Favor With People

Wow, haven't been updating this blog for ages. Sorry guys! hehe. Anyhow, we just finished the South Pacific Conference in our fellowship. It was awesome. I could write a novel. lol.

This was the sermon on August 21st, Friday and was first written on my Facebook as a note. Just thought I'd share it here on my Blogspot. hehe. :p

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Ok, I'm just aimless now. lol. I'm writing this because of Pastor Walsh's sermon entitled 'Favor with People'.

He tells about a man he carefully observed. A man who prays and reads the Bible. He does the things of God. He is basically a man of God. But when he goes home, he is friendless. He don't have the favor with people.

I guess I'm like that. No, it's not a guess. It's a fact. Here in Fiji, at least. I go to church 3 times a week. I'm always present in church activities. Haven't been in outreaches lately though. I love the church. It's been our 'family' here in Fiji.

But reality strikes... I have few friends. Friends that I could say I'm really *close* with. Like close, close. Thank God I have a sister I'm always with. If not for her, I could say I'm always ALL BY MYSELF. lol.

Ahhh. It's frustrating! haha.

I'm shy and quiet. I know.. That's the first impression my friends say. But there's a reason for that... I had no childhood friends aside from my siblings and classmates in school. I mean, you know. In the Phil, at least, you have some playmates and friends in the neighborhood. I got none. I play with my sibs, and sometimes, with our yaya's or nannies. But I don't treat them like that. They are like a family. They took care of us when our parents were not there for us. **hint hint** Guess, you now get it why I'm shy and quiet... Yes, it has something to do with the past. I'll tell it all next time. It's another novel. I mean, story... lol

I hate rejection. I guess, not being able to be close with my rents when I was young somewhat made me feel rejected.

Going back to the story, I'm like that man. I believe I do the things of God yet I don't find the favor with people. lol. Haha. Okay, enough for the emo-ness... I'm not saying I dont have friends. I have few *close* friends that I would really miss when I leave Fiji. I guess, the others cant catch up with me. I'm the person that doesn't talk much when I'm not that close to someone. But I must tell you, I'm easy to get along with. I suck at starting a conversation. It's hard for me to make new friends. Coz in the Phil, they make friends with me. lol. So I thank those friends who took the initiative. lmao. haha.

To my future friends, I'm not that hard to be friends with. I guess, one of the reasons people don't want to be that close to me is because they think the only way to get connected with me is Starbucks, and other some-what expensive places I go to hang out. I thought of that reason because someone has told me once that 'I have expensive taste'... I'm not choosy with those kinds of stuffs. I can eat street foods too, for crying out loud! haha. XD I might be a big spender at times but I also know how to save money.

Ok, whatever.. I just wanna let my future friends know that I wanna be friends with them. It's easy but it's hard. lol. It's easy to be friends with me but it's hard to keep up with me. I'm introvert. Someone must *trigger* that friendliness in me. lol

Favor with People. Why is it so hard to get? Sigh......

3 reasons Pastor Walsh pointed out:

1. Busy-ness --- I'm too busy with nothing. lol. I mean, they are busy with something. Probably, with their own circle of friends.
2. Selfishness --- Okay, I'm not selfish. But maybe somehow. Ahh yeahh... When I have a friend, I want all of their attention,,,in some ways.. lol :p
3. Laziness --- I'm too lazy to make friends... specially if I know that it wont last that long. What do I mean by this? As I've said, I'm easy to be friends with but it's hard to keep up with me. If I think that you're not the type of person who is like my best friend who is talkative (thank goodness she's not on Facebook), I mean hyper friendly not talkative, I'm lazy to make the effort. I know it's demonic. I should get rid of that motto and start to reach out and make friends. Ahh. I hate rejection. lol.

Ok... I dunno why I shared this out. Less than 4 months to stay in Fiji. I guess, I'm still hoping to make some more friends before I leave. I mean, *close* friends. Or maybe not. At least, the fewer close friends I have, the fewer people I would miss when I go home. *emo* lol lol lol.


Toodles,

Don't Get 'Hooked' By Your Teenager

Be clear minded and self-controlled. 1 Peter 4:7 NIV

Teenagers can test your sanity. They're neither adult nor child, and can become either without notice. Flooding hormones and exploding neurons spark biochemical reactions in their heads and bodies. Words like, 'What in the world were you thinking?' form involuntarily on your lips. In response come sullen teenage shrugs, followed by the incomprehensible, 'I don't know.' And they don't! What can you do? 'Lock them up?' Sorry, that's illegal. But here are two things that will help.

1) Back off and slow down. 'Be clear minded and self-controlled.' One of the biggest mistakes parents make is overreacting, which triggers an escalating battle of wills you're unlikely to win. Decibel levels rise, wisdom fails, your teen concludes you're the crazy one, and suddenly there's no adult present and nobody's 'minding the store.' You've become part of the problem, leaving your child angry and insecure, without a rational role model. Pray, breathe deeply and count to ten! For your child's sake, it's time for the clear minded and self-controlled parent to prevail.

2) Remember, anger begets anger. 'An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin' (Proverbs 29:22 NLT). No one can infuriate you like a teenager trying to grow up. A look, a word, an attitude, and you're 'hooked;' you're in a shouting match with your own child. How crazy is that? Emotionally charged exchanges hard wire your teenager's brain for automatic, long-term anger reactions. What's the answer? Use the carrot and stick approach of Scripture: 'Provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture [love and encouragement] and admonition [character building discipline] of the Lord' (Ephesians 6:4).

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I so agree with these two points. Specially the second one. I myself, hate to be shouted at and when my parents do that, they will get what they want. lol. I know it's wrong but it's reality, even the Bible says that. hehe. Peace out! XD

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible. Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus

Hello. My name is Jesus -The Christ. Many call me Lord! I've sent you my resume because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume.

Qualifications

• I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)
• I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)
• I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)
• I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13)
• The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)

Occupational Background

• I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).
• I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.
• My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17)

Skills Work Experiences

• Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).
• I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).
• Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9)

Educational Background

• I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).
• In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).
• My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).
• I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).

Major Accomplishments

• I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).
• I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).
• I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).
• I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!
• There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.

References

• Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance

In Summation

Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47). When can I start? Time is of the essence, (See Hebrews 3:15).

Knowing Jesus, Who is God

Jesus! Who is he? Amazon.com has 175,986 books about him. Google has over 165 million references to him. He has profoundly and positively impacted every conceivable aspect of life on this planet. People throughout history had all sorts of ideas about him ranging from “a liberal” to “Higher Power” to “Santa Claus” to “an enlightened moral person.”

“What about you? Who do you say I am?" Jesus asked Peter in Matthew 16:15. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," replied Peter. John 20:30-31 says, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” Knowing Jesus personally and intimately is the central purpose of life. The destiny of every human being depends upon his relationship to Jesus because He is God. The result of believing in him is life. Jesus said in John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus whom You have sent.” Who is Jesus? What does the Bible say about him? How do we get to know him?

Jesus is the God of the universe. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The traditional Jewish mindset would understand John to be saying that the Word is the creative power of God and is, in fact, God Himself. He created the universe. Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.”

Jesus is the Lord of life. He is the Giver of life, and He is life eternal. “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:4). This life is the opposite of death, destruction, and condemnation.

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” He gives life freely to those who ask to receive it. Jesus Christ is Life Eternal and He offers that life to us through the new birth—by being born again.

It is solely by God’s power, not ours, that we receive Life. Apart from Christ we are spiritually dead. When we put our faith in Jesus, believing and receiving Him into our hearts, we are made alive in Him!

Jesus is Light unquenchable. Light can never be overcome by darkness. John 1:5 says, “The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” No darkness can and ever will overcome or extinguish Jesus.

“John came as a witness, to testify concerning that Light, so that through him all men might believe. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world” (John 1:7-9). John knew it was not his responsibility to attract people to himself, but to bring them to Christ. In the same way, we are to be reflectors of the Light so that people might believe in Him.

Jesus is the Savior of sinners. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth,” says John 1:14. Jesus is God revealed in the flesh. In John 1:29, John sees Jesus coming toward him and he says, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

This is a truth that echoes all the way from Genesis 3, the fall of man. Before God sent Adam and Eve out of the garden, He made garments from animal skins and by His grace, clothed them with it. This is a picture of how Jesus, the Lamb of God, would be slain to cover the shame of our sinfulness. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see the shed blood of a spotless lamb as a guilt offering for sin. Sin must be paid for by the shedding of blood and for centuries lamb after lamb was sacrificed daily at the Temple. Then one day, John saw Jesus and declared loudly that He is the Lamb, who once and for all takes away sins of the world, forever. “Christ is our Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). He who knew no sin became sin for us on the cross so that we, who certainly know sin, might become the righteousness of God in Him. John testifies that this same Lamb is “the Son of God” (John 1:34). The God of the universe has become the Lamb to be our full and final sacrifice for sin.

“He who believes in Him is not judged,” says John 3:18. “He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” There are two kinds of people: those who believe in Jesus, and those who are already judged because of unbelief. Which category do you fall under? More importantly…

What will you do with this Jesus? What will you do with Jesus, who is the Son of God, and has done so much for you? If you are a believer, worship Him! Be a witness for Him! Let your life’s desire be to know Jesus and to make Him known to others.

If you are not yet a believer but want to receive Him into your life, you can do so at this very moment. Believe that Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb and that He died on the cross in your place. His promise is that “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

You need Jesus. Just between you and God, bow your head right now and pray from your heart. Tell your Creator and Savior that You believe in Him and receive Him as your Lord and Master. Then you will have Jesus forever. He will never leave you. He loves you.

Source: http://www.ccf.org.ph/sunday-messages/?sermon_id=56

Is Being A Christian Hard?

I got saved when I was like 6 years old. I knew I was a sinner so I repented and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. So that makes me a Christian since then. I grew up in Sunday School and went to a Christian School. It's actually a Baptist denomination so it has been a strong Christian background, plus it's kinda old school. No loud music, no raising of hands, no clapping, no dancing and your clothes should be really conservative. By the way, I'm now a Born Again Christian but I don't mock the Baptists. I believe that religion will never save us from Hell and get us to Heaven because the only way is through Jesus Christ. By repentance and acceptance of Him, we will be saved. A real Christian is have a personal relationship with God.

Being a Christian is definitely NOT the end of all the problems you have. Some people think that when you become a Christian, God will make your life perfect. He can do that but not too fast. Christianity is a journey. You will still encounter difficulties in life but of course, God will help you all the way as long as you rely on Him and keep the faith. This is how He tells us that we obviously need Him and He is the source of everything. He is the answer.

Another reason why we still struggle in life is because being a Christian makes Satan mad. He doesn't want us to follow God because all Satan wants is for us to commit sin and live with it. Being a Christian is hard because our enemy is Satan.

As a Christian, we must always try to endure all the pains. Believe in God always and keep the faith because one day, all of these will be gone.

Being a Christian might be hard but remember that with God, nothing is impossible! He is always there for us so we should always rely on Him.

Toodles,

Why Did You Send Me?

Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” [Exodus 5:22-23]

In Exodus 5, Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh, asking that he give the Israelites a short reprieve from their work so that they might hold a festival to honor the Lord. Predictably, Pharaoh responded negatively. In fact, he punished the Israelites because of what Moses and Aaron had done, which angered the Israelites. So Moses, no doubt feeling confused and betrayed by the Lord, complained to him, asking “Why did you send me?” (v. 22).

What Moses and Aaron experienced as leaders is quite common, actually. Though the details may differ, leaders of change almost always confront negative reactions. I experienced this time and again in the church. I remember one time when, in order to improve the flow of a worship service, I moved the offering from its usual place. One man was furious with me. “You prohibited me from worshiping God through my offering,” he insisted. Even such a relatively small change was traumatic for him. I felt disheartened, even though I believed I had done the right thing.

Even when, like Moses, we’re doing God’s will in bringing about change, we shouldn’t be surprised when people become angry with us. We may very well echo Moses’ complaint to God: “Why did you send me?” In situations like this, turning to God in honest prayer restores our confidence. It reminds us that transformational leadership is never easy, and that we cannot do it alone. But if we seek to please God above all, and if we rely on his strength, then God will use and bless our efforts, even if they don’t turn out how we had hoped.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you ever experienced a reaction to your leadership similar to what we read in Exodus 5? What did you do? What enables you to remain steadfast in the face of complaint and criticism?


PRAYER: Dear Lord, you know how discouraging it can be when our leadership begets negativity. Sometimes the very people we’re trying to help are the most critical of our efforts. This is hard, Lord. You know that, of course, because you’ve experienced this very sort of thing from your people for centuries.

Help us, Lord, when our leadership is poorly received. Give us the humility to examine what we’re doing, to make sure we’re pursuing the right course. Give us wisdom to make any changes that are warranted. And then, give us confidence in you, so that we might continue to be faithful as leaders, for your sake, no matter how people might be unhappy with us. Amen.

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Hey guys!

Mahn, if you guys didn't know, I've been here in Fiji for more than 2 years. Yes that's right. Wow, it's been 2 years! haha. And counting... lol.

Anyways, I want to write something about how I lived here in Fiji for 2 years now. Hmmm. I was supposed to write it on our "second year anniversary" here in Fiji last May 29th. But apparently, I was kinda busy with some school stuffs. We just finished this school term, by the way. What a relief! haha.

So before I write a novel for my 2 years of my Fiji life, I wanted to post this stuff first! YAY. Why Did You Send Me? Why did God send me here in Fiji? I'll write some stuffs on what I've learned here and how did it change me in some ways. Well, it's been a blessing in disguise. God sent us here for a reason. It's His will.

Ahhh.. The next blog post will be a long one. I hope... haha. I hope my laziness won't strike me so I can share some wonderful stuffs with y'all!

Toodles,

Bill From The Corner

Look among the nations! Observe!
Be astonished! Wonder!
Because I am doing something in your days–
You would not believe if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5 (NASB)

Three weeks ago, I met a guy named Bill Wilson. He told me about his life, and I asked permission to share his story; he agreed. Bill Wilson is the pastor of the biggest Sunday School in the whole world — 25,000 children aged 12 and below in Brooklyn, New York City.

I said, “Bill, what gave you a heart to care for children?” He said, “When I was 12 years old, my mother told me, ‘I cannot take this anymore. Stay in this corner.’ My mother left me in Florida on a street corner and she told me, ‘Just stay here. I’m leaving. Don’t move.’” For the next three days, he was all alone on that street corner. Imagine, a 12-year-old boy left alone in St. Petersburg, Florida on a street corner, for three days.

He said, “Somebody came along, a Christian, who was on his way to save the life of his wife because his wife had leukemia. But he took time to talk to me. I told him what happened and he gave me money. He told me to go to this church camp. He sent me there and when I went to the camp, I learned about Jesus. I learned about God and how much He loves me.

“So when the invitation came to those who want to receive Jesus, to those who want to put their faith in Jesus, I went forward. Many young people went forward. But I discovered another thing. Nobody wanted to talk to me. Every other boy had a counselor except me, and I began to realize why. I was still wearing the same clothes. I was smelly. Nobody wanted to be with me. I prayed and said, ‘Lord, even if nobody will love me, Lord, you love me.’ I gave my life to Jesus.

“After the retreat, the pastor invited me to live in the church. The church had a closet, and that was my room for the next three years. I slept in the closet of the church. And everyday, a lady, a member of the church would bring food. I ate one meal a day for the next three years until I finished high school.

When I finished high school, I began to work. Then somebody told me, ‘Bill, you go to Bible school. God will use you.’ Whatever people told me, that was what I did. I had no money. By faith, I went to finish Bible school. And then the church told me to help in the Sunday school. So I began to help Sunday school and it began to grow. It kept growing and growing.”

Now, he’s the pastor of the largest youth church in America: 25,000 children in Brooklyn, New York. And he said, “Every year, every December 24, I go to Florida and I stay on that street corner the whole day, the whole night.” I asked him why. He said, “I want to remember where I came from. And that’s why I love children. Because somebody cared for me.”

I told you this story because if God were to tell Bill 40 years ago what He was going to do, Bill would not believe it. In fact, Bill would not allow God to do that in his life. If God had told Bill, “Bill, do you know what’s going to happen? Your mother is going to leave you, your father is going to leave you, you will be left all alone,” do you think Bill would have said, “Ok, Lord. Ok?” No, no.

You see, God does not always tell you what he’s going to do because many times you cannot take it and you cannot understand it. But you and I need to continue trusting Him. (PTC)

God is too wise to be mistaken;
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand,
Trust His heart.
Babbie Mason

Credits: http://www.ccf.org.ph/2009/03/bill-from-the-corner/

Meditation On Facets Of Joy

Like a diamond, joy has many facets that can be seen only by examining its many sides. Joy, according to C.S. Lewis, is quite opaque to evil and the evil one, because all evil is baffled and offended by the essence of joy.

Joy is the result of truth. Joy is the “gigantic secret” of God (G.K. Chesterton) that the world could never have expected, but it clears the air so that we see things as they really are.

Joy causes celebration. Gladness and song go with joy; the slightest witticisms cause laughter when joy is present. There’s energy in joy that cures fatigue and discouragement. This is what James says in his letter to churches that face persecution: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2)

Joy has a rhythm. Jesus unites peace with joy in his Thursday night discourse. Joy is a quietness as much as an exuberance. Together the two create a fundamental rhythm.

Joy is presence. It describes our relationship with God. Joy comes from knowing the Lord and knowing that the Lord is nearby. In the New Testament, joy is related to prayer and friendship with God. Jesus invites his disciples to pray so their joy might be full (John 15:11–17).

Joy is a protection. Laughter can be a sign of the dignity and resilience of brave hearts in the face of danger.

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s story The Lord of the Rings, Frodo and his friend Sam Gamgee laugh out loud high on the dangerous reaches of the dark tower where laughter had never been heard. Their laughter causes quakes on the mountain that had so long been under the oppressive control of evil. Their laughter was defiant, innocent, and profoundly good at the same moment. It was good because it had its source in joy, and that made it powerful as well as destructive against the powers of evil.

Evil cannot understand joy. The devil is more austere and serious than God is, which makes us stop and think that if we are to feel at home in heaven, we will need to enjoy joy because “joy is the serious business of heaven” (G.K. Chesterton).

Credits: www.CurrentIssuesBibleStudy.com

While I'm Waiting

I really love this song from the movie Fireproof. An inspiration to all Christians! Let's wait for the Lord for there are great rewards. Abstain from evil and continue running the race... Here's the video and lyrics. Enjoy and be blessed! :)

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

Procrastination

We have a mid-week service every Thursday in church. So, last night, the sermon was about 'procrastination'. It hit me, like real hard. haha XD

Anyways, I consider myself one heck of a procrastinator. Now, what is a procrastinator by the way? Well, it is someone who puts things off til tomorrow when he/she can do it now. There is a mentality of delay and disorganization.

I procrastinate in a lot of things. I sleep or rest first when I don't feel like doing or finishing a thing and when it can wait til tomorrow. When our parents tell us to wash the dishes, I will say 'wait', 'hold on a sec', 'later', or in our language, 'teka lang' or 'mamaya'. I hate doing things when people tell me to do so. So, because of that, I procrastinate. haha. I know, it's a bit meanie, hard-headed and stubborn of me. But yeah. I just hate being told and I hate doing things right away. I do things immediately when there is a motivation or when it has a deadline, though. HAHA. I gotta put off procrastination, like, NOW.

OMG. I think I've been telling myself to do it since when? And until now, I still do. I think it's a human nature. If you never procrastinate, tell me, and I will applaud you. lol. Guess, all of us are procrastinators in some ways, right? hehe.

In the Christian's perspective, we procrastinate when we say like, we would read the Bible later when we can do it now. Like we would sleep or take a rest first because we are tired from work or studying before our devotion and what not. I do it sometimes. The text last night was Proverbs 24:30-34. It was a good example of procrastination.

Let us not procrastinate. The solution? Start sorting things out NOW. We need to recognize them and start dealing with them. We must show a 'determination' to sort things out. In that way, we will put off procrastination.

Benjamin Franklin once said, "Do not put off til tomorrow what you can do today." You can also read scriptures about it in the Bible, so it's also Biblical. :D


Till next time,

Words Unspoken

It's now 6am. And no, no, I wasn't been up all this time! haha. I just woke up at around 5:30am. I slept around 11pm last night, believe it or not. =p

Well, it was a long daaaay yesterday! Mom left for Nadi at around 4am. Then I didn't sleep. Really. Sucks. No, not because mom left! haha. I was waiting for a call from Canada, from Internet Marketing Center. They have the most complete Internet Marketing Course. And they contacted me via email for a phone interview because I applied for their eBusiness Development program. Well, I will talk more about that on Internet Marketing Blog soon. So yeah, I stayed all the way up to wait for that call because I so wanna learn more on internet marketing, hehe.

Anyways... So, I was up the whole time. He called but the line got cut! =( I hope he would call again next week... Oh well..

Me and my sister had a fight yesterday at like 12 noon. We had some misunderstanding about what to do yesterday. I was thinking to invite some friends along to watch a movie but she doesn't want to because the house was a mess. (You know, it's just us two in the house. HAHA. What do you expect from spoiled brats alone at home. lol) She was so angry about the fact that I was inviting friends when I know that the house was sooooo messy and all. So, frustrated and stuff, I left her alone in the house to go to town and meet some friends. I really felt bad about the fact that just because she disagreed, she shouted at me. tsk,,tsk.. Sucks. So yeah, I really left her.

Of course I felt bad about leaving my twin sister at home. We grew up like we have the same heartbeat. Two hearts beat us one, like the husband and wife. lol. HAHA. She is my only sister, my best friend, my partner in crime, my accountability partner, and everything. We've been through a lot. We always have each other. Ok, enough for the drama. Going back, I was like always thinking about her, and there was some point that it made me teary-eyed. Haha. Oh well. So, me and my two friends (whom me and my sis are always with) ate pizza at Jody's. Fast forward >>> April (my sizzy) and I get to fix the problem through the mobile. lol. I called up to check if she's still alive, I mean, if she's fine. She said our brother went home for the weekend (he is working with dad in the west) and that we can now go home because she cleaned up... Fast forward >>> We watched a movie and had fun.

Fast forward >>> Outreach time at 7pm at Sukuna Park. We do it like twice a month. We go there to proclaim the Word of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we should spread the Gospel. So yeah.... At first, me and April held the signs. It's the easiest thing to do but it's hard. lol. We would only experience physical burden, not the spiritual burden we can get from not being able to witness to lost souls. We are still kinda not used to talking to strangers about Him, which sucks! That's what we call the 'spiritual burden'. It feels like every lost souls that we didn't share the Gospel with was like our responsibility. It's like if that person dies now and goes to Hell, it's because of me, us Christians. Fast forward >>> So yeah, we always choose the physical burden. It was so painful to hold that sign high. It was heavy! And you have to hold it high pa. lol. Fast forward >>> Brother Secca (one of the leaders in church) came to us two and asked us two if we want to testify. Ok ok, GOSH. That is also one of the reasons why we wanna choose the physical burden. We don't wanna speak up in front of people. We're shy...lol. But at that time, I felt like, 'this is it'. You can't 'escape the daily grind' anymore, Fei. (Ohh, Escape the Daily Grind...that's Gloria Jeans' slogan! My second favorite coffee shop, next to Strabucks. Because no Sbux in Fiji. tsk. LOL) It's like God was haunting me to testify. lol. I could say no anymore, I never testified so it's like the time to do so.

So to cut the story short, yes, I testified. And I testified for, I think 2 to 3 minutes. WAAHH. I was practicing a longer one. A longer, and juicier one. lol. I was gonna try to really tell more. But I ended up tongue-tied and it got all sucked up. I so wanted to tell how God moved in our lives. But I ended up telling very little, which I hope I didn't say something stupid. And to add up, aside from not telling much, I kinda paused for a couple of times to stop the tears from falling off. Shocks, I can't believe my tear burst out. There was I, in front of the spotlight (which feels like I'm in front of the Lord on judgment day. HAHAHA), being the 'quiet and gentle spirit' (it's a Bible term), testifying and crying in front of many people. I don't even want to remember the things I said. It's just not the things I wanna say, because I wanna tell more. Sigh. Maybe I have really been through a lot because it made me cry out my feelings. WAAAHHH. It was embarassing! Not because I talked about Jesus in front of a lot of people (in fact, I felt light after that), but it was embarrassing because it wasn't good enough. Words left unspoken. Gee, I really think I disappointed our Heavenly Dad. I sucked. But well, I tried my best. And I promise that next time, I will tell the things I wanna share, what Jesus has done in my life, without the tears. I pray that God will make me brave and help me next time. Gosh, I'm such a cry baby when I share things like that, when I share things about what happened to my family. Ugh. Yuppz, we almost had a broken family and I had a traumatic childhood. Imagine your parents fighting in front on one innocent cute girl. HAHAHA. Yes, cute girl! *what* (I'm gonna write my testimony soon here on my blog. I just feel that it's a necessity on Christian blogs..lmao)

So yeah, it has been a looooong day. And I didn't have the time to sleep. I was up since Friday afternoon. looool. That's why I slept early last night, I was knocked out at 11pm.

Till next time,

The Gathering of Israel, One by One

Yet the time will come when the LORD will gather them together like handpicked grain. One by one he will gather them—from the Euphrates River in the east to the Brook of Egypt in the west. [Isaiah 27:12]

Isaiah 27 foresees the exile of Israel and, beyond that, the time in which God will gather his people once again. Though they have been scattered throughout the world, the Lord will bring them back to their land and to himself.

Isaiah 27:12 employs a harvesting image. The Hebrew literally speaks of God as threshing and gleaning the grain, using a process that allowed the farmer to distinguish the grain from the chaff. The addition of the phrase “one by one” emphasizes God’s personal attention to each one of his children.

Most of us have not experienced literal exile in our lives. We live in the country of our birth and/or of our choosing. Yet the image of exile gives expression to our sense of not quite belonging to this world as it is. We yearn for the Lord and the fullness of his kingdom. We look ahead to the day when God will gather all of us into his new creation, a day when we will be truly at home with the Lord and truly united to his people.

Yet, in anticipation of that future gathering, God seeks us and brings us to himself “one by one.” God isn’t just in the business of “saving the world.” He seeks us out individually, inviting us to know him and to be part of his work of putting the world back together.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you ever experienced some sort of exile? When? How did it feel? Do you ever feel as if you don’t quite belong to this world? When? What difference does this make in your life?


PRAYER: Dear Lord, I’m struck by this image of you gathering your people “one by one.” Though you are the Creator and Sovereign of the universe, and though your plans encompass the whole earth, nevertheless you care about each individual person . . . including me.

Thank you, gracious God, for gathering me to yourself. Thank you for caring about me personally. Thank you for inviting me to have an intimate relationship with you. Thank you for the many times when you have sought me out when I was lost.

Dear Lord, may I live this day as one who has been gathered by you. May I continue in fellowship with you throughout the day, and live each moment for your kingdom and glory. Amen.


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This was one of the Daily Reflection sent out from http://www.thehighcalling.org/ to my Inbox. I subscribed to it 2 months ago if I'm not mistaken. Anyways, I suggest you also subscribe to they Daily Reflection, I love it. It's always encouraging and inspiring. Maybe I should blog about it when I get a really powerful message. Or maybe a Daily Reflection here to my blog! lol

Most of us have not experienced literal exile in our lives. We live in the country of our birth and/or of our choosing. Yet the image of exile gives expression to our sense of not quite belonging to this world as it is. We yearn for the Lord and the fullness of his kingdom. We look ahead to the day when God will gather all of us into his new creation, a day when we will be truly at home with the Lord and truly united to his people.

God seeks us and brings us to himself “one by one.” God isn’t just in the business of “saving the world.” He seeks us out individually, inviting us to know him and to be part of his work of putting the world back together.

That was how I felt the moment we left the Philippines and moved here to Fiji. Even until now, I feel like an exile. I so miss my friends and my home country, the Philippines is way more 'civilized' than here in Fiji. I hope I won't be like a person who came from the mountains when I get back to Philippines. Oh, the techonology. lol! And I feel like an exile because, I sometimes feel I just couldn't mix with the people. I feel like I don't belong. But not in church, I like the people in church! Hehe. They are God's family so I love them. But aside from the church people? Nah, I'm like a total stranger here.

Speaking of exile, we all are. WE ARE PRISONERS OF SIN.

Anyways, we are citizens of Heaven, this world is just a temporary place for us. So whether I'm in the greatest nation or in Pinas, I am still a stranger. I will never be at home in this world.

We yearn for the Lord and the fullness of his kingdom. We look ahead to the day when God will gather all of us into his new creation, a day when we will be truly at home with the Lord and truly united to his people. In the end, we would all be ONE. No Americans, no British, no Fijians, no Chinese, no Filipinos, no whatever race in the world. Remember, we were separated by culture differences because people attempted to build the tower of Babylon to reach Heaven? No one can ever reach Heaven except through Jesus Christ. The hope that there will be a day when we will be truly at home with the Lord is everyone's hope dream. No more pain, sufferings, etc. We would finally be at peace. Let us all keep the faith.

The most powerful sentence I loved here in this reflection was 'He seeks us out individually, inviting us to know him and to be part of his work of putting the world back together.' Yes, as Christians, He want us to be in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. That's why He gave Jesus Christ to save us. While in other religions, people try to reach God through their rituals. Isn't it amazing that it is our God who wants to reach out for us? That's the one thing that is unique in Christianity!

And now, as the Word is being heard by more people, more and more people also become lovers of this world. People seeks security through money, earthly love, and other things that don't belong to the Lord. They can't see the real meaning of life.

I don't wanna talk about the End Times here, but Jesus Christ is really coming back soon. We'll never know when, but He will. He is now gathering Israel, one by one. Look at the world around us, it's time to wake up.

Well, it's also time for me to accept that I'm staying here in Fiji till my visa expires.... lol. I believe God put us here with a reason, and it's is His Will for us to be in this nation. I often ask 'why Fiji?'. Fiji has changed my life A LOT. And I know, I still need to learn MORE.

Till next time,

God's Amazing Grace

Ptr. Peter Tanchi / Sunday, September 28, 2008
CCF St. Francis Square, Philippines

The Bible always talks about what God has done for us first before it tells us what He wants us to do for Him. The focus is God's grace first and our obedience as the by-product. The first three chapters of Ephesians talk about our wealth in Christ or what God has done for us and the last three chapters talk about our walk or what God wants us to do.

I. God’s Amazing Plan

God's amazing plan is to exalt Christ over the whole world. Jesus is the King of Kings and has authority and power over all. Ephesians 1:22 says, all will submit to Christ, including governments, evil forces, even Satan.

Jesus is God's gift to the church. Ephesians 1:23 defines the church as Christ's body. The word "church" comes from the Greek word "ecclesia," which means “called out” or “chosen people.” Throughout the New Testament, the word "ecclesia" is used to refer to the community of believers who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Hence, the church refers to a select group of people and not a building or edifice.

Ephesians 1:1 addresses the church as “saints” which means a special people set apart from the rest. It needs to be connected to the Head, which means believers must have a relationship with Christ. When you raise your hand or wiggle your toes, your body is following orders from the brain. To have a relationship with Christ is to obey what He says. The church is also Christ's representative on earth. God wants to use the church to have His love, care and wisdom known to the world and to authorities in the heavenly places.

II. Man’s Awful Dilemma

However, we have problems that cannot be addressed with superficial solutions. But problems go much deeper. If you do not understand the real problem, you cannot prescribe the right solution.

Ephesians 2:1-2 shows us that our real problem is sin. We are dead to sins and trespasses, hence, we have no appetite for the things of God. A person who is spiritually dead follows the values of this world by seeking security in pride, position and possessions. This is in accordance to the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, Satan (Ephesians 2:2). Satan’s strategy is to lie by saying, “All religions are okay for as long as you are sincere.” But Jesus tells us, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” No religion can save us. A dead person cannot change for the better on its own. Sin or “hamartia” means to miss the target. It is not merely committing an offense, but it is also not doing what we are supposed to do. The problem with sin is we fail to realize we are full of it. Satan perverts what is good and makes it sinful. Eating is good but when you overeat you become a glutton. Sex was invented by God and in the context of marriage, it is wonderful. But when you allow this drive to be your master, it becomes sinful.

Sin is disobedience and rebellion against our loving God. Ephesians 2:3 calls unbelievers “children of wrath.” There are more verses on the wrath of God than on the love of God. The Bible says, you "are storing up wrath for yourself" (Romans 2:5) when you refuse to change. Because God is holy and righteous, He will deal with sin. Revelation 6:16-17 speak about the last prayer of people who refuse to repent or take their sinful condition seriously: "They said to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?'”

III. God’s Amazing Solution

The solution came from the heart of God who is rich in mercy and great in love (Ephesians 2:4-5). We were all rebels against God and dead in our sins, but Jesus died for us and so "having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (Romans 5:9). By the blood of Jesus, we are declared not guilty and saved from the wrath of God. We deserve to die as sinners but Jesus took our place. He shed His blood and rose again so that He can give us life.

God not only has given us life but He also seated us in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Today, spiritually, we are seated with Christ. Since that speaks of authority and position, hence when we pray, we must do so with authority.

In the Greek language, the phrase “you have been saved” is in the past perfect tense. It is a certainty. It happened in the past and has a continuing effect. We can be sure of receiving God’s amazing solution because of grace. It is not as a result of works, that no one should boast.

People try to go to heaven through good works. But since spiritually we are dead to sin, no amount of good works will save us. The only way to go to heaven is through the grace of God. And once we are saved, God wants us to be involved in good works. However, you will never experience the saving grace of God until it is activated by faith. “For by grace you have been saved through faith,” (Ephesians 2:8). Until you are willing to repent and turn your life to Jesus, you will not see the transforming power of God’s grace. When you give your life to Jesus and take that step of faith, you will know and experience the unfathomable riches of Christ!

Source: http://www.ccf.org.ph/worship/index.asp?CurrentMessage=267

Trying To Be Prayerful

A couple of weeks ago, probably more than a month ago, we started the morning prayer at church. The church will be open from 5:50-7am for us to go there and pray. Our Pastor wants us, the church members, to be more prayerful because he knows that prayers are powerful.

The power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares, "…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers.

Anyways, yeah. We completed that first week! Because it's something new and the church is just so close to our house. And since we live nearby, we are burdened to go to pray. But, it was a struggle. We sleep, like, in the morning! We stay up all night coz it's better to surf the net at that time. lmao. So, it was really hard. As days passed by, we started not to go. Promising to ourselves that tomorrow is a new day, hopefully, we can get up early (after sleeping at 3am) or stay up until 5:30 or 6am.

We are watching a DVD on prayer every Sunday night. It was from Pastor Jim Cymbala of Brooklyn Tabernacle. It was wonderful. I mean, like, his message on prayer and the testimonies of the people about prayer. And everytime I watch that vid, God just always convict me.

I do pray. I always pray. But I'm not a prayer warrior and I'm not that prayerful. I believe in God, I have faith in Him. And I know that prayer is the only communication I have to my Heavenly Dad. Through prayers, I tell Him my needs, my requests, and thanks as well. Prayer is essential to every people and talk to God.

The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God who is being prayed to. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." No matter the person praying, the passion behind the prayer, or the purpose of the prayer - God answers prayers that are in agreement with His will. His answers are not always yes, but are always in our best interest. When our desires line up with His will, we will come to understand that in time. When we pray passionately and purposefully, according to God's will, God responds powerfully!

Just this Monday when my sister and I made a stand to go to prayer every morning. And now, it's 3:30am. I might just wait another 2 hours for prayer. I know our Pastor was like praying for us to be faithful in morning prayer coz we live nearby. lol. And we always feel bad everytime we don't go to prayer. I have SO MUCH people to pray for. My family and friends in the Philippines and other places in the world. And of course, us too here in Fiji. So yeah, I am not trying to be super spiritual here. I just have faith in God and I know He answer prayers at the right time -- in God's time. We can't live by ourselves. No matter how rich or famous you are, you need Him. Lay down everything before Him.

I encourage you people to pray! hehe. Don't just pray in vain or pray for a minute. Pray for everything -- your family, your friends, your loved ones, your work or school, and the list goes one. Pray for the people around the world. Talk to God. Find a place to pray if you can't go to church for it. Pray before the sun rises. It's the nicest way to start your day!

Till next time,


Source: http://www.allaboutprayer.org/power-of-prayer.htm

The Land of My Suffering

Okay, does it sound so mean? lol. Just read on. =p

I've been here in Fiji for more than a year now. But until now, I still feel like a stranger in a foreign land. I guess, nothing really beats home. I just so miss life in the Philippines, man. tsktsk.

So many times I've heard my friends telling me to just consider this place a 'wilderness' where God will help me to grow and be fruitful, just like the story of Joseph. That's right. I really did grow up. I'm now one year older. I was 18 years old when I got here and now I'm 19! LOL. Hahaha. Kidding aside, yes, I grew up in faith. I could say my faith and trust in Him is much stronger than ever before. I've experienced a lot, and I've learned a lot. Do I have to enumerate it? haha.

First, the family's relationship is way, way, way better than before. I know it's a bit mushy. HAHA. But well, there are really things that cannot be forgotten. Until now, when I think of them, it still hurts. I know I should let go and let God. But sometimes, I just can't. Who to blame? My childhood was just traumatic. lol. But yeah, although I'm so dying to go back to my home country, I still thank God for this chance to be with the family. I am nearing a marrying age, you know. LOL. Hahaha! Geez, I don't even have a boyfriend. lmao.

I know why my parents don't want us to go back. Not because of the Philippine's economy or whatever. It's because we are all getting older. We might not get another chance to be together. For the eighteen years of my life, we've never had this chance as a family. Ekk. HAHAHA. I mean, yeah, we had been together naman. But not like this. Like before, if we're together, it's not really REAL. Ahh, whatever. Basta! Haha!

Second, I fell in love with God even more! Hehe. I am faithful than ever before. Although I don't have much friends in church, it didn't make us backslide. lol. It's all about Him anyway. My sister and I are in the ministry. There's great joy in serving God. But it just suck lately coz sometimes we miss outreaches coz of school stuffs. tsktsk. But I know God understands. So yeah, if not for Fiji, I wouldn't be closer to Him. I just need to stay focused. Coz there are times that I think I'll be more effective serving Him if I would be in the Philippines. There are just so many ways to serve Him way back home. There's Jzone, there's Project S.C.H.O.O.L., etc... It's sometimes hard to deal with people where you can experience a culture clash. So there, I NEED to fully accept than I am in the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME. Sometimes, when there are conflicts, I wanted to give up. I wanted to think I'm not supposed to be here. It sucks.

So yeah. I've patched things up with God when I got here. And I don't wanna slip away again. It's a real blessing!

Third, I love my friends here. I don't care if I can count to my fingers how many friends I have here. I don't need a lot of stones, I just need precious diamonds. Sweeeet. lol. haha. Well if you guys have been reading all my blogs, you probably know that I have really few friends here. tsktsk. HAHA. That's the one thing I hate. I really feel like a STRANGER in FOREIGN LAND. Some where really friendly when we were new. Now, I don't know. They're gone. lol. I know I'm not unfriendly, I have lots of friends in the Phils. lol. Oh well. God is burdening our hearts. I have to admit, I miss them. haha.

Anyways, yeah. I love my friends here. I will miss them big time! Specially the friend (Yes, FRIEND as in singular.. lol) who is always there. The friend whom we always hang out with. haha.

Lastly, I've grown up. Although am still childish at times. HAHA. I've learned a lot now. Poor me, I have to be a cast away first before realizing everything. What a pity it is that I have to experienced all these pains and sufferings before learning these things I've already encountered in the past. But hey, that's why they are called EXPERIENCES, right? The best teacher (aside from God) is EXPERIENCE. haha. I know there are still things that I need to let go. I'm fully aware of that. I still struggle in some things. I just need more time, I guess.

There you go. haha. This place is the land of my suffering, but this is also a LAND of BLESSINGS! It might be too early to quote this, but I think this is also a right time:

"God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."
-Genesis 41:52

Even if I still have almost 2 years to stay (unless we'd go home soon) and there will be more things to come along, I can say God has made me fruitful now. And I know He will make me more fruitful in the near future. I pray that He would always use me to His Greatness. Just keep on praying for me, guys! Hehe. Although I stand firm, I'm still prone to sin. lol.

We all have a purpose in life. And our main purpose here on Earth is to serve our Heavenly Dad. I hope you guys also know that. =]

Till next time,