Heavenly Investment

We sometimes fail to recognize that our home is not here on earth but it's in Heaven. There are some people who were so busy investing material things on earth, becoming wealthy on the things on earth but yet have failed to invest for the heavenly things.

Billy Graham was well known for evangelistic crusades and world evangelization. If we thoroughly think of it, he became famous and well known world wide. He gain trust and a name to the people in this world.

When he said that "My home is in heaven, I'm just traveling through this world". it made me think of his accomplishments. Yes! he is traveling in this world yet has done great things for the Lord. He didn't invest on the earthly things but most of all strive hard for the heavenly things.

May this be tattooed on my mind especially that I am already going out to the school I used to study. Hopefully I would not waste my time and life searching and hoping to be wealthy here on earth. May the Lord encourage me to work for Him for the expansion of His kingdom. There is so much to learn in this subject and for the early church fathers, the people in the renaissance and for the reformation age. I'm so thankful that I have learned a lot from this subject.

Fruit of Our Labor

I have been ministering to the children for almost seven years now. With the span of seven years many times I have felt ineffective and sometimes I would say that the children didn't grow. Sometimes I want to quit teaching because it seems that there is no improvement in the lives of the children and I am not fitting to be their teacher.

A saying from John Wesley encourages me to go on and be faithful on the ministry the Lord entrusted to me. He has given me an encouragement that if I have not seen the success the we don't know how the Lord has seen it. He has known every hearts of the children and he knows the growth in them.

This is not just an encouragement for me but to all ministers out there who would sometimes feel discouraged and wanting to quit and give up because it seem that the growth is so slow. Indeed, we should be faithful in doing God's work and let us not count success because success is of the Lord. I know someday that the Lord will reward the labor we have done. So all we have to do is to continue working, endure and allow God to work through you. 

For the Sake of the Gospel

This quote of George Whitefield structs my heart. I have known him to be not physically appealing but he can capture people through his hilarious voice. The Lord has given him the gift of speaking that could capture one's heart. He has used his gift for the sake of the Gospel. He has this desire to bring people to Christ through his sermons.

There are so many people around the world who are privilege of being a good speaker. Yet, they had not used their gift to tell the truth to other people. Some of them used it for their own glory, to manipulate others, to gain power, and to promote other things.

The Lord has given this particular gift and I do believe that He deserved to have all the praises for this gift also. May the believers of Christ pursue the same goal in life. Since we have experienced the love of God in our lives may this inspire us to bring others to Christ. I personally was challenged to strive hard and used my gift in teaching to share the love of Christ to other people. I like it when he said that "he would speak, till he could speak no more". It may sound impossible but hopefully nothing and no one could hinder us in sharing the Word of God to other people.

Speak up believers of Christ!

His Word Prevails

We are so much thankful of John Wycliffe because he translated the Bible to English which is very useful until now. People before were having a hard time understanding because its not of their own language. Even in Europe, although most of them doesn't understand Latin but the priest would speak of the homily in Latin. If we are to evaluate it properly, how can the Word of God be effective and affect in one's lives if they have not understood it?

John Wycliffe played a significant role of making the Bible be understood especially to the Americans. Many believers now a days aim to translate the Bible to the mother tongue of the people they ministered especially to the tribal people. He is also a proponent of teaching the use of the Scripture.

I chose this quote of Him because it reflects on his desires. When he said “I believe that in the end the truth will conquer”. This quote is so much in line with his actions and desire. I think the truth being referred here is the Bible, the Word of Truth. When he said this he already made a great step and that is to translate the Bible in English. Knowing that the universal language is also English. Through him many were able to understand the Bible further.

In application, may this be the desire of our hearts also, Although, there are really countries that doesn't allow the Bible to be used in their countries. May this be our desire also that the Word of God will prevail in the world. So Let us support those faithful translators of the Bible into different language. We will continue to pray for them and also pray for aspiring translator someday. May Wycllife's legacy be an inspiration for us to serve God all the more.

Through Me and You

I am very aware of God's power to transform lives and be used for His glory. I, myself, is even a proof of this. The Lord is able to pick me up from living in hell and transformed into different person who is aiming to glorify His name.

I have two older brothers. We grew up in a Christian family. Raised by an absence of father due to aid financial difficulties. As I grew up, I woke up realizing that among the siblings it is I who continually served the Lord. They've lost their way and it turned out that they away from God already.

I know that my mother has been trying hard to convince them to turn back to God and be in His presence once again. But they hadn't care and just continue doing what they wanted. Then it came to the point that I felt burdened about their lives and I felt being a failure in sharing the Gospel to them . I felt disappointed that I wasn't not able to change them.

Then I realized that transforming lives is not my responsibility to do. It is the Lord's working. So I have realized that Yes! Allow God to work in their lives because God is able to work in everyone's lives. He is also able to change them. He is able to save them from their lives right now. 

Walk in Love

I like how Pope Gregory emphasized walk in Love in this quote. They said love is already an overused word and sometimes we used it not just to people but even to things and animals. Such as I love pizza, I love dogs, I love ice cream and many more. The analogy here is that when you say I love God and you also said I love ice cream, it is just like you like God just as you love ice cream. So whats really the value of love there? How intense was the love mention?

The quote of Pope Gregory made me agree that, indeed the proof of love is in the works or action. So if you seek more ice cream than God the probably ice cream is more important to you. I came to think of the love of Jesus Christ to us. He suffered. He was crucified. He died for us. The quote said “...where love is, it works great things”. Then I think of Jesus' love again. Because of His love indeed great things happened. What were those great things? We were saved. We freely received His grace. His disciples were urged to follow Him and we believers desire to do great things for Him also.

So I have reflected that we should not limit our love. Its not real love if its only spoken yet not acted upon. It is not love if I am just neglecting those people who are less privilege. It is not love if I am not loving the unloving and unlovable. It is not love if |I am not understanding to the differences of other people. It is not love if I am not doing great and sacrificial things for the Lord.

Never get tired of loving because God isn't even tired of loving us!

Beautiful Soul

I have chosen one of the remarkable quote from St. Ambrose of Milan where he said “Know, O Beautiful soul, that you are the image of God, Know that you are the glory of God”.

This quote reminded me on the ministry I am serving that my action matters. I proclaim to be follower of Christ and everyone who have heard would watch on how I act before them. It would be shameful bring and sharing the name of Jesus Christ and yet Christ is not shown in our lives. It would be disappointing to think that we are created in God's image yet we fail to accept others and we look at ourselves negatively.

I can remember myself sharing to the youth that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I shared to them that we are uniquely created by God having different identities and gifts. I imagined myself if I have not known God in my life. I can really say that I'm insecure physically, intellectually, family status and many more. Thank God that I really knew Him on the right time and I was able to change my perspective in life and the Lord gave colors on my dark and bitter life.

I am encouraged to continue sharing to other people, especially the youth that they indeed created by God in His image. We are blessed because the image we have from Him is an image of Jesus Christ our Savior. We can truly enjoy each day of our lives having a positive perspective of life and of ourselves.  

A CHRISTIAN LEADER: Effective or Not?

        There were Christian leaders before who successfully reign in a secular world holding a certain authority or power. A question dwells in my mind regarding this kind of issue. Will a Christian leader be effective in a secular world? There was a time in the history where in Christian leaders reign in an empire. The Lord has put them in a high position leading an empire or a kingdom. I have read great stories and power they have achieved.

        I was reflecting on the modern context in the Philippines. I would imagine myself being the president in the Philippines or imagine other Christian leaders being in the senate. I have this question, will they successfully influence others to the faith they have believed in or will they be tempted to compromise to the pattern of the secular world? Are they just silent with their faith? Is Christ leadership seen in their way of leading the people?

        I am challenged to really have my own stand about such things. As I teach the children, I would really teach them to live according to the Bible. I may not know, I would have a student who would become president someday. In my behalf also, I would also practice Christian leadership in whatever group I will be leading.

       As a concern leader, I am also encouraged to pray for those Christian leaders in the government that they will stand firm and not be shaken. I would include in my prayer that they will let their light shine in whatever position they are in to. Hopefully, they would continue to seek God. I would also encourage other believers to include them in their prayers.

A P R I C E T O P A Y

          Constantine made a great impact in the Age of Roman Empire. He was considered a great emperor. He made a history during the Edict of Milan which became the landmark of Christian History wherein a new religion has tolerated the empire and that is Christian. He gathered the Council of Nicaea and formulated the Nicene Creed. He abolished the offensive pagan customs and emancipate the Christian slaves. He even contributed to the building of temples. He can't have all the success he had achieved if he had not paid price for it. He made mistakes and bad moves but his wrong moves rooted on his desire for great power and authority. He warred against his brother -in-law Licinius and violated the promised mercy on them. He even executes his eldest son as well as his wife. His loved ones in exchange to a strong and excellent empire.

          Indeed, in every decision that we will be making there is always a price to pay. I deeply thought of the things that I have done and I will still be doing for the Lord. I know someday I will face a situation that I will be making decisions. It is my hope and prayer that the Lord will surely lead me to always make the right decision. I dream to be a successful minister someday and I am looking forward to a possible price to pay for the Lord's sake. It maybe through giving up possessions, career, loved ones, and hopefully I would be paying the price in a wise way by God's help.

God at Work

       God never fails His people. He was at work in times that we needed His help. Although persecution and negligence of the gospel is really viral and active. He made a way to help the Christianity to spread in surprising way that you can really say that He is at work in everything. He made a way that He convicted the hearts of the Christian to believe in the Gospel. That burning conviction of Gospel met the need in their hearts. The spread of the gospel encourages the Christian to practice Christian love. The persecution also made a great help to publicize the Christian faith.

       We thank God for His ways to spread the Gospel. In my life I can say that I am so lenient in sharing the Word of God. I would just share if I would handle DVBS. I have reflected that Yes! God is at work but I am not! Thank God for His active working and also for those people whom He used for the expansion of His Kingdom ,if not because of those people we weren't be able to have a God-controlled Church History.

       I know that God is actively working in my life right now. I am convincingly urged to attempt great things for Him. By sharing the gospel even to one person can already make a change to our Christian History. The love and grace I have experienced from God encourages me to achieve more for His glory and Honor.

“for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”

-Philippians 2:13, NIV-