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.

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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 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.

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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. 

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.

Just like the previous Sunday I have to go to church with band aid in my face; I am very enthusiastic going to church no matter what because if I don’t go the church I’ll be crazy the whole week and I believe I am being tested since there are a lot of places for the skin irritation to grow but it chooses my face, weird isn’t it?

Anyway, the scriptural topic this Sunday is Establishing Right Priorities, what are your priorities in life? Pastor E says the first priority should be priority to fear God because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs1:7). He also added when we fear the Lord and appreciate His rules and guidelines it put us in the road of happiness. He also gave more scriptural verses to read such as Exodus 20: 20, Psalms 25:12, Matthew 3: 5-11, Romans 1: 22

Second priority is Obedience to God, we should obey God as what is mentioned in Psalms 37: 4 – Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. It is priority to achieve happiness. Other verses to read are Psalms 112: 1, Psalms 37: 4, Joshua 5:9 and Psalms 112: 8. Pastor E says to everyone not to fear and have assurance that God will provide.

Thirdly, is Relationship to God when our relationship to God is good our family life is good as well, this is mentioned on Psalms 112:2, Psalms 25:13, Psalms 37: 25-26, Psalms 112:5, Deuteronomy 8: 18, Luke 6: 35-38 and Psalms 112: 7.

The preaching this Sunday is God’s way to tell me to fear Him, be obedient and establish a good relationship to Him so I can achieve happiness and overcome the troubles that came and coming to my life. I should not worry too because He will provide my needs when I am broke and in times of drought.

It is Sunday today and it is the day that the Lord has made, I went to church with my hair untie which is unusual. I have to lose my hair to hide something in the side of my face, in my jaw particularly. It started as a pimple then it feels very itchy that I scratched it without thinking until it grows bigger like the size of a small coin. 🙁

Anyway, before the service proper started Pastor E announces some church concerns like who would like to lead during Sunday service and etc. One of the older member in the church whispered to me that it will look good if I lead, I just smiled while saying I can’t do it. Honestly, what I would like to do is to teach Sunday school among children.

The scriptural reading can be found Joshua 1: 1-9 with a scriptural topic of Facing Challenges This Year without Fear. Pastor E says that New Year brings new opportunities, possibilities as well as new challenges but with God’s provisions we are able to overcome these challenges because God give us power to persevere, a promise of His Presence and provisions for prosperity.

Pastor E shared a passage from the book of Romans 5: 3-4 which says “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” If we persevere we will overcome new challenges because facing our problems and trials will helps us to develop endurance and endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident of hope and with God’s presence we can face these challenges without fear.

When we overcome all these challenges God’s promise that we will be successful and prosperous so we shouldn’t be discouraged so let’s be strong and courageous. These were just parts of preaching that Pastor E delivered today, he challenges everyone to be as one church when facing challenges and overcoming them and encourage everyone to believe and have faith.

It was indeed true that problems made us strong and they help us grow as a person, with them too we are able to change for the better. Honestly, These past few Sundays I can relate on the scriptural topics it was like they were meant for me as if God is talking to me and telling me that I should persevere, be courageous and have faith in Him and everything will be alright in His presence.

It has been said that New Year is a chance to start anew, it was a time to create new principles that will become the energies and attitudes of mind that will help us succeed regardless of the difficulties and challenges that we face along the way.

Yesterday is the second Sunday of the month and the scriptural topic is about creating principles for the new year, the scripture reading can be found in Genesis 22: 1-10, if I was not mistaken it was also the basis of the previous preaching of Pastor R during an exchange pulpit Sunday. Our pastor (E) says our decision making on important choices was always based on our emotions and feelings, we satisfy our emotions, we don’t choose thing that will make us unhappy.

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These past few days discouragement controlled me, it was those time I felt it is already the end and there isn’t anymore life waiting for me, to have peace and to overcome this unwanted feeling even for a moment  I uttered silent prayer and when our Pastor started preaching I felt like God comforted me and He send the answers right away, He told me to trust, be obedient and have faith in Him that someday things will fall into their right places.

What if God asks for something very important to you?

There are three principles for the new year, the first one is the principle of trust which can be found in verse 1-2 of Genesis chapter 22 when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac on a mountain in the region of Moriah and without hesitation Abraham comply.

Pastor E then asked several questions to everyone like if we do believed that God can control our life for a better future, then he encourage everyone to raised the level of trust to God this New Year and see how good the Lord when we trust Him and let Him hold our life.

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The second principle for a better new year is the principle of obedience which can be found in verse 3-6 of Genesis 22 when Abraham obeyed God and set for a journey with Isaac to the region of Moriah.  It has been said that trusting God is only part of the equation, we should obey Him as well.  We should take note too that delayed obedience is consider disobedience, without action our word will mean very little and faith without work is dead. Pastor E then encourage everyone to follow what God ask us to do, to set aside our emotions and selfishness so we can see how God moves in our lives.

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The third and last principle is the principle of faith which is in Genesis 22: 7-10 when Isaac asked his father Abraham where is the lamb for the burnt offering, Abraham replies that God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.  Pastor E told everyone that God is good in keeping promises, He will provide and showered His greatest blessings to you just have faith in Him.

Pastor E ended his preaching by challenging everyone to trust on God’s wisdom, follow His direction, have faith to believe and things will find their right place in our lives.

It was been my habit to say “always look at the bright side” but when I passed through the dark tunnel of life I have closed my eyes and I can’t see any light like I am blind; there is no bright side it is pitched black.

Today is the first Sunday of the month and as usual the church service started at 7 o’clock in the morning the spiritual topic is Fulfilling Life Purposes from the book of Psalms 90: 12.

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All of us have different purpose and mission in life, have you found yours? What is God’s purpose in your life? Are you fulfilling that purpose? These were the question raised to us by our pastor and after which he informed everyone that we could find our life purpose if we remain teachable throughout our brief life span, by learning to manage our given time well and allow ourselves to be transformed as God intends.

Today, is the third Sunday of the month and the last Sunday before Christmas, before the service proper started there is a short meeting on what to do after the Christmas program on the 23rd.  It was decided to have an exchanged gift and to already draw the names so everyone could know the person they picked and everyone could buy the right gift.

The scriptural topic for today is the continuation of the topic on the first Sunday of the month which is Seeking Christ at Christmas our Pastor told us, he has to cut it in two parts because there is a church hopping to another town after the service that Sunday. He stated that life is easier today because there is a lot of transport but still people goes farther away from God, unlike those old times where there isn’t a lot of transport yet and people only uses lamp but people always found a way to go to church to attend prayer meeting or church service.  We are told that there are three types of people in the Bible who seek God, we are told not live like King Herod or the inn keeper, we should live like the shepherds and the wise men who seek for Jesus, the shepherds leave their flocks without thinking if the sheep’s will be eaten by wolves or their employer will fire them and while the wise men traveled far leaving their home and family just to see Jesus. At the end, our Pastor encouraged everyone to go to church every Sunday,  to stop the excuses of being busy at work or nobody will be left in the house, we must turn away our old self-centered life and seek God whole heartily and after the church service is the drawing of the names for the exchange gift.

Anyway, it was my grandfather and Cody’s death anniversary on the 19th, I recalled being in a dark room inside my grandparent’s house on Christmas and New Year’s eve while everyone is making noise outside, fireworks are flying in the sky, people are laughing but we are hiding in the dark and I remember being alone on Christmas a few years ago when J has to go home, crying while singing Christian songs, well this is two of my unforgettable memories of Christmas.

Today is wider mission Sunday and it is the 4th Sunday I went to church to attend the service and it is the third time I have to wear eye glasses when going to church because I can’t see well from the distance.

The service started with praise and worship, I don’t know what have come to me but I was thankful that I am alive. The scriptural topic is about commitment again, when we heard commitment we always imagined a wedding, where two people are being committed to each other through thick and thin, and until death do they part, but our pastor also give an example how an athlete being committed on practicing every morning without fail. How about you? Are you committed? Do you know how to honor a commitment or do you turn your back the moment a trial came?

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Remember, that when you are committed to serve the Lord, whatever trials may come you are strong and will not be shaken because His Love is our strength. We must remember that God challenged us to focus and we must commit to His works to be done on His ways.

To love is to sacrifice, when we love someone we must be willing to sacrifice and honor thy commitment, we must be dedicated and loyal. If we love God, we are willing to sacrifice our time for Him, Sunday is for God’s glory.

The weather isn’t nice today it is very gloomy maybe because of the typhoon. I am not still feeling well too but it didn’t stop me from waking up early and taking a bath. I need to hold on so I can live; this Sunday is Women’s Sunday so the scriptural topic is about women, and how God uses women for the victory of Israel.

We remember women’s faith, strong amid challenges.

The speaker for today is our Pastor’s wife, she said it was her first time to speak in front of congregation but I think she did well. I was touched and blessed many times on her messages; I am able to digest a lot of after thoughts.

God knocked to us when we are wandering away to wake us up, we are not given problems we cannot overcome and problems are God’s way for us to seek Him. Our prayers will be answered on His time just few of the messages I can recall. I have a lot of troubles, I am weary and what is making me to stand is my hope and my faith that everything will be fine in God’s perfect time.

Going to church after three consecutive Sundays, I am slowly becoming comfortable with people’s presence. I am now able to look around and smile to the older women I’ve seen in the church unlike the first time I can’t do it. Being embarrassed to go to church after a long time was also the reason why I didn’t go to church for a long period, and I have overcome that embarrassment when one morning I decided to go, that was the time I cannot carry all my burdens anymore and my heart is overflowing with sadness. I am now learning to feel comfortable with people, I hope slowly I will be able to gain confidence.

Nobody know what am I going through except my family. A cousin asked me why I am not leaving the country yet, my replied “It is more fun in our town” my family knew it because I can’t hide it from them when I started crying out loud like someone died, well my heart dies.

Well, after church and lunch at home I went back to bed and I have been sleeping all day.