Category: Faith

Posted on

WHEN THE BATTLE IS LONG, GOD’S COMMAND IS TO BE STRONG.

We are in faith for a cure to COVID 19.
However, we are told that the vaccine could take about 18 months.
 
God sometimes takes us out of the storm.
But there are times God takes us through the storm.
 
Jesus healed Blind Bartimaeus.
But didn’t take Paul’s thorn out of his flesh.
But he did say “My grace is sufficient.’
 
But while we are in the midst of the storm, what do we do?
 
In Joshua 1:2-7, God was leading the Israelites into their promised land. Moses is dead. He was the one who led them through the desert for 40 years. Now Joshua, his assistant, has taken over as leader. They are facing giants in the land. It won’t be a quick take over. This took some time. There were miracles like the falling of the Jericho wall but there were still many lands and people groups to conquer.
 
We are in the middle of a pandemic and it seems like this may take some time.
 
In the midst of the battle, when it gets extended, what do we do?
 
When the battle is long, the command is to be strong.
 
How can we be strong in the midst of a battle?
 

1/ Hold on to God’s promises.

 
Joshua 1:3. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
 
We need to be familiar with the promises God has given us as his children.
And then hide them in our hearts.
It will get us through the hardest of times.
 
I remember going to Baguio with my family as a kid. Those days, we still didn’t have TPLEX and SCTEX, our nice highways. Thus, it would take 8-9 hours to get there. But the promise my mom gave was that I would get choco flakes from Good Shepherd. That kept me enduring through the gruelling journey.
 

2/ Be confident of God’s presence. 

 
Joshua 1:5. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
 
One thing is for sure, because He is with me, I going to be okay.
In fact, no one or no thing will be able to stand before me… not even this pandemic.
HE. IS. WITH. ME.
 
Growing up in an all boys school, fist fights weren’t uncommon. Especially during basketball games, we would get into fights. But as long as I had Bien, my team mate and good friend with me, I was okay. He was strong and courageous. Magaling manindak.
 
But we have someone way bigger and stronger than a team mate.
We have the God of the universe by our side.
He is for us and not against us.
 

3/ Embrace God’s precepts.

Joshua 1:7. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
 
God has given us principles to live by.
Not because he is a cosmic killjoy.
He gave them so that we can live the full and abundant life he has prepared for us.
Sin will keep us from our destiny.
Disobedience will deter us from our purpose
But his Word will keep us aligned and calibrated that we may bring him glory.
 
As we study His word, it will do us well to obey his word.
We are commanded to obey His Word for our good and ultimately for His glory.
His Word is a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet.
 
His word doesn’t just teach us but also trains us for war.
This is so critical especially when times like what we have come, we can stand our ground and keep moving forward until we get to the other side.
 
When the battle is long, the command is to be strong.
Strong in his promises.
Strong in his presence.
Strong in his precepts.
Posted on

A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WILL HISTORY SAY HOW THE CHURCH RESPONDED TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC?

Covid 19 will forever be remembered as a disease caused by a virus which led to a catastrophic event not just in China, but has spread throughout the globe. Hence, the Pandemic.

In 1918, more than a hundred years ago, a similar pandemic which lasted for almost 3 years, infected 500 million people. 

These pandemics have caused painful disruptions in the lives of thousands and millions of people – businesses closing down, stocks plummeting, companies losing money, families going hungry, and lives being taken away. 

In the midst of the crisis that we are facing today, where is the church? 

History has repeatedly shown how the church, the body of Christ or the people who follow and love God, has been an extension of His hands and feet. 

God has called us to be the salt and the light of the world.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16

The goal is to bring honor and glory to God!

Even with the challenge of not meeting together in a particular place, God has brought our hearts together to continue to worship Him in the way we serve His people – by providing food to the needy, shelter to the frontliners, and prayer and comfort to the anxious and grieving. Through these, many will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as we continue to demonstrate and declare the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is more powerful and potent than the virus we are facing now. It does not only provide temporary relief or comfort, but offers hope of a fruitful life here on earth and a promise of eternal life.

Let us continue to spur one another in keeping the faith. The God that we worship, who created the Heavens and the Earth, neither slumbers not sleeps. He is in full control and will always be Sovereign above all. Let us fix our eyes on Him and continue to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit as to what He wants us to do or say to the people around us – physically and online. How would God want us to respond in different situations we find ourselves in during this crisis?

A hundred years from now, this pandemic will be in the history books. 

What will history say about the church?

I love what Ptr Adam Mabry said from our Every Nation Boston Church, “I believe this is our best moment.”

Let’s embrace it, and let’s engage.

Posted on

WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN WE FACE CRISIS?

With the continuous threat of a major outbreak of COVID-19, what can I do to respond?

Last week, during our Metro Manila pastors meeting, Pastor Gilbert Foliente encouraged us from God’s Word. Sharing from Genesis 41, he presented principles we can glean from when the people of God were also faced with a major crisis which at that time was famine.

External threats are beyond our control. Romans 8 describes to us that the “world groans.” There is going to be a new heaven and a new earth. But in the mean time, what can we do?

Egypt, during the time of Joseph, had the threat of famine. The Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret his dreams. What happened during that time gave us a template on how to respond when crisis hits.

1. TRUST GOD FULLY.

The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. (Genesis 41:32, NIV)

All that happens in God’s creation does not escape God’s attention. He is sovereign and He is in full control. This means that nothing takes Him by surprise.

Because of this, we can trust that though we may not know what the future holds, we do know Who holds it.

Psalm 33:11-12 says, “The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

2. LEAD CONFIDENTLY.

“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 41:33)

Every one of us are in some form of leadership capacity. We lead teams, families, units, corporations, organizations. At the very least, we lead ourselves. And as we lead, we can influence others positively.

Joseph was placed in charge over all of Egypt. And after that, he led with confidence knowing that it was God that was ultimately leading him. He wasn’t looking for a job. He was just there as a messenger. But God raised him up for His purposes.

In times of crisis, will we be the voice of faith or the voice of fear?
In times of trouble, will we be a beacon of hope or a source of unbelief?

Joseph trusted God to give him wisdom. We can do too.
Wisdom is being able to do the right thing at the right time.
Joseph had discernment.

And discernment is being able to distinguish between two options.
God has the ability to empower us with discernment to make the right decisions.

3. WORK IMMEDIATELY.

He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:46, NLT)

As soon as Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he worked instantaneously. He didn’t take his sweet time. He went for it right away.

When crisis hits and danger is immanent, we need to be decisive and work swiftly because it can mean life or death.

The famine during Joseph’s time wasn’t coming until 7 years after his appointment as Governor. But he went to work right away.

4. PREPARE THOROUGHLY.

He was thirty years old when he began serving in the court of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And when Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, he inspected the entire land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:46, NLT)

As soon as Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, not only did he work immediately, he prepared thoroughly by inspecting the entire land of Egypt. He studied, learned, evaluated, surveyed, supervised, worked. He did all he can to prepare for the famine.

We will believe God for the best.

But we will also prepare for the worst case scenario.
The important thing is to stay connected to the Holy Spirit so that He can give us clear instructions for what we need to do.

At the end of the narrative, we see in Genesis 41:57 that “… all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.” In the midst of crisis, Joseph, who represented the people of God, became a blessing to the world.

As we encounter crises, whether current or future, we can trust God fully, lead confidently, work immediately and prepare thoroughly. And as we do, the people of God, the church can be a blessing to the rest of the world.

Posted on

HOW CAN I RESPOND IN LIGHT OF THE COVID-19 CONCERNS?

There are a garden variety ways to react but God has given us ways to respond through His Word.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV)

God has not given us a spirit of fear. In the midst of COVID-19 concerns, Christ followers (the church) can shine as light and serve as a preservative of faith like salt. This is not a time to move in fear but to move in faith because of what God has given us.

1. POWER

There is power available to us and that is the power of prayer. The God we serve is ALL MIGHTY. He is omnipotent. That means, He has the ability to arrest this virus whether supernaturally or medically.

That being said, Jesus declared in Matthew 18:19, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” We can agree in prayer and trust God for the results.

2. LOVE

Jesus tells us to love as we have been loved by Him (John 13:34). By His death in Calvary, He demonstrated the full extent of His love for us for all of eternity. Our sins have been forgiven and our eternal life has been secured.

Because of this love that we have received, we are now empowered to love others. We need to move in love.

Thus, there’s no room for xenophobia, apathy, neglect, malevolence or even detestation.

The early church conquered Rome through love in the midst of famine, pestilence and plague. They had no power, influence or wealth and yet through love, Christianity spread all over Rome.

3. SOUND MIND

Faith without works is dead. While we will continue to trust God through all these, we will move in wisdom. We have been given preventive measures by the World Health Organization. It will be wise to follow them. Following preventive measures does not mean there’s no faith. We have been given a sound mind to exercise wisdom in these times.

May we continue to move in faith not fear, love not malevolence and wisdom not neglect.

Posted on

HOW CAN I LOVE WHEN MY OWN LOVE TANK IS EMPTY?

 

Generally, there are three kinds of love that we see and maybe even experience every day – unidirectional, transactional and unconditional.

Unidirectional is the kind where I will stay in the relationship and keep the friendship as long as I am receiving from the person I am with.

Transactional is more like a 50/50 proposition. As s/he gives, I, too, will give. As long as s/he is giving something and I have something to give, then we’re fine. But when we’re all out, we bail from the relationship.

Then there’s the unconditional kind of love. I will keep giving even if there is no expectation of being reciprocated. That kind of love is sacrificial and selfless.

But how can I keep giving when my own love tank is already empty? Fair question.

In John 13:34, Jesus said, “…love one another just as I have loved you.”

He gives not only a new standard – to love people but also a new source – His love for us. Self-love is not a bad thing as long as we understand that it is totally insufficient. Sometimes, we don’t even know how to fully love ourselves.

But Jesus gave and demonstrated the full extent of His love for us in Calvary (see Romans 5:8). As a result, we can draw from that unconditional, unending and unlimited supply of His love for us.

How did He love us, then? And how can we love others with the kind of love He loved us with?

1. SERVE

Matthew 20:28 says that “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus loved us by serving. He served by giving His life as a ransom. A ransom is to pay off to purchase someone’s freedom. We were enslaved to sin and through His death and resurrection, by faith in Him, we have been set free.

Application question: Who has God called me to serve even if that person has offended me? Remember, our sin is an offense towards God and yet He still served us.

2. SACRIFICE

Part of sacrifice is suffering for the benefit of others. 1 Peter 3:17-18 says, “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God.”

Because Jesus sacrificed for us by not repaying our offense with punishment but with grace, we are called to do the same.

1 Peter 3:7 (NIV) says, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

Application question: Who has God called me to not repay evil with evil or insult with insult but instead go the opposite spirit by blessing and doing good to them?

3. SEEK THE GOOD

God had every right to bring punishment. But instead of justice, He showed mercy and grace. He sought to do good for us through Christ. His desire is not just for us to have life eternal but also life abundant (see John 10:10).

Application Question: How can I seek the good of those I don’t necessarily agree with or even those that offended me?

We are told by Jesus, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) Our love for people makes God visible to people. 1 John 4:12 says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

May God grant us grace this week to draw from His supply of unending, unlimited and unconditional love so that we can love others the way Jesus loved us.

Posted on

HOW TO DEAL WITH LIFE’S DISRUPTIONS

In one of our staff meetings at Victory Fort, Pastor Patrick shared a very helpful message during our devotions.

He talked about “how to deal with disruptions.”

A disruption is when a routine or a way of life gets halted for some particular reason. Disruptions are a way of life. Somehow God takes us out of our comfort zones so we can continue trust Him for the next steps.

So what do you do when you’re faced with disruptions?

1. Always be reminded that God is sovereign.

Psalm 135:6 says, “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.”

And Isaiah 46:10 declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.”

In the midst of disruptions, God is in control. Moreover, His purpose will prevail, even in the midst of the most disconcerting disruptions.

2. Find your stability in God.

We desire for things to go back to its normal routine.

However, the myth is that when routines come back, we will finally have peace and comfort. While routines can give some level of peace, there are many things in life we are not in full control of. Only God can bring stability in the midst of disruptions.

Phil 4:6-7 says, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Only Christ can give peace that is far beyond human knowledge.

3. Disruptions allow us to check what’s important to us.

Ask this question, “if my house is on fire, what are the 3 things I will bring with me?” For sure, the answer will only reflect the most important items to us.

When we are pulled out of our comfort zones, our priority lists is reduced to the things that are most important to us.

Heavenly Father, if I can be honest, disruptions are not something I am excited about. I don’t welcome it neither do I appreciate it. But for some divine reason, you allow it because you have the ability to cause all things to work together for my good and ultimately for your glory. Help me to respond in a way that would be honoring to you and encouraging to the people around me. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

 

 

Photo credit: Dante Pamintuan @coffee_dante

Posted on

EMBRACE THE MUNDANE. LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS A CONSISTENT HIGHLIGHT.

I love watching the NBA. Since I was a young boy, I have enjoyed following some of my favorite teams like the Sixers, Lakers and Celtics.

But because of the limited time I have to day, I can only watch the highlights on YouTube. I love it because it will only take 9 minutes of my time to watch the highlights of the game. I skip the 39 minutes of errors, bad passes, missed shots and fouls. I only get to see the dunks, the three pointers and fancy passes. I only see 1/5 of what goes on the whole game.

In a day and age where we only see the highlights, we carry this over in our lives. When we scroll through our social media feeds, we will see, for the most part, highlights of people’s lives – their vacation, their outstanding OOTDs, their new gadgets, nice parts of their house, their laughter, their happy moments. When we begin to think that that should be much of what should be happening in our lives, we get sucked into the highlight culture.

In addition to this, we fall into the comparison trap. When we watch someone’s highlights, we can begin to think something’s wrong with our life because it’s not a consistent highlight.

It is an important discipline to embrace the mundane. In fact, it’s in the mundane that we see growth. It’s in the mundane that we develop perseverance. And it’s in the mundane that our character is built.

Here are a few things we can do to embrace the mundane.

1. Be thankful.

The apostle Paul commanded, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes. 5:18) We are told to give thanks not FOR all circumstances but IN all circumstances – both when you’re enjoying a highlight or when you are going through deep valleys.

2. Persevere in faith.

We are called to “walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).

When we don’t see what’s up ahead, we can trust the One who sees it. He knows the way. He has been there way before I even get there.

3. Make the most of every opportunity.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:15-16).

Each day is a gift from God. Each moment for that matter, is a wonderful gift from God. Make the most of every moment given. Stay present. Value relationships. Rather than scrolling through your feed when you’re having coffee or dinner with someone, put your phone down and enjoy the conversation.

In a boring and mundane day, take the opportunity to be quiet and rest your soul before God.
Be still and know that He is God.

Life is not always a consistent highlight. Embrace the mundane. After some time, you’ll realize how much you’ve grown and life will be more joyful for you’ve unburdened yourself of the unnecessary pressures we put on ourselves.

Posted on

JIMMY AYALA’S STORY: THERE’S MORE TO LIFE THAN ACCUMULATING WEALTH

Here’s the story of Jimmy, who once lived for the purpose of accumulating wealth and gaining position, but now generously gives of everything he has—time, money, and effort to unreached, dark places with no source of electricity. This was only made possible when he found the true source of light, Jesus Christ. He now lives his life with meaning and purpose.

Posted on

WHY IS GIVING AN ANTIDOTE TO GREED?

“Giving is an antidote to greed.”

God has freely given us the gift of salvation when Jesus Christ died on the Cross on our behalf and resurrected after three days. Having been given something that we don’t deserve — mercy and grace — we can give with a heart of gratitude for His kingdom’s cause.

Watch the full video from last Sunday’s message at: