1/13/13
4/13/12
1/24/11
12/23/10
Happy Christmas, War is Over
Merry Christmas!
We hope you experience peace on earth, and God's good will toward you.
Meditate on these excerpts from last Sunday's Christmas message:
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Happy Christmas - War is Over...(if you want it) Luke 2:14 “...Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
1. We were at war against God (although God has always loved you.)
Romans 5:8, 10 “…While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son…”
2. Jesus came to make peace (Christ coming to earth forever changed the way God deals with people.)
Colossians 1:20-22 “...He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
2 Corinthians 5:19 "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them."
Romans 4:8 “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
3.The war is over...if you want it (Your sins have already been paid-off. God is not angry at you.)
(You might not yet have peace with God, but He is at peace with you.)
Application:
* Choose to make peace with God today
2 Corinthians 5:20 “…We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God."
* Rather than focus on sin, receive God's love
1 John 4:19 "We love him because he first loved us."
1 John 5:3 “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”
* Tell others the good news that God is not mad
2 Corinthians 5:18 “He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships.”
12/16/10
10/17/10
It's a boy
Bambi had ultrasound today, confirming that we are having a baby boy. (Due date Feb 3.)
Both mother and baby are doing fine, and we thank God for the excellent health.
The picture may not be too clear, simply because he would not lie still for the ultrasound. He is very active.
9/23/10
Pre-graduation Retreat
The recollection event (retreat) we hosted for university students in San Fernando was very fruitful. Thank you for your prayers.
* More pics are here.
* 230 students attended over 3 days; nearly all of them non-Christian. We are fairly sure of this; because you could hear the language used during the Scripture memory activities:
..."For God loved the world so much that He...uh, er, um...Oh 'S-#^@!$', I forgot..."
* 90% were men, however, on the third day, there were numerous homosexuals in the group. This was interesting; watching them have to "cowboy-up" to do the 'Army-crawl'.
* At least one professor and administration staff were always present to observe the sessions. It was great to see them sitting down, listening, and taking notes.
* One student who did not attend the recollection heard great feedback from his classmates, and regretted missing out. Though he had no friends in the other departments, he requested to attend the recollection with another batch on a different day.
* In the 9 hours we had with these students, was saw some miraculous changes in their attitudes and behavior.
Some people were crying, confessing, repenting, and asking for forgiveness. Others came forward to open up the hurts they had been holding on to for years.
One gay, whose father had abandoned the family when he was a child, released his inner hurts and decided to start "traveling light".
A young woman shared her deep-seated wounds of having been sexually molested and beaten by her own father most of her childhood. She was able to for
Overhearing a group of students as they were leaving, I listened to them quoting to each other the Scriptures they had memorized.
* Administrative staff from the university have hinted that they will request this service from our church again in the future. Please pray that this opportunity will indeed open up again, and that many souls will be saved.
* We felt like the disciples who, after fishing all night, were told by Jesus to cast their nets on the right-side of the boat; and experienced the fish practically jumping-in.
* The harvest is ready. Please pray that we will be able to contain the great multitude of people that will be saved and added to the church. Although many of these students are moving to other provinces to find work after graduation; most still have family in San Fernando and will likely be back.
Bambi and I want to thank you for your prayers and support as we continue this mission work in the Philippines. To God be the glory for the great things He has done.
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