to them and to our friends who still cannot come because of busy schedule.

We helped ourselves to a healthy serving of rice and
grilled food at Grill Queen.

After the fellowship, we even ate dinner together at Grill Queen. The restaurant is known for its delicious barbecue, but its serving of rice is rather small. So Kiel taught us a trick that they usually do when eating there—they buy rice from a nearby carinderia which has bigger servings at a cheaper price.

We enjoyed the extended fellowship getting to know one another more. Pray also that that this will be the start of a deeper friendship, one that’s ruled by Christ.

We will be having our fourth fellowship on Tuesday. Again, we are unsure of what will happen. But though we know not what to do, we fix our eyes on Jesus. We trust that in His own time, He will give us a harvest.

May He be glorified!

It was also JD's first time to lead praise and worship. In this photo we see
him and Jet practicing for the CCM's fellowship.

9/11

2011-09-09T05:06:00.000-07:00

Though I live half-way around the world from New York, the 9/11 still sent ripples of fear throughout our country, especially because we also have a share of terrorism in Mindanao.

I was browsing through Youtube today and came across this documentary about the 9/11 bombing. It is a conspiracy-type documentary but it gives fresh insight into what happened on that gloomy September morning. I'm sharing it with you.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)

2011-09-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: This was written by Diana Andino, chairperson of the Dormitories Christian Fellowship, and delivered to the Centennial Christian Movement on the 6th of September, 2011.

I. Purpose of the Law

From the beginning of time, God created mankind to have a personal relationship with Him. Of all His creatures, man alone was created in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).

In Genesis 2:16-17, God gave simple instructions about how Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, should live. Unfortunately, they ignored God and went their own way (Genesis 3). From then on, sin entered the world and as its grave consequence, death engulfed all mankind (Romans 5:12).

But even with the entry of sin, God’s purpose of calling people to Himself remained the same. Out of Abraham, God made a nation who would declare His marvelous works to the entire world. In Isaiah 43:21, God calls

Israel

“… my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”

A large portion of the book of Genesis is devoted to the life and biography of the four patriarchs of Israel, namely Abraham, his son Isaac, Jacob (Isaac’s son), and Joseph (one of the 12 sons of Jacob). The nation of Israel was named after Jacob, who was named Israel by God Himself in Genesis 32:28.

Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7 gives us an excellent summary of Israel’s history. From a small family of only seventy five, God made Israel increased greatly in Egypt. When the Israelites were maltreated in Egypt, God raised Moses to lead them out of that country. Through a series of miracles never before seen, God delivered Israel out of the land of slavery (Exodus 5-15). In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt, God made a covenant with Israel at Mt. Sinai. In Exodus 20, God spoke to all people the covenant which is later known as the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).

Originally, the Ten Commandments (also called the law) were given to teach the Israelites how to live rightly before God. As a new nation emerging out of

Egypt

, God gave them the law to set them apart from other nations. In Exodus 19:5-6, God stated both the condition and purpose of the law.

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”

In the course of God’s progressive revelation, He revealed to us several purposes of the giving of the law particularly in the New Testament. The Law reflects the character of God. It shows how holy and set apart He is from us. These commandments give us an idea of His standard, which is perfection. He demands perfection from us in our relationship with Him (1-4) and with our relationships with other people (5-10).

Another purpose is to make us conscious of sin. Romans 3:20 “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” So here, it is clear that we cannot be saved by obeying the Ten Commandments. It was given for us to see the contrast between God’s holiness and our sinfulness. It allows us to realize that no matter how hard we try, we cannot fulfill the Law by ourselves because we are not perfect.

One more purpose is to lead us to Christ. Once the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin, He would also lead that person to look for a Savior. Galatians 3:24 “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” This is why in days gone by, parents taught their children the Ten Commandments. The children should learn the Ten Commandments, not because they would be saved by keeping the commandments, but because the commandments would show them their need to be saved by the matchless grace of God.

II. How the Law should be obeyed

Since God is holy, he requires that we obey His commandments both externally and internally at all times. In His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), our Lord Jesus Christ corrected the wrong interpretation of the Pharisees concerning obedience.

For example, in Matthew 5:27-28 Jesus gives an explanation and extension of the seventh commandment (adultery). The male Jews then thought that adultery can only be committed by having an affair with another woman. However, Christ said that while that is true, it is not limited to that. They also committed adultery even when “only” looking lustfully at a woman.

The same is true with verses 43-44. The Law tells us of loving our neighbors, but the Jews added that we should hate our enemies (Deut 23:6). So Christ was trying to correct their interpretation of God’s laws. He explains that loving a neighbor means loving all of them, whether they are your enemies or not.

So God requires that we obey His laws completely. Even before the giving of the Ten Commandments, God has always intended that His laws be fully obeyed and kept (Exodus 19:5).

We have already established earlier that God demands perfection in fulfilling these commandments. So now, the question is, “Is there any person capable of obeying the law?”

Because of our sinful nature, we have become incapable of fully obeying the commands of God. He requires that we perfectly obey all His commands all the time; otherwise we are under a curse.

Galatians 3:10 “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’”

If you wanted to be right with God by obeying the law and by good works, do you know how good you would have to be? Jesus says in Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

III. Should we still obey the Law?

Knowing that the Ten Commandments were originally given to the Israelites of the Old Testament, and that observing it cannot justify us, should we still obey the Ten Commandments?

Galatians 2:15-16 “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”

Romans 7:12 “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.”

We know that Paul was not saying that the Law is bad, because in Romans, he said that it is holy. Instead, he was saying that the Law can never make us acceptable to God. However, the law has still an important role to play in the life of a Christian. It:

a. guards us from sin by giving us standards for behaviour

b. convicts us of sin, leaving us the opportunity to ask for forgiveness from God

c. drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly.

The law cannot possibly save us. But after we have become Christians, it can guide us to live as God requires.

Summary of the Ten Commandments:

Mark 12:30-31 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Designing our Missions Shirt

2011-09-08T02:39:00.000-07:00

Now here is an improved version from my friend, Jet. :) It's a lot nicer than mine. Let's watch the evolution of this shirt design.

Here is my first attempt at our missions exposure trip shirt design. It's still a rough draft but I'm posting it for everyone to get an idea of what I'm thinking. It's more of a statement shirt, actually, that says: "Preaching hard truths even on hard times."

I'll work on the readability, though. :)

Proper Heart and Motive in Prayer

2011-09-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

Taken from corbis.com

In a previous post, we talked about persistence in prayer as the active seeking of God’s will in prayer, and having the heart of obedience to conform to His desires and purpose for us.

We persist in prayer not to annoy God so that He’ll give in to what we want. We also do not persist just to prove to Him our worthiness so that He’ll grant our request; afterall, no one is worthy enough to reach God’s standard of perfection apart from Christ.

Instead, we do not give up praying because by continuously seeking Him and His will, we are able to see through the mist and understand God’s purpose in our lives. Our wills, in effect, slowly bend down before the Greatest Will which belongs to God. This, however, is possible only with a heart of humility and obedience.

Most often than not, however, we look from the wrong vantage point. We think of ourselves and our need and our benefit above God. James 4:3-4 is a very telling passage:

“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people,don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God…”

We cannot treat God as a Coca-cola machine where we put in coins of prayer and faith, and demand the results we desire. He is not our genie nor does He exist for our benefit and glory. It is dangerous to treat Him only as only the final resort, having the attitude that says, “When all human strength and schemes fail, turn to God.”

If we have this attitude, it is good to review 1 John 5:14-15, and note a single very important phrase. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.”

“According to His will” is often overlooked. We can ask God anything but anything is bound by His will. This is the reason why I emphasized the need to persist in seeking God’s heart in prayer and meditation. Unless our requests are aligned with God’s will, He cannot give them to us. Or in the occasion that He does (I’m not sure if this happens), it is only to teach us something and ultimately redirect us to His will.

God gives what we ask of Him not because we have proven ourselves worthy but because through prayer (and study of the Word) we are able to understand God’s desires more and more, and so begin to ask for the things that He wills.

Sometimes we do not notice it, but an intimate understanding of His purpose yields to prayers that actually mirror God’s Word. When we begin to ask the very things God wants for us, we have the confidence that He hears us and will answer.

When we approach God in prayer, may it be that our utmost motive is God’s glory and the fulfillment of His will.

Listen to Christ when He prayed at Gethsemane, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).” This is a rare opportunity that we witness His humanity asking for something that’s not in the Godhead’s salvation master plan. But look at Jesus’ words. He added the very humble phrase, “If you are willing,” and closed it with the words, “yet not my will, but yours be done.”

He knows the agony and pain that he is about to experience. He knows that physical and spiritual suffering that he’ll go through. So, in one moment, he was able to say his very request in Luke 22:42. But what’s amazing is that Christ knows God’s will and He followed it.

How many of us have this same attitude towards prayer? Do we think of God’s glory in all that we ask? Or are we confined to our own benefits and desires? May we consider these things as we seek God’s presence more in our lives.

Related Post

Persistence in Prayer

2011-09-07T03:29:00.000-07:00

Taken from www.elshaddaicm.com

Luke 18:1-8

¹ Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

In this passage, Jesus’ reason for teaching the parable is clear. He wants to impart persistence in prayer. He wants his disciples to “always pray and not give up” the wonderful privilege of talking to God, of being in personal fellowship communication with the King of the Universe.

Persistence is defined as “long continuance” in doing one activity or the “incessant or unrelenting” attitude towards the fulfillment of one action. In the case of Jesus’ parable, to be persistent in prayer means to continuously seek communion with God in good times or bad, whether to praise Him, intercede for others, seek something or simply to be in His presence.

Did the disciples learn the lesson? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” One can browse through the Epistles to see how much they applied the principle in their exhortations of one another. Paul, for example, told the Philippian church, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).”

Aside from this, in his letter to Timothy, Paul encouraged his young co-worker to pray for people first of all. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone (1 Timothy 2:1),” he said.

John also has this motivation for all believers, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him (1 John 5:14-15).”

And James, the Lord’s brother, emphasized prayer in all circumstances—in trouble, joy, sickness or sin (James 5:13-16).

These are but some examples of the apostles learning persistence in prayer. In their letters, they repeatedly exhorted believers to always commune with God as individuals and as a group. To talk to Him in prayer, putting at the foot of His cross all worries and all praises.

They do this not to "nag" God but to show Him their faith. God sees every person's heart and is well aware of their circumstances. Even before one asks, God already knows what he or she needs. This, however, is not a license for people to neglect their communion with God. Instead, this should inspire people to continue depending on the omniscient God who knows even the prayers people can only express in silence.

If persisting in prayer is not nagging God about what a person wants, what is it, then? When one persists in prayer, this doesn't mean spending long hours badgering God until He gives in to one's requests. Instead, this implies actively seeking His will and praying for obedience to submit to His desires. It is having a heart that says, "Not my will Lord, but Yours be done."

Afterall, even prayer is not about us but all about Him and His glory.

Now the question for us believers is this: Have we also learned what it means to persist in prayer?

Related Post

Proper Heart and Motive in Prayer

The Offender: man and his sin (CCM Series)

2011-09-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here is our poster teaser for next week's fellowship at Centennial. Continue to pray for us that we may be able to follow up everyone who attended this week. May God be glorified!

Praying for the Missions Exposure Trip

2011-09-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

After travelling for eight straight hours from La Union, I arrived at UP to catch the last part of DCF's Missions Prayer Meeting. I was just in time to take photos of the praying people.

In lieu of the normal gathering for the dorms, DCF allotted the whole months of September and October to specifically pray for the Missions Trip. Weekly gatherings were set to update members of the preparations, plans, activities and other details of the event. All these are lifted up in prayer to the Lord.

Here are photos of the prayer meeting this evening:

Jayvee and Del are in fervent prayer when I took this photo.

Here are Yen, Kit and Marvee in their prayer triad.

Ate Rashel joined us despite her very busy schedule in law school.

After the prayer meeting, we headed to one of our favorite food stalls in UP-- Kusina ni Mamang. They are famous for their home-made pork, beef, chicken and shrimp Siomai. I usually order one assorted Siomai meal. This is made up of six pieces of siomai and one cup of rice. I find the meal very affordable at Php 35.00 and satisfying as well.

Here is a photo of us eating:

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I enjoin you all to pray with us for the 2011 Missions Exposure Trip

Praise God for:

1. the planning with Pastor Nilo and Ate Lily in Catanauan

a. safe trip going there with Kuya Caloy, Kuya Mayn, Kryss Ann and Marvi

b. activities in the Missions Trip

c. place to stay during the trip

2. Planning with Kuya Caloy, Kuya Pau, Dianne and Marvi (budget: Php 82,400.00)

3. Kuya Pao Gonzales agreed to use his vehicle for transportation from UP to the bus terminal

Pray for:

1. burden and right motives for the team members (15 from DCF; 15 from LWCF-Lucban)

2. preparations

a. interview of team members

b. permission for the campus evangelism

c. TLW materials

3. People in Catanauan

a. Partner church (Christian Parish Church), as they invite people for the evan training and TLW

b. people in the community that they will be open to the Gospel

4. Fund-raising activities

a. rummage sale on Oct. 1-2

b. alumni support

5. shirt design, printing, production and sales

Thank you so much for praying with us! May the Good Lord be glorified in this Missions Trip!

For those who want to join, we hold the Missions Prayer Meeting every Monday, 6-8 p.m. at the Church of the Risen Lord.

The Blind Side: My Summary and Insights

2011-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

He never looked anyone in the eye unless he was compelled to-- a fearful and lonely child trapped in an overgrown teenage body. He never started conversations. When people talked to him, he muttered one-word answers. And on his face was a sad expression that never left. He wore it like a mask that refused to let him go. But all these were about to change.

"The Blind Side," based on the book, "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" by Michael Lewis, retells the story of American Football star, Michael Oher, who plays for Baltimore Ravens.

It is a heart-warming drama about one person's triumph over life's struggles, and an encouragement for people to do acts of kindness that go a long way.

As a child, Michael moved from one foster home to the next after being forcibly taken by social welfare from his mother at age seven. Before that, the place he considered home was that side of town where gangs, out-of-school youth, poor and homeless people call their own. It is that side of town nobody dares to explore in the dead of the night for fear of robbers and gangsters.

Michael's father was murdered in prison when he was in senior highschool. He never had the chance to know him because he had always been behind bars. His mother, he virtually lost to drugs, alcohol and prostitution.

He never performed well in school. In fact, he consistently received "D's," just enough to promote him year after year in public school. But in a stroke of fate, he was able to move to a private Christian institution at the urging of an auto mechanic acquaintance, Tony Henderson.

Originally, only Tony's son intended to enroll at Briarcrest Christian School, but the football coach noticed Michael's potential and urged the board to give the child a chance. In a scene with the teachers and administrators of the school, Burt Cotton persuaded them, saying, ""We do not admit Michael Oher because of sports. We admit him because it is the right thing to do." This he said after challenging them to take the "Christian" in their school's motto seriously.

Michael was eventually accepted, but life at Briarcrest wasn't easy for the newcomer. He felt out of place. He neither talked nor participated in his classes. He was failing them all, and his teachers did not know what to do.

In one discarded essay, Michael even wrote:

"I look and I see white everywhere--white walls, white floors and a lot of white people. The teachers do not know I have no idea of everything they are talking about. I do not want to listen to anyone, especially the teachers.They are giving homeworks and expecting me to do the problems on my own. I have never done homework in my life. I go in the bathroom, look in the mirror and say, 'This is not Michael Oher.'"

This loneliness went on for sometime until he met the son of a former basketball star and a strong-willed interior designer, a boy named Sean Jr.

SJ's family is undeniably wealthy. His father, Sean Tuohy, used to play for the New Jersey Nets before becoming a sports commentator for NBA's Memphis Grizzlies. His mother, Leigh Anne Tuohy, is an interior designer who was a cheerleader for the University of Mississippi. The family also owns over 80 franchises of leading fast food chains in America.

It was Leigh Anne who really had a soft spot for Michael ever since they saw him walking to the school gym where he could warm himself one frigid night. She could not turn a blind eye to the child, and instead, invited him to spend the night in their house.

That single incident eventually led to Michael's integration to the Tuohy family where, for the first time, he received the love and support he never had from his parents. The Tuohy couple eventually applied to become his legal guardian after slowly gaining the boy's trust.

From then on, Michael's life took a 180-degree turn. He learned to labor in his studies to qualify for the school's football team. When he finally met the grade requirements, Coach Cotton drafted him in. Though his gentle nature proved a limitation at first, they finally discovered how to harness his excessive "protective instincts" to make him one of the most promising football players of his time.

He eventually received several commendations like "Lineman of the Year," and "the #5 offensive lineman prospect in the country" among others.

After one of Michael's first ever official games, SJ sent out videos of his big brother's outstanding performance to several leading universities, including the "University of Tennessee, Louisiana State University, the University of Alabama, Auburn University, and the University of South Carolina." This caught their attention and Michael slowly received invitations to study in the said universities.

He eventually decided to enter his guardians' alma mater, the University of Mississippi, to play for the Ole Miss Rebels. His decision led to an NCAA investigation of possible collusion between the Tuohys and Ole Miss.

This strained Michael's relationship with Leigh Anne whom he accused, for the first time, of showing him kindness only to influence his decision to play at Ole Miss. He thought that was her tactic to help her alma mater's football team win in the NCAA.

After a brief confrontation, Michael ran away in search for his biological mother. He ended up in their old home with his old acquaintances. He was invited to spend the night in their den of alcohol and women, but Michael was offended by their indecent inquiries about his step sister. A commotion broke out, and his gangster friends found themselves flat on the floor after successive tackles of a world-class athlete.

Michael eventually calls Leigh Anne and the two had a heart-to-heart talk about the issue. In their conversation, Michael reveals brief portions of his dark childhood. He retold how his mother used to tell him to close his eyes everytime she did drugs or had a customer for the night.

Michael's own words were, "When I was little and something awful was happening, my mom tells me to close my eyes. She was trying to keep me from seeing her do her job and all the other bad things. And when she was finished or when all the bad things are over, she'll say 'Now when I count to three, you open your eyes. The past is gone, the world is a good place and it's all go'nna be okay."

The two talked about his life a little more before Leigh Anne asked Michael if he really wanted to play football. She did this after realizing that she never really had the opportunity to hear his son's thoughts on the issue. She also assured him that he could choose the school and team if he wanted to play.

That mother-and-son conversation only confirmed Michael's desire to play for Ole Miss. He had a new reason to play there. He said, "Because it's where my family goes to school. It's where they've always been to school."

Finally, the sad mask falls off his face to reveal a long overdue smile. Michael found his place and his family. He was on his way to achieving his dreams. These may have not been possible if he was overlooked as another of society's failures.

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Photo from loveofstpaul.blogspot.com

The greatest lesson this movie imparts for Christians is the challenge to examine one's faith. Here, I remember James 2 and the proper interaction of faith and works. Works can never save a soul, but they can prove the genuineness of faith.

If one claims to be a Christian but his life virtually goes against that claim, most probably, his faith in Jesus is hollow. But if he professes faith in Christ and his faith bears good deeds, even little ones, praise God for he is truly saved.

The moment Leigh Anne laid her eyes on Michael, the inner witness of the Holy Spirit told her that the right thing to do was to help him. Though her socialite friends viewed her acts of charity as only "white guilt," I know it was much more-- the prodding of God's Spirit.

She was right when she corrected a friend who said she was changing Michael's life with all the good things she was doing. "No," Leigh Anne said, "He's changing mine."

God really uses people to make us realize how we fair in our Christian walk. It will hurt a lot of times but we must be thankful because our Father prunes and molds us for we are His. In Leigh Anne's case, God made her see the need of so many people. That struck a chord in her heart, knowing that she had always enjoyed life's wealth.

That may be one great struggle for her. Thus, God sent a young man who never knew a loving family, who had no place to warm himself in a cold night, who had never slept on a bed, who had no parents, and who had virtually nothing to challenge her to practice her faith.

It may not be wealth for us. It may be time or relationships or talents. But whatever our greatest struggle is, be sensitive to God's pruning and obey Him when he does. But if despite one's obvious self-centeredness no pruning or discipline comes, it's high time to heed the Apostle Paul's exhortation:

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)"

To God be all glory, honor and praise!