God Is Moving One More Time In Our Place

It's been a quite time I have no post here, due to the goal of my project I must have to finish.

More than two weeks ago we have been doing Birthday celebration services, you know November is the month which most members in our Church celebrate birthdays.

Then, more than a week ago, we conducted a funeral service in a very indigent family which requested us to conduct the Bible Services and the funeral service for free.

I have also speaking invitations for the thanksgiving celebrations in November and this month of December. Thank God for the opportunities.

Also, I was requested to preach in a Bible Service in the home of the Municipal employee who died with brain cancer.  This family belongs to the rich family in the town and the reason that most visitors during that night I preached the gospel were the richest people in the town with the Municipal Officials.

I felt little bit nervous to preach at the front of these people, but anyway the Lord used me with the power of the Holy Spirit, which also gave me wisdom.




The Message

I preach the word of God taken from 2 Peter 3:10-18.

I emphasized about our life and everything we have here on earth is only temporary  and we are going to live in eternity, then if we are saved we will live with God in the new heaven and the new earth, but, if we are not saved we will go to the everlasting torment.

Then I quoted Lazarus and the rich man in the book of Luke.

I let them to picture out how terrible must be to be in hell/hades like the rich man who asked a one drop of water from a finger of Lazarus to satisfy his thirst, but never granted. And the problem having tormented with tremendous thirst, he was never be dehydrated and have to die, but lives in eternal torment.

The last request of the rich man who is in hell/hades tormented, was to send Lazarus to his 5 brothers to tell them to repent of their sins before they will die so that they will not go with him in hell. The rich man in hell felt a great concern for his brothers who are not ready to go to heaven. But again his request was not granted.

Why does the rich man go to hell/hades after he died? Is that because he was rich and Lazarus went to heaven or paradise because he was poor? No!

The reason why the rich man is tormented in hell because of unbelief about God.

We will see clearly that he was full of unbelief about God, when Abrahan said to him, Moses and the Prophets are there on earth let them hear and believe their message. But the rich man, replied no! They will not believe unless one will rise from the dead to tell them about life after death.

Now why the rich man say that they will not believe Moses and the Prophets?

It is because he experienced already with his 5 brothers that they have heard the message about God preached to them, but they never believed.  And the reason he was so concern because if they will  not believe the message and repent of their sins while still alive they will go to where he is after they died.

My Opportunity To Preach The Gospel

So I have now the opportunity to preach to the audience about the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I said, forgiveness of sins is only granted after a heartfelt repentance, but repentance will not take please unless he first heard and believed the message of the gospel.

There I emphasized the importance of the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the importance of the task of the preacher.

In order to be saved or someone will repent and his sins will be forgiven, there must be a preaching of the gospel first before it is accepted. Jesus said, go to all the world and preach the gospel, he that believes and is baptized shall be saved.

Apostle Paid said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to them that believed...

The Audience 

While I was preaching, there was a very silent mode of the people, listening,  the Holy spirit was cooperating, the dogs never did any noise, I remember one time I preached, there was a dog always barking. But this time, it was really God in action, even the microphone and the amplifier cooperated. The owner of the amplifier told me after the service that he was wondering that his amplifier has no problem during the service.

When I started to preach, it seems the others were hesitant because they were talking with the group, but after the introduction, I've got their attention, because I said, no one can escape from death and the judgement of God.

So I continue to preach, about the way of God that people will get saved from sins. I said, God saved us through the Lord Jesus Christ who died to pay our sins, then what Jesus did must be known to all people by means of preaching and it is up to you to believe or not the gospel.

But the Bible says, he that believes will be saved but those who don't believe will be damned.

That is exactly what happened to the rich man who will forever be tormented in hell, because he don't believed God. When someone do not believe the gospel, he actually rejected the only means of God for him to saved.

People will not go to hell because they have committed the grievous sins; stealing, murdering and so forth, but they go to hell because of unbelief about God. There is no grievous sin in the power of the blood of Jesus for someone who believe the gospel, but only the sin of unbelief that the power of the blood of Jesus become powerless.

Those are the points that made no one did not raise their hands when I requested them to raise their hands with faith in God for their salvation. Hallelujah! Then I led them into prayer!




Jesus Did Not Pay The Sin Of Unbelief

After the service I was wondering, why is the condition for salvation is believe? Why did Jesus say, there must be a belief of the gospel for salvation?

As I meditate the word of God, I remember what I said the message that it is unbelief about God that makes man a sinner. He is not a sinner after he committed the sins.

Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, they were not sinners after they have eaten the fruit of the forbidden tree, but they become sinners before they ate that fruit, it was the sin of unbelief in the word of God.

God said to them, do not eat or else you will die. Doubt came into their hearts followed up by unbelief then the action. Before they have eaten the fruit, they were sinners already.

Murders, adultery and all committed sins are only the results of the sin of unbelief. Jesus never died for the sin of unbelief, he only died for the results of the sin of unbelief.

Jesus only paid the fruits of unbelief, but not the sin of unbelief. The reason why, one must have to believe the gospel because Jesus never died for unbelief. He bore our sins, he paid already our sins, those are the sins - the actions of our sinful nature.

We are not to pay our sins anymore, Jesus paid it all, but we are responsible for our belief.

We are not responsible for the payments of our sins, but we are responsible for our belief. People will not go to hell because they have committed sins, but they will go to hell because of their unbelief of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is why, salvation will be received by faith/belief in the gospel our Lord Jesus Christ.


PS

Prayer requests:

Please pray for a good digital Camera that we can use for our activities. My wife won a digital camera in 2004 in a raffle draw of Avon Cosmetics that she is a dealer. But in 2009, it got troubled  beyond repair. From that time, we used to borrow a camera when we have highlight occasions. We have so many activities that cannot take a good picture.

Include also in your prayer for the Sunday school department building for children. We need some finances to build this project, since the children in our church is increasing in number.

Thanks....

October 2014 Ministry Activity In The Municipality Of Santo Nino

Ministry Updates

By Pastor Alberto Rendon

Hi! And Hello... to all my followers! It has been a quite time I was off line with the Philippines Christian Journal. I have been very busy and our internet has no good connection in the past almost two weeks.

I wanted to post here some of our photos in our Ministerial Sports Fest and the Radical Youth Anniversary and Thanksgiving last October 23-24, 2014. The schedule was changed instead of October 29-30, 2014 because of the schedule of the semestral  break that was made in advanced.

This Ministerial Fellowship is composed of different Churches mostly independent. The event was participated with 9 churches in our Municipality.  

The Juniors youth having fun with the outdoor games. This is one of the games - the open the basket and close the basket. 

The attendees were divided into different categories with different games. We have bad minton for boys and girls and also the Volleyball for boys and girls.

We also have indoor games; like basketball for boys only and for the Chess was for anyone who knows to play.The two-day sports fest and the youth radical anniversary was so very successful and enjoyable, attended by different categories from Kinder up to college and adults.

We have  a worship service in the morning on the first day for one hour and a half. The food was serve free - two meals. And in the celebration of the youth radical anniversary dinner was sponsored by one of the young people from abroad who was the organizer of the YR. This young woman went to work abroad as a domistic helper, and has the burden to help the youth in our churches.

Thanks for the donors, there were who donated rice, chicken, vegetables, ducts and snacks.

There were some outdoor games played  by the Kinder and elementary level. Also we have different indoor games and a few Bible games.

These photos was taken in the last night, the Radical Youth 1st Thanksgiving and 1st Anniversary Celebration service that started about 5 PM up to 7 PM. I was about  to come for the opening prayer. And the prayer for everyone before the closing of the service.

These are some of the pictures taken in the two-day sports fest.



 Pastors Fellowship and Revival in Makilala

Our Pastors Fellowship and Revival in Makilala was very successful.... There was truly a revival. The schedule was held at the new local church  which the members did not know at first what this fellowship and revival means.

It was a half day prayer bonding fellowship that was last Friday afternoon October 31, 2014 and in the night was the revival service.

The presence of the Lord was really moving and the service was blessed by God, together with the members in that local church and the pastors that come from different area in Southern Mindanao was so very happy and blessed. One of the members testified that he wanted to extend to the schedule because he was so blessed, but he said that he will attend whenever the next fellowship be scheduled.

I preached a message in titled "God's way leads to success and victory" I will be sharing the content of this message in my next post - God willing.

The Condition Of God's Liberty

To God be the glory! We just have attended the Care Ministries meeting today, and this afternoon was another meeting with the Pastors in our Barangay/Village about 4 PM and we have finalized our coming activities tomorrow night.

Our Barangay is celebrating its 63rd Foundation Anniversary, and we thank God that the independent Churches have given a one night activities. We are composed of four Evangelical Churches that will conduct a Mini Concert and crusades with raffle draws tomorrow - October 15, 2014.  We thank the Lord for the provisions that we could sponsor for the prizes of the raffle draws, we will give 3 major prizes and twenty plus consolation prizes.

Our Music team is having every night practice, because the other three churches have no musical team, it's from our church that will present the mini concert. Those who can read this post before the event please pray for us.

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The Condition Of God's Liberty

The message I shared last Sunday was about the Liberty that God has promised to those who become followers of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

The Greek word for Liberty is "eleutheros" which literally means "not a slave" or "born free" or "free man or woman."

But what the  Apostle Paul - under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit who wrote the Corinthian books in the Bible - means of liberty, is not about literal.  This liberty speaks about spiritual liberty, because it says "...where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

Once we have received the Spirit of the Lord we also received this liberty. In other words, we are no longer a slave "eleutheros." But being free...! Free from what?  We are free from the bondage of sin.

Man is born a sinner, he is born and is bound with sin. In order for a man to be set free from sin, that sin must be broken or removed from him.  And there is no other way for us to be set free from sin except the blood of Jesus Christ. For the Bible says, Jesus Christ is "...the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

In other words, forgiveness of sin is offered and is available for all, but it will not work unless its condition is fulfilled.  That means that liberty is not working until the condition is provided, in short cut, you must receive the spirit of liberty. And is simply you cannot receive something that is offered if you do not have the understanding that it is belong to you.



Freedom is a free gift, forgiveness of sin is a free gift. In other words, salvation is a free gift. Jesus Christ is the greater gift of all, and it is because there a gift we must accept it  by faith and no payment is expected. That is why the Bibles says in Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" KJV.

Justification Is by Faith Alone

Our Mini Concert and Raffle draws last October 15, 2014 was so very successful. We have given 30 consolation prizes and 3 major prizes. We were little bit worried in the afternoon because of the strong rain that lasted about 3 hours, but we praise the Lord it stopped exactly before we started the activities.
 

Tomorrow October 18, 2014 we will have a whole day breakthrough seminar, may the Lord will bless this event and on October 22-23, we will have a Ministerial Sports Fest and Youth Radical First Anniversary and Thanksgiving Celebration. This schedule was changed from October 20-30, 2014 due to advance semestral break.

On October 31, we will have our Fellowship and Revival in Makilala North Cotabato together with the Pastors of Anchored In Jesus Evangelistic Association.

Please uphold us in your prayer.

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Justification Is by Faith Alone
Originally written by Pastor Alberto Rendon 

I have been listening to the teaching  of the Pastor that I am following on the internet. He said that Salvation is by Grace Alone, and not by faith alone, because faith is not alone. I think he missed the point about salvation that is by faith alone and nothing more.



So if Salvation is by Grace alone, it seems that it does not need anything even faith or else salvation is not by grace alone. Right? But it was not biblical because salvation is on two sides. In the side of God, it is by his grace alone that man can be saved, but on the side of man it is by faith alone that he can receive salvation.

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephessians 2:8-9

When we say salvation is by faith alone, it is based on the side of man. But in the sense of two sides, salvation is by grace and by faith.

How about works? Works are not necessary for anyone to receive salvation, because salvation is a gift. If it is a gift, it does not need any work as payment, or else the gift should no longer be a gift at all, but a reward because you can receive it as the reward of your works.

If salvation is not received by faith alone because you need to work for it, then, how many volumes of the works you should have to do to merit salvation? Can we give a specific number of works for us to do in order to be saved? If there is a number of works to do in order to be saved, then if you cannot comply all the works required in order to earn salvation, you will never be saved.

That is why on our side, salvation is by faith alone.

At the moment you put your trust in the finished work of Christ for your salvation, you have that faith, and at that moment you have received salvation. Of course you have to hear first the preaching of the gospel of Christ or else you will not put your trust in His finished work for your salvation.

After you have heard and you are convicted by the gospel of Jesus Christ, you have realized that you are a sinner and you are responsible of your sin and you will receive a judgment because of that sin. And now, you realized that you are in need of salvation from the judgment of your sin, and you have seen nothing and no one that can save you from your sin except only Jesus Christ, then you accepted him that he is your personal savior and that he has already paid the penalty of your sin , at that moment you received salvation. At that point, you are on your saving faith.

Salvation is Received On the Moment of Saving Faith

Any moment after a person has received salvation dies, he is saved no matter what he has done because salvation is not based on works but on faith alone. In other words, he has done nothing to merit his salvation before he died except by faith alone in the finished work of Jesus, I believe he is saved it is because he has  already received salvation not because of his works, but through his faith on the finished work of Christ for his salvation. 

It is very clear that salvation is not of your works, but it is by God's grace and through your faith in the finished work of Christ for your salvation.

At the moment you have that faith, God in heaven declared, you are justified.  Romans 5:1 "Therefore being justified (saved) by faith, (no additional works) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:.."

Sanctification is by Faith that produces Good Works

Justification and sanctification are the result of salvation as well as glorification. But sanctification will produce good works to show forth that you have been saved.

The reason the Holy Spirit is given is to aid for your sanctification, for without the Holy Spirit you cannot live a sanctified life.

We do not practice good works because we want to have a sanctified life, we do the good works because they are the results of a sanctified life.

Talking about good works, many people could have done many good works, but without the gift of salvation in their lives, their good works are nothing, but as filthy rags before God. Unless your life has already been sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ, the good works you are doing are not credited in the sight of God, as well.



Justification is Passive and Sanctification is Progressive

The Bible says, you have been declared justified, that means your case has been acquitted, you are no longer a criminal, because you don't have a case anymore, it has been settled. That is what it means passive.

But you still have to follow the rules of being a free man or woman. Following the rules speaks of sanctification, so your role as an acquitted man is to follow the rules, that's moving forward doing the things according to the rules. That is what it means progressive and that is what it means to live a sanctified life.

All of this starts when you put your trust on the finished work of Jesus Christ. And that is what it means faith. You have trusted in Jesus Christ that he has saved you through his death, you have trusted in Christ that you have been forgiven of your sins and you have been cleansed by the his precious blood. 

So in Christ alone (God's grace) and by Faith alone (your trust/faith) that you have been justified or saved. You are not only being justified, but your justified life is being sanctified so that you can produce good works that could be counted as good in the sight of God.

Living by Faith With A Heart For God

Romans 1:17 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith."

Previously, I posted an article about the nominal Christians that professed they are Christians because they have a  christian religion, but has no experience of true conversion by the Gospel of Christ.

Today, I want to share about the believer who walk or live by faith with a heart for God, and a believer who live by faith while being with the people that have a heart for God.

There are two kinds of believers of the gospel that I have seen in the Christian life. Beside of being nominal Christians, they are purely Christians not just professing, but living Godly and in obedience especially in time of abundance with the people of God, and when worldly things are prompting to surround him, he gradually compromised.

These believer have been converted by the Gospel, but they have different experiences in their walk with God.

1. A Christian that live by faith with a heart for God.
2. A Christian that live by faith without a heart for God.

However, abundance is dangerous when a believer has no heart for God.