RLCC Podcast: Recent Episodes
Bong Baylon
Real Life Christian Communities, or RLCC for short, is a fellowship of Christian communities located in various places but united under one vision frame. For more information, please visit https://rlcc.ph.
Processing our emotions can often feel overwhelming and frustrating. It requires effort, time, and courage to explore the depths of our inner selves. This journey is marked by ups and downs, but with God’s grace, we can evaluate our progress by looking at the life of Jesus, who exemplified what it means to be fully human while experiencing a wide range of emotions in various situations. What does it mean to be an emotionally mature disciple? Drawing from the example of Jesus, the first disciple, we can identify four key characteristics that reflect emotional maturity.
In our walk of faith, we often encounter challenges that can hinder our emotional and spiritual health. These challenges can be subtle yet powerful, affecting our ability to process our emotions. It's easy to become entangled in feelings and thoughts that lead us away from God's intended path for us. Today, we will explore the importance of recognizing these challenges to enable us to live more fully in God's grace and love together with others.
Whenever we face significant emotional experiences, we often struggle to know what to do. Many of us end up bottling our emotions, engaging in escape patterns like staying busy, seeking distractions, pursuing more fun, or engaging in self-centered activities. In more severe cases, some deconstruct their faith, blame God or Christians, transfer to another church, or abandon spiritual disciplines. These responses can lead to indifference, apathy, unhealed wounds, lack of self-awareness, problematic behavior, division, and distancing ourselves from God and His people.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, Paul emphasizes the value of suffering in drawing us nearer to God, allowing us to experience His comfort and grace. Moreover, he provides a model for processing our emotions. Today, we will explore four principles from Paul's example to help us navigate our emotions in a healthy, faith-filled way.
Emotions wield significant power over our lives. They can inspire, drive, and create joy or passion, but they can also lead to stress, paralysis, and pain. Mismanagement of emotions—either through repression or overexpression—can have detrimental effects. When we fail to handle our emotions in a healthy, Biblical manner, we risk becoming emotionally immature. Emotional maturity is crucial for our overall well-being and our ability to fulfill our calling in Christ.
So, why is it important to confront our feelings with faith?
Tests are an essential part of our journey, refining and preparing us for God's work. They act as a purification process, enhancing our character and faith. Tests confirm the genuineness of our faith and build perseverance, patience, and spiritual maturity in us. Additionally, they prepare us for future challenges so that we can fulfill God's purpose for our lives. Tests are God's invitation for us to grow deeper in our faith in Him.
Nowadays, trial by publicity has become a norm most especially in social media. Whenever something is posted, it is easy for the public to make comments and sometimes, even bash people. Now, put yourself in the situation of those who are being bashed. Never mind if the accusations are true or not. How would you feel? When people are accusing you, insulting you, looking down at you, and doing all sorts of evil against you… well, how would you feel?
If you are in their situation, you probably will feel mad, bad, and sad. In other words, your weakness will show! You will not feel glad. But that’s what exactly Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 12:6-10. How can you be glad when you are in the midst of a “thorn in the flesh”? (He is referring to a person who was probably giving him such a hard time.)
We can easily relate to this. Sometimes we encounter people in our lives who do not wish us well. It seems that they are out to hurt us. How do we respond? Paul says, “Be glad!” But why? He gives us three reasons.
Throughout my 23 years of ministry, I have observed that, while all Christians are called to serve, only a few participate. This deviates from God's intention for every believer to utilize their God-given gifts in ministry, regardless of their role. Ephesians 4:7-16 emphasizes this calling, urging the Ephesian church to use their talents to glorify God. This passage, following the discussion of salvation and grace in chapters 1-3, highlights the importance of serving as a response to God's blessings. In this message, I aim to convey to my audience the crucial nature of serving in ministry, emphasizing that it is not limited to pastors or gifted individuals but is an integral part of every Christian's calling.
Why is it important that we join/participate in church ministry?
Life is full of hardship, sorrow, and pain. Some people drown in despair because of that while others try to alleviate the situation by escaping or denying the situation. The former leads to a loss of hope while the latter leads to an unhealthy attachment to pleasure. Is there another solution? Yes, it's called the discipline of celebration.
The discipline of celebration is one of the key disciplines of engagement (i.e., disciplines that we do with other people) that we can learn to practice in the midst of all the sorrow and pain in the world. It is the intentional enjoyment of our life with God by faith together with others. It must be balanced with other spiritual disciplines, especially disciplines of abstinence. Let us learn how we can practice this discipline in our lives.
Ever feel like faith is a solo journey? Nope! This month, we're diving into the power of community! Building strong connections with others is key to growing closer to God. Remember, loving your neighbor goes hand-in-hand with loving God [Mark 12:30-31]. Join us as we explore how strong relationships can fuel your spiritual journey! This is Community!
In our final message for the April series "Welcome Home”, we invite you to open your hearts and minds to God as we listen to Him and learn about another important spiritual discipline: WORSHIP. Join our LIVE service today and together, let us experience God as a community as we listen to His word.
Join us this Sunday at Real Life Christian Communities as we delve into the power of prayer and how it can ignite unshakeable confidence. Through 1 John 5:14-21, we'll discover that prayer empowers us with boldness before God.
In spite of our shameful pasts, we should not feel undeserving of receiving eternal life. Jesus came to offer salvation to all, regardless of their sins. Like the Samaritan woman, who was isolated and marginalized, we may feel unworthy of God's grace. However, Jesus does not avoid us; instead, he seeks us out and offers us living water, the source of eternal life. We can draw near to God and believe that Jesus will transform our past into a testimony of his grace and redemption. Jesus came for us because we have needs and because he wants to redeem our stories, making us deserving of eternal life through his sacrifice.
Listen to discover how our salvation continually transforms us. Just as a near-drowning experience can remind us of life's fragility, our salvation prompts ongoing gratitude and a desire to share its impact. Don't miss this message that will strengthen your faith and inspire you to spread hope and healing.
As we begin a new series this month, we are going to learn about Jesus’ encounters with different people in the Bible whose lives were changed because of Him. We hope to be encouraged and inspired to continue seeking Jesus as we follow Him together as one church. To start, we will dive into Luke 5:1-11 as we study Jesus’ encounter with the First Disciples and learn about why Jesus is calling and inviting us to obey Him.
In 1952, John Elliot and his missionary friends embarked on a perilous journey to an Ecuadorain island to spread the gospel among the Houarani Indians. Tragically, they faced hostility and were killed by the tribesmen. This incident raises the question of why some Christians are willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the gospel while others remain lukewarm and indifferent. Understanding the gospel's significance is crucial here. Many Christians attend church without fully grasping the need to serve others. Based on Ephesians 2:1-10, we can comprehend our state before salvation and our new life in Christ. Accepting Jesus as our Savior compels us to serve Him and be carriers of His love because salvation is a gift of grace. This realization should motivate us to dedicate ourselves to Him and share His love with those around us.
While browsing TikTok, I discovered a captivating pastor named Cliffe Knechtle from Grace Community Church. He engages in discussions and debates about religion and philosophy at schools and public spaces. While we may not possess his level of knowledge and boldness, we are all called to share God's love. The Bible reminds us that we should speak as God's messengers when we share, but not all are called to preach. Colossians 4:2-6 provides guidance on how to participate in sharing God's love even from a distance. It emphasizes two methods: interceding for others through prayer and engaging in conversations that convey God's grace. By understanding these principles, we can effectively participate in spreading the love of God to our communities.
Through this passage, we will see How we can participate in sharing God's love to others.
Living a life of love requires an intentional decision to follow Christ everyday. He already gave us the power through his Spirit so that we can stop sinning and to live a life that is pleasing to him. This is not an easy task, it is an everyday battle so therefore we should be wise and apply these truths so that we can serve others more effectively.
As believers of Christ, we are summoned to embrace a life characterized by love. Our mission is to embody and spread God’s love. However, following this calling is not an easy thing to do. Various barriers hinder us from fully functioning as conduits of love. We grapple with personal insecurities, fear, and self-condemnation. Additionally, our biases and pride create obstacles. Consequently, extending our hands and hearts to share God’s love with others becomes a struggle.
The challenges associated with becoming channels of God’s love can indeed lead some to choose indifference or inaction. It’s tempting to turn a blind eye to the needs of others and justify our lack of compassion. However, understanding and embracing the reasons behind our role as carriers of God’s love are crucial. Without this understanding, we risk leading a life devoid of sympathy or concern.
Are you sure? There are many promises of God but how can we be sure? Doubts are common even for those who have been Christians for a long time. During periods of doubt and uncertainty, we ask ourselves, "How can I be sure that all these are true? What if I am just trying to convince myself? What if it is just a hoax?" Such doubts can occur temporarily or they can linger on for a long time. The results are the same. We become immobilized by fear, worry, and consequently spiritual defeat. Are there proofs that can help us find our security in our walk of faith? Yes, there are. There are three indisputable proofs that we can trust.
If there is anything that is certain in this life, suffering is one of them. No one is exempted – including Christians. It is difficult to endure suffering especially when you don’t know the ending. It breaks our hearts to see evil around us, endure the pain of chronic or terminal sickness, or witness the death of loved ones. Why is this happening to me? Why do evil people prosper and succeed in their ways? Has God forgotten me? When will this end? The big question is this: How can we persevere and live a life of peace and purpose in the midst of present sufferings? It is by having the right perspective!
Many individuals are currently going through an identity crisis without even realizing it. They are experimenting with various identities, such as altering their physical appearances, exploring different gender preferences, adopting new roles, pursuing alternative career paths, getting into relationships, modifying their behaviors, and accomplishing successes in life. They embark on these quests to discover their true selves and find their place in the world. However, these endeavors often result in more confusion, uncertainty, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of being excluded or isolated because of shifting expectations in the world. In contrast, those who follow Christ can be certain of their true identity through the work of the Holy Spirit in and through them. He does this in three ways.
People have a natural fear of unknown future tragedies that may affect them or their loved ones. The uncertainty and unpredictability of life can create fear and unease as individuals think about the possible difficulties and challenges they may encounter. This fear stems from our innate need for stability and security, as we strive to protect ourselves and ensure our future well-being.
The anticipation of potential tragedies can be overwhelming, causing anxiety and worry about what lies ahead. However, the greatest tragedy of all is the judgment of God both now and in the future. Through Christ, we can be certain that this will not happen to us anymore. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and we can be certain that we are completely safe in God's great universe, even though there are many uncertainties in the future.
There are three reasons why we can be certain that we are safe now and into the future.
Not everyone will be merry this Christmas. There are many reasons for this. It has been said that seasons like this amplify whatever feelings we might have at the moment. If we are sad or anxious, we will experience more of it during the Christmas season. If we are generally happy, we will probably experience a more joyful Christmas.
Although many of us hesitate to admit our desire to be important, we also do not want to be considered insignificant. There is a part of us that instinctively rejects the idea of being marginalized or treated as common. We don't want to be ordinary, and yet that's how we often feel about ourselves. In our passage today, we encounter a girl named Mary, who was likely 12 to 16 years old at the time, being given the extraordinary privilege of becoming the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world!
Have you ever experienced doubt? It can be overwhelming, leaving you uncertain about your beliefs. Doubts are common but often kept in fear of being judged. Some people may even encourage our doubts and skepticism, claiming it's better than having unwavering beliefs. However, a voice inside us urges us not to doubt. How can we deal with our doubts? The story of Zechariah in Luke 1:5-25 teaches us three encouraging truths about doubt that can help us trust in God even though we have doubts.
The fear of the future can be a significant barrier to living a purposeful life that God intended us to have. It is natural to feel anxious about the unknown, but when this fear becomes overwhelming, it can prevent us from taking action and pursuing God's mission. This fear can manifest in various ways, such as procrastination, indecisiveness, or avoidance. But we shouldn't be paralyzed by fear and Jesus taught us why. We will look at the teaching of Jesus and understand the three reasons why we shouldn't be afraid to obey God and fulfill His mission for us.
Imagine yourself ready to start or restart the journey of fulfilling God’s mission for your life. You know God has called you, you believe He has a purpose for you and you’re up for it. Sadly, there are roadblocks in the way of answering that call, and one of them is shame. The shame we carry from our mistakes, sin and other negative experiences from the past can prevent us from moving forward and hinder us from living a life of purpose. We need to overcome the barrier of shame if we want to live a purposeful life. To help us with this issue, we will look into the life of Moses in order to understand the three shame-based issues he struggled with, which we also struggle with, and what the Bible teaches us to overcome it.
Picture this: Abraham, the father of faith, embarking on a journey of purpose, with every step, his divine path was becoming clearer before him. Yet, like all of us, his faith faced the crucible of testing. His experience invites us to explore our own journey of faith, for it's not a question of "if" we'll be tested, but "when". When the test happens, where we focus our attention will determine our success in fulfilling our mission in life.
As you walk with the Lord by faith, your life’s mission will become clearer. Stay on track and fulfill the mission God lays on your heart through the Holy Spirit. Straying from this mission is like losing your way in life. Be careful not to deviate from your calling. Abraham almost lost his way without God’s faithfulness. Four situations can tempt us to deviate.
Sometimes, your mission from God may become clear to you early on in your journey with Him, eliminating the need to wait. This can be a great blessing! However, more often than not, it takes time for things to become clear. You will gradually discover who you are meant to be and what the Lord wants you to do with the life and gifts that He has entrusted to you. While waiting for clarity regarding your mission from God, there is no need to passively wait. God wants you to actively prepare for it by faith by focusing on four areas of your life that will be crucial in fulfilling your mission from God.
Last Sunday, we learned that our mission is much bigger than our occupation. That’s why we cannot just focus on our jobs. We need to discover our mission in life. Our job is what we do to earn a living, but our mission is why we exist in this world. We need to live in view of our mission instead of just living for our occupation. But how do we know our mission? The calling of Abraham gives us a picture or pattern of what a mission from God looks like. Today, we want to look at Genesis 12:1-9 to understand “The Anatomy of A Mission from God.”
Each of us is created by God for a unique purpose in the world. We have a mission from Him: He wants us to represent Him in our uniqueness. This is why we have a unique combination of personality, gifts, talents, preferences, passions, etc.
The purpose of our spiritual revival is not only for our own enjoyment but also for the sake of others. God desires for us to be spiritually alive so that we can extend a helping hand to others, guiding them to know and follow Jesus as we do. Regrettably, many individuals today view spiritual revival as an end in itself. They seek to experience it solely for personal satisfaction or to feel a sense of closeness to God.
Love is essential to our Christian faith. In Ephesians 4:25-5:2, Paul urges us to love one another. In a world filled with division and selfishness, love becomes even more important and challenging. It is necessary for our souls and a testament to our faith. We must live with truth, let go of anger and bitterness, and imitate God by living a life of love. Today, we want to explore the role of love in our lives and our church. Love drives our spiritual growth. We must recognize the urgent need for love, both individually and as a united body of believers, as it is through love that we truly experience life in Christ.
Spiritual revival is exciting! We want to experience more of it. But will it last without moral purity? No, it cannot last unless the church recovers its calling to live godly lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a challenging task, especially in today’s society. The pressure to conform to the world’s standards is an ever-present temptation. No one is immune to the daily challenge of living pure lives for God’s glory. How can we, as a church, overcome this? How can we live in purity amidst so much depravity?
The heart of our Savior is for Christian unity. Yet, as we see today, we confront the stark reality of disunity and division among Christians. We cannot experience spiritual revival apart from true Christian unity. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:1-16, offers us a roadmap to how we can pursue this. This urgent need for unity is not new; it has persisted throughout the history of the Church. Today, let us look into God's Word and seek answers on how to maintain unity, so that we may shine as a beacon of Christ's love in a fractured world.
In a world clouded by misconceptions about life's purpose, many, regardless of faith, chase personal gains and experiences. Even some who claim to follow Jesus share this mindset, which impacts their choices. Our genuine purpose is clear: reflecting God's image through our lives, bringing Him glory. This sermon unveils the transformative power of aligning with this purpose. Through dedicated application of God's word – our guidebook for righteous living – we radiate His light, illuminating our path to true glory. How can we apply God’s word in our lives and bring glory to God?
Focusing when reading or meditating on God's word is essential. The Bible has the power to transform our lives and shape our characters. However, this transformative process requires intentional reflection and application of its teachings. Focusing allows us to internalize, contemplate, and align our lives with the principles found in Scripture. The goal is not just reading the word of God but listening to God. How then do we read the word of God in order to hear the Lord?
Daily intake of God’s word is essential for the spiritual growth of Christians. It provides guidance, teaches valuable principles, and deepens their relationship with God. Yet, many Christians neglect this vital practice.
Understanding the importance of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is vital for Christians. It goes beyond mere belief and involves actively following and emulating Jesus’ teachings and example. By prioritizing the word of God in their lives, Christians can deepen their relationship with Jesus, find guidance in decision-making, and fulfill their purpose as disciples.
Addiction is a mental health problem because it involves changes in brain function and behavior, leading to loss of control, cravings, and negative consequences. It affects the brain’s reward system and often co-occurs with other mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or trauma-related conditions.
Demotivation can be a symptom of various mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or burnout. It can negatively impact a person’s overall well-being and functioning. Demotivation can lead to a lack of interest, energy, and motivation to engage in activities, including those that are essential for daily life. It can also affect productivity, relationships, and the overall quality of life. When we’re not motivated or concentrated, everything seems to be two or even three times harder. We need to understand demotivation and how to overcome it. There are three main causes of demotivation, and we can find in the Book of Psalms at least three passages that can help us overcome each of them.
Anger, when chronic, can be a mental health issue that impairs emotional well-being. It can lead to feelings of bitterness, irritability, and hostility and even contribute to conditions like depression and anxiety. In today’s sermon, we will explore the topic of anger using Psalm 37:1–9 as a guide.
Anxiety and depression are both mental health disorders that can often occur together. While they are distinct conditions, there is a strong relationship between the two. Chronic anxiety can often lead to depression. Similarly, individuals with depression may experience anxious thoughts related to their depressive symptoms.
This month we want to delve deeper into mental health issues and look at specific problems. Our primary source of inspiration will be the Book of Psalms. Specifically, we want to investigate and address the most common types of mental health issues that people face today. To start off this series, let us focus on depression – one of the most widespread yet misunderstood mental health challenges.
We all go through various experiences in life, some of which are positive and bring us joy in the Lord. However, there are also times when we face negative experiences that affect us in different ways. Depending on our worldview or belief system, we may react negatively to such circumstances. Even if we try to maintain a positive outlook, negative emotions can linger. It’s important to recognize that this is not solely determined by our choices or willpower; we are not as powerful as we may think. This is why individuals who struggle with mental health issues often feel that nobody truly cares or understands them.
People who experience mental health issues often feel confused and uncertain. They may not understand why they are feeling the way they are, and this can be very frustrating. They may also worry that they are becoming a burden to their loved ones, which can lead to feelings of guilt and shame.
Our worldview affects our thoughts. We need to understand what kind of worldview we have and how it is affecting our responses to events, encounters, and experiences.
Last month was Mental Health Awareness Month. But we all know that a lot of people suffer from some form of mental health problem regardless of the month. It's encouraging that many people today are now aware of it. But what is the nature of their awareness? How do people understand mental health issues?
You can be busy but remain healthy spiritually. Ang susi ay huwag lang maging "hurried" palagi. Kapag hurried kasi, napakahirap maging spiritually healthy. Talagang bibigay tayo. Manghihina tayo spiritually at madali tayo matutukso at malilinlang ng kaaway. Maliligaw tayo ng landas at hindi natin matutupad ang kalooban ng Diyos. Pero paano ba ito? Paano natin mababalanse ang buhay natin para hindi tayo maging hurried palagi? Meron tatlong simpleng hakbang para magawa ito ayon sa Mark 6:30-44.
Pwede ba maging spiritually healthy kahit busy? Of course! Being busy has to do with our schedule based sa ating life situation or calling in life. Pero hindi kinakailangan maging too busy. Kapag too busy, we become driven and hurried. Hurried means laging nagmamadali. Parang lagi may appointment o may hinahabol. Wala kang space o margin to rest in the Lord. Limited ka pero hindi mo ito tinatanggap. Bagkus, dagdag ka lang ng dagdag ng mga pwede mo pang pagka-busy-han. Paano mo malalaman kung busy ka o talagang hurried na?
Lahat tayo ay busy. Ngunit ang mas importante na itanong sa ating sarili ay “Bakit ka busy?” Maraming dahilan kung bakit busy tayo. Pero minsan ang mga dahilan natin ay bunga lamang ng maling pagkaunawa patungkol sa buhay. Hindi masama ang maging busy basta naaayon lamang sa tamang dahilan kung bakit busy tayo.
Encouraging one another in the body of Christ is important. The Bible teaches us that we need to give and receive encouragement often. Encouragement is necessary for our walk of faith and helps us to persevere through difficult times. Let us learn this principle today.
In spite of the proliferation of social media, many today still feel alone and disconnected. People are crying out for someone to listen. The church should be a place where people know how to listen well. Unfortunately, individualism has become the dominant attitude even among Christians. We no longer listen to one another as we should. It is time for us to change this mindset. We must actively listen well to each other so that we can learn how to really love each other as spiritual friends.
Communityship is an exciting journey, except for one problem... you have to do it with imperfect and sinning people! In any community of faith, whether small, medium, or large, people will offend each other one way or the other. There is no way of escaping it unless you choose to fake it! The blessing of communityship comes through the process of constant forgiveness. Often it's hard and challenging, and sometimes even frustrating, because not everyone understands or is willing to cooperate. We must always practice constant forgiveness throughout our journey of communityship together.
We are here today because of an extraordinary event that happened two thousand years ago which was reported to us by eyewitnesses as recorded in the Scriptures, especially in the book of Acts. This is no other than the resurrection of Jesus. We can believe in this testimony even though we were not there when it happened. Unfortunately, today not everyone believes in this testimony about Jesus. For if you truly believe, your whole life purpose and direction will change!
Good Friday is often considered the gloomiest day of Holy Week. This is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. In remembering this day, most of us would imagine the terrible things our Lord suffered. Crucifixion, of course, was considered a most horrific form of execution designed to inflict maximum pain and humiliation.
If you have been around RLCC for quite some time, you may have encountered the word “communityship”. it is the art and method of building communities of faith in various places and among different people groups where the presence, power, and purpose of Christ are being fulfilled in and through each one. This is what we do and this is our vision.
Most Christians are content just to listen to sermons every Sunday. Thank God some are willing to step up to belong to a small group and become more like Christ by going through spiritual formation together with others. However, not many are willing to take the next step, which is to help build the body of Christ. Spiritual formation is not an end in itself. God wants us to be transformed for the sake of others.
The goal of the Christian life is for us to become the kind of persons who can reflect and represent God in the world. For this to happen, Christ must transform us through the power of the Holy Spirit. When this happens, God is glorified, because we are reflecting His image. When this is not happening, for whatever reason, we fail to fulfill the purpose for which God has saved and is saving us in Christ Jesus
Joining a community of faith is an important step for new Christians as it provides a supportive environment for their spiritual growth and development. It can be challenging for new believers to navigate the complexities of their new faith journey alone, and a community of like-minded individuals can provide guidance, support, and accountability for them. But how can this happen? Interestingly, the church plays a very important role in this process.
When we want to take a journey, we usually worry about the logistics first. For example, we think about the cost, where we will stay, how will we travel, etc. But the journey never really begins unless we take the first step toward our destination. This is true also for our journey of faith. There must come a point wherein we will no longer worry about the spiritual logistics. For example, what does it mean to follow Jesus, how will I follow, what if I fail, etc? We will just take a step of faith toward actually believing and following Jesus together with others and leaving all other concerns to God. How do we do this?
There has been a lot of talk about what has happened (or is happening) at the University of Asbury. It is now called the Asbury Revival. According to reports, both official as well as personal anecdotes, Jesus is manifesting His presence there and it has been amazing so far. Thank God for revivals like this! We should pray for spiritual revival everywhere. But, if we are not careful, we might think that the presence of the Lord can only come through extraordinary events like this.
Spiritual failure is something that all of us experience in our lives. It is the feeling of being stuck in a rut, feeling disconnected from God, or feeling like you have let the Lord down. It can be a difficult and overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Through Jesus Christ, we can be restored and experience God again no matter how many times we fail. Jesus came to earth to provide salvation for us and to bring us back into a right relationship with God, not just at the beginning of our relationship with Him, but all throughout our lives. In other words, He promises to restore us daily, especially when we fail.
Renewal is the process of revitalizing or rejuvenating something. The word "renew" means to make something new again, i.e., to restore a former state. While physical renewal is important, there is another more important type of renewal found in the Bible — "spiritual renewal". Overall, the Bible emphasizes the importance of spiritual renewal in starting a new relationship with God, maintaining a strong and vibrant faith, and continuing as a follower of Christ. Jesus is the only One who can bring this kind of renewal into our lives from beginning to end.
Fake news refers to the spread of false information and is a growing concern in today's society. It can cause harm by misinforming the public, creating social and political divisions, and undermining trust in credible sources. In an era where information is easily accessible through social media, it is crucial to verify the accuracy of information before accepting it as truth. This is especially so when it comes to our faith and practice.
Feeling isolated or lonely is a common experience that affects many people at some point in their lives. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as living alone, losing a loved one, or feeling disconnected from others. Unfortunately, these feelings can have serious consequences, such as depression, anxiety, paranoia, and even physical health problems.
Frustration is a common and valid feeling that we all experience at some point in our lives. Whether it's in our personal or professional lives, dealing with frustration can be a challenging task. It's important to know how to handle these negative feelings effectively so that they don't consume us and lead to negative outcomes. Through the example of Jesus, we will explore some guidelines to help us with frustration, and how to turn it into a positive force for growth and change.
Apprehension means fear, worry, anxiety, dread, etc. Have you ever felt those emotions? Jesus did. That's why He knows and understands us. Some of us might think that Jesus never felt those things. We assume He is so brave, so courageous. But the Scriptures would tell us otherwise.
We begin this series by talking about exhaustion. After the holiday season, with all its busyness, and now comes January, it's easy for us to feel exhausted. Now, this is valid. But we can learn something important in our exhaustion. Let's pay attention to Jesus, for He knows and understands what we are going through.
Regardless of what has happened to us or what we have done, Jesus redeems all our stories.
What are you afraid of? For most people, the future makes them afraid. Who knows what will happen?
God has done a lot of wonderful things in our past. We are so thankful for that. But God is not just about the past. His grace is also new every morning. No matter how difficult yesterday was, today is always a new day.
Yes, it is our 25th anniversary! As we remember what has happened to us so far over the past 25 years, it is good to thank God for His grace. We have so many fond memories. But we also have not-so-good memories, events, and experiences, that we may want to forget rather than remember. Can we still give thanks even though they are not so good? How?
Last week, we talked about how you can see God’s dream for you right where you are. You just need to open your eyes and pay attention to God as He lays a burden in your heart. But what do you do when you have the seed of God’s dream or vision in your heart? You need to learn how to serve with a team instead of doing it all by yourself.
Having the correct view of God and success are foundational matters. They prepare you to be a dreamer and a doer. But you cannot be an ordinary dreamer. You cannot just dream about anything and then do it yourself. You need to see God's dream for you and pursue it by faith.
Is it wrong to aim for success in life? Is it wrong to be ambitious? Some people feel guilty about this. Others, of course, couldn't care less. They want to be successful in life no matter what. That's why personal ambitions drive them. But can we aim for success without compromising our faith? Can we be ambitious and still retain our commitment to Christ?
Why is it that some of us are bored? We are barely holding on to each day, hoping we will survive every working day, doing what we can to make our lives a little more interesting every now and then. Sometimes life can be exciting but only for a short while. Soon the realities will come rushing back into our minds and hearts discouraging and boring us once again. "What's the use?" we say to ourselves. "Nothing will change." How can we overcome this perennial doubt in our hearts?
Leadership is all about managing one's credibility to influence others for the common good to the glory of God. We are all uniquely placed by God in various places to influence others. We are all saved to lead. Therefore, all of us have the potential to practice leadership. Unfortunately, not all of us are doing this right now. As a result, we're not doing the good works we're supposed to do to glorify God. The reason for this is simple: Most of us think that leadership is a position or a title. No wonder many of us don't want to become leaders at all.
Some people say that what you don't know won't hurt you. But in the case of the church or the body of Christ, what we don't know will actually hurt us. This is especially true in the area of spiritual matters. Ignorance in this area will greatly affect us. To fulfill God's purpose for us in this world as His people would require spiritual health, growth, and maturity. These things cannot happen without knowing how the Holy Spirit is at work among us and through us based on God's word. One area where we need to be informed properly and adequately is spiritual gifts.
People think and believe by default that their past hurts and pains that resulted in their brokenness are a source of regret, waste, sadness, feeling inferior, less important, and unworthy to be an active part of His church. On the other hand, active members or leaders sometimes see broken people as a liability and an unwanted burden in the church. All Bible characters have their own brokenness story. But God still chose to use them. Since then, God keeps calling broken people to be a part of the Body of Christ, His Church.
Not everyone today considers being a committed member of a local church as something essential in their Christian faith. Many simply view it as something practical, useful, or convenient. They attend a local church because it's near, because the worship is good, because there's adequate parking, because the preaching is relevant and short, because their families or friends are there, etc. In other words, they do not really commit themselves as members of a local church ready to pursue the journey of faith together with others for the long haul. The Bible does not teach this kind of idea. Instead, the Bible teaches a long-term committed membership in a local church that is meant to last for as long as possible.
God chooses various means to pour His grace upon our lives. It is grace alone that can enable us to be the kind of person He wants us to be and to do His will. Without grace, we cannot accomplish anything. This is the reason why we should be intentional in making abundant use of the various means of grace like prayer, bible meditation, and participation in sacred activities. But there is one means that most of us are not using as much as we should: spiritual relationships.
The Christian faith is personal, but it is never individualistic. We are not meant to just follow the Lord on our own, praying and reading the Scriptures, without being connected with others in the body of Christ. God's grace is poured out not just on us individually but also when we gather together as God's people through various sacred activities. In fact, there are four sacred activities where God pours out His grace in special ways only because we are together in the presence of the Lord. To miss these activities is to miss out on the possible special outpouring of God's grace during such times.
Rejection hurts. That's why we don't want to be rejected. But rejection always happens especially for those who sincerely want to obey Christ. We need to know how to handle rejection. Of course, our best example when it comes to handling rejection well is Jesus Christ. He suffered rejection more than anyone else. But He handled it very well each time.
Grace is just a prayer away! This is so true. Yet, many Christians fail to experience grace because they fail to pray. But how can we pray when we are so busy? How do we overcome our busyness? Well, we need God's grace to overcome our busyness! So, we're caught in this perpetual cycle of constantly trying and constantly failing to pray. What is the solution? The solution is to learn how to pray as Jesus and the apostles did. Through their example, we can see three ways that they prayed, which we can also imitate.
God creates us for relationships. But not all relationships are good for us. Some of them are detrimental to our spiritual lives and can harm us or make us ineffective and unproductive. Ironically, the detrimental relationships that the Bible warns us about are not with regard to unbelievers or the people in the world. The apostle Paul says in 1 Cor 5:9-10, "I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case, you would have to leave this world." The Bible warns us to watch out against certain types of believers within the church that can negatively influence us.
Our ability to desire is basic to our humanity. God gave us this ability so that we will first desire Him and as a result find in Him the fulfillment of all our other desires. The apostle Paul said in Acts 17:26-27, "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us." Unfortunately, our desires can also lead us away from God. Satan knows this. He uses our desires to deceive us so that we would be led astray.
We have an invisible enemy working behind our visible reality. That visible reality is called the "world" in the Scriptures. This does not refer to the beautiful world that we live in (e.g. the mountains, the sky, the seas, etc.). It refers to the systems and philosophies of the world. We must understand the nature of "this" world as the Bible describes it so that we can understand also why we struggle in taking care of our souls and the souls of others.
Why is it so hard to practice personal soul care in today's world? We usually complain about not having enough time or being too busy. Sometimes, we blame those around us for not helping us or they are hindering us. Or maybe we are not that motivated or interested in the first place. Whatever the reasons, the bottom line is that the struggle is real. It's never easy to practice personal soul care in today's world even though it is so essential to our spiritual well-being. How do we overcome this?
"Open Doors" are exciting opportunities to experience more of God's presence, power, and purpose. They can also be challenging and sometimes even confusing. That's why you need to seek God's guidance all throughout the experience, from beginning to end. But what if you actually miss an "Open Door" to begin with? What if you actually said "No!" to God? What do you do?
You tested an "Open Door." You sought the guidance of the Lord through prayer and spiritual direction. You're confident it is from the Lord. You now enter it by faith. But, suddenly, in the middle of the process, the situation begins to unravel. Something is wrong. Obstacles begin to arise that cause confusion and doubt in your heart. What do you do? What if an "Open Door" starts to be challenging? How do you respond?
An "Open Door" is an opportunity from God that we must "TEST" or discern. That is the nature of an "Open Door." It is not simply an opportunity that we must grab the moment we see it. Instead, we must take the time to pray and seek guidance from the Lord, especially through the help of spiritual friends or companions. It's not an easy task. We can make mistakes along the way. The choices are not always clear. But why? Why would God give us these "Open Doors" and yet not make them so crystal clear that it is from Him? Why do we have to go through all the trouble of discerning them and thus make possible mistakes along the way?
An "Open Door" is an opportunity given by God to us so that we can experience the presence of Christ, the purpose of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is our foretaste of heaven on earth. But how do we know if an "Open Door" is actually set before us by God? What if we are wrong? How can we be sure? In other words, how do we discern an "Open Door"? The answer? We need to TEST it.
Christians are unaware of what is available to them because of Christ. Consequently, they miss the opportunities that God makes available for them if they will trust in Him. They waste their time and resources dabbling in worldly pursuits or false attachments. Many settle for mediocrity in their Christian lives instead of experiencing the glory of God. What they need is a deep understanding of the concept of "Open Door." What is an "Open Door"?
Traveling the Road to Forever is not a solo sport. You do it together with the person or persons who you want to experience lasting relationships with. All parties must do their part, otherwise, the journey will fail. As we have learned, it takes a Spirit-filled person to navigate the Road to Forever. But, we must add, that it takes two or more Spirit-filled companions to make that journey possible for everyone. Doing it alone will not be enough.
The solution to every problem depends on the nature of that problem. If a problem is medical in nature, we will seek a medical solution. If the problem is financial, we will find ways to come up with financial solutions. When it comes to relationships, we often assume it's a natural problem. So, we look for natural solutions. But this is wrong. The problem, as we have seen, is that relationships involve people who are spiritual beings with a spiritual problem (i.e., the flesh) and spiritual enemies. Therefore, the solution must be spiritual.
The failure of relationships is mainly because of the nature of those who are in those relationships. In other words, the problem is you and me. The road to forever is froth with all kinds of dangers because it involves people. Without God's help, relationships will fail eventually. Whenever relationships do succeed, it is simply because of God's grace and mercy. But, even if we are good people (i.e., with good intentions and good character), there are other enemies of relationships that can undermine our sincere efforts to make our relationships work.
We all want lasting relationships. But very few actually experience it. Why? Sometimes people imagine that their good intentions are sufficient to create the kind of life that they want for themselves and for those they care about. They also assume that good Bible-believing Christians will never fail in fulfilling their good intentions as far as relationships are concerned. If they will just work hard at it, they will experience joy and happiness in their relationships. But, to their surprise, their good intentions are never enough. Failure in relationships is a common experience for everyone. What is the solution? How do we build lasting relationships?
What is our purpose when we pray? Is it simply to ask God for the things that we need? Is it just to intercede for the needs of others? If we don't understand the real purpose of prayer, we will either do it or not do it for the wrong reasons. If we're doing it for the wrong reasons, we will become self-righteous. If we're not doing it for the wrong reasons, we will only feel guilty and ashamed. Either way, we are missing out on the true purpose of prayer.
Even if we overcome all the hindrances to prayer, there is one that almost always discourages people from praying -- unanswered prayers! How do we deal with that problem? Let us assume that someone prays sincerely and fervently, but God does not answer. Or, it takes a long time. Sometimes the answer is even different or it's totally opposite to what he or she prayed for. What then? This experience can be very discouraging and disorienting. No wonder some people stop praying altogether. How can we overcome this problem?
It is not easy to pray. All of us struggle in this area. We know we need to pray but something or someone always hinders us. Sometimes, it's even us! The apostle Peter says, "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray." (1 Peter 4:7) It's important to understand these hindrances so that by God's grace we can overcome them.
Many changes are going on all around us. Most of them are beyond our control. Such changes bring with them certain challenges. But how we will be affected and how we will respond is still our choice. In addition, these changes create opportunities for us to partner with God in bringing about His purposes in our lives and in the lives of others. This partnership can only happen in and through prayer. Prayer is our lifeline to God and His kingdom. Through prayer, we can see greater things happen for the glory of God and the good of His people. It's time to start praying for a change.
We may know someone who has slowly drifted away from sincere faith in Jesus. Maybe he or she has chosen to disconnect himself or herself from the community of faith. Maybe they think they have valid reasons. Others may have chosen to go back to their previous lifestyle of sin and disobedience together with their unbelieving friends. A few may have hardened their hearts already. How do we help them go back to Jesus?
People who still have faith but have become lukewarm or discouraged want to know how to go back to Jesus. People who have completely lost their faith don't think they can ever go back. But everyone needs to know that there is a way to go back if only they are willing to seek and find Jesus again by God's grace. It's not an impossibility. Jesus, Himself, is calling them, and us, to go back to Him and walk with Him again by faith. If we would respond to His call, especially during this Easter, we can go back to Jesus again.
It's crucial to always remember the death of Christ on the cross. Thankfully, because we are predominantly a Christian nation, we are reminded of this once a year. But through the years, many people, even Christians, are no longer interested to remember this very important event. They would rather use this occasion to do other things. Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing other things. But if doing other things results in forgetting the significance of the death of Christ on the cross, then maybe we need to pause and consider that.
The pandemic has revealed the shallowness of faith of many people. Consequently, many have either become lukewarm or have backslidden altogether. Now that the health situation is beginning to allow people to go back to their previous activities, although under the new normal (i.e. with the virus still being present but less threatening), we need to ask, "What are we going back to?" Or, better yet, "Who do we need to go back to?" In other words, we need to go back to Jesus and follow Him closely again together with others. We are not simply going back to face-to-face gatherings, we must go back to Jesus!
As the election draws near, emotions are running high. There are a lot of disagreements. Even Christians are drawn to this and, sadly, some reveal the worldly state of their hearts as they disagree with others in social media. Disagreements are inevitable. But how we express our disagreements is a choice. We don't have to resort to worldly tactics to promote our candidate. We are Christians and we represent Jesus Christ first of all. Therefore, we must act like His disciples, especially in the public arena. Winning is not everything. How do we do this?
Politics can be dirty. This is why some Christians don't want to be involved in politics. They say that the church should only be concerned with evangelism or discipleship, not with politics. But others argue that we must be involved. In fact, some are too involved already to the point that they forget they are Christians. How can we be involved in politics without losing our identity as Christians? The answer is simple but challenging. Get involved in a way that honors God. How do we do this?
Politics is a hot topic these days. Should we even talk about it in church? Some believe that politics is of the world and the church should not waste its time talking about it. Others are very zealous about politics. They are very engaged and vocal about it. We can see it all over social media. But where do we strike the balance? We believe God is present everywhere. Politics is not off-limits to Him. But we must understand what the Bible says about politics so that we can get involved as Christians, and not like those who do not know God.
Obedience is not the only barometer for knowing whether a person has a heart after God's own heart. Like David, worship is another way we can show our devotion to God. Unfortunately, many today are not interested in prioritizing the worship of God in their lives. Worship is not merely singing or listening to worship songs. It has to do with a heart that is fully devoted to God. How can we develop that kind of heart?
We all sin in many different ways and at different times. Perhaps this is the reason why most of us cannot really claim that our hearts are after the Lord's heart. We are very much aware of our frailty. But, like David, we must all acknowledge that our moral failures are also occasions where our hearts are tested. How should we respond when we fail morally? When God rebukes us of our sins, whether hidden or obvious, do we cover them up or do we respond to God faithfully?
Character is not the basis of our calling. We are called because of God's grace and mercy alone. But our character is important in fulfilling God's purpose for our lives. We can shipwreck our faith if we do not take care of our character. It's possible that we will not finish well in the race called life if we do not pursue a heart after God's own heart. In this second sermon in our series, we want to examine what hinders us from developing a heart for God. We will base our study on the life of King Saul recorded in 1 Samuel 9 to 15.
Recently, the church has been shaken by several scandals. From church leaders who commit immoral acts to well-known Christian artists who turn their backs from the Christian faith to become atheists. It is only right for the world to question our integrity. How can we speak about God's truth and His salvation when our lives do not align with what we are saying? What is needed today are Christians who truly have a heart for God. How can we develop that kind of heart? What does it mean to have a heart after God's own heart?
It's often hard to wait, especially when we are waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled. We experience disappointment, confusion, and discouragement when we are doing our best to trust and obey God but nothing seems to be happening for a long time. Waiting is difficult because we are not in control of our desired results or expectations. Unless we understand that God is doing "behind the scenes", we cannot endure this waiting period.
We all have weaknesses. Some of them we can easily accept because they are part of our nature or we consider them normal. But some weaknesses are difficult to accept. We hate ourselves for having them. We feel that we are disadvantaged or disabled. We try so hard to overcome them, and when they persist, we become disillusioned with ourselves. We feel there is no future for us. But how can we stand in God's promises to overcome them?
The rising number of COVID-19 cases is making a lot of people anxious. There’s a very good chance you are one of them. Although COVID-19 is definitely a cause for concern, this is just one of the many things that we worry about. There are a lot of uncertainties that can make us worry and this can distract us away from God and bring unrest to our souls. But God has promised to give us peace during times of uncertainty. However, we need to make faith decisions so we can experience the peace that only God can give. What are these faith decisions? (Philippians 4:4-7)
No one really knows what the future holds. That can easily create insecurity in our hearts. But insecurity is not just about the future. Sometimes we can be paralyzed by so many uncertainties in life that we fail to move forward according to God's will. We often say "No" when we can in fact say "Yes" because we are so insecure about ourselves. Only by standing on the promises of God can we overcome our insecurity in order to say "Yes" to God. But how do we do that? (1 Cor 1:26-2:5)
The year 2022 is just around the corner. Some are excited, hoping for the best. Others are anxious, not sure of what would happen. Although many are wishing for a better new year, in reality, no one can really be sure. The only thing we can do is to stand on the promises of God. But which of the promises? And how do we stand on those promises?
Resurrection? Why talk about the resurrection at this time? It’s Christmas time, right? The reason why most of us are probably wondering is that we believe Christmas is just a holiday season. Because it’s just a holiday season, we expect food, fellowship, family reunions, festivities, and fun times. Nothing less, and nothing more. To talk about the resurrection seems out of sync with this general expectation. In fact, we hope that Christmas will last longer so that we can continue to enjoy these experiences. What we need is divine intervention to change our expectations about Christmas.
Those who are young in the Lord are often passionate about reaching out to their loved ones and friends who do not know the Lord. But over time, they lose their passion. Some of us today are probably like that. We are not that excited anymore about reaching out and leading others to faith in Christ. We have lost our passion for the lost. What has happened to us?
It seems that we might have more freedom this December. Who knows? We might even have Christmas parties! But as followers of Christ, we may have mixed feelings. Is there anything to rejoice about this season as followers of Jesus?
If you have been to the malls recently, you will notice many people, even children, walking around. They all seem to be very happy and excited to be there. As we hear more and more about the number of cases going down, many of us are looking forward to doing the normal things that we used to do prior to the pandemic. Naturally, we are all very happy. Finally. But something tells us this may not be over yet. The threat of variants and mutations is still hanging over us. So, how do we celebrate Christmas now?
Every day we see evil all around us. Just when we thought that the pandemic is almost over, we hear about a new and much deadlier variant appearing in some countries and threatening the rest of the world, including us. We also continue to experience corruption and injustice. A lot of people are dying, sometimes for no reason. When will this end? The good news is that evil will eventually stop. It will be finally removed. How?
People are concerned about the end times, especially when they think about their unsaved loved ones. They know that unbelievers will suffer the wrath of God on Judgment Day. Understandably, some Christians feel relieved knowing that they will be spared from all these. They believe that they will be "raptured" just before the Tribulation. But is this really God's plan? In the Book of Revelation, God shows us that the church is actually called to evangelize the world until the very end.
It's easy to get scared when we think about the Book of Revelation. We tend to imagine all the terrifying things that could happen. There will be a lot of suffering, of course. But actually, this book is a blessing to us. It tells us that our suffering will not last forever. The Lord Himself will see to it. Why do we believe this?
Many people are afraid of the Book of Revelation. For sure it is not easy to read and understand. Some misinterpret it to their own peril. Others use it to come up with elaborate timetables depicting precise events or personalities in history. But how should we read and interpret it? One important way is to see it as a blessing for God's people.
When near-sighted and blind, our vision of God and His eternal plans are often blurred or out of sight. By default, we will tend to only rely on our feelings and experiences to survive a world of chaos, sin, and uncertainty. However, we can continue to serve God passionately if we think and believe that the final outcome will be good for us. That's why it's important to know God’s word concerning the future (2 Tim 4:1-8). But how can these future events encourage us in our sufferings now?
We all know that faith without works is dead. But not many know that faith without hard work will not last. We cannot live our lives on autopilot. We have to persevere. And perseverance takes hard work. People will work hard for their studies. They will work hard for their careers. But they will not work hard to remain true to their calling in Christ. It's time we learn that grace is not opposed to hard work.
Nowadays many are losing in the game of life. They are either getting disqualified or totally getting eliminated. Some cannot even stand another round. Others are quitting too soon. The only one who seems to be winning in this game called life is the enemy of our souls. So, how can we win? We need grace. Lots of it. But how do we experience the grace to win?
We need to be strong through the grace of God to thrive in these difficult times. Otherwise, we will not overcome. That requires having specific attitudes that would ensure victory rather than defeat. One such mindset is to be like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. But what does it mean? We need to reflect on this to understand its meaning and implications.
Do you sometimes feel that you cannot handle this prolonged pandemic anymore? Where will your strength come from? It will not come from you for sure. It will come from God through His grace. But how can we avail of that grace? Although grace is a gift from God, there are certain things we can do to posture ourselves to receive it.
Except for a few negative people, most people have some kind of hope. But not all hope is the same. Most people are just hoping for (or wishing for) a better situation. They are just hoping that the virus would go away and we will be able to finally go back to our normal way of living. But the longer it takes, this kind of hope often leads to frustration and eventually hopelessness. What kind of hope do we truly need? It's the kind of hope that the apostle Paul calls "the hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:1-5) What does it mean?
We are living in difficult times. Many are being tested beyond their capacity to endure. Although there is no declaration yet from the government, sometimes it feels like we are in a state of calamity. But, through faith in Jesus Christ, these times can also be our greatest opportunity. How can we live in such a way that people will ask us about our reason or reasons for hope?
Is it really possible to overcome our fears, worries, and anxieties? Are these just given realities that we cannot escape? The apostle John tells us otherwise. According to him, we can overcome our fears, worries, and anxieties only through God's perfect love. How does that happen?
There's pain, suffering, and death all around us because of the pandemic. But now it's getting too close and personal. Some of our loved ones and close friends, and even some of us, have been infected by the virus and are now in the hospital fighting for their/our lives. Some have died already. We can't help but feel fear, worry, and anxiety creeping into our hearts. So, we ask ourselves, "What if it happens to us, to me, to my loved ones and friends?"
One area that has been severely disrupted by the pandemic is the field of education. Teachers, students, as well as parents have all been affected. Everyone is now stressed out about education because of technical challenges, distractions, time management issues, motivational concerns, and uncertainty about the future. How can we face and overcome these challenges?
The pandemic has disrupted everything in our lives. Many have lost their jobs or couldn't find one. Others were forced to work from home. How do we respond in the midst of all these?
Church life and ministry have dramatically changed since the start of the pandemic. Consequently, we are faced with many challenges. Not everyone accepts online church services or ministry. Not even pastors. Many are missing the good old days.
The pandemic has been a difficult experience for all of us. The crisis is not yet over. But we can pause to examine what we have been learning so far. This August, we will hear from different voices sharing their personal lessons during the pandemic concerning five important themes. Thus, our series will be called "Variants."
We've all been there. We come across a difficult situation and we try so hard to overcome it. But it becomes too difficult and eventually, out of frustration, we just give up. Difficult situations reveal our understanding (or misunderstanding) about the nature of God's power. Instead of giving up, we should move forward. But that requires a renewal of our minds concerning God's surprising power.
It's frustrating when we are trying so hard to do God's will but the results are not what we expect. What's wrong? Maybe because we are trusting too much in our own power rather than God's mighty power.
God's power is greater than our power. But how do we experience God's power? A lot of people, including Christians, do not recognize the availability of God's power in their lives if only they would believe God's promises. It's actually in their mouths and in their hearts -- it's the very Gospel itself! The Gospel is truly the saving power of God to those who believe. (Romans 1:16-17)
Many people are not aware of the availability of God's power for those who believe. They are also unfamiliar with its nature. Consequently, many do not experience its reality in their lives. More often than not, they rely solely on their own power or the power of others, both of which are nothing compared to the power of God. Why is this so? Interestingly, it is because we don't understand the nature of our own power.
The family is under attack for quite some time now. Broken marriages, and the resulting broken families, are now quite common. Gender preferences among the youth create conflicts and confusion among parents. Pre-marital sex or casual sex are now accepted as the norm. Traditional family values are considered irrelevant.
What is most important? Is it money? Is it relationships? Is it a successful career? If we don't know the answer to this question, we will miss out on The Good Life that God truly intends for us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We will lose our way. We will make wrong choices and end up in bad situations or places where we don't really want to be.
What are the Ten Commandments? Really? Are they still relevant today? Should we even bother to know them? We are no longer under the “law” but under “grace.” Should we just disregard these commandments completely because we are now living by faith in Jesus Christ? We will discover if we will study it with an open mind, that the Ten Commandments are actually choices that can lead to God’s kind of good life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Most of us would naturally think of Jesus when we are sick. But what if we are not sick? Most people will have no interest in Jesus and His call for discipleship if everything is going well. But once they get sick, they suddenly change. At the same time, once they get healed, they go back to the same mindset. Why?
Those who pray for healing believe that God can and will heal if we ask with sincere faith. After all, faith is what truly matters with God. But why is it that sometimes God does not answer our prayer for healing even though we ask for it by faith? People have been struggling with this question for a long time. It deserves a biblical but compassionate answer.
What matters most when we are -- or someone else we care about is -- sick or dying? Obviously, the answer is healing. What matters most when our mortality is being threatened is to find deliverance from whatever it is that is threatening us! We want to be healed at whatever the cost. We will look for ways and means to find our healing. We will try anything or go see anyone. Nothing will stop us. This is only natural since health is so important to us. Health is wealth, as we say. But is it the most important thing really?
Many people are getting sick and dying. But why do people get sick and die anyway? Have you ever wondered about this question? You might be surprised to find out the answer from the Bible.
Many people are dreaming of going to heaven someday. But the Bible doesn't really talk much about going to heaven. Instead, it talks more about the return of Jesus. Why is that? Why are the first followers of Christ, the early church, and much more after them, more interested in the return of Jesus? In the last chapter of the Book of Revelation, it says, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
It is understandable for people who do not believe in Jesus to not see the relevance of Christianity in today's world. But it is sad when believers themselves only know about what Jesus said and did 2,000 years ago! In fact, it's not only sad; it's also detrimental. How can the church become relevant if we're only talking about what Jesus said and did in the past? How can we influence the world if we don't know what Jesus is doing right now?
Has anyone greeted you Happy Ascension Day? Most likely not. Most people don't even know there is such a thing, much less celebrate it. The ascension of Jesus is one of the most important doctrines of the Christian faith and yet many do not know about it or understand its true implications.
Every time Easter comes we are reminded about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For some, this is still an awesome event in history that changes everything in their lives. But for others, perhaps many others, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is no longer that interesting or relevant.
Failure has different effects on people. Some are terrified about failure. Others are energized and challenged by it. But those who love the Lord greatly -- and still fail repeatedly -- have a difficult time dealing with failure. Failure makes them feel unworthy and unacceptable before God. Can they still be used by God? Do they still have a future as far as serving God is concerned?
Hope is very important in our lives. When we have hope, we can look forward to the future with great anticipation. We feel excited when we are hopeful. We make plans. We are confident. Life is good. But what if something or someone steals your hope away?
Are you stuck? Do you struggle to move forward with your life? You believe that God has something better in store for you and yet, what you’re experiencing tells you otherwise. You find depression instead of joy, challenges instead of blessings, bitterness instead of forgiveness, habitual sins instead of a vibrant relationship with God. Well, you are not alone.
Sometimes we feel that we are the only ones who are feeling whatever it is that we are feeling. We say, "No one can really understand me." But when we look into the word of God, especially the Gospels, we discover people who are just like us, experiencing the same thing as we are experiencing. We discover that we are not alone in our experiences. We discover that other people's stories can also be our story. How Jesus touched their lives can also be the way that Jesus can touch our lives. Their story can become our story.
When you are frustrated and disappointed with people, you just don't become indifferent. Eventually, you become cynical. Why care for others when others don't really care? You do your best to love people but sometimes all you get in return is nothing, not even gratitude. Is it really worth it? So, why bother? This is one of the challenges of love. It's not easy when you feel this way. We need to learn how to overcome this, or else we will be just like everyone else -- cynical when it comes to love.
Aside from unfulfilled expectations, wrestling with love also involves repeated disappointments. It's what you feel when a person keeps breaking your heart. It's not just one time but several times! How do you respond? For many of us, we just become frustrated and angry. How many times are we supposed to forgive? Forever? Join us this Sunday, Feb 14, for Part 2 of our "Wrestling with Love" series. Let's talk about this challenge and find the solution from God's word.
It's not easy to love others. It's like entering a wrestling match. Especially during this pandemic, we tend to get into each other's nerves. There are conflicts everywhere because of unfulfilled expectations.
It's tough to face the many challenges we are now facing because of the pandemic. But we can be stronger together if we are willing to help each other stay spiritually healthy.
Pride is the source of all disunity in society. In the same way, we cannot be stronger together if we allow pride to dominate our hearts. Only true Christlike humility can help us overcome our common tendency toward a "me-first" mentality.
We can only be stronger together. We learned last week that it's only by pursuing spiritual unity that we can be stronger together. Aside from this, we also need to practice our individuality without falling into the trap (and sin) of individualism. What does it mean and how can we do this? Join us this Sunday as we explore this important topic together.
The pandemic is not yet over. There will still be challenges ahead. But how do we overcome? The last thing we should do is go our separate ways and pursue our own strategies for coping with this crisis. The only way to be stronger is together. This is what we will learn from the Scriptures, especially Philippians 2:1-18.
All of us are capable of looking forward and anticipating things. Unfortunately, we are more prone to anticipate negative things rather than positive ones. We have become habitually pessimistic. Faith is about anticipation also. In contrast to what we normally do, faith teaches us to anticipate the goodness of God instead.
We have access to so much information nowadays. This is a blessing. But it can also be a problem. Many Christians today have superficial faith because they rely more on social media and the Internet as their source of truth. Instead of searching God's word, the Bible, which should be the primary source of truth.
It's Christmas time again. Can we celebrate? As we near the end of 2020, we realize the pandemic is still out there. Even though there is hope that a vaccine may soon be available, it would take some time to reach everyone. It would take faith to celebrate at this time. Let's learn how to develop the kind of faith that can truly celebrate this Christmas time.
People have the tendency to become lukewarm or to lose their faith altogether when they enter the workplace. Somehow, their focus and attention becomes totally devoted to their work. All types of work are legitimate and they can be platforms for us to glorify God. But how can we integrate our faith with our work? Once we learn this, we can become resilient disciples of Jesus Christ.
We are living in difficult times. That is why we need a sober mindset. By faith, we will interpret the times according to God's truth. We will fight the good fight of faith together with others.
In times of calamity, Filipinos come together to help each other. Unfortunately, in the church today, many are disengaging and disregarding their brothers and sisters in Christ in times of difficulty. They may have their reasons. But, sadly, these reasons cannot really justify their actions. It's important to understand the true nature of the church and our own place in it so that we can be resilient during times like these. We need to love our church again.
The Gospel changes our spiritual status, gives us hope for the future, and transforms us through the Holy Spirit. But believing these truths alone without practicing its implications each day does not help us become resilient. Both faith and faithfulness must come together to characterize our lives. But what does faithfulness mean?
In the midst of various adversities and challenges, some give up on their faith, dropping out and becoming lukewarm. Some, however, continue to be resilient. They remain faithful and devoted as followers of Jesus Christ regardless of the circumstances. What makes the difference?
We need spiritual friends. But where can we find them? Who can be our spiritual friend? Also, can you be a spiritual friend to somebody?
There is a kind of friendship that is far deeper and far more beneficial than ordinary friendship. It's called spiritual friendship. What's the difference?
Developing a grateful attitude involves refocusing our whole being back to God in very practical ways.
Even though we already know what is good, and we can recognize it, some of us still struggle with being grateful. Why? Often the problem involves deep soul issues lingering beneath the surface.
In the midst of many disappointments, both in the outside world and even in our inner world, that is, in ourselves, we tend to forget all our spiritual blessings in Christ. But remembering them brings gratitude in our hearts all the time. For it is by His grace through faith that we are saved. Therefore, to be grateful, we must remember our spiritual blessings in Christ all the time.
We cannot be joyful if we are not grateful. Being grateful requires that we recognize the good. We cannot recognize the good if we don't know what "good" means.
Even though the situation is difficult, we can still do ministry. One type of ministry that is crucial and doable, even how with the pandemic, is the ministry of prayer.
Work is such an important part of our lives. But often we do not integrate our faith with our work. They seem to be separate and unrelated. We need to work with integrity, integrating our faith with our work.
Isolation is not the result of physical separation. It is the result of our misunderstanding about relationships. The essence of relationship is love, not face-to-face contact.
Many people today think that the essence of the Christian faith is all about attending Christian events. Now that we cannot gather, many are now confused and disoriented. How are we to practice our Christian faith? The essence of our faith is not about events but about communication.
The church is not a place. It's not a building. We are the church. And we can be the church wherever we are!
When you're on a journey of doing something worthwhile, there will be challenges. You need to learn how to persevere with the help of God.
When we see wrong things, whether around us or even in our lives, we instinctively want to see changes. But often we want to wait for other people to make those changes. When it comes to rebuilding anything, we must learn how to initiate the change we want to see happen.
To experience the reality and blessings of God's kingdom, we need true and correct knowledge. This knowledge comes to us primarily through the Scriptures. This is the reason why reliance on the Scriptures is crucial in rebuilding our lives.
Our lives have changed because of the pandemic. But God has not. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever! We can trust Him, and we can rebuild our lives with God's help. Let's learn how we can do that.
To become an overcomer, not just a survivor, you must learn how to trust God for all your needs.
God doesn't want us to simply accept our present suffering. He wants us to become More Than Conquerors! He wants us to become overcomers, not just survivors.
This quarantine time is the best time to practice silence and solitude. We now have lots of opportunities to reflect on what God is teaching us during this difficult time. But, sadly, we still struggle with this.
Often we do not pay attention to the way we are responding to suffering. When suffering comes, as it surely does all the time, we are caught off guard. The condition of our souls is revealed. We focus more on ourselves and our feelings rather than on God.
When something happens that does not seem right, we ask why? It can be something that we see in the world or in our lives. When it seems unfair, we ask why? It's our number question when undeserved suffering happens.
One of the most important prevailing attitudes that we need to develop is learning how to wait upon the Lord.
This Holy Tuesday we must examine our hearts concerning our attitudes toward the Person of Jesus and the Power of the Scriptures.
When your feelings are all over the place because of the COVID 19 pandemic, you must learn how to stand your ground.
Your will or choice is often influenced by your thoughts and feelings at the moment. But you can also choose to have different thoughts and feelings.
Your body has a lot to do with your feelings. You need to learn how to master your body in order to master your feelings.
We can master our feelings rather than the other way around (i.e. our feelings mastering us). Let's start with four basic principles.
Our soul has deep infinite desires. What is the answer to all these? How can our desires be fully met?
Why do we aspire for something more than what we already have? Why do we have dreams and aspirations? Where is this coming from?
Do you sometimes feel that your life has no meaning? Do you long for a sense of purpose in your life? Listen to this sermon.
We all need to feel secure about our lives. We long for sustenance. That's why we work so hard to secure ourselves from various threats to our existence.
The soul craves acceptance. That's why it easily reacts in the midst of rejection or the possibility of rejection. It also seeks acceptance by whatever means. It remains needy without it.
If there's one fruit that can truly endure forever, it's spiritual leadership. Pursue this fruit to glorify God!
What God desires out of your life is your fruit. Your fruit glorifies Him. But you can only bear fruit if you remain in Him.
Your freedom is valuable to God. It gives you dignity, and the Lord will never override it.
It's important to understand that God values every human life, no matter how worthless it may seem to others.
Do you feel alone during Christmas time? Do you think there's no one around to care for you? Listen to this sermon and find encouragement.
Do you find it hard to celebrate a dark Christmas? What is it and how do you overcome it?
Does remembering the birth of Jesus give you enough reasons to celebrate? Does it give you enough reasons to overcome the negative reasons NOT to celebrate?
Did you know heaven is growing? It's growing inside your heart and in your world by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of God.
What does it mean to be a disciple? What should be our motivations in pursuing everyday discipleship?
People sometimes do not know nor do they understand that they can now have full access to the kingdom of the heavens through faith in Jesus Christ.
What most people do not know is that, because of the coming of Jesus, heaven is accessible now through faith in Him! What an amazing reality!
How do you know that you're stuck? There are warning signs. Pay attention to them and you can get unstuck.
Suffering is common to all of us. But our problem is not really with suffering per se. The battle is fought in the arena of doubt.
There is an ancient practice that can help Christians overcome Satan, the flesh, the world, and also suffering. It's called "Making a Vow."
There are four battlefronts. Aside from the mind, we also have to deal with the flesh. Often this is the most difficult battlefront.
We do not fight by being on the defensive all the time. Sometimes we have to be on the offensive, too.
We must understand Satan's tactics. More importantly, we must know how to deal with them.
We all have our inner struggles. But why? We need to understand the nature of our inner spiritual battles.
Every believer is called by God to serve the Lord in some kind of ministry. It's not the same as your situation in life calling. You have to consider that in your decision making.
There are guidelines for you to discern the content and source of what's going on in your inner being.
When you're making decisions, prioritize your relationship with God. Don't compromise it.
Making decisions according to God's will is not easy. We need to understand what those challenges are and how to overcome them.
Why bother making wise decisions? Once we understand God's intentions for us, we will seek to know God's will and decide accordingly.
People have various images of God in their minds. These affect their relationship with God, especially their trust in Him in the area of guidance.
Humility is not just a private affair. It's for strengthening the community. In fact, the key to experiencing true community is through humility.
There are times when it's hard to stay humble, especially when you know you have strengths that you can truly boast about and you're not lying if you boast about it. But God will help you if you cooperate with Him.
Sometimes we are deceived by the world to find our identity in external things. But our true identity must be found in Christ alone.
Discernment is not an end in itself. The purpose of discernment is to make the right kinds of decisions.
Not all feelings or sensations are the result of our thinking. Some of them simply come from our bodies or our gut. We may sometimes refer to them as instincts, gut feelings, intuition, or sixth sense, etc. But they are real and we need to discern what they mean.
We all have made various decisions in our lives. Some of them good, while some of them may not be so good. God wants us to grow in our relationship with Him so that we can discern His will better.
God is constantly working to transform us. We need to discern what He is doing so we can cooperate. That's why we need one another.
God has a purpose for us. Listening and obeying Him each day, with the help of others, will help us discover His purpose for our lives.
We often celebrate Easter Sunday just like everyone else. But do we really understand its implications personally?
Often we forget the true meaning of the Gospel. That's why we have Holy Week. We need to be reminded always of what we truly believe: Jesus died for our sins to give us eternal life.
When we truly understand God's presence with us, we can then be truly honest with ourselves, with others, and with God Himself.
A lot of people misunderstand God's knowledge of them. That's why they fail to be honest with themselves, with others, and especially with God.
We need to know the truth because only the truth can set us free. Whenever we approach the Bible, let us do so with the deep desire to know the truth.
God is speaking to us through the Holy Spirit using human authors. What does that mean and how does that affect how we approach the Bible?
To experience life-change, we need to understand that God wants to speak to us through the Bible.
After talking about all the principles and mindsets, it's time to talk about how to actually practice the Sabbath.
There are always hindrances to practicing any spiritual discipline. How do we overcome these hindrances?
Why practice the Sabbath? It's not just because the Lord commands us. There are actually benefits to keeping it.
Before we can enjoy our Sabbath Day with the Lord, we need to understand what we mean when we say "Sabbath."
We all want to be significant. We don't want our lives to count for nothing. But this desire for significance can often lead us astray, especially when we think that our significance lies somewhere (or in someone) else other than God.
We all have the desire to love and be loved. If this desire is met, so we think, we're happy and fulfilled. But if it's not, we feel sad and depressed. We feel that life is unfair. We become desperate for love. We manipulate people or demand that people love us or else. The result is a lot of unhappiness on all sides. Could it be that we misunderstand this desire?
Everyone wants to be happy, right? But what does it mean to be happy? If you attain your idea of happiness, will you really be happy? Many people sabotage their basic desire to be happy by looking at the wrong things (or people) to find their happiness. True happiness is found in an interactive relationship with God through a living and active faith in Jesus Christ. The key to happiness is not to set aside our desire to be happy but to listen to God and to seek Him. He is the Source of true happiness!
We all desire to be free. But sometimes Satan uses that legitimate desire to lead us astray. Instead of experiencing true freedom with God, Satan tempts us to find false freedom outside of God's will. The result is catastrophe for us and for those we love.
Frustrations can prevent us from really rejoicing this Christmas season. Are you overwhelmed by it? Learn to overcome your frustrations starting today.
A lot of people are broken inside. Many cannot rejoice this Christmas time because of it. But they don't want to admit this; they just act it out. The Lord wants to heal our inner brokenness.
Nothing breaks the heart more than losses. You probably lost someone or something this year, and that makes it harder for you to celebrate this Christmas. Listen to this message so that you may know how to overcome these emotions.
While everyone may seem jolly and happy as they anticipate Christmas, others may feel sad and depressed instead. Why is that? They may be plagued with feelings of regret, failure and self-condemnation.
The world tells us that if we cannot have tangible wealth (e.g. cars, houses, money in the bank, etc.), we will not be happy. But the truth is, we can, and we should, find our joy in intangibles (e.g. God's presence, salvation, fellowship, grace, etc.).
Relationships are important. Some people think that work is more important, and that in the end it will bring about true happiness for themselves and for their loved ones. Some people even justify their busyness at work by saying, "It's all for my family (or loved ones)!"
It is not true that God and happiness do not go together. In fact, you cannot experience true happiness without God. But what about money? How do you experience true happiness with less or no money? Is it possible?
Sometimes we experience burnout. But we don't have to. There are disciplines that we can practice to overcome it.
We want to help people experience real life in Christ together with others. We cannot accomplish that without leadership.
There's one place that most people do not see as a place of grace and yet it is. That place is the no other than the place of service to others. When we serve others, in the right way, we grow and we are strengthened in our faith. The key, of course, is to serve in the right way.
There is a place where all our spiritual disciplines find its proper context. This is no other than the place of authentic community.
Simply put, prayer is just talking with God. But, as simple as it is, we often struggle in the area of prayer. Our lives are so hurried, and we seldom have the time to pray. Yet fervent prayer is the key to deepening our experience of God each day.
We need grace in our lives. There are places where we can experience more of God's grace. But we need to know how that can happen in each place. One such place is a place of true worship.
Slavery is not exactly a very exciting idea. In fact, it calls us to the highest sacrifice! But why should it be our goal in life?
The goal of every Christian is not ministry but slavery. We are called not simply to get busy in doing ministry but in fulfilling our Master's will.
The second stage in the journey of followership is to become a student of Jesus. Being a student is the same as being a disciple of Jesus Christ. What does it mean? Listen to this sermon to know more.
The first step in the right direction is to stop hardening one's heart and to be open to know the truth (i.e. to become a seeker). How would you know when a person is transitioning to this new state of heart?
Serving in ministry has its challenges but God's will for us is to remain faithful. Find out why.
There are relationships that can really drain us. One of them is with critical people. How do you thrive (not just survive) in the midst of critical people?
Getting into the word of God is a challenge. But more so when a person is too busy. How do we overcome this excuse?
Sometimes it feels like God doesn't want to answer our prayers. How do we draw near during such times?
We all go through experiences that can make us sad or lonely, or even depressed. How do you draw near to God during such moments?
All of us sin and fail morally. Who doesn't? But how do we draw near to God when we've sinned?
When you believe in the Good News about Jesus Christ, God will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The symbol of Christianity for the first 400 years is not the cross. They proclaimed instead the resurrection! Why?
Every year we celebrate Holy Week, and especially Good Friday. But what is "good" about Good Friday?
The good news is that through Jesus Christ we can expect a glorious future with God in His eternal kingdom!
One of the most important benefits of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the possibility of soul or character transformation in the here and now, not after you die and go to heaven.
True freedom is found in Christ alone. It has to do with being able to fulfill God's purpose for our lives by the grace of God.
Sometimes what is good can be a stumbling block to your spiritual maturity. This can happen with family and friends.
We all need to mature. Sometimes it can be helpful if we know exactly where to mature. The first area where we need to pursue the reality of maturity is in our finances.
Life is full of challenges. But we can choose how to respond. We have three critical choices to make in order to experience true rest.
What hinders true rest? True rest is available for all those who have trusted in Jesus Christ. But why is it that some are not experiencing true rest?
We do not just celebrate Christmas. We celebrate Jesus. But which Jesus are we celebrating?
You cannot grow in the Lord all by yourself. You need others to come alongside you to help you, and vice-versa.
Everything must start somewhere. RLCC started with a vision. This vision came from two crucial passages of Scripture, John 10:7-10 and Acts 2:42-47.
When you're stressed out, you cannot really control people or the circumstances around you. But you can ask yourself the question, "What can I do?"
We get upset and stressed out because we consider everything as important. But not everything is important.
Stress Talk is our first line of defense in times of difficulty or trial. But often we need more than Stress Talk. We also need Soul Talk as well.
Anger is often the result of misunderstanding. But often we are hesitant to pursue the hard work of clarifying things.
Often when we are stressed, all we think about is how we feel. It's good to ask ourselves the question, "Do I care to know?" This means we need to stop blaming others and start taking responsibility for ourselves.
Why should you study the Bible? How will you do it? In this introductory lesson, we will explore these two important questions.
We need to learn how to filter the kind of information that is influencing our minds. The key is to have the knowledge of God firmly in our minds. Therefore we must learn how to study God's word.
Most of our thoughts are triggered by the outside world through our five senses. But some thoughts originate from within, through our imagination, apart from our senses.
Faith is important. But without knowledge our faith is unstable and weak. We need to have knowledge added to our faith.
Ideas are powerful. They can affect our emotions and even our will. How do we deal with them?
As we come to the end of this series, we need to understand the relationship between our emotions and our spirituality.
It's not enough that we move out of sin. It's not enough that we move in into God's agenda for our lives. It's also not enough to move on from our past hurts. We must also move up. What does it mean?
Sometimes, in order for us to move to a life that God planned for us, we need to move on first from our past hurts and failures.
Sometimes what you need to do to get out of spiritual dryness and boredom is to "move in" into God's agenda for your life. You need to start living your life according to God's calling. What will it take to do that?
Your next move matters! After hearing the Gospel and believing in it, you need to start moving out of the lifestyle of sin and anything that is hindering you from fulfilling God's purpose for your life. Repentance is all about the change in your thinking and behavior, not just your emotions. It may not happen overnight, but it has to begin.
You need to understand your own spiritual pathway in order to grow in your relationship with God.
We need companions to help us grow in the Lord. But many followers of Christ do not understand why. For example, many Christians do not join small groups. If ever they do join, they do not fully connect. They still maintain their distance. They do not understand how important it is to be in real community with other followers of Christ. Developing life-giving relationships with fellow believers is so vital to our spiritual growth.
Growing spiritually will always be a challenge. We need to be personally motivated in order to persevere in the good fight.
Knowing that we have divine resources for growth, we need to take some practical steps toward spiritual maturity in Christ.
We must develop a lifestyle, i.e. a conversational relationship with God, so that we can hear God's voice on a regular basis.
Developing life-giving relationships is a challenge. It's easy to give up along the way, unless you're motivated by the vision of God-honoring results if you persevere.
Servant leadership is a challenging journey. We need to have the heart for it in order to persevere and succeed.
Having understood the basic principles of hearing God, it's now important to understand some sound practices. There are three of them.
Life-giving relationships are important and we need them. But how do we experience such wonderful relationships? It takes three disciplines.
So what is the significance of the resurrection? The resurrection is essential to the Christian faith, but many do not understand why.
What did Jesus do to make it possible for people to experience life-giving relationships?
Why do a lot of relationships fail? It's because of the problem of sin. Find out how we can be overcomers of this major hindrance to all relationships.
We must leave behind a heritage or legacy, not just an inheritance. Inheritance is the practice of turning over the ownership of material things. Heritage or legacy is the spiritual, emotional, and relational promises, memories, and lessons we leave behind.
Marriages go through seasons. Each season has specific challenges and opportunities. It's important to understand these seasons in order to navigate them correctly and successfully.
Families need to work together like a team. This will not happen accidentally but intentionally. Learn how to make this a reality in your family.
Aside from general differences, we also have specific personality differences. We need to understand these as well so that we can accept and affirm each other in marriage.
What is the purpose of marriage? It's not about sex or social status. It's not about meeting your needs. Marriage has a divine purpose that we must understand and fulfill by God's grace and power.
To experience harmony in marriage, we need to understand the general differences between males and females.
What can we expect in our relationships? It depends. Usually we can only expect what we have experienced so far, or what we can explain or understand. But wait, there's more...
Why pay taxes? At first we might think that paying or not paying taxes has nothing to do with our financial freedom. But the Bible says otherwise.
Sometimes saving money is not enough. You also need to invest. But how do you invest? What guidelines from God's word can we use to help us choose wisely?
We may be doing our best to make ends meet, but if we are unable to save, we will just end up financially poor no matter how much we earn. Listen to this sermon to learn how to save more rather than spend more.
Sometimes the number one hindrance to our prosperity is our giving habits. Unfortunately, it's because we do not understand what giving means. Listen to this talk to understand what giving is all about and how we can begin to practice it faithfully.
Most people have debts. Some of those debts may have been necessary, while others are unnecessary. When we don't know God's revelation about debt, we may feel either condemned because we have debts or irresponsible because we think it's unavoidable. It's time to talk about debts.
One of the most important skills that we need to learn in order to experience financial freedom is the skill of managing our daily expenses. But this cannot happen unless we have learned to have contentment.
Christians tend to have two extreme views about money. On the one hand, they can be so spiritual as to refuse to even think or talk about money, believing that money is worldly. Or, they're not even concerned about how they are handling money because they think it's not a spiritual issue. Both views are wrong!
Knowing about the hidden habits of the heart is not enough. You need to practice them one by one. The fourth and last habit of the heart is learning how to practice.
Knowing about the hidden habits of the heart is not enough. You need to practice them one by one. The second habit of the heart is learning how to process.
The key to overcoming challenges and experiencing real transformation is to know about the hidden habits of the heart.
Knowing about the hidden habits of the heart is not enough. You need to practice them one by one. The first habit of the heart is learning how to pause.
Knowing about the hidden habits of the heart is not enough. You need to practice them one by one. The third habit of the heart is learning how to pinpoint.
You cannot live a meaningful and successful life unless you have goals. But what kinds of goals should you have? Our goals determine the direction of our lives. We need to know where to set goals.
A lot of people do not know their life purpose or how to discover their life purpose. Listen to part two of our January series to know your life purpose.
Many people will send you wishes of a Happy and Prosperous New Year. But life is not about wishes. It's about intentionally seeking and pursuing the life that God wants for us in Christ.
Jesus is the source of hope. He is the center and focus of the Christmas season. We must celebrate Christmas in a Christ-centered way. But how do we do that?
Why is it difficult for some of us to have hope? Some people are naturally hopeful, but many struggle with hope. Why?
Do you know someone who claims to be a Christian and still does bad things? Well, maybe it's you. Maybe it's me. It's important to understand why such things happen.
It's a struggle when a believer suffers. But it's even more difficult when you see bad people prosper. How do you deal with this problem? (Note: The video of this sermon is not complete because of technical problems we encountered while recording. But the audio is complete. Our sincere apologies!)
It's more than just seeing bad things happen. There's also the burden of seeing bad things happen to good people. Why is that happening?
As we come to the end of the Fit for Life series, let us put it all together. How do you know if you are fit for life?
Sooner or later, our critical moments will turn into crisis moments. No one knows when crisis moments will happen but we must learn to anticipate them by faith.
When a crucial moment is not handled well, it becomes a critical moment. What we need during such moments is God's wisdom, not our wisdom.
Some moments are no longer casual but crucial. During such moments, we must know how to practice what we already know.
What do you do when relationships are not working? Listen to this sermon to find out.
Note: This sermon is available only via audio. Sorry!
Relationships don't just happen. They must be intentionally pursued and developed over time.
Developing relationships in the church is not easy. But the challenges can be overcome by faith.
In order to guard the heart, we need to know the condition of the heart. How do we do that? There are ways actually. So, listen to this sermon to find out.
Sometimes we do not realize that our thinking patterns are causing our problems. We need to examine ourselves whether we are thinking destructively, and so deal with them immediately using God's truth.
The key to renewing the mind is the word of God. Learn how you can win the battle for your mind by soaking it with the word of God.
How does a person become entrapped in the world? Why do some Christians become ineffective and unproductive? There are stages to this common problem. Find out and learn how you can get out of this destructive trap before it's too late.
It's important to learn why we must renew our minds each day. This is a crucial or cornerstone habit that can transform our lives in the long run.
After understanding the need to train the body, we need to learn how to actually train the body! Listen to this sermon to find out.
Even though the body is weak both physically and morally, it doesn't mean it is useless, or that you should disregard it. It is also true that the body is sacred, and, for that reason, you should honor God with your body.
It is important to understand and remember that our bodies are weak. Even though we might think otherwise, especially when we do not take care of our bodies, the truth remains: our bodies will still be weak, both physically as well as morally. Understanding this will lead us to take care of our bodies.
In order to experience a better life, we need to learn how to practice vital behaviors. These are the simple but significant behaviors that can radically change or alter the course and quality of our lives in disproportionate ways! The first of these vital behaviors is training your body.
What if the people of God will be rich in good works? This can truly transform our nation! Listen to this sermon and find out how we can do this as God's people.
We all tend to blame the government for failing to fulfill its duties. But what about us? We also have duties. Find out what they are through this sermon.
As Christians, we must learn how to submit to authority. This should not be difficult since we have already submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Unfortunately, many Christians still struggle with this. It's time for us to train ourselves in this area by the grace of God so that we can help our nation become better.
Another important civic responsibility is to choose the right leaders for our country. Leadership is important. When we choose the right leaders, our country will benefit.
As Christians, and also as citizens of our country, we have certain responsibilities. First of all, we need to pray for all governing authorities. Instead of complaining or blaming, we need to pray for our leaders so that they can do a good job,
Unlike in other situations or institutions where only a few can have a role, the church or body of Christ is where everyone can have a place. You need to discover your own valid ideal place so that you can fulfill your role in God's kingdom.
You are very important in the body of Christ because God has given you certain abilities that will enable you to fulfill a very special role. Find out how important you are.
Learning from Jesus, obeying His word, and valuing key relationships are all important disciplines. But the purpose of these disciplines is to help us embrace our calling. Our calling is connected to our identity, which in turn is connected with the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior.
Learning from Jesus and obeying His word are crucial decisions that can transform our lives. But the goal of these disciplines is to be able to value key relationships. Life is all about relationships, especially key relationships. Listen to this sermon and make the decision.
Learning from Jesus is important, because God wants us to learn from His Son. But it doesn't end with that. Experiencing a better life requires another turning point in our lives: Obeying His word. Unless we obey His word, our transformation will not happen.
How do you begin to experience a better life? It's by learning to follow Jesus. This is your first and most important turning point. When you do this, you begin to encounter wisdom personified. His ways are truly better than yours!
Tough love is tough. But it's not impossible. We can practice tough love in the church if we're willing to learn how. Watch this video today.
Tough love is tough. But what can hinder it? Why do so many of us struggle with tough love? Find out today.
Tough love is a tough choice. it's also a very tough process. So why pursue it? Why take all that trouble to engage in authentic, life-giving relationships with brothers and sisters in the local church? Is it really worth it?
Loving those we consider to be our loved ones and friends is really not that difficult. We may encounter challenges, but the question of loving them is not difficult to answer. We still love them in spite of everything. Not so with those in the church. When relationships are tested, as it usually does, we easily give up on those relationships. We walk away too easily. This is called "Tough Love." Find out what we mean by "Tough Love."
When a thought enters your mind that causes you to fear, how do you overcome it? There are three important answers that you need to memorize in order to overcome your fears by faith.
We all make mistakes. We all sin. But how we respond whenever it happens shows our true faith. We need to remind ourselves of our three identity markers in Christ in order to face our own mistakes and sins.
When difficult times come upon you, what do you do? Often we ask ourselves (or God) questions like, "Lord, why is this happening?" or "What did I do wrong?" These are wrong questions. There are three questions you should ask yourself during times of difficulty. Only these questions will lead you to faith.
What's the one thing we can really be sure of as we think about the future? This is an important question. Many are anxious about the future. The fact that we really don't know what would happen makes us feel all sorts of things. We want to be excited, and we try to convince ourselves that everything will be alright. But will it? Who knows?