He Still Speaks

“But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey-a beast without speech-who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” 2 Peter 2:16

When we came to the US as a family, we constantly have communicated to our relatives and friends using every possible technology. We utilized old traditions of sending mail via post office to send our greetings of birthdays and holidays. We availed of an international long distance call offer that allows us to make a telephone call everyday to the Philippines. We chatted with our siblings and friends over the internet. We exchanged emails with more people to stay in touch. Sometimes we spoke with them about serious matters and minute things. We make sure to communicate and continue to be connected to express our love and concern for our families and friends back home.

God utilizes everything to communicate to His people. He used a donkey to speak His message to straighten up prophet Balaam. In our present day where we have lots of distractions that prevent us from hearing God’s message to us personally, He still conveys His message to us. I have experienced and am experiencing the Lord speaking to me thru a chess game, my work, my family, a preacher on TV, an event with my daughter(s), a conversation with a friend, a headline in the newspaper, several movie scenes, a family mishap, etc. I can go on and on and cite that God is alive and still speaks to us. We must be conscious about His working presence in our lives and must have open hearts and minds to receive His loving message to us. Have you been hearing God in your life today? Allow Him to speak with you in any possible way. Open your hearts and minds to our God who wants to communicate His love and concern for you.

The Hairgiver

“Even all the hairs of your head are counted.” Matthew 10:30

One of my difficulties in working and living abroad is about my hair. No barber in the area where I live seems to get the type of haircut I really want it to look like. I’ve tried both men and women barbers but still I am not satisfied when I walk out of the shop. Even as I sit before, during and after my haircut, I have this feeling of discomfort. I greatly missed my barber in the Philippines. He knows where to cut and not. He knows the curves of my head and straights of my hair. He knows the right cut of my hair so it may stand or lay on my head. And when I sit before my barber, I am at peace and in comfort for I know I will be satisfied when I walk out of his shop.

I am filled with thanksgiving to know that Jesus knows me inside and out. He said that the number of my hairs on our head are counted. He keeps an eye on us because He loves us, and not about guarding us and accounts all our iniquities. He knows our hurts and joys. He knows our worries and strengths. He knows our life’s curves and straights. He knows when we sit , when we stand and when we lay our heads for rest. This is very comforting, having a God who knows our needs and concerns, a God who looks after us personally. He is a God up close and personal and not a distant one. And when we need pruning, He knows where to cut and nourishes our areas of growth. When we sit before our personal God in prayer, we are at peace and comforted in our struggles, I know we will always be satisfied for we have a God who will not walk out on us.

Without Cost

“Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” Matthew 10:8

I stood up and spoke about Jesus for one hour. It is still very vivid in my mind. This is the time when my leader asked me to do a gospel presentation in-front of college freshmen in a classroom. I could not believe I preached about the saving grace of the Lord Jesus as I have not studied these things nor was not trained to do so. That’s when I realized, I have received God’s gifts, without cost, so I can serve Him and His people without cost. Through the years, God bestowed more noteworthy Christian service to me; building and organizing communities, pastoral care of individuals, training brothers and sisters for His kingdom. I was doing spectacular things for the Lord, just like what the disciples were commanded to do in Matthew 10:8.

No time and money has significant cost for me not to serve God. What is taking costly for me is my pride. I am a new member attending a charismatic community in the USA, often times I am called to lead a short prayer, tasked to clean the place of fellowship or initiate to arrange things before and after the meetings. I know I can do a lot of things for the Lord and I won’t expect something from it, but sometimes my pride takes charge in me that I discriminate the minute services assigned to me, which I believe are part of God’s great work. I realized that I have received from the Lord without cost, and no matter how my self-importance exalts me; I must serve and give my all to God without counting the cost even at the expense of my human pride.

Growing Cold

“And because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold.” - Matthew 24:12

After a day’s work, I found my vehicle all covered with ice. It has been raining ice sleet throughout the day. I have to spend some thirty minutes to take out the ice from the glass windows which I will be using to drive my way home. It’s really tough to take out the ice from the windows since the ice has been stuck into the windows for several hours and I have been dripping with rain as I brushed out the thickened ice from the windows.

As Christians, we were warned by Jesus of growing cold in our walk with Him. I picture our hearts being covered with ice and our fervor for God and His kingdom turning grim because of our iniquities. Most of the time, we found ourselves engulfed in habitual sins that can totally cover our hearts with coldness and turns off the fire in us. By our own, our sins are stuck in our beings and cannot be peeled off. By the grace of the death of Jesus on the cross, the thick sins which are turning our hearts cold are taken off. Jesus gives us the warmth needed to be on fire in our love for God. It does not mean we will not sin again, but by the power of the cross we are forgiven and every sin which covers our love for Him is taken out. As Christians, our call is not to grow cold but rather to grow old in walking with Him.

Staying Awake

"Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning." Mark 13:35

When I was working for an electric power transmission company, there were many times that I have to work from night until morning regarding device testing and commissioning. Our team leader would always encourage us to eat a lot of food to supplement our bodies due to lack of sleep and rest. In between jobs, we would take bread, maybe grab a small meal or drink some hot coco or coffee for us to get by throughout the night and finish the work at the deadline given to us. Sometimes, I would really feel getting to sleep but my body is nourished by my food intake that I stay awake until the assigned work is complete.

Jesus talks about the same thing when He preached that we should be watchful and be alert. He is pointing to being staying awake for the coming of the Lord is not known but surely the Lord is coming. To stay at watch or to stay awake as Christians, calls us to nourish our spiritual bodies with "spiritual food" - Prayer, Reading the Word of God, and fellowship and service with brothers and sisters. Living here on earth gives us a lot of distractions that can prevent us from staying awake and from being alert to living out our Christian ideals from day to day. Keeping our daily "spiritual food" will keep our eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. Taking our "spiritual food" day by day will make us watchful and awake until the Lord Jesus completes His work in our lives.

Sheep without a Shepherd

"At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:36

One of my fears is getting lost. I want to make sure I am in the right direction going to the place I want to be. Even when using my Global Positioning System (GPS) navigator, I tend to have this fear of losing direction. But when I missed a turn, a ramp or a road, the navigator quickly recalculates to put me back on the right path.

Jesus was saddened as he saw the flock of people like sheep without a shepherd. He saw them as people who are scattered and abandoned. He viewed them as people without direction. He gazed upon them as people who are lost. He watched them as people trying to find their way but cannot locate the right path. As a Shepherd, Jesus offers to lead the way for us, His people, to be on track towards the place meant for us - Heaven.

The sheep's fear is to be away from the shepherd since the sheep's sense of direction alone is the shepherd. Our lives will be surely in dire straits without the leading of our Shepherd who is Jesus. He alone is the light for our path. As our Shepherd, He gives assurance in our walk on this earth that He will never ever abandon us that He will guide us towards the place where we are destined to be. Even when we walk away from the flock, our Shepherd quickly makes sure that the lost sheep is found and diverted to the right direction.

Lord Jesus, our Shepherd, give us the grace to fix our eyes on you that we may not be lost and that we may not be like sheep without a shepherd. We thank you for your love and mercy as your heart is moved with pity and love when You look upon Your lost sheep. Father, when we are lost, bring us back to the right path and direction. By your love, allow us to hold on to Your word and presence that we may steadfast in following you as our Shepherd. And by your grace, empower us to bring other sheep to Your flock that we may join You in the place You and Your Father have prepared for us to dwell in eternity. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Saving the Savior

"We all die for you." This is the statement that caught my heart from the TV series "Terminator - the Sarah Connor Chronicles". In the scene, Derek Reese was talking to his nephew, John Connor, who is to save the human race from the robots in the future. The people around John must protect him in the present or in the past so that the future heroic and gallant John can lead the humans in defeating the opposition. They all need to save the Savior.

This is not the same with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is our saving Lord in the past, in the present and in the future. Our Lord Jesus does not need our help in the present or in the past so He may save us in the future. He is a constant Savior. He is ready to save whoever at anytime. Jesus is always present with us against the enemy, protecting us from evil. Keeping us and delivering us from harm. In this light, Jesus does all the work of salvation and therefore no work or words of ours can add to that. We can live and die for our Savior but we do not need to save our Savior. He died for all of us.

We asked for the world and God gave it to us

When we were young and were part of Christ Youth in Action (CYA) catholic charismatic groups for young people in the Philippines, we always prayed that God will make us His vessels of mission and vision for impacting the wider church. Not withstanding the boundaries of our country, God has bestowed in us the call to bring and share His work beyond the Philippines.

Please see full article - We asked for the world and God gave it to us

Positive Encouraging

When I came to the United States, being alone, I always needed encouragement. I have to go without my family since they have to wait for their interview and approval of their visas. I was coming to a place where I have no relatives or friends. I was not even sure of the surrounding or the environment where will I stay in. Sure, I was employed in a company where there are Filipinos but I felt the need of support I have always had back in my catholic community in the Philippines.

On the second week of my employment, the company rented a car for me. When I turned on the car radio the FM was set to KLOVE Christian radio station. The motto of this station is Positive Encouraging. They play songs of encouragement to the lonely Christian soul all day and all night. Songs of worship and praises to God where loudly introduced by the DJs. DJs most often provided reflective inputs on each song and even with the current events. Tremendous positive encouragement is what I felt and feel every time I listen to this station. I felt that God was with me all along. I was really positively encouraged by what I am hearing from the songs and short reflections from KLOVE. Even now that my family has joined me here, our car radio is glued on this radio station.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8-9 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." From KLOVE radio station, I was encouraged positively because I was listening to true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable. My mind was always filled up with praiseworthy Christian values every time I tune in to the radio station. By God's grace I have tried to live out and practice the things I was listening to as time progresses in my "new" life in the US.

Every Christian needs positive encouraging messages. When you belong to a church or a community, someone will need positive encouraging words. They will come to you for advice and counsel and seek to be positively encouraged. People would love to hear affirmation and a push towards doing what is holy and good.

But sometimes we get to the wrong direction. When others who needed positive and encouraging words sometimes stumble on people who gives the following:

o Positive discouraging - wanted to encourage but with the wrong choice of words the listener gets tangled with ill emotions
o Negative encouraging - wanted to encourage but the speaker focused on the darker side of the story

Brothers and sisters, fill your hearts and minds with the word of God. Fill your hearts and minds with whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable. Time will surely come that a friend, a brother or a sister will need your positive encouraging words. And be sure to speak those words with LOVE.

P.S. You can listen live streaming on the web - http://www.klove.com/

Fiesta o Siesta?

In Matthew 22:1-10, Jesus likened the kingdom of God as a wedding feast. Naalala ko tuloy yung ugali ko. Kapag may nag-iinvite sa akin para sa isang fiesta, I would rather stay at home and secure my siesta. I always feel comfortable when eating at home and after that would just take a restful nap. On the other hand, my wife loves to go to these fiestas. Pag-uwi nya sa bahay, she tells me the persons who were looking for me or the bountiful meal I have missed because I chose my siesta over the fiesta.

God everyday invites us to have a feast with Him, to have a life full of joy with Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we ignore His invitation, we send Him our RSVPs. And we shun His invitation because we have more important to do or to attend to which is in this case we choose the second best, our siesta. The contending rival of the best choice is the second best option. Second best is not necessarily wrong but it prevents us from choosing what is best of the best. We settle for false contentment. Many people in our current times ignore God’s invitation because they might have everything they need or want - cars, good family, house, good employment, etc. When Jesus invites us to His feast, He only wants what is best for us. To come into His presence, talk and listen to Him cannot be compared to any riches that this world can give.

Or maybe, God has been inviting you to step-up into a higher degree of service for Him and His people. And you feel much of comfort in your own area of service right now, your siesta. If you respond to this invitation, you are thinking that you may have to spend more time, have more meetings in a week, and sometimes you will have to share more of your financial resources. God prepares and enables His people for His service. He will not lead His army into a battle without His grace and strength. And when we go to a greater war, God goes with us. When we get comfortable in the things we are doing for Him, He has prepared us for a higher call of service.

Our God is an inviting God. We should respond to Him positively when He calls us because He has prepared for us a fiesta which is meant for our lives to be fulfilled and to be satisfied. Choose the fiesta over siesta or miss out on a lot of things.

Mhy's Birthday

Celebrated September 21, 2008

(multiply, aol)

Fhey's Birthday

(Multiply, AOL)

You're invited!!!

Balcony o orchestra?

Lagi-lagi nating naririning ito bago pumasok ng sinehan – balcony o orchestra. Kung may sobrang pera ka, of course, dun ka sa balcony. You don’t want to have your neck bending backwards to look up which is kapag nasa orchestra ka. Kapag nasa balcony ka kasi, you are in level or a bit looking down the screen. Also, ayaw natin yung masyado kang malapit sa screen kasi hindi comfortable sa eyes.

It’s a simple rule, we don’t want to look up for a long time. Instead, it’s convenient just to look at the same level or look down. Our physical bodies are designed not to look up but look at the same level.

But this is not true with our spiritual beings, as Paul wrote to the Colossians in 3:1-4, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”

When Paul said – things on the earth, this is about looking at the same level or downwards, parang nasa balcony. Looking at the world is the same thing as looking at the same level. We are hampered with what’s happening in our lives when we just look at the same level. We are concern on the things of this world and in this world.

As renewed people in Christ, we are urged to look up, tumingin sa taas, parang nasa orchestra. Look for the things that are unseen. Seek for the things that every Christian hopes for. Holiness, faith, brotherhood and sisterhood, salvation – these things may not be easily grasped by now but we have God’s promises as our assurance. It’s hard to look up, not comfortable, because any worthy endeavor must be hard enough but we can endure by the grace of God.

So, the next time you are face with any given situation, hard or easy, that gives you an option – balcony o orchestra, saan kapatid?

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Worship Song


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Gensel's 1st Composition
Check 3 Words


Gensel's 2nd Composition - The Only Way



Michelle and Fe - Human Bingo


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Nars and Janet's 2nd Duet


Jun Sings Upsidedown

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