Thursday, August 7, 2008

Skateborder for Jesus

"I wanna be a skateborder for Jesus!" and "I have a vision from God using me mightily in the youth ministry...seeing myself preaching in a stage preaching to a lot of youths!" This is what my friend was telling me when we were still doormate. I knew him to be a fun guy but deep within him was a knowing that God will use him in the realm of youth ministry.

Im gonna tell you a story - When I went to Davao to study in a bible school, one of the first person that I knew was this friend of mine.He was a funny and a very spontaneous guy!He knew how to make people laugh, how to make people mad and to make mad people laugh!Confusing isnt it?But it is true!He has this unique personality that makes youth so much attach to him.Definitely, He has a great personality!God created Him and raised Him in a very special way;knowing that this friend of mine has a calling and this friend of mine will make a difference to our generation.

We sometimes had an argument, sometimes had a really bad day because of one another, I remember the time that we were called in the office because of the fights that we had!Amazing!The longer we knew and love one another like a real brother, is the more time that we also had an argument and a fight,but that's just like a brotherly fight. Sometimes, I just realized that He acted the way he was because that's how he show love and affection to other people and to his brothers.When this friend of mine got serious, men he will be serious and he will ask your prayers and he will open his heart to you, And for me...Im pretty happy coz thats the time that we got serious and the time that I will show my care and affection to him.

After graduation in Bible College;Year 2006, before I came back to manila... I had this conviction from God that I needed to go in General Santos City before I go back to manila to check how he is doing and to encourage him. When I got their, we both have fun spending time with one another,we shared one another's plan, and encouraged him to pursue God and to stand up for He has a calling for this generation. While Im encouraging him that time, He was telling me his struggles in life; including his family, his girlfriend, and etc... And I would always tell him that the Father has always been waiting for him to come...

Without realizing that.. that was the last time that I will be seeing him and hugging him ... alive in person.. Last July 2008, while having a vacation in Davao city,we were all shocked when we heard that Kenneth died because of potassium defficiency and so much depression. How I grieved so much in my heart and cannot hold myself that I needed to go inside the boy's dorm room just to cry, cry and cry out for God to raise him up... I am so disappointed.. That sometimes, instead of loving him of who he is, I judged him.. Instead of caring for him, I argued with him, and instead of praying for him, I criticized him for his mistakes and failures... But atleast I had the chance to spend time with him for 2 days, last 2006 that I did my best to encouraged him,prayed for him, and listened to what his heart would like to say.

How many Kenneths do we have in our lives? How many people are just their, waiting for our encouragements, comforts, prayers, and just simply needed to be checked and loved.. How many people out their are being judged and mistreat?Because all we see are their mistakes, failures and downfalls!Come on!I thought we are one body?I thought we are all God's and Family?I thought we are so inlove with God and yet, dont care with our brothers and sisters?Are we going to wait for somebody that we know die before we realize that these people need someone to be there just to listen to them and in need of comfort..

Well, we better start somewhere... And you dont need to look outside and find one.. we can start in our own family...we need to know the heart of Jesus for our family, friends, other people and this generation!We need to get out of our own box and our own comforts, to reach out others!Stand up and take the ministry of reconciliation!Know that its not about you now!Its about Love, Grace, Love, Grace , Love and Grace!Its about people whom God would like to reach!

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? -Romans 10:14-

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

"TICKET SOLD OUT!" -vs- FAITH = Faith Wins!


HAVE YOU TRIED GOING IN A CONCERT WITH NO TICKET? well, here's our testimony by faith...

Me and my bestfriend Mark went in The Passion Tour of Louie Giglio and Chris Tomlin together with their Team in manila last August 1,2008 at PhilSportsArena,with no ticket.We went their around 11:30 am by faith.All we know is we will go there, eventhough we knew that the tickets were sold out,it never stop us in hearing the word, and worshipping Jesus.. Because we know too that deep within us, There is something that will happen, and We dont want to miss it! So we did!We went their 11 am, tried to talked to aimee (part of the passion team) We tried to tell her that we will do anything just to be inside the concert; we will render our service, arrange the place after the service and etc...but she said that as much as she wants to let us in but she cant because the ticket were sold out...the best suggestion that she can give us is to wait for the people who has an excess ticket.. We waited for approximately 3-4 hours until somebody whom we approached and talked with has a friend/churchmates who has an excess ticket that He will not use because He is a volunteer, and he freely gave it to me... So we already have one... Just one more.. Around, 5pm (not so sure), we begin to fall in line... But we only have one ticket.. I told mark that I already saw Louie Giglio in dvds (indescribable and how great is our God), and he better get the ticket. But he insisted that I am the one who really liked to go.. So I wore the ticket(wrist).. we are still waiting for the one ticket during the queue... But finally, my friend irish(whom we just met their), has her friend who has an excess ticket, and I bought it from her... We were so happy and amazed that time!How great God is!He was moved by our faith!And we were so so happy...

Hei Fruitcake!


"ARE YOU A "FRUITCAKE" OF THIS GENERATION?"

You will find out that all the youths that attended the meeting will always have a saying "I wanna be a fruitcake for Jesus!"Why fruitcake? Louie Giglio was sharing the Journal of Ashley and it's a story of her life with a different approach of God's so much grace and here it is...

Ashley is a student of University of Florida, the Top party school in the States. Now you can imagine what happens when the parties would start. She is an unbeliever, and she lives in an apartment with her boyfriend. She was in her senior year when one day she went home and caught her boyfriend sleeping with another girl. And of course she was devastated. She broke up with him, kicks him out of the apartment and posts an ad in school needing for a new roommate. A girl named Christa found it and she became Ashley’s roommate. While Ashley was on her depressed mode, she was writing about how screwed up her life is and every once in a while mentioning details about her new roommate Christa, how she acts crazy and is a freako believing in God and all that Christian stuff; Ashley says: “what a fruitcake”!
Ashley gets more and more intrigued at how Christa is living her life, there was a day Ashley was wallowing over her situation crying whole day and eating ice cream, and Christa asked her and sat beside her as she too started eating ice cream. She asked Ashley about her situation and Ashley said she never heard the response she was expecting to come out; no condemnation but genuine care and sympathy. Christa asks if she could pray for her but of course, Ashley refused. Ashley’s Mom and brother were Christians. She said she would have expected his brother to be good to her, but it’s puzzling her that Christa acts that way with her.
Ashley becomes all the more bothered how Christa had been living her life which was opposite of how she lives. It was obvious that Ashley didn’t drink, and when asked if she slept with her boyfriend whom she’s been with for three years she said she’s still a virgin. That was crazy stuff for her. She asked why Christa was living her life that way, she said she wanted to please God in all that she do. Christa shared about how Jesus loved him so much. As Ashley kept on writing on her journal, she just can’t accept that God could forgive her. God is just not for her type. Ashley was on her moment of unbelief. But it was funny how Christa would share about her experience at a Passion conference and even had a DVD of Louie Giglio sharing a sermon. Ashley writes about how crazy that was.
To Ashley, God just can’t forgive a crap like her but God was working in Ashley’s life, and Christa is doing her work in being a good witness of God’s love and grace. As they lived together and the days passed by, Christa had shared about the good news of God’s grace that forgives, even if it’s the worst of people, even Ashley. She saw that love in “fruitcake” and wanted that for herself. One day, Ashley finally believed and gave in and she said in her journal, that was it, the day she became a Christian, and the unconditional love of Jesus flooded her heart with peace. She experienced this love and grace that God has for everyone.
Ashley attended one of the Bible studies where Christa attends. The youth didn’t act in a crazy way but were interested at her and were genuine. So they sang and Ashley didn’t know the song but she really liked it and felt like raising her hands too, but she didn’t. When she got home, she googled the lyrics of the song they sung and it just communicated to her so well.
Everyone needs compassionA love that’s never failingLet mercy fall on meEveryone needs forgivenessA kindness of a SaviorThe hope of nations
SaviorHe can move the mountainsMy God is Mighty to saveHe is Mighty to saveForeverAuthor of salvationHe rose and conquered the graveJesus conquered the grave
So take me as You find meAll my fears and failuresFill my life againI give my life to followEverything I believe inNow I surrender
Shine your light and let the whole world seeWe’re singing for the glory of the risen King…Jesus
Ashley and Christa talked about how God’s children worship Him and that’s one of the ways.Ashley made her family know about her being a Christian and her mom cried and her brother was so happy to see her. Their prayers were answered. Ashley emailed Louie about her experience, and He shared this story to many people, even writing it to the passion blog and it’s being heard in their podcast. Ashley was thrilled that many people can know of her experience, that of God’s unconditional love forgiving her and changing her.
Louie, last night(august 1), scanned through the pages of Ashley’s journal and jumped to a couple of pages near the end where Ashley was very excited for her graduation. Louie wanted to see and know that she graduated, but there were empty pages. No words were written about her graduation….The journal was handed on to Louie by Ashley’s father….
Ashley died in a car accident, but her story and God’s love that changed her life for 3 months is now being known all around the world. It took a “fruitcake” for Ashley to know about this love and grace, and Louie reads her nicely written story in their passion tour.

How about you.... Are you a fruitcake for Jesus?

(taken from http://scarlet12.wordpress.com/2008/08/02/who-wants-a-fruitcake/#comment-667)

Did you know that somebody is crazy inlove with you?


THE CRAZIEST OF THE CRAZIEST!God's indescribable GRACE and LOVE!


He amazed me of His goodness, mercy, grace, compassion and love!When I am weak, He made me strong, When I am still a sinner, He send an innocent being, a being that is so pure, was tempted in anyways like I do, but found no sin in Him!A being that has the same heart and vision like Him.Just to die for my behalf!Amazing!Havent you realized it?I think we are not amazed because we are so so familiar.. But now, after going to the Passion, yah I already knew that reality that Jesus died because of me, but do we really get the revelation out of it???.. Because If we got it. Men, we must do something about it!Men, that's crazy!That messed my thoughts up!The craziest of the craziest with a big big big wwooowww!!How crazy inlove He is with me?I cant sleep yesterday(august 2), even my flesh demands me to, because my soul and spirit were waking me up, still amazed of that!It consumes me!I tell you, Im born again-again!The revelation of His so much grace, that amazing grace are flowing in my veins like a blood, in my hearts and in my thoughts.I feel like I need to do something about it...Dont take this message like doing something to achieve the grace..No, Im not saying that.. We, ofcourse.. were saved by grace and grace because we dont do something and God does!And that's grace.. But what Im trying to say is that, If the grace that we receive really consumes us, and if it is like a fire burning in us, and we really get it..Men, We will never stop proclaming God's word of Grace, and reconciliation to our generation and to our family! Imagine, an innocent God in a human form, carry all the pains that Ive been struggling with, all the miseries, all the burdens, all the hatred, all the hurt, all the sins, bondages and sins!All the sorrows and bondages in me and in us!And He choose to die on the cross, He shed His blood, To save us all!He is mighty to save!He reconciled us back to the Father and to Himself!To bring us back to the position of who we really are and who He really is!All I can say to myself... I have been saved by grace!By His grace!It consumes my whole being knowing that Im not greater than anybody, It humbled me so much, that I am not greater than anyone; Im not greater than a saved or a sinner.Im not greater than anybody else!As a matter of fact. The truth is.. Me, myself.. Before a sinner, But now saved by grace!We have nothing to boast for, We have nothing to count on our own goodness, that our own opinion doesnt matter, our own agenda doesnt matter,Our own ability doesnt matter, Because I know that my life is nothing if it not used for His glory, for His fame, for his Kingdom!
Another thoughts of grace - We have been reconciled and cant believe How so inlove He is with us!How crazy inlove He is to me!How serious and desperate He is to have a relationship and intimacy with me!Remember what the Word of the Lord had said? He first love us before We first love Him?...He free us from our fear, our guilt, worry, shame, and sin!He cleansed me as white as snow!He never stop believing, never stop loving, never stop being faithful in our lives-what a grace!His grace encourages me not to strive in my flesh to pursue holiness and purity...His grace reminds me that I should not be sin conscious but Grace conscious.He is the most intimate Grace of all the gracious!He is the author of it!His grace consume me even to the point of dying for His name, for this generation, my generation, manila Philippines and universities just to be saved and be reconciled back to Him!Its all about the GRACE GRACE GRACE!We should depend on it!

My Life - A Match Stick!


MY LIFE IS LIKE A MATCH STICK THAT WHEN YOU FIRED UP, BURNS WITHIN 5 SECONDS AND DIES!

Ooooppss.. Reality isnt it? This is how Louie Giglio approaches approximately 8,000 youths in the PhilSportsArena that night!That our life here on earth is like a 5 seconds compared to eternity.That most of the youths right now are just watching their own matchsticks, to be burn out, and soon die. They enjoy watching it dies,gladly boast about it how great it is to see that it brightens, and soon dies and being put to a trash can. We all know that our own match stick will easily die because it is not eternal!Some of us are just watching it and telling the world: "hei, look at my match stick..look at myself, see how good it is, see how good it is while burning, see how it brings light.. and etc"..but eventually dies after 5 seconds..No, we are not supposed to be like that.We should use the 5 seconds of our life's matchsticks fire's 5 seconds and put it to a fire which is eternal, We need to put it in God's fire that never quench, to His glory that forever glorious, to His flame, for Him to be Famous! That we must give our life's 5 seconds to make Him famous, To make Him known, that He be real to other people and this generation,that He is waiting and so inlove with His people.That He is compassionate and Gracious!That Our lives' 5 seconds must lift Him up!That we make Him Famous!That our life's 5 seconds will glorify and exalt the King of kings and the Lord of lords.That our life's 5 seconds will love Him, honor Him, Will be more serious,and desperate for Him..Our Life's 5 seconds will die for His fame!Its nothing to boast for in doing that, but we are still willing to give our all!Give our fire!

Being inlove with this city!

I WANNA BE SO INLOVE WITH MANILA LIKE MY FATHER ARE SO INLOVE WITH IT!

There is a shifting that is going on in this city, in the spiritual realm...I dont really know exactly what Louie Giglio meant when He said this.But as far as I know, He is the God of this city!He is the Lord of this Nation!Greater things have yet to come and great things are still to be done in this city.He is the God of Manila!He is doing things that is great and powerful in our behalf!He is making me realized how gracious He is and How inlove He is in manila!He hates religious spirit in this place!And He gave manila the total freedom from these!He desired truth in manila!He desired revival in every universities!He removed the shame that Satan has tried to put upon this city!He removed the fear in our hearts. His Kingdom will come, and His will be done in this place!I am desperate of seeing Him Famous, Be lifted up, Be glorified, , Be respected in the highest way, and Be honored in this city!He made me so inlove with this city as He is so inlove with it!He made me realized how blessed I am having the ministry of reconciliation bringing into this place!I want to serve to this city!I want to be a servant of this generation!I want to reach out people that are unreached!His presence will sweep manila and every knee will bow and every tounge will confess that He is Lord over this nation!That drug dealers and drug addicts will be delivered, homosexuals will know the truth and it will set them free, drunkards will be desiring true satisfaction, prostitutes will turn away from their sins and turn toward Jesus. Bars, Motels, Illegal gambling house, discohouse, sauna house, will be totally closed!Corruption will never have a place in this city!Every leaders in manila; whether small or big will be exposed to truth, and the truth will prevail!My Master is going to bring revival and restoration to this land and to every universities and colleges in manila!