It is the last Sunday of the month today, Pastor E and his family is already home but the church already invited a new speaker, which is Pastor J.

The scriptural topic this Sunday was from the book of 1 Corinthians 13: 3-7 and 13 with the scriptural topic about God’s love. According to Pastor J, love is sacrifice. If we love God His words reflect to ourselves, if we have something to sacrifice for God it would be our time.

[Image credit: pinterest.com]

Love is trust (1 corinthians 13:7) without trust there is no faith. We should always trust God and let Him rule with our life. Pastor J says that trust is also important among married couple so that their relationship won’t fail and prosper.

Love  doesn’t fade away (Psalms 136), Pastor J says we should go far away from God’s love and we should love God as always. She set an example how a young couple started their lives together as very sweet couple and they go to church together and how they ended walking to church separately after 50 years of marriage.

Today, my sister went to town to take an exam for  job opportunity as Social Welfare assistant in one of the government agency in the country. I have help her research yesterday about possible topic in their exam since she said the exam will maybe only an essay. She doesn’t have enough time to study what we have researched so I told her just to remember the key points and if explanation is needed just explained the things according to her own understanding.

[Image credit: renesas.eu]

She has civil service eligibility so she has advantage on applying job at government agencies but it was also a discrimination why some other non-government related work will not hire her like when she tried to apply as sales clerk while waiting for an opening in the government agencies but the owner who’s also an acquaintance won’t hire her because of her eligibility, she was told that the store can’t compensate her well.  Lol

Anyway, I wish her luck on her exam today. I hope it has positive outcome! 🙂

Update:
She was called for a pre-screening interview but didn’t showed up since the job location will be far, in rural islets of our island.

When I am looking for clothes to wear to church last Sunday I saw the golden yellow blouse that my mother had sent to me in Korea almost five years ago. It was one of the few clothes that were left to my closet after I gave my old clothes to my sister and relatives when I gained a lot of weight a year ago. I tried the said clothes and it fits perfectly so I wore it and asked my sister to take photo of me because I was excited that I am able to wear the clothes again after wearing it only once when we traveled to India.

When I found an old photo wearing the same clothes taken almost five years ago I uploaded them both in Facebook because I was amazed that the clothes fit well on me but some of my friends noticed the other way, they compliment me that I look well today, I guess it is the magic of BB cream I had wear that day! 😀

Today is the second Sunday that Pastor E wasn’t around, it is quite noticeable that the church wasn’t the same as when he is around, there is a lot of vacant chairs. Anyway the speaker this Sunday was a friend and school mate, she is licensed and practicing teacher and I expect a lot from her but like a saying says don’t expect a lot so you won’t get disappointed.

[Image credit: brandinicolejm.wordpress.com]

It was like I was attending a seminar about smart phones and the applications you can installed in them. She focused in this topic a lot rather than to the bible verse which is to be found at Luke 18:1 and Matthew 21:22. It was only the latter that she was able to get on the topic when she shared a educational video how God left the cross to us and how He help us go up when we are down.

Well, I understand that she would like to pin point how important smart phone to every one and how people neglected the bible and how convenient it would be if God has His own Facebook and Instagram account but explaining the ratio and how these mobile applications works isn’t too important when you are speaking in front of the congregation, if it was seminar that’s given but people go to church to be blessed and not to learn about modern technology.

Disclosure: The above written post was my own personal opinion and might be different from yours. 

Last night while I am feeding our pets, I have heard someone shouting in the street I didn’t give much attention because I didn’t see my cousins and his friends move on their chair, they were sitting near the street where their store was but then my mother went to check what’s happening I followed since I was curious too. It turns out two brothers are fighting in the street, one is drunk and the other was not and then we don’t know what happened one of the brothers started to have heated argument with their father and then the two brothers fought again and walked towards our street. A lot of people were already out and curious what’s going on and then suddenly the younger brother aimed a weapon to his older brother, it was a long knife a dagger of sorts. I was so scared, especially when the older brother runs for refuge in the dark and all we heard is noises, it sounds like they were hitting each other.  A lot of people shout in fear, especially when one of them started throwing stones towards the street, a relative called frantically for their son who followed the two men fighting in the dark. Meanwhile, I run at home out of fear because I can’t imagine seeing blood, especially I saw how the weapon shine in the dark when the light illuminated in it. I closed the doors and stayed in our home until I can’t hear the noises, my family stays outside together with the neighbors and relatives, an older cousin run to one of our cousins who has a contact with the police since one of the brothers was harmed with a long knife.

To cut the story short, the police arrived, but one of the brothers can’t be found because he already runs somewhere. All they took with them was the drunken one which is bleeding after being hit by a stone in the face and hit by post, gladly the post didn’t hurt him when his brother aimed it to his chest. He was too drunk that he wants to sleep in the street, his parents went with the police mobile.

Oh well, fighting in the streets is a normal occurrence when people are drunk over here. This is actually second live shooting in two nights because we are told there is also a drama uphill the previous night, but unfortunately we are already asleep when it happened so all we heard are stories, like how a someone was hit by a wood with nails after trying to pacify the two persons fighting. Lol

This Sunday is different from other Sundays that had passed because Pastor E wasn’t around, he is on vacation leave, as what I have heard it is for one month they visited her wife’s family in Northern Philippines.

Today is Valentine’s Day and the church was decorated by young people with heart cut outs. The speaker this Sunday was one of the members of the church, it wasn’t energetic like Pastor E but surely it has a message within a message but it feels like I was in a classroom and listening to my high school teacher.

The scripture verse was from the book of Jude 21 with scripture topic of Remain in God’s love since it is Valentine’s Day. The speaker shared three challenges to be considered which are:

1. What does it mean to love God?
2. How can we remain in God’s love?
3. How will God reward those who remain in His love?

The speaker says God doesn’t abandon us and He doesn’t leave us alone in our struggles (Psalms 91:2). We show our love to God when we observe His commandments and apply His principles which are written in the bible.

This song has been sung for the whole month of January in the church and when February came another song was used for worship song.

Jesus, you’re the sweetest name of all
Jesus, you always hear me when I call
Oh! Jesus, you lift me up each time I fall
You’re the sweetest, the sweetest name of all.

Jesus, how I love to praise your name
Jesus, you’re the first, the last the same
Oh! Jesus you died and took away my sins
You’re the sweetest,
The sweetest, name of all.

Jesus, you’re the son and coming king
Jesus, we need the love
That you can bring
Oh! Jesus, he lift our voice to you and mine
You’re the greatest, the greatest name of all

Jesus, you the sweetest name of all
Jesus, you always hear me when I call
Oh! Jesus you lift me up each time I fall
You’re the greatest, the sweetest name of all

When I wake up this morning my head still feel so sensitive and a bit painful when I speak but I have no plan of not going to church today. I was planning to take a bath early but there isn’t water coming from the faucet yet, the water supply wasn’t good since December. Anyway, the church service  is very early today since it is the first Sunday of the month, I was late when I came it is already on scripture reading gladly I was still able to get the scriptural verse which is from 1 John 4:7-12 [God’s Love and Ours].

“True love is rare, and it’s the only thing that gives life real meaning.” ― Nicholas Sparks

The preaching for this Sunday is about love, since it is love month. Pastor E talked about God’s love for all of us, how He sacrifice His life for everyone. He elaborate too the facts of God’s love where it is described in the context that it is unspeakable, unending (eternal), unselfish, unmerited and unconditional.

Secondly, God’s love was demonstrated in Calvary when He sacrifice His life for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21), His love was also displayed in the Christians. Some people in the bible who demonstrate different types of love are Joseph to his brothers (Forgiving love), Hosea to his wife (Redeeming love), God to Peter (Compassionate love).

When the love of God is present in the life of a believer, it will be visible in five different areas which are love for the Savior, love for the scripture, love for the sanctuary, love for the saints and love for the sinners.

The Challenge for this Sunday:

Love does not actually count the cost, it does not keep a ledger of profit and loss. Love is spendthrift. It does not measure itself out with an eyedropper. Love is extravagant. Love seeks out a need and never stops giving. Love is a risky business, for it costs …. costs EVERYTHING!

This is one of my favorite song in church and every time it was sung, my tears just run down from my eyes. It has very heartwarming feeling…

Did you ever talk to God above?
Tell Him that you need a friend to love.
Pray in Jesus’ name believing
that God answers prayer.

Have you told Him all your cares and woes?
Ev’ry tiny little fear He knows.
You can know He’ll always hear
And He will answer prayer.

You can whisper in a crowd to Him.
You can cry when you’re alone to Him.
You don’t have to pray out loud to Him;
He knows your thoughts.

On a lofty mountain peak, He’s there.
In a meadow by a stream, He’s there.
Anywhere on earth you go,
He’s been there from the start.

Find the answer in His Word; it’s true.
You’ll be strong because He walks with you.
By His faithfulness He’ll change you, too.
God answers prayer.

Lyrics: Frances Towle Rath
Music: Greg Soule

Image source: svgcuts.com

Source

Yesterday was the last Sunday of the month, and it is National Bible Sunday. The church has foreign visitors too, an older couple. The older woman is well-known missionary who is translating the bible in one of the local dialect of our Province and as what I have heard when she’s introduced by our Pastor that she first arrived in the island in 1980’s and was still single that time so no wonder she spoke the local dialect fluently.

The theme of Philippine Bible Society for National Bible Week celebration is “God’s Word: Hope for the Family and Strength of the Nation” so the scriptural topic is about how amazing God’s Words, it was said God’s word is more precious than gold so it must be desired.

[Image source: www.bible.org.ph]

According to Psalms 19: 7-14, the word of the Lord revived us, it enlighten our eyes and lead us to God’s forgiveness. We became energetic and lively through reading the bible and when we read it helps us enlighten our path and see our lives clearly, the bible help us to see and clear us from our hidden faults, it brought us to light from the dark. Pastor E says each time you read the bible you are revived, enlighten, and forgive. All in all you will be bless and in return you will be blessings to others.

When the church service ended the visitors has some goods to sell like bookmarks, key chains and wall decors which are laminated I think the proceeds will go to the  funds needed for translation of the bible to local dialect.