The Hero is Within You

I was watching a game show this morning,and they featured Efren Penaflorida, the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year.. He started a "pushcart classroom" in the Philippines to bring education to poor children as an alternative to gang membership. I was also able to watch the CNN awarding and got a chance to hear part of his speech. His words were inspiring. He said "Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry,each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need."

We live in a time that is hungry for heroes. Our world's need for extraordinary women and men is clear from the headlines in every newspaper: The advance of technology has multiplied our ability to destroy each other with weapons of war; we are facing an environmental crisis with the potential to threaten life as we know it; each day brings new clashes between people of different cultures and beliefs; and there are many places in the world where poverty and misery are getting worse, not better. In times such as these, we long for leaders with a hero's combination of extraordinary abilities and exemplary moral courage.

Unfortunately, such people are hard to find. The idols of popular culture offer little in the way of inspiration, and our era's self-proclaimed Christian leaders have proven as violent, greedy, intolerant and hypocritical as anyone from outside the church. It has reached the point where many who are loudly and visibly associated with Christianity seem disconnected from the teachings of Christ in both what they preach and what they practice. Yet we find inspiration when we focus less on those who misuse Christ's teachings, and more on the people who do simple things to change the lives of those around them.

The Most Excellent Way

An exegetical sermon from the "love chapter" 1 Corinthians 13. A message that answers more the hows' of love than its whats' and whys'. Love is the most excellent way!

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2012

I was able to download and watch the latest movie "2012" the other night. The graphics were so real, it was amazing.Halfway through, i realized i was watching the movie with my jaw dropped. It was full of suspense, i wasn’t bored at all, not even for a single minute. Every second was just filled with anticipation and wonder. Every part was astonishing. But what touched me the most was the near-end part of the movie, when a man said

"the moment we stop fighting for each other, that's the moment we lose our humanity"

. These words are so true. For me, the end-time message of this movie is only a part of the reflections you can get when you watch it. The greatest lesson from this film is that we should always care for each other and we should not wait 'til there's no time for us to care and show our concern. We should treat each day as the last day of our lives and always make the most that we can do to let other people feel that they are loved.

Where Is God When It Hurts?

An exposition of John 11,the Jesus'-Lazarus' story. A message that answers human question "Where is God when it hurts".

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Lets' Worship : A New Approach to Youth Worship

Having been raised in an Adventist setting, I’ve seen how the youth worship (we call it "AY Program") has evolved. Few innovations were made and some songs were taught, but the same approach of AY is being done in our churches. I believe that our church is a growing church that needs to do some changes, if not totally change our approach to our afternoon service - the youth worship. This is my short presentation of the little light God has given me on how we can change our approach to AY service. This has been proven effective in my former pastorate (Olongapo City) and is being implemented in my present church (Angeles City). I’m hoping this could somehow help you in your own church. Below are downloadable materials of this "project".

Format & Editions

Powerpoint Presentation

Video Teaser

Wait for further upload of materials! Text me @0922-885-7643 if you need assistance.
Blessings!

Letting Go: Letting God

While waiting for the news on TV, I happened to turn the channel to MYX(pinoy MTV). The segment during that time was LIVE, a 30-minute show that featured the songs of a certain artist. It was Gary Valenciano's tribute album that had been featured tonight. All of Gary's songs were sang by various artists, and for me, the most touching song on that album is "Letting Go". I know this song is worth sharing. I hope you will all be blessed as you listen to it.



Lyrics | Gary Valenciano - Gary valenciano - letting go lyrics

Ministry Under Siege

More than a year has passed,again I'm facing the same odds in my ministry. You do something for the welfare of your church,and yet some brethren still find faults on you. The hardest part of this kind of experience is not to deal with the opposing brethren, but to know who really are those against you. It's been a hard time for me just hearing negative comments relayed to other concerned brethren, and not knowing who are really behind the opposition. I don't know when these things will be resolved neither do I know what's gonna happen next, but one thing I am sure of, I need to see God's hands at work and marvel on how He could make things happen for my best.

The Beggar and I

I went to Hidalgo Street at Quiapo, Manila and I happened to passed by Quiapo Cathedral. A beggar in front of the Church caught my attention. Quiapo Church is famous not only for its structure, but also for its role in the history of the Philippines. In front of the church is a large plaza where vendors sell refreshments and people talk and laugh. Two or three steps off the plaza will take you to a wide sidewalk that faces a major roadway of Manila. This is where I saw the beggar.
The beggar was a small man; made smaller by the fact that his legs were only stumps. Then, as if to emphasize his lack of stature, he sat on a small wooden platform with wheels. The man, with his worn face and pleading voice, moved around by pushing his hands against the ground as if he were rowing a boat. I remember wanting to get away from him. I escaped by walking through the streets to Recto but he was still with me.
Manila, where the Quiapo Church is located is probably the most developed city in the Philippines yet, despite its amazing growth and development, the city displays much poverty. Scenes like these are not only seen in the Metro, but in the whole country as well.
Even throughout much of the world, poverty survives as the norm and not the exception. Why are they poor and why are we not? It is not the lack of a work ethic. If anything, they put us to shame by their industry. And the ingenious ways in which they survive testify to their intelligence. Perhaps it is culture, corruption, government, heritage, or lack of opportunity. But it makes me think. Why them and not me? Some say our wealth comes from our Christian heritage. But Japan shares the wealth of the western world without sharing her God. The answers do not come easy.
Jesus told us that we have the poor with us always. But why are they here? Certainly, they give us an opportunity to minister. But there must be more. What are we to learn from them? David, though king of Israel, testified that he was “poor and needy” (Psalm 40:17). God promised to look to him “that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word” (Isaiah 66:2). The first beatitude is reserved for those who are “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). What can I learn from the poor? How am I to be poor?
This takes me back to the beggar in front of Quiapo Church. Please consider him. He is of small stature. If I would please God, I must be small in my own eyes. He cannot walk where he would please. I am helpless to live the holy life my God demands or to accomplish anything of lasting value on my own. The beggar depends on the generosity of others for his very existence. I must rely entirely upon the grace of God for my spiritual life and well-being.
God wants to find us poor and needy. We seek our own importance. He seeks those who deny themselves. We desire the comforts and pleasures of this world. God desires to have us wholly and without reservation. Am I willing to become poor for the sake of my Saviour? Would I become the beggar on the sidewalk in order to please God? This is exactly what Christ did for me. Paul told us that, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). He left all the riches of heaven so that He could be born as a babe in a manger and give His life a ransom for all. Lord, You became poor for me. Help me, that I may become poor for Thee.

Life Like A Cake

I was at the house of one of the brethren a couple of hours ago.They offered me a slice of cake. While I was eating it, a simple thought, an object lesson to be specific, came across my mind. How many of you like to eat cake? Why? (it's sweet, tastes good, etc.)Do any of you know what things go into a cake? Then all these things must be good - right? Would you ever consider eating the ingredients of a cake separately? A spoon of flour? A raw egg? A little oil? How would that taste?
It's a lot like life. Separately there are some bitter times, some raw, hurtful times, and some dry, bland times. But there are also the good times! Together God is able to blend them all together to create a life that is meaningful, useful, and tasty! Romans 8:28 is a beautiful promise: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His good purpose." No - all things are not good, but in God's hands they can be mixed and blended along with the good into a beautiful creation. It's during the bad times that we see how BIG our God is. He loves each of us and He is in control; we can trust Him!

Another Breakthrough in Blogging

I just finished uploading some of my sermon powerpoint presentations. I'm sharing to you free of charge. Just leave your comments and help me improve my homiletics skills. I hope people will be blessed as you share these sermons to them. I'll keep on posting my sermons on powerpoint form. Wait for the next posts! Stay blessed!

Learning From Jonah

There's more from His experience of disregarding the call to go to Nineveh. This sermon points out Jonah's attitude in His ministry and how it affected His decisions.

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Blessings!

Heart of Worship

The first sermon I made. "God wants our heart when we worship Him". True worship was exemplified by the sinful woman who went to the Pharisees' gathering just to see Jesus.

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Blessings!

Church at Her Best

One of my favorite sermons. This is an exposition on the 2nd chapter of the Book of Acts. See how the Early church worked and had an impact in the new testament times.

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Blessings!

Sermon: A Step to Move Forward

A Sermon on Peter's Experience, walking on the water.

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Blessings!

When I Cry You Cry

I was in the house of one of the members of the young professionals in my pastorate, when I heard this song. It was the first time that I heard it and I cannot keep myself from appreciating it. Eventually I found myself teary eyed, because again, another song made an impact and touched my heart.


Gaither Vocal Band When I Cry lyrics

Lyrics



I always find myself crying when I'm alone and disturbed by life's struggles, and it comforts me to know that God is crying with me too and that His heart breaks whenever mine is hurt.

The Birthplace!

Tatay and I went to visit our 1,000 square meters lot at Bacolor, Pampanga yesterday. It's been a while since the last time we rode a motorcycle together. If I remember right, the last time we rode a motorcycle together was when I was in the 6th grade. It is a great experience to go back to the place where you were born and be with the first man who saw you as you were going out of your mother's womb. This made me realized how blessed I am because my tatay (father) is still with me even after 24 years. A big part of my ministry's success is because of my father's inspiration. I can't help but be proud of him. He, who taught me how to be independent, made my life better. He, who gave me a sense of importance, made my life fulfilled. He, who showed me how blessed I am, made me contented for what I have. And he, who never stops inspiring me, makes my life so complete.

My Age, My Burden, My Passion

It has been my passion to work with young people. I believe that if we train our teenagers in doing God's business, they could play a big role in the church someday. However, I've seen a lot of young people who were active in church during their teens but at the time they entered college or started working in their chosen careers, many of them went on a different track and begun to lay low in being involved in church activities. What could be the possible reason why we have been losing many of our members in their career age? where did we, as a church, go wrong in dealing with them?

I think one of the reasons why young professionals lose sight of their faith is that churches don't have a clear and specific approach for to them. Often, we are confused of their membership. Are they still part of the adventist youth? or do they already belong to the older generation?

Having observed what has been happening to fellow youth, it has become a burden for me to reach out to them and think of possible ways to make them stay in our church. As a young pastor, I know that keeping them inside the church is a tough job, but to make them stay until they reach the maturity of their faith is even tougher. This is why I have been promoting the work of the youth ministry, especially its role on reaching out to the young professionals.
Forming an organization for them will help a lot to start this ministry. This worked in my previous pastorate, and I believe it will work also wherever God calls me to pastor. Presently, the young professionals in my current pastorate have already been meeting and I believe they also share my passion.
I believe in their potential, just as I believe in what God can do in their lives. I'm convinced that if we will never get tired of training and involving them in God's business, they can fulfill their tasks as God's servant in this generation.

My Dreams for My Church!

Unlike other pastors, I did not experience a dramatic conversion,neither a spectacular encounter with God. Growing up in an Adventist Family, I was raised to follow all the rules of the church and to do whatever is written in the Book. Christian life for me then was only a tradition, following through the motions, and observing what everybody else observes. This continued until I got into college and studied the Bible myself. Questions started to form in my mind, and it pressed me to find answers. This part of my life was the turning point from a gutless religion to a meaningful Christian experience, from rituals to doing everything by heart, from traditions to glorifying God and from following through the motions to following where God leads me. Experiences like attending church services of different denominations and observing rituals of other religions made my conversion a real experience. After I realized that I had been missing a lot of things in my Christian life, I started to dream for my church. Imaginations that hopefully will be realized someday began to linger in my mind. Because of my encounters with other denominations, I'm dreaming that someday my church will be able to hold an ecumenical service.I also dream that someday my church will open oppurtunities for other denominations to participate in our worship services and will not judge or ridicule them in their style of worship. I also dream of organizing a sports fest among other denominations for friendly games and Christian camaraderie. And the wildest of all my dreams is to build an interfaith worship cafe where any religion or Christian denomination will be welcome to worship. I do not know how I would be able to fulfill all of those dreams, but one thing I know, if it will glorify God, nothing is impossible!

This is my story, this is my song!

I had a long and tiring day which is why I wanted to end it by listening to godly music. I inserted the DVD of "The Promise: A Voice of Family Reunion Concert" into my player and watched it. The song entitled "Personal" caught my attention. Probably because the song describes my Christian journey and my personal encounter with God. I'm sharing it to you now because this is my story and it is my life's song.

Personal

Verse 1
I remember when I was just a little boy
And with all the simple things I could find so much joy
But somehow church always seemed too l
They always sang the same old songs
I knew about Jesus and His love
Even why He came to die

Chorus
But this time it's personal
I feel His love inside of me
This time it's personal
I used to be blind but now I see
He's more than someone I just talk about
He's the only friend I can't live without
Oh, how I love you , Lord
This time it's personal

Verse 2
I said that I believed because it was the thing to do
But my actions never, ever showed that I ever once knew you
Always taking for granted your love and grace
And still expecting to see your face
Never wondering once how you might feel
But now I try to keep it real

Chorus
But this time it's personal
I feel His love inside of me
This time it's personal
I used to be blind but now I see
He's more than someone I just talk about
He's the only friend I can't live without
Oh, how I love you, Lord
This time it's personal

I never gave you full control
Taking for granted the scars in your hands
But now the joy that floods my soul
For in your sweet love I stand
For in your sweet love I stand

I've Been There!

My experiences today and yesterday have been so fulfilling. I've been visiting the brethren from my pastorate in their homes. As their pastor, it is but usual for them to share their burdens with me and ask advice from me.Yesterday,one of the brethren that I visited shared her burden about her son's relationship. The other one told me about her problem with her co-teacher. And just today, when I visited one of the newly baptized member, he shared his problem of keeping the sabbath because of his work. I don't know if those were coincidences, but I've experienced the same problems they all have. God has been so good to me that I was able to overcome those trials, which made me more effective in giving advice to them. This part of my life made me realized that probably the reason why doesn't God allow everyone to experience all the problems in life is because He has given us our brethren, our neighbors, our family, our pastors, who once in their lives have been in the same situations we are in right now. They can testify how God has led them in the past and can give us the advice that we need for us not to be in the same scenario they were in. May God bring you the people who can help you in your present situation and may He use you to be of help to other people as well.

They Call it A House

I am fond of watching documentaries and just tonight I was able to watch "Kalye". This is a documetary on what is happening in the streets of the Philippines. Airing once a week, this show gives me a lot of insights. Tonight they featured the life of those who are living under a bridge somewhere in Paco, Manila and a family living in a small junked van. My heart was crushed when I saw their situation. I wondered how they are able to sleep and eat under a dirty, noisy and crowded place. I've slept inside a car so many times before but living in it is a different story. This made me amazed on how this family living in a junked van could find comfort despite of their situation. After watching the documentary, I began to ask myself why so many people still complain about their situation even if they live in a decent place, when many people live with cockroaches and still call it a house? When will we ever be contented with what we have and be grateful in whatever we receive from God?

Movie-Blessed!

It's either you get frustrated or satisfied with a movie after watching it. But have you ever been blessed by a movie? I was. It is amazing how God worked in me as I watched these movies that left a big impact in my life. My previous blog would show how I was blessed when I watched the movie 'Fireproof". I often download movies, but I never thought of downloading movies like these. The urge of looking for some movies like Fireproof made me search the internet. I found three other movies that made me even more blessed. "Facing the Giants", a "Mighty Ducks' type of movie, was indeed an inspiration for me to strive for the best in my faith and ministry. "Flywheel" taught me to treat every person fairly and work honestly for His glory. "Faith Like Potatoes" showed me that faith is needed even in the simplest activity of our life. I can't afford not to share my experience in watching these movies. Watch them too, and get ready to be movie-blessed!

I Was Fireproofed!

This has been a long day for me. i woke up at 8 in the morning and a few minutes from now it will be 2am. Last night was probably the worst, but tonight is incredible. I thank God, and carmi (my girlfriend) for letting me know about the movie "Fireproof". I used to see it on the advertisments at sermoncentral, but I downloaded it because carmi told me that she was sure i'd love the movie. I just finished watching it, and this is one of the most touching, heartwarming, and sensible movies I've ever seen. I knew that I needed to learn many things when it comes to relationships, which is probably what made me read books about relationships and listen to advice from the experienced people. One of the reasons why I've tried to learn so many things and why i am still learning alot of things in taking good care of a relationship,is Carmi. She is indeed a gift from God. She must be "The good wife which is a gift from God", that Solomon was talking about. Woaah...My heart was Fireproofed!

Almost Dead!

Last night was probably the worst night of my life. I usually have nightmares, but last night's was so terrible. My body was asleep and yet my mind was awake. In my nightmare, I experienced a terrible earthquake, that's why I wanted to move my whole body, but only my left foot was moving. I was aware that it was a nightmare and thought of the possiblity of dying at that point. In my mind, I started praying and asking God to spare my life because I already had a traumatic situation like this before. I had an uncle who died because of this, and my dad frequently experiences this too. God is so good, here I am sharing my near-death story. David in the book of Psalms said, "Even though I walk
through the valley of
the shadow of death
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me."
I know that It was God's rod that awakened me from that nightmare, when I was in the shadow of death.

A Great Prayer!

It was already 7:15 pm and the scheduled speaker for the prayer meeting had not yet arrived. I had the feeling before I left my house that I would speak that night. And true enough, the scheduled speaker was not aware that he would be speaking. Being the church pastor, I took his place and spoke before my pastorate. Stored in my usb drive was the first powerpoint sermon I ever made in my entire ministry, the "Prayer of Jabez". After reading 1 Chronicles 4:9,10 where the prayer of Jabez is recorded, I shared the essence of that prayer and how it became meaningful in my life.
The Prayer of Jabez reminds us that everybody struggles with choosing to rely on himself or God. Whether you are a focused Christian or just searching to find out more about God, life is a growing process. However, it is very clear in reviewing the Prayer of Jabez, as well as the rest of the Bible, that God is faithful in caring for those who seek Him. Jabez sets a great example of how God wants everyone to come to Him through constant and passionate prayer. If you are looking to start a relationship with God or improve your existing relationship with Him, start with prayer. God answers prayers when you trust Him. Prayers to God also please Him. We can all learn from Jabez and faithfully pray to God always in everything that we do.

The Come Back!

It has almost been a year since my last blog! I miss writing on the web and inspiring people through my experiences. I'm praying that God will spare me strength at the end of the day as I write daily.