Joyful, Joyful

Sayaw One - SOP

Wala lang... na-appreciate ko yung moves ni Ryza. First time ko makapanood ng SOP eh (this year ah...) hehehe

Last Dance for 2008

To God be the glory!!!!

Press on Toward the Goal!

God has been so faithful to me, to the entire ministry. I want to thank Him for allowing us to be part of a bigger assignment all for His greater glory. :)

We joined a dance competition last November 29, Saturday (that was already the grand finals) at Folk Arts Theater, organized by Philippine Bible Society. That was not a mere dance competition but it's one way to promote the use of Bible using our craft - dancing. God paved the way for the team to be the champion. Truly, He answers sincere prayers.

We joined not because we want fame, not for the prize, but for one reason... to give glory to the Highest God! We want souls who will accept God. I could still remember how hard we prayed before we danced. That was really unforgettable! Our reward was God Himself.

Below is the video of the actual dance -- "B'lib ako sa Biblia ko!" (courtesy of Kua Firmo..thanks to you!)



But then, I don't want to dwell on past victories and will strain toward what is ahead... look forward to more assignments from God. Since this victory belongs to God, all the glory belongs to Him as well!

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14

I am confident of this...

You are with me everywhere I go...



I claim Your promise Lord!

Held

A lyrical dance...

...na prayer naming (sa dance ministry) magawa.

April Happenings

After several weeks, I had the chance to update my blog. (Hirap pala `pag walang sariling computer and internet connection. I want to have a set of computer...hindi lang naman for blogging.)

Below is a summary of what transpired for the past few weeks.

April 10: ANOTHER SISTER IN CHRIST
I went to Manila to submit my application requirements to La Salle University-Taft. I`m applying for graduate studies major in Marketing Communication. Nakakatuwa nga ang leading ni Lord sa course na dapat kong kunin. I was supposed to take up Applied Media Studies but when I submitted my requirements, `di pala nila ino-offer ang course for this coming school year. Sabi ng staff pumili na lang daw ako ng iba. I was a bit pressured kasi I need to decide on the course right away because that was the last day of application for graduate studies. I scanned the list of courses offered and I noticed that Marketing Communication will be more useful. Haha! Thank You Lord for leading me!

I rode a bus back to Dasmarinas and sat beside a woman who was going to Batangas. She`s Nanay Teresita, with two sons and one daughter. She`s leaving for Japan in few days.We had a good conversation and I had the chance to share God`s love to her. I was glad to know that she`s a Christian too! She gave me this pony (pang-ipit sa buhok), natuwa siguro :)


April 15: BONDING MOMENTS
Sa La Salle Dasma naman ang aking tungo para asikasuhin ang aking credentials. After that, nagkita kami ni Charm sa SM, lakad dito, lakad doon... We stayed for more than an hour at the Food Court, nakaupo lang at text ng text! hahaha! Parang naghanap lang ng ibang ambiance para magtext! haha! I waited for my sister and mom kaya nagstay kami dun ng matagal. Si Kua Pob dun dumiretso after work para mag-withdraw... sweldo!!! Of course `di na sya nakahindi na i-treat kami. We had dinner at Chowking... natuwa din ako sa item na `to...

lalagyan ng toothpick :)

April 17: TEST TO THE MAX!
La Salle Taft- I took my entrance exam at 1:30 pm. Ok naman ang Verbal Test (English, written) at Quantitative Exam (more on Algebra, pero in fairness nakalimutan ko na ito ha... 1st year college ang huli kong subject na may math eh!). However, nosebleed naman `pag dating sa essay part na 1 and 1/2 hour ang itinagal. My chosen topic was `The Filipino Youth Today.` Di ganon kadali dahil may format na kailangang sundin, it`s a Problem-Solution Essay.

After taking the exam, balik Dasma and had a practice for Sunday Praise & Worship. :)

April 20: SACRIFICE OF PRAISE
Whole day ang team (Tehillah) sa Church... 6 services ito kaya nakakapagod pero nakakatuwa because God is extending our limitations! After ng sayaw, ito ang kinahinatnan ng mga tuhod ko...


Pero I had no regrets. I`m blessed to be used by a Mighty God! Ito ang sayaw namin that caused pain to my knees and to my heart... `Give Us Clean Hands`

...pain to my knees kasi may step na biglang luluhod at the same time pain to my heart because God is at work! "Lord, give me clean hands and a pure heart," this was my week-long prayer. And God is exposing the impurities of my heart (pati kabulukan ng attitude ko) of course, it`s painful. Thank You so much Lord for working in me.

April 22: A REWARD!
Manila again...I went to NSO to get my mom`s birth certificate. Haba ng pila!!!! Buong maghapon akong pinawisan ng matindi dahil sa hirap ng pagpila sa pagscreen ng application at pagclaim ng certificate. It was almost 5:00 pm nung matapos ako. It happened na nagkita kami ng dati kong ka-officemate sa NSO. After that, niyaya nya akong magpa-spa... pinagamit nya sakin ang isa nyang full-body massage gift certificate (worth P580.00). Bawal ang magtake ng pictures kaya kwento ko na lang briefly.
Step 1. Shower
Step 2. Jacuzzi (babad kami dun for 30 mins.)
Step 3. Sauna (steam bath for 3 mins. Supposedly 10-15 mins. kami dun kaso sobrang init, a taste of hell!!!)
Step 4. Shower (ulit)
Step 5. Full body massage (for one hour. Ang galing nung masahista, akalain mong nabuhat kami! Actually pede pang magstay dun sa room at matulog pero dahil gumagabi na, di na kami nagstay pa.)
Step 6. Buffet (To the max na kain naman! Eat all you can, kaso may bayad `pag may natira kaya super limited ang kinuha ko kaso napadami ang kuha ni Irish kaya... Hay, Lord, sorry na.)

Nakakatuwa talaga ang reward ni Lord! Napagod man ako buong maghapon, napawi naman sa masahe! hehehe!

Genuine Christianity

- These are my notes from Myk's post entitled "This changes everything," which contains an hour-long video of Paul David Washer's preaching in a youth conference.

Text: Matthew 7:13-29

How will I know that I am a Genuine Christian?

Below are questions that allowed me to assess myself.

1. Am I walking on a narrow road?
Matthew 7:13-14. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

- There is only ONE GATE, ONE ROAD, ONE GOD, ONE MEDIATOR-JESUS CHRIST. Walk in the way of righteousness like Jesus and if I step out of that path, God will discipline me and bring me back to that path again. If I profess to be a Christian but live like the people in the world, the Bible tells that I should be terribly afraid! Jesus says that there is not only a narrow gate but also a narrow road.

Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The issue here is not that I have sinned but the point is I've never done anything but sin! Even my great works are filty rugs before God. Apart from the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ, the only thing left for me is the wrath and fierce anger of God because of sin.

We say, "No, God can't hate me because God is love" but God must actually hate us because He is love. IF WE LOVE WHAT IS HOLY THEN WE MUST HATE WHAT IS UNHOLY. But the sad truth is more of the things we love, God hates. Most of our 'christianity' is based only on songs, culture but not on the Bible!

"Examine ourselves in the light of the Scripture. Compare ourselves not to other Christians nor to those who say they are Christians but compare ourselves to the Bible!"

People say that the cross is the sign of how much a man is worth, that's not true! The cross is the sign of how much depraved a man is that it took the death of Christ to save him!

2. Am I bearing good fruit?
Matthew 7:15-16a. "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them."

Look at your life, look at how you talk, how you think, how you dress, your passion, etc. IS JESUS THERE? or do you look like the world, act like the world? or do you love sin and relish it?
How do you know that you are saved? because you prayed the sinner's prayer? because your parents told you? because you believe? how can say that you believe? You know you are saved because you are in a process of being changed and you are in a narrow way!

Why are there people who say they encounter Jesus but their lives aren't changed?
Remember:

"If you got something from the Lord genuinely, it will last!"

3. Am I doing the will of the Father?
Matthew 7:21. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."

This is not plainly about works but the evidence of faith, a style of life that pleases the Father.

Mattthew 7:22 and 23 say, "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" We, most of the time, say, "The most important thing in the world is to know Jesus Christ," that's wrong! The most important thing is that God knows you."Does Jesus know you?

4. Am I applying what God teaches me?
Matthew 7:24-27. The story of the wise and foolish builders.

The point of the story in this context is not about strong or weak foundation. It's about those who hear the Word of God and apply it to their everyday life and those who hear the Word and do nothing about it.

It is important to put everything - the decisions you will make, your finances, the way you talk, the way you dress and so on, in subjection to Jesus by looking at what He says in His Word.

- Thanks to Myk for sharing the video...it rebuked me and challenged me to live genuinely as His servant.

We are set apart by God then, act as one!

Lead the Crowd

I saw this site, http://www.acquirethefire.com/, on the book I mentioned in my previous post. By the way, I dropped by at the Book for Less store in Mall of Asia once again when we had our Christmas Party last December 11, Tuesday, at Science Discovery Center. The book that I was talking about is entitled "Live God Loud."

I visited the site to see what it's all about. Then, I watched some video clips and below is one of them.

Upon viewing this, I was reminded of some points from the book of Oswald Sanders, "Spiritual Leadership."

Responsibilities of a Leader
- Service. The true leader is concerned primarily with the welfare of others not with his own comfort or prestige.
- Discipline. "Train yourself to be godly" - 1 Timothy 4:7. Same way, don't be afraid to rebuke and correct others.
- Providing guidance. The leader must go before his flock. Therefore, he must know where he is going before presuming to lead others.
- Initiate. The leader must initiate plans for progress or recognize the worthy plans of others.
- Take responsibility willingly.

Some Tests of Leadership
- Compromise. Lowering standards is always a backward step and compromise nearly always requires it.
- Ambition. Instead of personal ambition, a leader must show selfless nobility, genuine concern for God's glory and compassion for the misguided people.
- The impossible situation. A true leader rises to face baffling circumstances and complex problems.
- Failure. How a leader handles failure will set much of the agenda for the future. Successful leaders have learned that no failure need be final, whether his own failure or someone else's. No one is perfect and we can not be right all the time.
- Jealousy. A leader will face the problem of jealous rival. His main concern must be God's glory and not his own privilege or position.

"Don't follow the crowd. Lead the crowd." Lead the crowd to Jesus!

Glorietta 2 Blast

It was around 1:30 in the afternoon when a blast in Glorietta Mall II created a chaos in Makati. Latest update: 8 killed, 70 injured. Below is a copy of a flash report from GMA 7.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
Photos taken from http://www.igma.tv/

I was supposed to be in Makati area today but have decided to stay at the office because I have bulks of work for our upcoming event. Thank God!

But then, victims need our prayers. Pray for our country. Pray, pray, pray...