Time Changer

The greatest strength of this entire production, is the convicting message of how our generation has drifted from the fear of God and settled into the lap of comfort and compromise. Rich Christiano has pieced together just about every dark area of our generation and society, and made us look at ourselves through the eyes of Christ. The central message of this film is aimed at the church of today and our need for revival and repentance. But this film also keeps the unchurched in mind, by including a simple plan of salvation that does not come across offensively or aggressive.This is a thought-provoking journey that reveals how relevant God is for today and boldly explores the importance of God in our culture. Time Changer is an interesting look at the timeless importance of God with a timeless message that could change your life!

Whenever I Forget Google Exists!

If I ever have a problem with my computer I can usually find a solution through Google. I just have to type my problem into the search engine and there is bound to be a website that explains what I need to do. The only problem I have is that I always forget to go to Google when the problem first arises. I seem to do everything else possible before searching the internet. To begin with I'll try to fix the problem myself by searching through the menus for guidance; I might ask a friend if they've had the same problem and see if they know what to do; or I'll restart the computer in the hope that it will just correct itself in the process. It's not until I told my friend Toni(a gadget geek) that I have a problem that he will say to me, 'Just Google it.' It's then that I remember that that's where I've found answers before and so I quickly start searching the internet. When I find the solution I need I kick myself for not going to the search engine at the very beginning.

Forgetting to go to Google as soon as the problem arises is like when I forget to go to God when I have struggles in my life. Whenever an issue comes up I will always try to deal with it on my own. I'll rely on my own strength to get me through or I'll seek the assistance of friends to boost me up. But sometimes the issue is too big and seeking help from others doesn't seem to be enough. It's not until I have struggled through for an extended period of time that I am reminded that God is always there for me and I can always take my worries and burdens to Him. In fact, He loves us so much that He will comfort us in ways we never imagined. When Jesus met the invalid man by the healing pool he asked him if he wanted to be healed. This man had been looking for a solution in the only way he knew how - by getting to the water as soon as it began to stir. Jesus could have acted like a crutch for the man and moved him closer to the water at the right time, but instead Jesus goes beyond the man's expectations. Jesus heals the man immediately, even without the healing pool, and the invalid man is able to walk away. It's good to ask other people for help but let's not forget to go to the Saviour first, and lay all our burdens at His feet. How about you? What struggle have you not brought to Jesus yet?

The Ultimate Gift

Imagine I have a present in my hands. It’s a nice big red box and it’s got a beautifully crafted ribbon on the top. This present is for you! If you could choose anything at all, what would you wish was in this present box? I know I’d have a few dream gifts: a plane ticket to the US, a set of keys for a car; an apple iPad, an iPhone 4. All of those would certainly be appreciated if I opened up my present. But imagine that you’re holding your present and you undo the ribbon on the top, you lift up the lid of the box, only to find that inside the box… it’s empty! There is absolutely nothing inside and all you’ve been given is an empty box. Pretty lousy present, right?
When Mary was going to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body, a couple of days after he had been crucified, she was not happy with what she found. The tomb was empty. Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found and she became very distressed as to where it could have been. With everything that had happened to her much loved friend, now they couldn’t even find his body and the tomb was empty. Could live get any worse for her? And yet the empty tomb was the best present she could ever receive. The empty tomb meant that Jesus had risen from the dead and that even death could not overpower the strength of God. Sometimes we look at our lives and it all feels like empty boxes – disappointment, pain, grief. And yet we worship a God who is stronger than anything we have to go through. When we have faith in God He can turn the devastation of an empty tomb into the best gift anyone could ever desire.
Do you feel grief, disappointment, stress or pain? Ask God to reveal to you His glory in this difficult time.

Acquainted with God

It's always interesting going to someone's house for the very first time. You ring the door bell and wait for someone to invite you in, you offer to take your shoes off at the door, you use your best manners and you are often seated in the nice lounge room with a comfortable sofa. Even though your new friend might say, "Make yourself at home", you still stay on your best behaviour. On the other hand, when you go to a long-time friend's house it is a totally different situation. You'll enter via the back door, just walk straight in after knocking on the door, help yourself to a glass of juice and sit around in the family room. While it's great to make new friends it's always nice to be totally comfortable in someone else's home.
This comparison is almost like the differences between worshipping God before Jesus came to earth and then afterwards. Before Jesus walked amongst us worship was structured, symbolic and ritualistic. Now however we are encouraged to worship God anytime, anywhere. We don't need a specific building or certain elements; we could be worshipping God in our laundry, in our office or even on the train! Our relationship with God can have aspects in it like going to the home of a long-time friend. We don't have to hold to any rituals we can just make ourselves at home and be open and honest with our Creator. How fortunate we are to have a God that loves us so much that we can come to Him at any time, in any way and He will welcome us in. When was the last time you had an open and honest chat with God?

A Slice of a Humble Pie

It is hard to find the correct balance to be humble. There are some people who go beyond being humble and just think of themselves as dirt. They constantly put other people first but to the detriment of their own well being. They think of themselves as nothing and lower than all others and people don't feel grateful for their humility but guilty that someone would think so lowly of themselves. On the otherhand I'm sure we can all think of people who are quite the opposite of humble. They are so confident in their own abilities that they think of themselves as God's gift to the earth. They look down on others, they name-drop to promote their own self worth and they are willing to make someone else look bad if it will raise their profile a little more.
God made each person in his image, therefore we are much more than dirt. He loves us and cares for us and so we must respect ourselves as part of our worship to Him. But just as we must respect ourselves, we must remember that God didn't just knit us together but every single human is a child of God. Therefore we must treat others as we treat ourselves. If we viewed each person as a child of God then the world would certainly be a more pleasant place. We don't need to ridicule ourselves to raise up others and neither should we see ourselves as superior to others. If we treat all as equals then we create a piece of Heaven right here on earth.

Too Tight!

It's great going out for a meal with other people, but it's always interesting to see what happens when the bill comes around. There are some people who will immediately get their cellphone calculator out and start to add up the exact amount they owe, even down to the cents. On the other hand, there are some who make a general estimate and, after rounding up, just throw in a couple of notes to make sure that everything is covered. This does not mean that the latter person has more money that the first, it's just that they don't hold so tightly to what they have.
I recently heard a sermon about this John 6 passage of Jesus feeding the 5000 people. It was interesting to note that just because there was only one boy who came forward with some food, it didn't mean that there was no other food present. If a young boy is carrying food then there was bound to be some others who had come prepared or had not eaten all they had brought. It's hard to believe that out of a crowd of 5000 people that only a young boy had food - they're usually the ones who eat all their food first. If we look at this story it does not mean that the boy was the only one who had food, it's just that he didn't hold so tightly to what he had. This is a great challenge for us too. I can sometimes be the person who holds so tightly to what I have. And yet Jesus made an example out of the boy who was willing to give what he had away. What about you? What are you holding tightly to?

When We Say, "NOW", He Says "WAIT"

As I was going through some old belongings, I found a paper where I had recorded my prayers and requests during my stay in Olongapo. I read it with great curiosity. Many of the requests have been granted, but some have not. Of the people I prayed for, some are now dead. Some names I do not even recognize. One of the requests that caught my attention was about a sister who wanted to join her family overseas. God answered that prayer 2 years to the day after I started to intercede for her family to be reunited and wrote it in my notebook. I was amazed and thankful for God's way of working.
Sometimes when we pray, we want God to intervene instantly. But sometimes-immediate answers don't come. The difficult circumstances in our lives and the times of waiting for God to act can refine our faith, teach us, and prepare us for future responsibilities God has for us.

Time:Cherished!

I just arrived from the birthday party of one of the brethren in my pastorate. It was the birthday of an old man who has been blessed with 80 years of existence, 50 of which - he spent as a diabetic. I'm amazed at how the Lord has guided him throughout his life despite of his illness. But what really caught my attention was the manifestation of God's blessings in his life through his children. He has 7 children, 6 of them live abroad, but despite of the distance and the big expense, they came to celebrate the birthday of their dad. I was also touched when all of his children started to greet and pay tribute to their father. I was teary eyed, and wished that I could give thanks to my dad right at that moment.This experience reminded me again of how important it is to cherish the time we can be with our parents. I hope we all get to realize that we can only "spend" time, we can never "reclaim" it.