Thursday, September 16, 2010
A Letter from Mom and Dad to their children
Sulat ni Tatay at Nanay
Thursday, August 19, 2010
EAGLES IN A STORM
Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
LESSONS FROM THE STORMS OF LIFE
The storms and trials of life are as sure to come your way as the breath you just took. Some people seem to live in the midst of a storm, but none of us are exempt from at least passing through them. Storms are not fun and often leave us with damage that we have to deal with. It is important for us to realize though, that the storms of this life bring lessons that we cannot learn apart from them. We must work not to get bitter in the storm but rather rejoice that our Father is allowing us another opportunity to learn.
- The Reasons We Go Through Storms
- God sends storms to draw us close to Him
- Satan attacks with the permission of God (Job 1:12; 2:6)
- Troubles are part of life (Job 14:1-2; 5:7)
- Storms Give a Better Revelation of Us
- The disciples were sailing just fine on their own during the calm – “but as they sailed He fell asleep” (Luke 8:23)
- The storm came and was causing problems but the disciples were still trying to do it own their own – “they were filled with water” (Luke 8:23)
- When the waves filled the boat and they were in trouble they turned to Him – “they came to him” (Luke 8:24)
- Storms Demonstrate the Faithfulness of God
- When the sea was calm and the disciples were sailing they gave no thought to the fact that the Lord was keeping the seas calm
- When the storm got out of control the disciples were able to see that Jesus was faithful to calm it
- Storms Give Us a Better Revelation of Christ
- The disciples apparently did not know that the wind and the water had to obey Jesus (Luke 8:25)
- This showed them a side of Jesus that they could not have seen without the storm.
- Those who were not in the storm had no idea what Jesus could do.
- This event proved Jesus Christ to be God (Psalm 65:5-7)
- This event showed that Jesus comes to the aid of His own – “he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water” (Luke 8:24)(See Psalm 78:65-66)(Daniel 3:23-27)
- Storms Give Us a Longing for Heaven (Revelation 21:4)
- Tears - If we had no tears we could not long for the day when God shall wipe away all tears.
- Death – If we had no separation in this life we wouldn’t know the joys awaiting us in a land where there is no separation.
- Sorrow – Without the heartaches, troubles and sorrow we wouldn’t be longing for a land where no sorrow can enter.
- Pain – If you had no pains, or ailments in this body you wouldn’t know the blessing of receiving a glorified body and dwelling in a land where no sickness can harm you.
Conclusion: Are you going through a storm? Maybe the Lord sent you into this storm so that you will draw closer to Him. Maybe this storm is nothing more than an attack from Satan. Maybe it is just part of this life. Whatever it is, don’t give up. If the disciples had given up before they awoke the Master, they might have perished. They certainly would not have had the revelation that Christ is the Master of the elements of this world. What is the Lord trying to show you? If you’ll trust in Him, the fellowship experienced in the midst of this storm may very well be the sweetest fellowship you will experience on this side of eternity.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Who build our lives?
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then, with a shock, we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we would do it much differently. But, you cannot go back. You are the carpenter, and every day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Someone once said, "Life is a do-it-yourself project." Your attitude, and the choices you make today, help build the "house" you will live in tomorrow. Therefore, Build wisely!On August 9, 1173 AD, construction began on a freestanding bell tower that would stand adjacent to a cathedral in the town of Pisa, Italy. The tower would eventually reach the height of 186 feet. It masterfully blended the Gothic and Romanesque architecture signifying its centuries of construction. However, it was not the height, nor the architecture of this freestanding bell tower that would make it famous. After a mere 5 years of construction and three completed floors, construction halted because the foundation of the bell tower started to sink. The 3 meter foundation was not stable enough to support the weight of the tower and it started to lean at a nearly 4 degree slant, to the extent that the top of the tower leans over its base by 17ft! It is that 4 degree slant that made this tower famous - The Leaning Tower of Pisa! Ask any builder and they will tell you that having the proper foundation is essential for any building project. Jesus used a parable to teach this important truth. As you build your spiritual houses, make sure your foundation is stable.
Why is a foundation essential to every building project? Because the foundation is what holds everything up, it’s what holds everything together. No matter what quality of materials you use; no matter how carefully you join the frame together; no matter how skilled your craftsmen may be – if the foundation isn’t solid and stable, your “house” will lack integrity. Over time, cracks will develop in the walls. The windows will stick. The roof will leak. And sooner or later, the storms of life will bring it crashing down, and everything you’ve worked so hard to build will be lost. When you build your spiritual house, the foundation must be solid. And there can be only one foundation for our lives. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Cor. 3:11).
Even though our homes could be bigger and better - and our lives of righteousness are far from where they could be, we still have the assurance of salvation through faith in Christ. And so we sing, “on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”