Lukewarm
by Jaspher Cosico 

Our recent C.L.U.S.T.E.R group study and discussion of Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love was led by Deacon Rogie Rabanillo.  The topic was the state of being lukewarm and half-hearted. We started the worship with a song called Your Grace is Enough by Matt Maher and we delved ourselves into the study that asked us to assess the status of our worship, our service, and relationship with God.

How is your relationship with God? Are you yourself feeling as if you’re serving God half-heartedly? Kuya Don, a fellow church member, said that if serving is an inconvenience, we tend to not do it. I guess for me, I can relate by saying that if monetary income seems insufficient to drive around to every church bible study, or if physical exhaustion overwhelms my body, then I can’t go. So for me, it is true that sometimes I think that it is an inconvenience to do something that glorifies God. Kuya Ronnie says that he feels like he can always do more, and that he can always give more, which gives him a reason to strive to serve more. I think it’s a positive way of viewing it but can be harmful if looked in a different way. For example, I have to do more but nothing I can do that will ever be enough, or there will be others that will do the job. This mindset is detrimental not only to your relationship with God but also to others. However, let’s not digress from the subject but continue on with the discussion.

The chapter referenced Luke 14:33, stating, “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.” Ate Marchesa posed the question, how can you get yourself off that list of being lukewarm and half-hearted? What do I have to give up that will not make me lukewarm?  In my head I thought it depended on how you look at it, because if you can always do or give more, so in some way it means there’s a lot more to be done, which means you’re always going to be lukewarm. So I questioned, is there nothing I can do to get off this list? Instantly, the verse that came to my mind was Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.” No one can do enough. No one is enough except One; only One person is exempt from being in this list. No one can fulfill what God deems as holy and pure except the Son that He sacrificed to atone for our sins, Jesus the Christ.

Furthermore, Francis Chan references this verse I believe Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” He compared the loss of our saltiness to being less than manure, because manure can at least be used as fertilizer.  And based on this verse, we are useless. We cannot even be used to mix with manure because nothing will happen. The brevity and pungency of this analogy really hit me. I could be less than excrement. I could be nothing. However, Emman, a praise team leader, addressed that our seeming worthlessness is not the highlight of this study. Instead, we are worth more than that; it is the reason Christ died for us. You were paid with a high price and that is why you’re not worthless. However, it does not mean you are worthy because no one is; but you’re definitely not worthless.

After a lengthy discussion, we decided that it’s not about what you do or can do, it always matters with what is inside your heart. Do you serve because you’re trying to be worthy or do you serve because you know you’re not worthless? Do you serve to fill a quota or because of love, in response to who He is?  The remaining questions ended with a solemn and discerning song called “All of me” by Matt Hammitt.

Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 states, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It’s such a fitting verse to conclude with because it advocates exactly what God looks for when you’re confused; if you feel lukewarm or serving half-heartedly. The heart is what matters. It’s what He looks into, the deeds that spring out of it will simply make Him smile.

“Not About Me”
by Hannah Jardinico 

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”  -Philippians 2:3

I turn 20 today. I really really thank God for giving me 20 years of my life. Every year, up until now, I would be looking forward to my birthday. I count down the days from Christmas, and somehow it just seemed so long from that point on. I wanted presents, parties, everything to be about me, because it was “my day.” That’s what I thought birthdays were about. I thought they were supposed to be about you, and because, you know, you were born on that day.

But is that really an excuse? What made you so great that you have to be given all these things?  Don’t get me wrong, praise the Lord for continually giving me life, but that’s my point. I can’t even go on writing this without having to say, “praise the Lord,” “thank you God.”  At first, I didn’t want it to be my birthday. Even though I also may be humble about it, I also shouldn’t be bitter. Whether it comes down to you being too humble, or not humble at all, you’re still being selfish.

I also like to view my 20 years as something so rewarding, not because of me, but because of the people God put in my life to make me who I am today. My perspective on my birthday is completely different from when I was 16. I don’t like to think that this day is about me, but how God allowed me to continue my life, and how much I appreciate the people He put in my life.   I would like to think that even though I was born on this day, that it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s about me, because really, it’s not. I am a living testimony that God has used, wether it be good or bad, in every aspect of my life. I thank the people that caused me to stumble and hurt me, otherwise I would’ve never had the courage to fight and stand up. I thank my loving parents who never gave up on me and continually prayed for my relationship with Christ. I thank my youth leaders and the church for the guidance of my Salvation. I thank my youth group and my kids in the church for encouraging me to be a better person. And I thank my loving boyfriend who first said to me that he doesn’t want me to fall in love with him, but Christ first. Most importantly, I owe my life to God. As much as I’ve failed him, as much as I continually fail Him, He overwhelms me with his mercy and grace. My birthday is no longer about me, but more of how God has been working through me.

The Response is the Most Important Part

The trip to Buffalo has been a defining moment for the Praise Team.  First, it gave us the insight as leaders on how to be better in skill, tune in leading and to be equipped, having the right attitude in leading people despite having limited resources. It encouraged us being able to worship and relate to hundreds of praise team members from different churches.  There is something special in shouts of victory we hear from members of different teams and churches, just letting it out, unaware surrounding factors, but just getting focused while getting lost in moments of pure “desire for God’s presence” worship.

Our Leading Worship session with Paul Baloche amazed me by how much our team simultaneously reacted when shown the incorrect way to play, and the correct, almost flawless, way to play.  But it all came down to dedicating ourselves to practicing and desiring to show excellence in this Ministry. We are designated Levites to play, but to play “skillfully.”  We are to “Waste our Weekends” in practice, bible study, and worshiping, arming our quiver to be equipped for our battle in service.

I was reminded that God uses flawed people, murderers (Moses), schemers (Zacheus), swindlers (Jacob).  But He changes these people, even renames them to what He wants them to become, from what the world calls them out to be. Thank God He separates our sinful past from us as far as the east is from the west. Now that we are new vessels, how do we use it for Him? Waste ourselves in Him.  May our lives be wasted for God’s glory and honor.  Just like the perfume was only released when the alabaster jar was broken (Matt.26:6-13), we too have to be wasted so that we can be used.

Last December we prayed for a venue wherein we can be equipped as a Praise Team to become better worshippers, better lead worshippers/musicians. Having been given options, we were then led to CMS, an obstacle-filled journey where one by one, God showed why He really wanted us to be there. Even up until the destination, the enemy tried his best to rob us from fully experiencing the true meaning of this trip.

Why did God allow us to be there for a Wasted Weekend? For us to be excellent musicians/leaders; yes that is true. But beyond that, God wanted us to draw near to Him to seek Him, to go beyond our limitations (motives/physical/emotional), and respond to His call to come nearer to listen and hear his call.  Only after this shall He draw near , when we let our defenses down and just trust Him that it is HE who leads this ministry.  And we must respond to Him long after the song sheet have been folded, the mics turned off, when the room keys have been surrendered at the Holiday Inn, after all this training that we were so blessed with.  What will our response be once we go back to Pitman, back in our personal worship at our homes, school, work place?

Several months from now, we may not fully remember word by word, every lesson in detail, but God will surely remember our response. He will remember these testimonies about our CMS trip.  He will remember the tears you shed that night when Paul Baloche led hundreds of people singing at the top of their lungs,  “You Are Glorious.” SJBCI Praise Team, we’ve heard it.  We sang it. Now its time to respond and live it.

“A woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.” Matthew 26:7:

“Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” Matthew 26:13

To all who helped, prayed, drove, made food, and invested money for this trip, thank you for fulfilling scripture that we are One Body but many parts.

-Cliff Carino

Worshipping in Brokenness
by Emman Sabado


Worshipping in Brokenness- leadership work shop by Laura Story is probably something I’m going to remember from now on. My devotion starts of with the first couple verses of Genesis 22:

1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham starts of his conversation with God by responding, "Here I am.” Although this may be overlooked, this response is a clear example of how openly obedient we should be when God comes asking for us. God clearly knows where Abraham is, but its Abraham’s willing response that further glorifies God.

Worshiping is an act of being obedient. The first time the word "worship" was used in the bible was in this passage. Abraham refers to sacrificing his son, as a worship.

I believe worship was at first designed to be done in moments of brokenness. Although as leaders/ a praise worship band, we may find ourselves discouraged and at a low during times in which we are expected to worship, it’s during these times that we must become obedient.

Despite the trials we may face, true worship is found in the hearts of people who can give what is due to God in moments of our worst experiences.

This is not only God’s test of faith, but its an experience that can further bring us closer to God when we may have put him aside during times in which we need him most.

Worshiping God is easy at times we are on fire, problem-free, but all the glory that is due is not given. During the times in which we are broken and still are able to fully worship and give all our trust to God, are the times in which we find ourselves most close, connected, and uplifted in the Lord at a whole new level.

In Psalms 13, we find that despite our trials, there is a purpose beyond our understanding and that in the end we will trust in the lord in which we have always known to be true.

1 How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

5 But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

This is the faith and worship I long to acquire and look forward to obtaining.

I now know that being obedient and brokenness is a key to genuine worship. I know my God is greater than the problems and discouragement I face, and in the end I will forever continue to give him all the praise.

I have experienced times in which I have not seen the healing I had wanted too see, hurt that had tore me apart, and continuous discouragement that makes me want to quit, but as I still continue to struggle with many things, I know that I can always say the Lord is truly GOOD to me. He deserves nothing less but our most worthy praise and nothing more than our most broken heart.

We must not view God through our current circumstances, but by what we have always known of our God to be true.

Even when it’s hard Lord, I will Follow.

-Emman Sabado

Make His Praise Glorious: CMS2011 in Retrospect and Prospect

by the SJBCI PWTeam


I was incredibly impressed by the worship that these artists can exemplify to all that attended the event. You can tell that they are truly blessed, meaning they themselves feel blessed, because people like me were blessed by their act of service to God.

Our Leading Worship session with Paul Baloche amazed me by how much our team simultaneously reacted when shown the difference between the incorrect and correct, almost flawless, way to play. Most of the times, we go into learning an instrument, even vocally, by jumping right in because we have that desire to fast forward to the fun stuff, like playing a Chris Tomlin song that everyone can bop their heads to. Paul Baloche killed that thinking. Many of the musical veterans there killed that thinking. In fact, all the workshops made us do something so basic, it made me realize that rudimentary practice had to include something even more profound, something incredibly simple, yet application-wise, very complicated.

In every exercise, we were to listen.

Paul Baloche taught us that as a band, everyone needs to really hone in and listen to what the other is playing, in order to fill in when a sound is small or absent. This eliminates chaos. Similarly, someone who strives to sing effectively, really needs to listen to the music, to other people singing, and ESPECIALLY adopt the practice to listen to oneself. Listening creates a form of submission, even in singing. We should make it a practice to aurally train ourselves, to spend hours with the basics. It all came down to dedicating ourselves to practicing and desiring to show excellence in this Ministry. We are designated Levites to play, but to play “skillfully.” I do not have to be the best, but I also do not have to be complacent with what I already know.

But it was at the Leadership sessions that I was challenged to be the worshiper that God called me to be. The act of worshiping isn’t strictly singing songs, but everything else can be an act of worship. We are to “Waste our Weekends” in practice, bible study, worshiping, arming our quiver to be equipped for our battle in service. May our lives be “wasted” for God’s glory and honor. Just like the perfume was only released when the alabaster jar was broken (Matt.26:6-13), we too have to be wasted so that we can be used.

“A woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table…Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her" Matthew 26:7,13.

Even when Pastor Jerry Gillis preached about “wasting your life” for God and the idea that we cannot impress God, two things that resonated was, one, "you gain life when you lose and pour out your life to God. That death is the pathway of a well wasted life," and two, "you can’t impress God because God is only impressed with His Son. But you can hide in Christ. So the only way to impress God is if Christ lives in You." This experience taught me how to be more passionate in my worship. It reminded me to die to control, die to pride, and ultimately die to self as to live a life “well-wasted for God.”

Worshiping is an act of obedience. The first time the word "worship" was used in the bible was in Genesis 22:1-5.

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” 
“Here I am,” he replied.

Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham refers to sacrificing his son as an act of worship.

I believe worship was at first designed to be done in moments of brokenness. Although as leaders/ a praise band, we may find ourselves discouraged and at a low during times in which we are expected to worship. In one way or another, we take His greatness for granted and we doubt. We worry. We get scared. We try to find contentment on other things or people, etc. And for some reason, I still haven’t totally believed that He can really save me, because if I have, all I need to do is to let it all go, and just look to Him. But these are the times that we must become obedient. We must not view God through our current circumstances, but by what we have always known of our God to be true. His glory, His greatness, and that everything is possible with Him. I can rely on Him with everything. That really, He is enough; all we need is Him.

Even when it’s hard Lord, I will follow.

I also learned with obedience and patience, comes peace and satisfaction. I yearn for Him for him more and more, and serving the Lord turns into a great abundance of joy. I anticipate what He has in store for my future, and while waiting I will serve Him. “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” -Romans 6:13

I’ve come to realize that it is important to let God speak through us. God is the absolute picture of glory, but how can people come to know of his glory?

That’s where we step in. As a Praise Team, we must work together to lift up his name during worship in order to display to the crowd the glory of the Lord as a team; whether it’s instrumentally, through vocals, or even through the technology being used during worship. The Lord has a message for those who have not yet seen the wonders of his glory, so we must let him speak through us.

What I have witnessed and experienced in CMS is difficult for me to articulate because I am still in a daze of the Glory of God. Glorious has become one of my favorite words to be able to say. When so and so happens, it’s going to be Glorious; I think, Wow, this is Glorious. Being at Buffalo was Glorious; I never felt I honored God in such a way. Assuredly, I learned a myriad of things on how to keep the music ministry alive and better sounding for God’s glory. I may not have left as a better musician, sounding better or playing with finesse, but I still proudly left the conference as a worshiper with a changed heart, a blessed spirit to see how God works in people’s lives.

God wanted us to draw near to Him to seek Him, to go beyond our limitations, and respond to His call to come nearer to listen and hear his call. He will draw near, when we let our defenses down and trust Him to lead this ministry. And we must respond to Him long after the song sheets have been folded, the mics turned off, after all this training that we were so blessed with. What will our response be once we go back to Pitman, back in our personal worship at our homes, school, work place? “You Are Glorious.” SJBCI Praise Team, we’ve heard it. We sang it. Now its time to respond and live it.

Abraham started his conversation with God in Genesis 22, by responding, "Here I am.” This is a clear example of how openly obedient we too should be when God comes asking for us.

I thank God for our leaders and supervisors that continue to guide and support us in our walk with getting closer to Christ. Being united with other unfamiliar people under God’s name, singing, praising, and glorifying Him and Him alone is an incredible and uplifting experience. I truly want to thank God for including this event in His plans for this ministry to grow. I am in awe of the great things He continues to do to us and for us. He deserves all the the glory and praise.

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.” Psalm 66:1-2

[ note: this article was the compilation of all the separate articles
written and submitted by the individuals in the praise team. ]

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Click to view Slideshow
Click to view Video

Tags: CMS, 2011, praise team

Revelations, Hope, and Affirmations

by Dorothy Talampas

“Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise him. He is my savior and my God.” I was reflecting on Psalm 42:5 on our way to the summit. It was a tough time for me because my heart wasn’t on the trip anymore. Praise God for the people He used to make that subtle change in my heart so I would still go. And I must say, I would have regretted my absence. God definitely revealed a lot of stuff about Him and me during the conference, most of it, through the songs that were sang:

“Look inside the mystery, see the empty cross, see the risen Savior, victorious and strong… none as strong to save, He alone has conquered… Lord, You are glorious…”   This alone implies a lot of things already. His glory, His greatness, and that everything is possible with Him. I can rely on Him with everything. That really, He is enough; all we need is Him. But in one way or another, I took His greatness for granted. I doubt. I worry. I get scared. I try to find contentment on other things or relationships, etc. And for some reason, I still haven’t totally believed that He can really save me from myself, because if I have, I should’ve let gone of all the baggage in my life, that all I need to do is to let it all go, and just look to Him.

“Still my heart hold me close, Let me hear a still small voice, Let it grow, let it rise, into a shout, into a cry…”  These past weeks, I’ve been asking God to speak to me, and I realized, the reason why I can’t hear Him is because I’ve been talking a lot. I haven’t been giving Him a chance to speak, or maybe He’s talking but I was ignoring Him, and so this has been my prayer. I thank God that He has spoken through songs and made things clearer. I pray that I’ll continually listen despite the circumstances around me.

“All this pain, I wonder if I’ll ever find my way, I wonder if my life could really change at all… You make beautiful things, You make beautiful things out of us… Out of chaos life is being found in You…”  I would say this fits my situation right now, It reminds me of Ecc. 3:11. Sometimes, I’m wondering why can’t I have a less complicated life. And it’s comforting to know that He makes things beautiful, I may not feel like His doing it at the moment, but I’m pretty sure He’s doing it.

“I’ve tried to stand my ground, I’ve tried to understand, but I can’t seem to find my faith again. Like water on the sand or grasping at the wind, I keep on falling short. So please be my strength…’Cause I don’t have any more…”  Yes, this is my prayer, with all the struggles that I’m facing, today and tomorrow.

“Out on the farthest edge, there in the silence, You were there… I’ve wandered at heaven’s gates, I’ve made my bed in hell, You were there still. Always faithful, always good, You still have me, You still have my heart…” With all the things I’m going through and will be going through, I think this is where I can really rest my heart. He is faithful and He will never let me go despite my inconsistencies and unfaithfulness. Praise God!

So there are songs, and then there’s the music itself. It’s awesome how we can make different kinds of music to express God’s greatness, creativity, His love and mercy, His personality, what He does in our hearts. And it’s not even enough, the lyrics of the songs aren’t even enough for us to express His majesty. He’s just so much more than that!

Psalm 92: 1-4(GWT)

 1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to make music to praise your name, O Most High.
 2 It is good to announce your mercy in the morning
and your faithfulness in the evening
 3 on a ten-stringed instrument and a harp
and with a melody on a lyre.
 4 You made me find joy in what you have done, O Lord.
I will sing joyfully about the works of your hands.
 5 How spectacular are your works, O Lord!
How very deep are your thoughts!

(a reflection from the CMS2011)

- Dorothy Talampas
————————–

Looking into the future today I can see the New Year struggling with his diaper while the old year is tottering toward the edge of the stage. I don’t think he expected to age so quickly, and neither do we. As we look today toward the yesterdays and the tomorrows, let us think about the possibilities.

The glory of being finite is the ability we have to grow and become better. In fact, the Bible says we should, “grow in grace”. I remember growing up on our farm and wishing the apples were ripe. I would pick an apple in July and it would taste terrible. But I could go back to the same tree in October and the apple would be sweet. That is a goal for us!

Of course, we do not automatically get better; we struggle against all that would keep us pulled down. The poet Robert Browning said, “A man’s reach should exceed his grasp or what’s a Heaven for?” Keep your eyes fixed on Heaven.
I have the concept in my mind of Jesus on the horizon and He is beckoning me to come on; as I get closer, He moves further away with the challenging call, “I will make you to become what God created you to be.” Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of my high calling in Christ”.

We need a wider concept of sin at this point. Sin is anything not pleasing to God, not just actions but attitudes, also. Sins of omission are as serious as sins of commission. Aim to grow daily. 1 Peter 2:2 says; “As newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby.” We must not be content with mediocrity because Jesus always raises the horizons of His followers.

We should begin to pray today for the “courage of imperfection”. Heard of it? A consciousness of our imperfections does not paralyze us. I can preach even if I am not Chrysostom, I can teach even if I am not Socrates, I can study even if I am not Einstein, I can be courageous even if I am not Nathan Hale, or I can witness to Jesus even if I am not Paul. Do you get the point? A poet named Babcock once wrote, “Be strong, we are not here to play.”

Opportunities will abound in 2008 for us to make an impact on our part of the world.

“Lord, stir our souls today, please. We make excuses for our spiritual
laziness when there all so many possibilities for each one of us. Amen”

————-
written by Pstr. Charlie Chilton
view his "Thoughts of the Day" here. 

Tags: possibilities, opportunities, devotion, discipline, spiritual laziness, charlie chilton

My friend asked me, “I don’t get the purpose of religion. Why commit so much and don’t you need a lot of faith to do so?” I was quite torn from our exchange of feelings and opinions that followed this, because he himself was a Christian, belonged to a youth group, and attended church regularly. His involvement does not define who you are as a Christian, but for me, they were reflections that he once had faith.

We conversed deeper and discussed the occurrences before he “lost his faith.” In simple terms, the church was one of the main reasons why he lost faith. I questioned, “How can a God-fearing and Christ-united assembly discourage a person in levels where he can literally lose faith?” Broken, he told me that due to incredible financial instability, he had to start working for the family, and Sunday fellowship gravitated to the bottom of his and his family’s priority list. Infuriated, he told me that no one from his church tried to reach out. No one bothered, not after two years. No one questioned why his family stopped attending nor asked about their well-being. He commented, “The church is suppose to care about its members, and it showed that they didn’t. Two years is a little too late.”

Subsequently, I’m proud of my friend for being self-sufficient, obedient, and self-disciplined. But one of the main reasons he has adopted this mindset, he explained, is because he cannot trust nor rely on anybody but himself, not even his family. My heart was shattered and broken when I heard him announce that he trusted no one. No one, not his mom or dad, his sisters, not even God were given access. And this was all because of a church that failed to show God’s love when a family needed it most.

The first song that abruptly dashed to my mind is called “If We are the Body” by Casting Crowns. The lyrics of the chorus question the work that we do. Do not misread and think that it questions God’s power; instead, question why you think His power is not working on you.

"But if we are the Body 

Why aren’t His arms reaching 

Why aren’t His hands healing 

Why aren’t His words teaching 

And if we are the Body 

Why aren’t His feet going 

Why is His love not showing them
there is a way 
That there is a way."
 
In 1 Corinthians 12: 18-26 it says, “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

These verses illustrate the significance of each and every member in God’s family. It shows that the lack of a functional leg hinders the body from walking and moving forward. It dictates that no one can evaluate the value of each member and amputate because God loves and needs everyone. It even says that the one that seems least significant is actually the most important. The song from Casting Crowns also has a line that says, “Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come, because we are the body of Christ.” In all honesty and with all my heart, I believe this to be true.

The Church is not only the house of the Lord where his people congregate, but it is also a place of acceptance and submission. It’s a place formed by people with God’s love who not only support and encourage one another, but also protect one another. Sometimes, we have to do so by correcting others, but it needs to be done out of love and with God’s love, not out of spite or scorn. Sometimes, we overlook or simply want to ignore people struggling or going through a tough time because it might be “none of our business” or we don’t know how to handle their problems. But sometimes, asking a simple and sincere “How you are you?” or “Are you okay?” can go a long way. And that act of kindness and concern can remind someone, or even for the first time, notify them that, indeed, “God loves you.”

Do not quench the Spirit
1 Thessalonians 5:19

We cannot prevent God from accomplishing His work in the world around us, but we
can quench His Spirit in our lives. God has given us the freedom to withstand the Holy Spirit’s activity in our lives. When we ignore, disobey, or reject what the Spirit is telling us, we quench His activity in us. The prophet Isaiah described the result: “Hearing you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them” (Isaiah 6:9, Matthew3 13:14-15)

When you sin, the Holy Spirit will convict you of your need for repentance. If you habitually ignore Him and do not repent, your heart will go grow hardened to God’s Word. If the Spirit speaks to you about God’s will for you, and if you refuse to take action, a time will come when the Spirit’s voice will be muted in your life. If you continually reject the Spirit’s promptings, a day will come when you no longer hear word from God. If you repeatedly stifle God’s word to you so that you are no longer sensitive to His voice, He will not give you a fresh word. Be wary of resisting the voice of the Spirit in your life. You may not always be comfortable with what the Spirit saying to you, but His words will guide you to abundant life.

In our church for the last 2 months we are praying for revivals every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00 PM-to 8:00 PM. Members wrote down their prayer request on 4” x 4” cardboard for salvation, healing, family and others and we are praying for them during the three nights and even Sunday. We have a board in the sanctuary and we posted the answered prayers and our hearts desire is that all the requests will be posted on the board.

In Baptist Hymnal we sing: Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me; Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. Break me, melt me, mold me, and fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

After some discussion, for Em’s 5th birthday, Perze and I bought her a crown pendant.  I explained to her that no matter what or how she feels, she can hold that pendent on her necklace and know that she is the child of the King, that she will always be loved and forgiven.

Today, my five year old, Emma did a little naughty act of biting her crown pendant, thus deforming an innocent prong on her beloved Tiffany’s charm.  Having caught her in the act, I calmly took it from her and told her she lost her privilege of wearing it.  Then you could see in her face, the swelling of emotion floodgates trying to hold in the tears, until they spewed out, down to her chin, as she mumbled sincere apologies.  I explained that this wasn’t an isolated instance, but that it was to be added to the perpetual acts when she had not taken care of it.  That led to a very difficult task of closing the watery floodgates of her tears.

Determined to be immovable with my decision, I walked with her and Zienne as we window shopped.  Emma remained very unusually quiet, seemingly surrendered to my conditions.  Minutes passed as we finally made a stop in some store, and as I was sliding hangers one by one, she raised her voice from mute mode and asked,“Mamam, am I still a child of the King?”

It surprised me.

It humbled me.

So I said, “Emma, you will ALWAYS be a child of the King.”

Ambivalently, with both remorse and relief, she held back her tears, and almost stumbled on her response, “thank you, mamam.”  After that, she felt so more at ease, as if the assurance was also forgiveness.

Romans 8:14-17 explains, “14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

Thinking back at such a simple question, I’m wracked with how enormous that reality can be, to be a child of the King.  No matter the precious a gift has been given to us, tangible blessings from the Father, treasures of great worth that we end up toying with, whether with indifference or irresponsibility, we can hand it to Him, deformed or destroyed, and He still will call us His.  The relationship of child and Father, yes, is a great deal of messiness, because we, as sinners, are messy; we can take the beautiful and the sacred, and profane them.  But the same relationship offers us an openness with our Father, one that allows us the freedom to cry out to Him.

And yes, God has given His ultimate precious gift to the world, His Son, Jesus, because the sin of man needed a blameless sacrifice.  He was deformed and even suffered and died, but never destroyed.  And with His resurrection, to all who believe Him as their savior and Lord, living a life that reflects our spoken devotion, we enter into that familial relationship with Him. And despite our perpetual acts of disobedience, bouts of pride, innumerable shameful perverseness, possessive habits of sin, grace abounds and forgiveness is intertwined, without lines, within His love.  We can give Him the beauty He has given us, deformed by our careless hearts and hands, and He will still call us His.  This does not give us authority to abuse His grace, because He pierces through each heart for the truth in the relationship.  But once a child of the King, what can truly sever that exceptional bond?  For it says, “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38:39).

Sometimes, we hold on to those deformities for so long, wrapped tightly in our guilt, feeling as if it weighs down our worth to walk with the Lord again.  But if you are led by the Spirit of God, you are a child of God. And you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom you can cry out, ‘Abba, Father’ (Rom.8:14-15).  We have the freedom to cry out to God and call Him Father. Renew your relationship with Him.  You will always be a child of the King!

Thank You Lord!