“The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” [Exodus 33:14]

“Create in me a pure heart, o God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” [Psalm 51:10-11]

Jesus’ love is so great and immeasurable that He has always promised His holy presence for all of us. He has always wanted us to seek Him for us to experience the peace and joy of being with His Holy Presence.

But why would our Almighty God promised His Holy Presence to each one of us who believe in Him? Why is it so essential to seek and desire the companionship of God?

God Desires Fellowship and Intimacy with Man

In John 15:5, He said: “I am the Vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” It is this fellowship and intimacy with us, His creations, that God promised His Holy Presence to all of us. We cannot separate ourselves from our Creator who is the source of everything that we have and enjoy: time, treasure, and talent.

When we realized that we should be in full and total dependence with Jesus, we are aligning ourselves with what God desires for us. To become a part of the branches with God as the Vine is to surrender everything at His feet, giving Him full control over our lives, and yes, the time, treasure, and talent that He has given  to each and everyone of us for His purpose and glory.

Jesus longs for us to involve Him in our daily lives.  We are giving Him delight and honor if we are making Him a part of every decision that we make. Everytime that we seek His guidance, leading, and wisdom, which are all found in His companionship, we are nurturing the beautiful personal relationship that we have with our Almighty Creator, making it grow and develop through time, making us His fruitful branches.

God is the Ultimate Satisfaction of Human Need

In one of the well-remembered chapters in the Book of Psalms, Psalms 23:1-6 intelligently summarizes and describes God, as our ultimate satisfaction.  It points us to Jesus as our shepherd who provides all, not only some and few, but all and everything that we need according to His glorious riches in heaven. We will never be in want of anything if we make Jesus our shepherd.

It should be emphasized, though, that Psalms 23:1-6 is not only about Jesus as our Jehovah Jireh who supplies our basic need, food, clothing, and shelter. God’s companionship goes beyond meeting all these physical human needs. His Holy Presence encompasses restoration of weary souls, ultimate comfort, protection, righteousness, courage, strength, and assurance of our rightful place with Him in heaven.

The absence of God’s companionship in our lives is comparable to a meaningless life – without purpose, without direction, and continuing in the treadmill of sinful ways, transgressions, and iniquity. These are all detestable in God’s sight. It is through His Holy Presence alone that we can achieve a clean, pure heart with renewed steadfast spirit [Psalm 51:10-11].

To keep God’s companionship in our lives is to recognize Jesus as our One and Only Almighty God. No one else and nothing else deserve much attention and praise and worship than Jesus Christ. Observing the ways of this world nowadays, we can easily say how many people are taking God for granted, worshipping money and wealth more than The Source of it all.

Each one of us should keep ourselves free from the love of money because it is the exact opposite of the impact of God’s compassion on us. Money is always meant to be spent. It is made to just pass on our hands and literally leave us. It will never stay with us, nor give us the peace we need, neither will it make us content and grateful of what we have. Money did not promise that it will never leave nor forsake us, but God does. Most people thought that it is man’s ultimate satisfaction, but money does not promise life time nor eternal companionship to man [Hebrews 13:5].

God Wants to Fulfill His Purposes through You

If we have God’s presence with us, we would be able to fulfill His purposes, assuring us of His companionship to the very end of the age:

[Matthew 28:18-20] “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

As believers of Christ, it is God’s desire that we become instruments to disciple every nation, to introduce Jesus to every person, to make everyone praise and worship God in spirit and in truth, and to keep our full obedience to all His commandments. In doing this, we would be able to experience the great commission of Jesus to us, which is His Holy Presence until the end of time.

We can only be able to come near His Holy Presence once we desire to become closer to Him. This should start in repentance, confessing all our sins and seeking His forgiveness. It is in His forgiveness through His grace and mercy alone that we can realize how much of a sinner have we become. His holiness will awaken us to depart from our old sinful ways and desire to be cleansed by His Holy Blood. In James 4:8, it is said, “Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Furthermore, repentance is also the very message of Acts 3:19-21, in which it is said, “Repent, then, turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.”

Conclusion:

God’s Holy Presence is what He promised to us even long ago, for as long as we are obeying His commands. We should not waste our time living aimlessly, but instead seek and desire it at all times, while He can still be found, and while He is still near us. Being with and in the Holy Presence of God is, indeed, our ultimate security.

“Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God no matter what the danger is.”

I am Brother Ryan Tato, second in the six children of Brother Melchor B. Tato and Betty B. Tato, and born on March 7, 1980. Let me start my story in 1985 when my parents have come to know Jesus. During those times, I was not living with my parents and was with my auntie and uncle who raised me. It was in 1990 when I started to live with my parents. I was only 10 years old then. That was the same time when I was supposed to already have known Jesus.

Back then, I considered myself as the biggest burden of my parents toward living a Christian life and making their relationship with Jesus grow deeper. The time that I came to live with my parents, they found out that I am a homosexual.

In my young age then, my father never lacked in giving me lessons about my sexual orientation. They have made all the kinds discipline my parents could give me, but I chose not to listen. One day in 1993, I decided to leave our home and my parents.

Longing from “freedom” from my parents and wanting to do everything that I wanted with my life, I went to a far place where I know they could not find me. This was the time that I have forgotten about my parents and started to do things aimlessly, not knowing what lies ahead with the kind of life that I chose. Along with my new found freedom was the different facets of struggles that confronted me. I experienced becoming a house helper, baby sitter, and various sorts of jobs. When I turned 17, I tried to become a factory worker, then later on, became a fast food service crew.

That time, I thought everything was turning out well, that I am just fine even if I am not in the custody of my parents, that I can support myself. These wrong realizations, however, started to sink in to me in 1998, when my contract as a service crew ended. This was the same time that sins begun to enslave me.
I was 18 years old when I began to meet other people who are like me who worked in a beauty parlor. They encouraged me to learn doing haircut. Though a good influence to me then, they have different personalities and characters. A closer look at them could easily tell that just like me, they are bonded by sins and worldly ways, in which we were believed to have the attributes of being a woman, but still a true man in the eyes of God. In that time, I worked in a “kasa,” otherwise known as a prostitutes’ den. It was in this work that I learned to use illegal drugs.

In 1999, I began to work as a haircutter. The time that I became a senior haircutter was also the same time that I started to become a candidate in various gay beauty contests. I was dubbed as “Vanessa” from former celebrity Vanessa del Bianco. Victory came so frequent then, making me closer to a lot of men. They were the men used by satan to rob me of all the fruits of my hardships. There was a man whom I lived with in 7 years, one man in 2 years, and many different men who came to my life.

In those times of my sinful lifestyle, Jesus remains faithful as ever. He allowed me to put up my own beauty salon. More importantly, God allowed me to take my parents back with me in 2006. I was very happy to be with them again after 13 years. But it was a short lived happiness. My father could not take to see me living my life then as a homosexual, immersed in sins and worldly desires. He was right, but I could and would not want to admit it to myself so I forced them to leave my place. After that, I started to experience a lot of trials. I experienced every hardship, destroying everything that I treated as my own success.

One day, I found myself alone and looking for someone whom I could become my confidante. This was the point in my life when I don’t know what to do with my life anymore or who can I turn to. Jesus must have seen these points in my life. He sent one of my siblings who became my confidante. He learned everything about me and all that I went through. I was glad then to have finally been able to find someone whom I can share everything with.

Then one night, I dreamt of a beautiful place that I have no idea of. When I woke up, I told my sibling to accompany me to go to church. He asked me where and I told him that I wanted to go to a Jesus Is Lord church. He just smiled back.

It was December 2009 when I started to attend a church, but enemies were doing a lot of things to stop me from knowing about God. First was when the JIL Church we were attending in General Trias moved to another place. Then we attended a smaller church and I seemed to be looking for the place that I saw in my dream. Until I realized that there is a JIL Church in Trece Martires, but I never thought that the enemies would still do everything to stop me from seeking God. When I came down from the jeepney, my knee ached but I continued walking to the church. Thankfully, my sibling was there to assist me. Right before I entered the church, the ache was gone.

When I came inside the church, it dawned on me that it was exactly the same place that I saw in my dreams. It was the church that I experienced to be in all tears, it was as if the church knew that I am so exhausted about my life.

I was prayed for to accept Jesus as my personal savior and my tears almost never stopped. When I have listed to the Word of God through the teaching of Pastora Mila, I felt even more relieved, more so when she finished praying for me.

After I accepted Jesus in my life, He has resolved all of my problems. Glory to God for He is so faithful and great, that even the losses of my business have been restored. God is truly so great!

Even if I have already accepted Jesus, enemies are still finding its way to me. I stopped going to church. The enemies did everything they can to pull me back to my old life, my old ways. And they succeeded. Consequently, many trials came.

God disciplined me. I am already His property that is why He would not allow me to be taken away from Him anymore. He has let me experienced His power once again and He has saved me from my enemies several times.

I asked my father why all those things had to happened. He enlightened me on many things, and guided me on going back to Jesus. God showed me His purpose in me. That is to totally transform my life from glory to glory and make me seek His word all the time. God has changed my life. “Vanessa” is gone and the new Ryan Tato was born again. I am no longer a woman as I believed myself to be. Now, I am continuously praising and worshipping Jesus in spirit and in truth. I am making every chance to do things for His glory and purpose, refusing every worldly way and temptation. I am taking every opportunity and desiring to serve Him and love Him all the days of my life.

I took courage to write this story of my life to let my testimony become an inspiration to everyone. Most of all, I made this piece to bring glory and honor to our Almighty God Jesus!

To God be the Glory!

[Brother Ryan Tato]

“You are always loyal to Your loyal people, and You are faithful to the faithful.” [Psalm 18:25]

The Concept of Loyalty

Loyalty, as the term implies, is the quality or state of being loyal. The “lack ofloyalty,” according to American author Napoleon Hill, “is one of the major causes of failure in every walk of life.”

Contemplating the words loyalty, faithfulness, and honesty, one can easily say that they are closely related to each other. As a matter of fact, when you translate those words in Tagalog, we can come up with the word “matapat.” However, there is a thin line difference between loyalty, faithfulness, and honesty:

Loyalty is all about having the object of whom you are loyal to. Meaning, despite and in spite of similarly existing “objects” that you can be loyal to, your allegiance and whole support belong to that object alone. You have given your full commitment to it.

Let’s put this into a simple illustration. Suppose there is a highly-skilled employee being “pirated” by another company and offered with attractive salary and compensation benefits. The employee can always leave his current job and have “better” opportunities in other company. But because he is loyal to his current employer, no matter how high the salary and how tempting the benefits package are offered to him, he will never leave his job. This is because his loyalty belongs to his current employer alone.
While loyalty entails our decision to choose the object in which we can be loyal to, faithfulness encompasses the things that are entrusted to us. Say for example, our loyalty to our wife, children, ministry, and tithes. By being faithful, we are showing how we value the things we received. Given the example, faithfulness to our family, therefore, also speaks of the love and care we have for them.
Honesty, on the other hand, deals with our conscience and the motive of our actions. It is basically what we do when no is watching us. It is remaining true and upholding a life of integrity despite temptations of sinning or committing wrong things. If we are honest to someone or something, it is our intention to do good and be good that will drive us toward it.

Making the definition of “loyalty” clear now, we need to realize that if there is one thing that we need to reach, it is the condition or stage of being loyal to our Creator, to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Biblical Characters Who are Loyal to God

The words “loyalty” and “loyal” are not used in the Bible often. Other versions mentioned them only 62 or less times. There are some versions of the Bible that did not actually use the words at all. However, most of the great biblical characters are described as loyal to God:

• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – Daniel 3:14-15
• Daniel – Daniel 6:3-5
• Joseph – Genesis 39:2-5 NIV

After Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, he took captive several youths and deported them back to Babylon to serve in his government. Among these were Daniel and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). They refused to defile themselves with the king’s food and successfully negotiated an alternative. Daniel also made mentions that God blessed all four of them with wisdom that far surpassed the rest of the king’s advisors.

Nebuchadnezzar then decided to build a giant golden statue and ordered everyone to bow and worship it. If anyone refused, they were to be thrown into a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego boldly professed faith in God’s ability to protect them. Whether the king tossed them in the fire or not, they would not bow. Nebuchadnezzar was angry and ordered them into the fire after heating it seven times hotter. But to his amazement, the four people in the fire were walking around unharmed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were ordered out and examined by the king’s servants. They were not singed and did not even smell like smoke. Nebuchadnezzar then decreed that anyone who spoke against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would be killed, because “…there is no other God who is able to deliver in this way.” (Daniel 3:29)

This same loyalty was also manifested throughout Daniel’s life. He sought God and was given great wisdom, which led to continual promotion. Daniel honored God, his king, and others. Because of this, God blessed him to the point that some officials were jealous.

There are several other biblical characters that show loyalty to God:

• Ruth – Ruth 1:16 AMP
• David – 1 Sam.19
• Paul & many more

The Foundation of our Commitment

Loyalty to God, indeed, is the very foundation of our commitment. The most common reported problem of the church is the lack of committed worker. The question is why are they in leadership when they are not committed? The reason why the pastor allowed you to be in the leadership is that because of your potential and commitment. How come you are called leaders and workers without commitment?

Loyalty to God is not and cannot be measured by your position in the church. It comes before commitment. It is not the commitment that leads you to loyalty but loyalty does. Some illustrations of this are:

• Abraham is committed to worship
• King Solomon is committed to build the temple
• Nehemiah is committed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem
• Paul is committed to preach the gospel
• Jesus is committed to give you eternal life

Now, what is your commitment all about? What you are committed to?

Lack of commitment is not an issue of commitment, but an issue of loyalty to God. We cannot say that we are loyal to God if we are not committed. Sometimes we are being imprisoned to the word “volunteer” that a volunteer should neither be pushed nor be pressured. In real essence, though, a “volunteer” is a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service.

The Foundation of our Submission

Your loyalty to God is manifested through your submission to your leaders. The authority of the leaders, pastors, teachers, and other different functions requires our full submission to them.

“You cannot fulfill God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.” ― Rick Warren

The Foundation of our Faithfulness

When we talk about faithfulness, it shows that God has entrusted you with something in which you may prove your honesty and trueness. It is being revealed in spite of our weaknesses. We have to remember that our weaknesses are God’s asset in our life.

There are times when we see our weakness as a tendency to withdraw and be missed in action. In the life of Jeremiah, Peter, Zacheus, Abraham, and many more, God’s power is revealed when their weaknesses are revealed as well. Indeed, our faithfulness is seen particularly in times of our weaknesses.

If you see yourself unworthy, then consider it as your brokenness [Psa. 51:10] that you have nothing to boast about. In 1 Cor. 10:31, whether you eat or drink and whatever you do, do it for the glory of God, even no one sees you.

Always be faithful to God, your spouse, family, ministry, work, and other people. Be reminded that part of the word loyalty is honesty. That is why admission of your weaknesses shows our faithfulness.

Measurement of our Integrity

If I had said evil things, I would not have been loyal to your people. [Psa 73:15]

The measurement of our integrity is through our loyalty to God. The longevity and our effectiveness in the ministry should be the result of our loyalty to God.

A loyal person does not speak evil words. They do not complain. When our function in the ministry is not a result of our loyalty to God, soon you will see yourself complaining, wanting appreciation, and at the end, wanting compensation.

Loyalty Demands Maturity

Loyalty, be it to a person, group, or cause, most typically occurs when we personally identify ourselves with the object of our loyalty. Therefore, if we wish to live in a loyal society, it is imperative that we, as people, share common identity. One of the most useful illustrations when we hear loyalty is a dog. Do you agree that dog is man’s best friend because of loyalty?

In terms of showing loyalty, are you better than dog or not? If you are better than dog, you must be loyal, way more than a dog does.

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn ~Isaiah 61:1-2 (NIV)

In Isaiah’s life, the Spirit of God and its anointing are very clear to him. His life is being lead by the Spirit of God. He knew his multiple tasks and the purpose and reasons of his existence. As we contemplate about Isaiah’s statements, do we really recognize and understand the purpose why we exist? Most of the Christians today acknowledge that God is with them and that God has anointed them. However, if you ask them about their purpose, it seems that they still seek God and could not find Him enough. You may say that you are a prophet like Isaiah. But it doesn’t take one to be a prophet to know and understand the purpose of your existence.

God Is On You

Most people entrust their future through fortune. They collect lucky icons, thinking that if they have it, luck will come. They become very dependent to their fortune, accepting the principle that what you have is what you deserved. But that is not the case. We can avoid undesirable circumstances by overcoming our ignorance because people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [Hosea 4:6].

What then, is an example of something that we don’t know about? The answer is simple. It is the awareness and understanding that God is with us. We tend to believe and be more confident on icons than with God Himself. God is not something that we can hold and dictate on what He should do to us. God does something in us if He sees your faith, for without faith you cannot please God [Hebrews 11:6].

You can experience the favor of God not because you dictated Him, but because He is pleased with your faith. In Hebrews 13:5 (GNB), it says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have.” For God has said, “I will never leave you; I will never abandon you.” All of us needs money, but to love money is what God forbids us to do.

In 1 Timothy 6:10 (GNB), it says there that “For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.” We are often confused with the idea that money should be with us than God.

Our attitude of loving money is what makes us worst. Money does not promise that it is with us always, but God does. Money can be spent, but God doesn’t. Matthew 16:26 (MKJV) states, “For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or, what shall a man give in exchange of his soul?

Do you value your soul more than material thing? Definitely you will say yes. But you know very well that your soul will not be satisfied by any treasure of this world. Your soul needs God and in the absence of material thing, you will be satisfied because you came from God and must go back to God because you need God. And that is the truth.

Your Life Would Be Purposeful

Before, we are nothing. But because the Spirit of God is on us, we now have the purpose of our privilege to live, which is to proclaim. Proclaim has two words: “pro,” which means expert, authority, top, first- rate, and many others. “Claim,” meanwhile, means to receive, to get, to obtain, or to take. This simple word is very powerful, as the officiating minister proclaim the newly wed, the Commission On Election (COMELEC) proclaims the newly elected government official. The same is true with the presidential proclamation made by the president.

These proclamations cannot be simply withdrawn or declare null and void. But it will take long, legal processes. Meaning to say, once proclaimed, it immediately took effect and have its possession because of the authority behind it. Now, let me ask you: what is your authority and where does your authority came from?

In John 1:12 (EMTV), but as many as received Him, He gave them the authority to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Your authority comes from God and you have it because you are a child of God.

Do you think you have the right to proclaim something? You don’t need to be a prophet to proclaim for your life, for your family, for your church, and for your nation. It is the authority that allows us to have it by faith. Therefore, proclaim what is from God through His words and year 2012 will be a different story of your life.

Proclaim the good news to the poor - good news talks about the salvation of God through Jesus Christ: [John 3:16] (Darby), “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.” This is the good news that people should hear. Proclaim salvation to your loved ones.

Proclaim freedom for the captives - we are captivated by different unwanted circumstances and everything seems to be like the end of the line for us. We are imprisoned by debt, financial bankruptcy, anger, bitterness, insecurity, depression, vices, and many other worldly things. These are difficulties we have and we need to be released from by initially proclaiming it because our tongue can speak life [Prov. 18:21 (Darby)]. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proclaim it so that you will have it.

Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour - when God is pleased, whatever you ask will be granted. He will do the vengeance. There will be justice.  You don’t need to fight against those who oppress you. Just be still and God will give you justice. Meaning to say, this is the acceptable year of the Lord when our sins will be forgiven and whatever you offer will be acceptable.

There Will be Restorations

Brokenheartedness sometimes leads to bitterness and then to depression. When our emotion is wounded, there is mostly no one who looks for healing. In most of the time, they keep the pain within. Though sometimes they share it, but undeniably there is bitterness and anger.

Do not treat yourself unfairly when you are wounded. Let us keep away the memories of painful pasts. In this season of God’s favor, allow the restorations and the healing that God is giving us. Stop mourning. This is the season of joy.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 (ASV) says  “…a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Move on with your life. Your time to weep is over. Now is the time to dance and laugh. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity that God is giving us.

God knows that we will experience different circumstances, which is why He provided us with “time.” Think of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, and find out what your time is at this very moment. Don’ be left behind by your own time. Our lives must be synchronized with the time God has set for us. We can find that in Isaiah 61, after knowing that the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon us and proclaiming what God wants us to speak, restoration came.

In what areas of your life do you need restorations? Name it and God is at work to restore it.

Conclusion:

In verses 9 to 11, you don’t need to prove yourself. It will be obvious that you are rejuvenated, refreshed, and renewed. The people around you will see that you are the child of God who is blessed and living under the great favor of God.

Great God, Great Outpouring, Happy New Year!

[Pastor Jhune Villela]

A relationship with God embraces all human emotions and experiences. The book of Psalms is the songbook of God’s people – through the Psalms they can find the words to express their hope, trust, despair, thanks, sorrow and praise to God.

Most of the people today are looking for something that they can thank the Lord. This is the problem of most people, they do not know that God has done so many things in their lives even in a very little things we want spectacular testimonies for us to declare God’s greatness. Unknowingly we disregarded what God has already done to us. In Psalms 111 we can see the reasons, motivations, foundations and principles why should we thank the Lord.

1. Believe that there is God – everyone might say that there is God, only the atheist doesn’t claim it, denying that there is God is great abomination against God on the other hand they seems that they don’t even exist because God did not recognize them. If you believe that there is God first they should have a fear of God in you, in Psa.111:10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. If your fear God in great reverence to Him you will be able to discern what is good and what is evil as you gain wisdom that leads you to pursue what is right and shun from what is evil. We cannot say that there is God and yet we continuously do what is evil, obviously there is the absence of the fear of God. Secondly you should worship the LordPsa.111:1Praise the LORD. I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly. One of the expressions of your worship to God is praising Him for who He is and recognizing all that He has done in v.2 great are works of the Lord, v.3 glorious and majestic are His deeds v.4 he is gracious and compassionate, v.5 He provides food for those who fear Him and remember His covenant, v.6 the power of His works, in v.7 the works of His hand is faithful and just, in v.9 he redeemed us and concluded that holy and awesome is His name. You must believe that there is God who is at work in you right now.
2. Acknowledge the indescribable works of God – it cannot be denied that beginning verse 2 to verse 9 the words that has been used is beyond our comprehension to describe the works of God. There is no reason for us become bitter they say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder then open up your eyes and behold the beauty of God enumerate the great works of God in you. The only reason why do you not recognize the works of God is that you are denying it. Most of the time we want God to do something more to us, but He already did it. How about you, have you done something for God?
3. Grateful people – God is neither expecting the animal nor Satan to thank Him for all of His works. Ingratitude belongs only to animal and to Satan because it is their attitude but we His special creation should always be thankful to God. When we are bitter we often say that, how can I be thankful for the pains I have, bitterness is part of selfishness, the often you become selfish the more you become bitter, why don’t we look on the motivations, the lessons we can get behind the seemingly negative experiences that you have. Be grateful and be released. It is only human being that God is expecting to thank Him 1Thess.5:18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.You have all the reason to be grateful.

Think of these quotations:

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.
~E.P. Powell

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Enjoy your blessings on this Christmas and beyond.

Ptr. Jhune M. Villela
JIL Central Area-23 Pastor

To God be all the glory! He is the greatest above all names and He is true to all his promises!

Pastor Sixto “Tito” Castillo’s story is a clear proof to it. He is a non-fulltime pastor who currently resides in Bulihan, Silang in Cavite. From 1998 to July 2008, he served the JIL Church in Tagaytay City.

Not the Usual Afternoon

On July 21, 2008 in then Metropolis-Alabang (now known as Starmall Alabang), while waiting for the jeepney he was driving to be loaded with passengers, Pastor Tito experienced a sudden shoot up in blood pressure (BP). His BP rose to 180/130, which rushed him to the hospital. The BP did not change, but further heightened to 240/130 until the next day.

He remained conscious, though, despite the BP rise. Based on the test results, no nerve on his head was damaged as most people believed then. What caused the BP rise was the expansion of all the nerves on his head, which resulted to swollen brain and hydrocephalic status. Came afternoon, Pastor Tito became unconscious.

 50-50 Survival Chance

The doctors who were monitoring his condition described Pastor Tito’s condition as “fast deteriorating and that we are losing him” on July 24, 2008. It was a discouraging and tragic news most particularly to his family. The doctors’ last recourse was to conduct an operation on Pastor Tito’s head. Craniectomy was a must and time is of the essence. He was given a 50-50 chance of surviving the surgery. It was a difficult moment for his family because Pastor Tito told his wife way before he was so well that he never wanted any operation. As such, it brought much pressure and dilemma on his wife. Will she obey his husband’s request or allow the needed operation? In desperation, his wife asked him if he wants to have the operation done. The only response he could give that time was a movement of the thumb. When asked about this moment, Pastor Tito could not remember a thing.

Divine Intervention and Favor

That time, news about Pastor Tito’s condition has spread to almost all the churches in Area 23 in Cavite. It even reached the central and regional pastors who were having a conference in Manila then. Pastor Tito’s family and all the people who prayed for his condition claimed and hold on to God’s promises.

Through God’s grace, mercy, and divine intervention, Pastor Tito survived the overnight operation and the critical 10 days following the said operation. Most people who saw him while he was confined at the hospital thought he could not make it. There were so many apparatus attached to him and he even had pneumonia.

Indeed, God’s intervention and favor are always present. Our Almighty Creator used so many people to provide for all the help needed by Pastor Tito and his family, particularly the hospital bills and finances for medication and related expenses as well. His family was particularly thankful to their Ate Cynthia who unselfishly offered financial support.

After a five-week confinement at the hospital (four weeks of which were spent at the ICU), Pastor Tito was discharged. He lost much weight and can barely utter a word or move. It also took him a while to fully recognize his family.

Faith Heals

In his first two check-ups, he was carried in a stretcher, then in a wheelchair after the months that followed. After three months of checkups, Pastor Tito was able to stand and make his first labored step and was able to speak again, though slowly at first. He was not able to undergo therapy sessions because his BP still shoots up every now and then. Fully supported by God and his family, plus Pastor Tito’s desire to completely recover, he took all the chances that he can to restore his health.

God is faithful and He never fails, He continuously strengthens Pastor Tito. For two years now, God is enabling him to attend Sunday worship services and other church activities. Praise God!

1. Worshipping Church
We are a Church that consistently takes part in experiences of GOD’s love and forgiveness and is unashamed to present our love to GOD.  As a Church, we seek to lead others to truly see, hear and experience GOD’s presence and to show how they, too, can be confident in discovering, responding and expressing their love to GOD.

2. Healing Church
We are a Church that testifies to the holistic healing that GOD gives to the hurt, the sick and the lost.  As a Church, we recognize the power and willingness of the Great Physician to heal the physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual wounds of every man, woman and child and thus undertake to be used as both testimonies and instruments of GOD’s healing ministry.

3. Soul-Winning Church
We are a Church whose heart feels the heartbeat of GOD for the salvation of perishing souls. As a Church, we exemplify a lifestyle of evangelism so that souls are won for the eternal Kingdom of GOD.

4. Praying Church
We are a Church whose backbone and life blood is Prayer.  As a Church, together with the Body of CHRIST, we fight the good fight of faith in prayer and fasting, intercession and spiritual warfare with corresponding action.

5. Visionary Church
We are a Church with glorious prophetic destiny. As a Church, we endeavor to reach the realization of GOD’s glorious Vision through wholehearted obedience, devotion and commitment, Spirit-led and strategic planning under His Divine Enablement. We believe we cannot do anything apart from GOD, but we can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens us.

6. Spirit-Filled Church
We are a Church whose way of life is to seek out the Spirit’s baptism as well as His anointing in everything – praying, sharing, preaching, teaching, listening, performing, writing and so forth. As a Church, we humbly submit to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit in doing the works of GOD in the church and society.

7. Nation-Loving Church
We are a Church called to zealously love our country, believing that every nation must be under the Lordship of JESUS CHRIST. As a Church, we accept our divine mandate to love our country by influencing and transforming every pillar of society – church and family, government, business and economics, education, science and technology, media and entertainment, arts, and environment – through programs, projects and other ways and means that trumpet truth, justice and righteousness.

8. Faith-filled Church
We are a Church that puts our absolute trust in the revelation and power of the Living GOD.  As a Church, we live with absolute confidence on GOD’s sovereignty and guidance, acknowledging His power, knowledge and presence in every part of our life.

9. Prophetic Church
We are a Church who firmly believes that our GOD also reveals His Word, will and instructions through His genuine Prophet to the nation and the Body of CHRIST. As a Church, we recognize GOD’s commands and revelations and pursue the fulfillment of His glorious plan for the Church and nation.

10. Apostolic Church
We are a Church that submits to spirit of apostolic leadership established and ordained by the Living GOD through JESUS CHRIST. As a Church, we operate and experience the blessings of the five-fold ministry gifts that empower our dynamic apostolic church gloriously reflecting the character and power of the Living GOD and effectively reaching all parts of the world through evangelism and church planting.

11. Giving Church
We are a Church that faithfully lives according to the Biblical principle teaching us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. As a Church, we seize every opportunity to selflessly and cheerfully give to His Ministry and to the people in need.

12. Serving Church
We are a Church that follows the example set by our LORD JESUS CHRIST in genuine humility and Godly servanthood. As a Church, we devise and spearhead programs and projects that enable us to passionately serve God, His Ministry, our country and the rest of the world.

This life testimony shows that there is God who is powerful and Almighty. God manifested His divine miraculous intervention in the life of Bro. Jaime C. Tan who was completely healed and delivered from the attack of dreadful diseases and their complication, Ascending Aortic Aneurysm. He even used the unbelievers to bless His people.

Glory to God, the Lord Jesus! Because of the merit given to Him, the Name above every name, whenever we pray in His name, God honors it and our faith. God is great and sovereign! There’s nothing impossible to Him! There’s nothing too difficult for Him to do and He can create a miracle out of nothing.

A Faithful Worker

Bro. Jaime C. Tan, 44, is a worker of JIL-Bulihan in Silang, Cavite and currently resides at Phase 1B Block 10 Lot 32 Brgy. Acacia Silang Cavite. He is married to Sis. Esper Tan, a Pulpit Minister and Head of Education Ministry in JIL-Bulihan. They have three children: twins Pearlynne and Jasminne, 14, who are in VIA and JAM ministries; and Christinne, 9.

As a very responsible father, Bro. Jaime, in most of the time, is the one going to the market and take charge of buying their food and basic commodities. He also cooks for his family and takes and fetches his youngest daughter to and from school.

With even deeper and growing faith, Bro. Jaime continues to serve as a Bible Teacher and leads the Men’s Ministry in JIL Bulihan. He used to be a Bible Teacher in JIL-PUP, JIL-TUP, and JIL-Munoz.

Unwavering Faith in the Face of Danger

Bro. Jaime underwent an open heart surgery in October 2005 and March 2008. The very first surgery had put his life at a very critical stage, further complicated by financial constraint.  His doctor explained that the surgery might put him in coma, require him a lifetime dialysis, make him suffer from stroke, or worst, could end his life.

But God showed His compassion and faithfulness. Bro. Jaime survived the surgery but made the left side of his body, from shoulder down to his foot, suffer from stroke. He underwent a physical therapy and recovered. There was not a single trace now that he was afflicted with stroke.

However, his recovery then lasted for about seven months only. A problem on the stitches from his operation was discovered.  This caused a leak in his heart nerve, making all the blood flow to his heart and enlarging it. Consequently, Bro. Jaime had a heart failure, which caused the accumulation of fluid in his abdomen, directly passing to his lungs. He was bloated and congested in July 2006. Fluid continued to accumulate in his body, making him suffer from edema of the feet, between July 2006 and February 2008.

His condition improved when he underwent another surgery on March 25, 2008. This time, the doctor has reiterated that his team could no longer implement a surgery for the 2^nd time because it was highly risky. But Bro. Jaime and his family never gave up. Entrusting everything to the Lord, Bro. Jaime successfully survived the second surgery.

Peace in Fees

The surgery, hospitalization, risk, and all things related to the treatment and healing of the life-threatening illness that Bro. Jaime went through left him and his family with an almost 1.3M charges and fees at the Philippine Heart Center. But, through God’s miracle, his family only paid about P80.00 when he was discharged from the hospital.

Bro. Jaime had a dialysis three times and was advised by his doctor to go to the Chronic Kidney Disease Center in the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI). What was expected to be a long series of dialysis never happened all through God’s grace and mercy and it was reversed. There was not even a hint of renal failure in him now.

The surgeries he went through also required him to have a blood transfusion. On his first surgery, he required 43 blood donors. This is equivalent to 80 bags because he had lost too much blood then. His second surgery, meanwhile, required 27 blood donors or almost 40 bags of blood.

When Bro. Jaime had a heart failure, his abdomen grew bigger that then required to have a monthly paracentesis, a medical procedure in which needle drainage of fluid from a body cavity is done, particularly in the peritoneal cavity in the abdomen. The maximum volume of fluid that was removed from him is about six liters, while the minimum was about four liters.

Bro. Jaime and his family are very grateful to the Lord for making them fully recover from the trial. They are also thankful to Sis. Dory and Bro. Eddie Villanueva who extended a financial support through Pastor Dino Tobias at Sister Menchie Tobias. Moreover, Bro. Jaime’s family is also thankful to the life of Pastor Romy Dimarucot who constantly prayed for them and encouraged them; close family friends, Gigie Calpe, Ruth Suri, at Chery Gatchalian of JIL-BTC.

The family also expresses their gratitude to Congressman Joel Villanueva and CIBAC Party List and to Pastor Beng Aberjar and Pastor Jhune Villela who helped them gather together blood donors; as well as intercessors from JIL-BTC, JIL-PUP, JIL-Munoz, and JIL Central Area 23.

Completely Healed

As of today, Bro. Jaime still goes through regular checkups and still requires laboratory tests to monitor his health condition. He also takes some medications to be able to maintain his good health condition. This is an act of giving importance to the miraculous healing that God showed to Bro. Jaime and his family.

To God be all the glory!

]]> http://www.jilcentralarea23.org/the-great-doctor-and-best-medicine-and-of-all/feed/ 4 http://www.jilcentralarea23.org/the-grand-coronation-night/ http://www.jilcentralarea23.org/the-grand-coronation-night/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:22:13 +0000 admin http://www.jilcentralarea23.org/?p=191 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV)

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:10-15

After winning the furious battle from the White Witch, Aslan, the King of Narnia crowned the courageous four siblings who fought for their land. It was during the banquet that they received their crowns with their titles: Lucy the Valiant, Edmund the Just, Susy the Gentle, and Peter the Magnificent.

What a wonderful way to end a movie. But it is more than just a film, because it will happen to all of us too!

We will stand face to face with Jesus and He will crown us (2 Cor. 5:10)…there could be one – or more—but there could also be none! Because it is not the issue of our attendance in church and other spiritual activities anymore. We can call ourselves industrious and faithful to our own rights but God sees what’s in the inside.

Let us remember that in the end all of our works “…will be revealed with fire and the fire that will test the quality of each man’s work” (1 Cor. 3:13b). Those that were done with a clean heart, right motive and broken spirit, those that were really offered for the glory of God will come out as gold which will be our crown… “if what has built survives, he will receive reward” (1 Cor. 3:14a). But those that were stained by even a single spot of unrighteousness, pride and arrogance, done only for the applause of men and for the sake of doing the task will be consumed by fire and be nothing but a worthless ash… “if it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Cor. 3:14).

In the end the question will be “is there a crown or just an ash?” With that, let us make sure that our worship is always of the best quality our King deserves for us to receive our rewards on that grand coronation night.

“Let all desire burn and longing turn to dust of not for You,
Set me free, take me to the end of me.”

[CHRISTINA LIZA ISMAEL]

Globe with blue and white colors with seven longitudinal lines – representing the love of GOD THE FATHER to the seven continents

White Cross outlined in blue color – representing the salvation, grace and mercy of our GOD through JESUS CHRIST

White Dove – Representing the HOLY SPIRIT

Blue Map of the Philippines – representing our love and reverence for our country

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