Dana was late in her class this morning.

All her school supplies needed for that day were all in her bag. We were ready to go to school when she was asking about her ID and neck tie. We realized she didn't wear her ID and neck tie yet, so went to a certain place in our house where we usually hang it. But it wasn't there. 

We spent almost 30 minutes searching for her most "treasured items." I explained to her that it's okay to come to class without the school ID and neck tie. I will just explain to her teacher that we misplaced them. She was crying. I understood what she was feeling but can't help locate where we put it. It's our norm to always put them in her bag after school. 

Anyway, we don't want her to miss her class just because of the ID and necktie. So, I still encouraged her to enter the car and drove him to school. On our way, she was telling me that her classmates sometimes don't wear IDs because they forget to. So I told her, "Yes, Dana, entering your class today is more important than searching for the ID or neck tie. You cannot replace education with something else. We can still buy a neck tie or even have a new ID but when you don't enter your class, you will miss learning lessons that will prepare you for life."

"Can we still locate my ID and neck tie?", she further asked. "We will do our best, Anak." For now, you enter the class and I'll explain it to your teacher. 

From our car, Dana asked me to hug and carry her. So I did. As soon as we arrived to her classroom, Immediately her teacher approached us and so I explained what just happened to Dana a few minutes ago. Her classmates came closer to her, with the countenance of comforting her. Some of them even expressed that they forget their IDs or necktie sometimes, too, their way of comforting Dana. And...about three of her classmates didn't have neckties too. I told them to pray that we will be able to find them soon. So after a few minutes of helping her settle in the class, I kissed and hugged her goodbye for my next appointments. 

While in the car, I received a text message from Divine. The neck tie and the ID were left under the throw pillows in our sofa. 

Well, this is life. But I'm sure Dana has her lessons learned beyond her classroom, preparing her for life. We parents have our daily lessons too. 

Book-Reading-Marathon

Every year, for almost 7 years already, Divine and I go to SMX for the Grand Book Sale. You can have a lot of good books to choose from a variety of participating bookstores nationwide. 

This is what we are looking forward to every year which adds appetite to our love for reading and learning. We are excited to read all of these and hope to glean insights for practical life 's application. 

It is always said, "Nothing is learned until it is applied."

So during the Tropical Storm Mario that brought floods in our area, our best option was to stay in our house and had our book-reading-marathon. 

Thank God for times like this where we can simply pause and ponder as we painstakingly read through the pages of our most treasured books. 

I remember our nursery rhymes during my school days...

The book is our help to give us more widom

Leading the path that leads to success

Book is like a movie that we love to see

Comedy, adventure & love story

We can travel to other places

By air or land or sea

But just don't forget to read the books in the library.

The Gospel Beyond our Borders

In my recent ministry trip to another ASEAN country, I had the privilege of interacting with the university students and see where they are at in their spiritual journey. Despite language barrier and cultural differences, by the grace of God, it's a joy to share His message of love and forgiveness to 23 of them whom, 16 prayed to receive Jesus in their lives as personal Lord and Savior, by faith. Before I go back to Philippines, I met 3 of them for follow up, and transitioned them to the local staff who will continue to journey with them as they multiply in the lives of others. 

Last Monday (Sept 9), I shared the gospel with Junior together with the 5 other students. Last Thurs (12th), he came back for our follow up bible study and he also told me that he shared the gospel (through the Four Spiritual Laws booklet) to 6 of his friends that night of Monday after we met. Please pray that he will be able to follow them up with Lesson 1: Beginning Your New Life in Christ, as he made a commitment to do so. 

              (Jacob: 3rd from left)

Jacob, one of the student leaders in their organization, was assured of his salvation after we met. He also shared the gospel to two of his friends and plan to share to the whole org. Pray that he will have the boldness to share the message of Christ to the whole group. 

What an awesome God we have! Regardless of family religious background, the gospel of Christ is for everyone. 

With my team, in 6 days...

554 were exposed to the gospel. 

88 are being followed up (FU). 

5 have completed FU #3. 

Also exciting are those who prayed to receive Christ last week's stats:

102 personal evangelism

4 have completed FU #1.

Praise the Lord! 

This passages are great reminders of why we are doing what we are called to be doing:

Rom. 10:12-17

For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news." 16 But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" 17 Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ. 

Hebrews  4:12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) will be fulfilled if everyone has been given a chance to hear the gospel. 

We simply share the gospel by faith. It's the goal of the Holy Spirit to convict their hearts of sin. 

Raising up Multiplying Disciples for the Great Commission

Metro Manila Campus students leaders and staff work together in helping fulfill Christ's Great Commission by helping raise multiplying disciples among and through the college students. A campaign to rally fellow students to take active participation in this cause was started a few weeks ago. Please read through what it is all about and join by praying and or going with them. 

How can our #soWINbroadly campaign help us see multiplying disciples? (Compiled insights from our student leaders of Metro

Manila Campuses)

Spiritual multiplication is inevitable when God is working in the hearts of his disciples. That is why the #soWINbroadly campaign is a campaign to encourage everyone to trust in God’s power to perform miracles through them and to the people around them. This campaign is under the principle from John 4:35 where we are all encouraged to look past familiarity and embrace the urgency of sharing the gospel, for the harvest has already been ripe and prepared by the Lord. With the heart to see the lost get found, it is also our vision to see changed lives start to share and declare the Word of the Lord.

By encouraging Key Volunteers to step outside their comfort zones to sow God’s word to the hearts of fellow students, it will not just stretch their faith and allow them to experience the joy of sharing God’s word but it will also give salvation to those people who will listen to them. The seed, which is the Word of God, will be planted. These newly saved people then will also have the vision to go and make disciples of all nations. If we’ll be able to pass on our vision to these reliable men we are going to send, then we trust that they could share this to other reliable men, too. Thus causing spiritual multiplication for God’s glory. The campaign also helps us know that we’re not alone in this. That there are really a team of like-hearted disciples who are willing to ignite spiritual movements within their own respective battle fields, and beyond.

 

(More details about the campaign)

#soWINbroadly is a campaign that initially started with the vision of the Metro Manila Catalytic staff coaches to observe the principle of sowing broadly in the target area. Now, students are joining forces to initiate and adopt the vision shared to us, since it is also our heart to see multiplying disciples by making evangelism as our lifestyle.

We are praying for:

-(at least) 100 students to participate in this year-long campaign

-Each student will commit and trust in the Lord to share/witness to at least 10 students per month.

When the goal is reached, there will be 10,000 who will hear the Gospel. And from this number, we are praying to generate new generation of KVs. 

Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ n the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. 

 

 

Seems Yesterday

Since the opening of her class, I would bring Dana to school as early as 7am.  

It seems yesterday when we dedicated her to the Lord. Now, she is in Kinder 2. It seems yesterday when we also heeded God's call for the Great Commission through the ministry of Campus Crusade. Now, God is enabling us to cross boarders and be part of His business of changing lives across the globe. We have been blessed by GOD through the faithful ministry partners he raised up for us. What a privilege! 

We are ETERNALLY GRATEFUL. Our hearts sing for joy. No matter how hard our circumstances at times are, His word in James 1 holds so true.

It says: 2 My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,

3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.

7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord,

8 since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

9 Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position.

10 But the rich person's pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.

11 For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.

12 Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.

15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters.

17 All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Digging into God's Word

Digging into God's word this morning on Jeremiah 9, led me to some insightful thoughts.

The prophet, Jeremiah mourned for the nation of Israel because the Babylonian army had to come and attack to destroy the city. Very soon. God chose to punish the people of Jerusalem by sending the Babylonian army against them so that they will come to repentance. These people were deceitful and always lied to one another.

Jeremiah 9: 23 The Lord says, "Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.

24 If people want to boast, they should boast about this: They should boast that they understand and know me. They should boast that they know and understand that I, the Lord, act out of faithfulness, fairness, and justice in the earth and that I desire people to do these things," says the Lord.

We are living in this world that is full of lies. We glorify ourselves by telling lies. We boast to exalt ourselves while putting down the others. We fight with each other. God hates these attitudes & actions like what the people of Jerusalem had experienced. And they were punished.

As Christians (God's children through a personal relationship with Jesus), we can help influence our nation for good, giving glory to our God. We need to:

1. Pursue a growing relationship with God in our lives through a daily reading of His word like what the Bereans did in Acts 17: "10 The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

11 These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so."

2. Humble ourselves before God and men. Let's think others better than ourselves. "Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself." -Philippians 2:3

3. Encourage one another as Hebrews 10:24-25 stated, "24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,

25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near."

4. Pray continually for our leaders, and our countrymen. "Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and  supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making  supplication for all the saints...."-Ephesians 6:18

5. Go out and share the gospel, make disciples. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. -Mark 16:15

But the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavenly expanse. And those bringing many to righteousness  will be like the stars forever and ever. -Daniel 12:3

Have a blessed day, everyone! 

Like a Tree

In one of my ministry-related travels, specifically in Victoria Falls, South Africa, I saw this huge tree. My memory can't recall anymore of its name and its age. But I remember my african friends saying that this is the oldest tree in their country. 

So huge. So beautiful to behold. I was reminded of this verse in the bible:

The fruit of the righteous is like a tree producing life, and the one who wins souls is wise. -Proverbs 11:30

This is my prayer as I walk with God daily. This is my prayer for you who may happen to read this too :)