I taught the daycare today. I am their teacher in Phonics. It’s so great to hear them learning the sound letter “A”. They also learned to how to write down the letter and they had fun writing and teaching each other to write the letter. I just noticed one of our crazy students took initiative to help his younger brother to write. His’ name Adriane and his younger brother is Jetjet. They were funny to see having initiatives to help each other. Knowing these brothers are the most crazies students we have. But today, I was so blessed to see them helping each other.
I will be teaching them every Thursday and I am looking forward to see them learning a lot. Little by little, we (DayCare Teachers) can create huge impact in the lives of these children. And we will not get tired reaching out to the community where these children live. We are thankful for this wonderful opportunity to be part of what God is doing in the lives of the people in the community.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Sovereignty!
God is revealing many things to me lately about sovereignty. The word sovereignty itself so profound, it would be hard for anyone to describe it one word. I think when you encounter this word, you will need a lot of dictionaries, thesaurus and many vocabulary books – but still you will end up taking a deep breath, an inhale and exhale, and saying, “Woo! This word is such a hard one to explain.”
I’ve heard many teachings about God as the ultimate subject for sovereignty. That is very true! Yet there are a lot of times in the bible where you may feel or think that God is not that sovereign. There were many circumstances in which God planned and chose Israel to rule over all nations, but there were also times when the Israelites had been slaves of many nations, for so many years. Prophets who were called to speak forth what would happen to nations were put to death by the nation itself. Christ-followers in the New Testament whom Jesus sent to the nations to bring the good news were burned, bitten by lions and persecuted. Where was God when all of these things happened? Where was He sleeping when Israel was held captive by different nations? Was He numb when all of his prophets in the Old testament were put to death? Was He blind to see when Jesus’ followers were persecuted ? Is He really a sovereign God?
As I study the bible, I find many sides of the stories in which I didn’t really attribute God as being sovereign. Sometimes I tend to focus on the negative sides of the stories. But later, as I meditate on the Word sovereignty, I realized God uses all people, all times, all events, all situations and all venues to place or to show His power over all His creation. That is sovereignty, Himself! God is never late, never tired, never lost and never failing to show how powerful He is and that He is in control of everything.
When sin entered the world in the time of Adam and Eve. He used Eve, letting the evil one think he would win over God’s creation. And when Eve accepted and tempted Adam, the evil one was happy and enjoying his time ruling over mankind. Most especially, when God sent Adam and Eve away from paradise. But God is sovereign to overpower the evil one’s plan. The woman he used to enter into the world is used to defeat him. How awesome and powerful God is. He is so wise to plan it all ahead of time.
God, as being the sovereign God, knows everything, can do anything, and is present in any place at any time. He sees us, works though us, and uses us to disperse His ultimate purpose for everyone of us. And the most of important thing to know is He never fails!!!
There were a lot times when we feel that God has left us in our difficult times, we’ve been betrayed and trampled by many trials of circumstances, and didn’t you wonder how you were able to overcome it all? For sure there will be more of it in the near future, but I am sure you can find a way to overcome it again and again. Of one thing I am sure, if we will let God rule over our lives, let Him direct our paths, and consult Him in every decision, He is sovereign to empower us to overcome every challenge that gets in our way. He is powerful, knows all things, and is present everywhere at every time. God is sovereign!
I’ve heard many teachings about God as the ultimate subject for sovereignty. That is very true! Yet there are a lot of times in the bible where you may feel or think that God is not that sovereign. There were many circumstances in which God planned and chose Israel to rule over all nations, but there were also times when the Israelites had been slaves of many nations, for so many years. Prophets who were called to speak forth what would happen to nations were put to death by the nation itself. Christ-followers in the New Testament whom Jesus sent to the nations to bring the good news were burned, bitten by lions and persecuted. Where was God when all of these things happened? Where was He sleeping when Israel was held captive by different nations? Was He numb when all of his prophets in the Old testament were put to death? Was He blind to see when Jesus’ followers were persecuted ? Is He really a sovereign God?
As I study the bible, I find many sides of the stories in which I didn’t really attribute God as being sovereign. Sometimes I tend to focus on the negative sides of the stories. But later, as I meditate on the Word sovereignty, I realized God uses all people, all times, all events, all situations and all venues to place or to show His power over all His creation. That is sovereignty, Himself! God is never late, never tired, never lost and never failing to show how powerful He is and that He is in control of everything.
When sin entered the world in the time of Adam and Eve. He used Eve, letting the evil one think he would win over God’s creation. And when Eve accepted and tempted Adam, the evil one was happy and enjoying his time ruling over mankind. Most especially, when God sent Adam and Eve away from paradise. But God is sovereign to overpower the evil one’s plan. The woman he used to enter into the world is used to defeat him. How awesome and powerful God is. He is so wise to plan it all ahead of time.
God, as being the sovereign God, knows everything, can do anything, and is present in any place at any time. He sees us, works though us, and uses us to disperse His ultimate purpose for everyone of us. And the most of important thing to know is He never fails!!!
There were a lot times when we feel that God has left us in our difficult times, we’ve been betrayed and trampled by many trials of circumstances, and didn’t you wonder how you were able to overcome it all? For sure there will be more of it in the near future, but I am sure you can find a way to overcome it again and again. Of one thing I am sure, if we will let God rule over our lives, let Him direct our paths, and consult Him in every decision, He is sovereign to empower us to overcome every challenge that gets in our way. He is powerful, knows all things, and is present everywhere at every time. God is sovereign!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
The Story of Three Youth
This year’s Windows YP (youth missions conference) theme is, “Walk On Water”. With just a title we want to give you a great challenge to dare yourself to live the impossible. This challenge may seem hard to digest at first. And you may think that nobody will surely do it. Who would have thought with a right mind to walk on water? This challenge is very huge and overwhelming to take on.
But three youth from Family Christian Fellowship (FCF) in Bataan, took the challenge. These are Keshie, Queenie and Shervin. These youth accepted the challenge to walk on water. They applied the principle of faith and dared to live the impossible. Their act of faith brought fire to our hearts and truly impacted and encouraged us because we are seeing results of the training in the lives of youth. These youth are a good example of that.
We saw that they are really living the impossible. They’ve come from a province part of the Philippines to minister to youth here in the city. Though they have not a lot of resources like money, they live in faith, accept the big challenge, and they have ministered to the youth from IT Tender Ministry and helped in a church’s Vacation Bible School. Their faith moved them to respond to the call to touch the lives of the youth here in the city even without very much in their pockets.
As we concluded their mission trip here in Makati, we interviewed and debriefed them. From this interview, we heard great testimonies of their experiences ministering to youth. They have learned many lessons, their relationship with God has deepened, and their hearts have burned with passion for the lost. They said that they will take what they have learned and pass it on to their church and keep doing missions now with their own church. And if God will lead them to mobilize youth to respond to the call of missions, then, they will do it!
These youth are precious to us and we hope there will be more of them. More youth to respond to the call of missions and many youth to experience how to walk on water.
Keshie at IT Tender Ministry
Queenie with kids at VBS
Shervin with kid at VBS
Keshie, Queenie and Shervin at IT Tender Ministry
But three youth from Family Christian Fellowship (FCF) in Bataan, took the challenge. These are Keshie, Queenie and Shervin. These youth accepted the challenge to walk on water. They applied the principle of faith and dared to live the impossible. Their act of faith brought fire to our hearts and truly impacted and encouraged us because we are seeing results of the training in the lives of youth. These youth are a good example of that.
We saw that they are really living the impossible. They’ve come from a province part of the Philippines to minister to youth here in the city. Though they have not a lot of resources like money, they live in faith, accept the big challenge, and they have ministered to the youth from IT Tender Ministry and helped in a church’s Vacation Bible School. Their faith moved them to respond to the call to touch the lives of the youth here in the city even without very much in their pockets.
As we concluded their mission trip here in Makati, we interviewed and debriefed them. From this interview, we heard great testimonies of their experiences ministering to youth. They have learned many lessons, their relationship with God has deepened, and their hearts have burned with passion for the lost. They said that they will take what they have learned and pass it on to their church and keep doing missions now with their own church. And if God will lead them to mobilize youth to respond to the call of missions, then, they will do it!
These youth are precious to us and we hope there will be more of them. More youth to respond to the call of missions and many youth to experience how to walk on water.
Keshie at IT Tender Ministry
Queenie with kids at VBS
Shervin with kid at VBS
Keshie, Queenie and Shervin at IT Tender Ministry
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
As a testimony!
I’ve been meditating lately on the word of God as to why God provides. What is the real reason why He provides for us all? Why He fulfills your need? Why He knows exactly when you need it? Why? Why? Why?
The reason why these questions are lingering on my mind is because I am amazed how God supplies all my needs. His provision comes exactly when I need it. He uses people to send His provision and I am very grateful to God for He is always on time.
I talked to my wife and both of us are amazed by our God and our thankful hearts are just witnesses of how God provides. As we have been counting our blessings these last few months, we end up with the question, WHY?
As I seek God in meditating on His word, there are several stories in the bible that have helped me find the answer.
When I read the story of Elijah, I learn that God sent provision to feed Elijah though ravens. Elijah also experienced provision through a widow who had nothing but a little oil. And in the New Testament, Jesus fed 5000 men though five loaves of bread and two fish from a young boy. These stories amazed me and at the same time made me realize that God sometimes uses the people we least expect. This is to help us realize that He is our provider. Both of these stories gave glory to God. The name of God was glorified because people and their stories helped people know that God provides. These stories are just but another testimony that God is our ultimate provider. These stories in the bible will never deny the fact that God does miracles in our lives. He provides!
There are many blessings in our lives that sometimes we forgot to give glory for. We forgot to bring back the glory to our God. When we experience God’s provision, we are overwhelmed and happy. And that story of provision is a great testimony to all people that God really provides.
If you are like me, wondering why God provides for your needs, remember that God wants to use your story as a testimony so that the name of the Lord will be glorified. So the next time you experience God’s provision, tell others how faithful God has been in your life, and who know, someday, people will come and believe in our testimony that God really provides!
The reason why these questions are lingering on my mind is because I am amazed how God supplies all my needs. His provision comes exactly when I need it. He uses people to send His provision and I am very grateful to God for He is always on time.
I talked to my wife and both of us are amazed by our God and our thankful hearts are just witnesses of how God provides. As we have been counting our blessings these last few months, we end up with the question, WHY?
As I seek God in meditating on His word, there are several stories in the bible that have helped me find the answer.
When I read the story of Elijah, I learn that God sent provision to feed Elijah though ravens. Elijah also experienced provision through a widow who had nothing but a little oil. And in the New Testament, Jesus fed 5000 men though five loaves of bread and two fish from a young boy. These stories amazed me and at the same time made me realize that God sometimes uses the people we least expect. This is to help us realize that He is our provider. Both of these stories gave glory to God. The name of God was glorified because people and their stories helped people know that God provides. These stories are just but another testimony that God is our ultimate provider. These stories in the bible will never deny the fact that God does miracles in our lives. He provides!
There are many blessings in our lives that sometimes we forgot to give glory for. We forgot to bring back the glory to our God. When we experience God’s provision, we are overwhelmed and happy. And that story of provision is a great testimony to all people that God really provides.
If you are like me, wondering why God provides for your needs, remember that God wants to use your story as a testimony so that the name of the Lord will be glorified. So the next time you experience God’s provision, tell others how faithful God has been in your life, and who know, someday, people will come and believe in our testimony that God really provides!
WOW! (Walk ON Water) Windows YP 2011
I never heard such a passionate story ever! Just recently in the Windows YP 2011!
This year Windows YP had a theme, “Walk On Water!” (WOW). This is a challenge to walk on water, to dare yourself to live the impossible. Our lives are full of challenges, and it seems like you need to walk on water in order to overcome huge challenges. It is something beyond reality and requires a reliance on the miracles of God. Windows YP is a youth missions conference held by the Youth Mobilization team of International Teams Philippines.
Many youth were challenged, and it shows in every loud “amen” we heard whenever we asked if they are ready to go to missions. Actually, I always had goosebumps every time I heard them shout a loud amen. Considering they are native youth from the provinces, they have nothing in their pockets, and their families don’t have work to earn a living for them, I still heard a loud amen. It seemed so strange….
What really struck my heart so deep is when I heard a group of youth – five women’s testimonies, walking town to town, no money in their pockets to pay for their transportation, carrying a heavy speaker, preaching and proclaiming the Good News. Wow! Their story blew me away. It challenged me more than they could imagine. I have never heard such a passionate story ever! They are really missionaries in God’s Kingdom.
There were about 30 youth who attended this missions conference. I just couldn’t imagine how many souls and how many lives would be reached though the lives of these 30 youth. I am really looking forward to seeing them one day fulfilling their calling to their respective mission fields. I see so much potential in them. I hope and pray that they will live out their potential.
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