Death, Faith and The Kingdom

“It is when our struggles stops that we lost the battle.”

“It is when we lost trust to ourselves that God can start trusting us.”

Here are the quotes that I got this morning while a pastor friend of mine shares his journey from a multi-million peso, 4 big companies, built the biggest power plant in china, lighted the whole Vietnam after war, building a couple of power plants in Hong Kong,consultant and engineer by profession, imagine a 70,000 peso [$1,500] he spent a day, a father of two, their weekly groceries alone cost 30,000 peso [$800], and guess how old is he that time? 32. He is 53 now and in the service of the community around his church.

‘Dying’ is certainly costly, death to the identity that the world gives you. Death to the destiny that your profession dictate to. For all this man has in the world started on his 20’s, at age 32 as he was sitting on his office staring that heaps of paper works – God speaks to him. He was just a plain member of a church in Manila then.

“Are you happy with all these things that I am allowing you to handle?” God said.

“Lord, you have given me so much but deep inside my heart you know that you know that I am not happy at all.” He replied, “what do you want me to do.”

“Leave…everything.” God said in his mind.

He obeyed the voice, close down his 4 companies, paid all 4 presidents, staffs, lock up the office, and leave the next decision what to do about his office facilities to the building owner. “I could have sell it of up to 700,000” he said. [$18,000]. Paid all bank debts, even leaving his own house, and live in the slum area in Manila, serving the people in 5 communities for 5 years – trusting God ‘alone,’ not a lot for his family and two kids to provide every need.

“God is cleansing us” he said. Their daily food in every meals has to come from God – “we depend on God to knock on our door and hand us some food like sardines, corn, etc through His people in the community” he said. God did.

What interest me as I and another two woman heard his story was that how one of the woman exclaimed in awe, “You have such great faith!”  in which I was totally not in tune with what she gets. I was focusing on his ‘dying’ side of his story rather than his ‘faith.’ Yes, he has indeed have great faith in which most Christians around can just have it but live totally ‘living on their own turfs.’

Yes, one’s faith in God pleases God, [without faith it is impossible to please God] but if we look at Hebrews 11, you will see these ‘hero’s of faith’ died without receiving anything to what they had faith for. Moses did not get into the promise land, the prophets were persecuted and killed, Jesus Himself in spite of being a son suffered, even what He want to happen in the Garden of Gethsemane – let this cup pass from me – He didn’t get it! So, what kind of ‘faith’ are we talking about in most Christian circles today?

Most Christians want something to happen but refuses to change. Church leaders want revival to happen in their neighborhoods but refuses to align themselves with the King. And so trying to make that revival happen in their own ways in their own terms.

I believe ‘death to self’ is a prerequisite to ‘ true faith.’ Change is costly. Change requires leaving something old behind and press to something new. The Bible says that we have to ‘put off the old man’ and ‘put on the new man.’  As Wolfgang says, “Cleaving requires leaving.”

To get into a church membership might need just someone who believes in God, makes God one’s savior. But to enter into His Kingdom, His domain takes death to one’s self. Death to one’s ambition, death to his own secured identity, as The King in His Kingdom puts it plainly – “a disciple must deny himself and take up his cross daily.” Paul, an apostle died ‘daily.’  It is interesting when Jesus and the apostles when talking about ‘death to self’ it didn’t say, “It can be repaired!” The old man has to die to give way to the new man to live. The cost of ‘being’ a disciple is not about ‘doing’ what a disciple does. What can a dead man do? Christianity today thought about serving God more by doing more as if God needed anything. It remains a fact that our Maker made us human ‘beings’ not human ‘doings.’ When we are dead to ourselves, not only God can use us. But only then God will give us our divine, [life destined by God] to us.

Gabriel, this friend’s name is, says, “Only then I realized that I cannot trust myself anymore.” We seek God’s work to fulfill His work instead seeking His ways and watch Him work. His intent for man to enter into His Kingdom is to die once so that He will be born twice [John 3]. A man who is alive to his own ways, uses his logic and intellect – no wonder God uses the fool to shame the wise – to do God’s work, such a mindset cannot be discipled – it must be killed!

Faith is not useful for those who are alive. What is faith for, is it not to raise the dead? Look at the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 37, he raised the whole army of bones and enlist them for battle. Simply a believer of Jesus does not make you a disciple. Being a disciple requires death. A believer ask for ‘discounts’ – get the lowest fee to get God’s blessings – but being a disciple is no choice. Either you lose your life to get it, or live life selfishly and lose that life ultimately.

“You have a choice.” A friend’s advice in the Wolverine movie, as he is planning to take revenge. His reply is a stunning statement: “Mine is taken.”

What is the option of a dead person? Dependent to the One who has the power to give life. Except the Author of life, King Jesus must raise him first, put on God’s faith in him and cast him off to go make more disciples for His Kingdom, he remains dead meat, stinky. That’s why Paul says, “I no longer live but Christ’s lives in me.” One who live lives for his own, simply exist. But one who is dead cannot live on his own, does not live on his own, lives for nothing – he was raised from the dead, has given new life not for his own but for the one who gives it.

A disciple who knows that he’s not living for himself but for His King, when encountered by persecutions, trials and struggles does not care anymore [- as my friend Gary Goodell says, “if it still hurts then you’re not dead yet” -]  it doesn’t matter. Why? It is not about me, I, myself, nor you, you know, it’s about The Kingdom!

God is Moving!

It has been quite a while since my last blog. It’s not because we’re not doing anything, oh well, yah we’re not doing anything except what God called us to do. To find His will is to be spirit-led. He may give us the whole picture but that’s rarely happen. The angels could have told Joseph to take Mary to Egypt and then do this and do that and do this and do that…..instead Joseph waited til he was given instructions by the angel. Today, through His Son’s Spirit in us, we are led from within!

5th National Summit in Tagaytay, Manila

What? Again, it’s Trevor’s Fault?

Around the community, me and Ian have become partners after dividing and setting up each team in the corner. Gathered up the people for them, telling them that if ‘anybody is sick and want’s to get healed instantly come out and be healed. It’s free I shouted. One even ask if there’s Salvation in it. “Sure, my friend there is for everybody.” After each team shared the gospel along with some Filipino interpreters, each also search for sick people in the houses around. Many got healed and some gave their lives to the Lord.

One of my favorite view is when Robin and Albert partnered together in preaching, Albert interpreted, leaving them for awhile while setting up others to do the same. When I came back from where they are, they were not found. I look and search for them and found them inside a small tent house where full of kids watching the happenings. I love the picture I saw, Robin and Albert laid hands on the sick child, he has high fever for 4 days. I took several shoots and get out, checking others. Later, I found the child with her mother in the basketball court healed instantly! The mother also got healed where Paul prayed in a different section. All along, the child got prayed by Robin and Albert and the mother got prayed where Paul and Jilian ministered. Mother and child doesn’t even know how that happened. So ice to see people, especially children got healed. I can imagine during Jesus time one earth, roaming around healing sick people, setting them free from deseases. What an exciting day!

EQUIPPING is the word…

Under the tree is where all the trainings took place in Cebu. What I liked this idea is simple, it can be done by just anyone would want to do. No cost, except Paul’s constant request of having coffee. Well, he didn’t request even once, instead I offered him and he politely say, “Yes, sure!” Seeing the simplicity and effectiveness this way is amazing. It becomes more of a family gatherings. Actually it teaches me a lesson of doing it the same way. I love it, it’s how we did discipleship – relationally like, instead of inviting Albert for a training, I invited him to swim in the beach along with Jilian and Jomy. And while there, teachings and learnings, and sharings of what has happening in their lives during the week or so can  be shared in a most natural way.  Just as easy as that. I’m glad we did it this way, no walls that wind could’nt pass through. It could have been hot like hell inside a room doing all the teachings, for its a hot season here this time. I find it more relaxing even to me as a host, doing all the preparations and most of the thinking, “What’s next!” A Conference idea could be done also, according to what is the goal, but talking about lifestyle, spontaneity and flexibilty is the name of the game. Such one is fit and easy to follow by just an ordinary person like Shadrack,Mishak and Abednego.

After the Ausies left, me and the boys went swimming but doing relational discipleship – talking about what has just been occured for the last 5 days. And yesterday also, til night, we had coffee together and talk and talk. We had so much learning….seeing the boys reactions and commments is an encouragements. I encourages the three of them to write their experience for thousands of people can read online. A personal story or testimony can be shared to one or two persons at a time, or a group of 20’s. Unlike blogging it, it’s unlimited and it’s always there for you. Sharing your life experiences to the world of internet!

Freeze the moment…..

Borrowing from Annete’s word, ‘freeze the moment’ have a lot of things to say to what most Christians do. We love to do it again and again until there was no life on it. Of course, we wanna do it again in the same or different community. We even had a plan sorted out that the 3 boys would do it in their own community with the three of them doing together. But Paul was right, if all we do is heal the sick and save people but not gather them around, equip them for what they need, and become a movement in the community, all there is about is indeed ‘freezing the moment.’ Honestly, the maintenance part is the hardest when it comes to starting simple church. It’s one way that we change our mindset of being a family together than just having meetings week after week. But then, as any family would do: What kind of father you are who does not see your sons and daughters. And what child you are who don’t see his parents. All needs space and time….what I want is the spontaneity of life governed the way we do church.  That is I dont’ wanna force anything trying to led the way. However, Paul’s word encourages me, “Be intentional in whatever you do.” I could not agree more.

LOL……………..

Annette has the longest laugh I ever heard…..everyone can recognize it, even my Dad. She’s the 5th mother to my son Mike Angel as she said while helping my baby put to sleep. Well, imagine, 6 Blinkin’ Ausies living right in my house? I have to buy a couple of more chairs and beds to make them comfortable. Honestly, this is normal for most fiipino’s if have the budget in which we have. Living together as family is wonderful, I learn something: Sharing. Giving is one way of living your life to the fullest. Sharing is a different story, a story fromwhich the early church mastered upon. They’re good at it. The Ausies took over control of my house, they live it as if their own house except for most, not some, of our personal belongings still inside the house. Lisa and I we’re just glad we had that house, for the purpose of guest like them. They are the first who has it anyway. It’s just a joy that you can host carefully and comfortably with your extended families. Though we feel not good with Ian and Robin’s room, wish at least there’s an air-con but sad there was not. Pretty sure next time they’ll come it be much more better.

Annette’s presence gives joy to everybody especially to my family. I always hear her names being mentioned though. She not only took good care of us here but also to the team like a Momma. Her heart for the kids here, especially for the girls, she took care of them, teaches them on how to share the Good News in simple ways. The team has some good combinations.

Along with her daughter Rachel, the girls enjoys her presence. Rachel saved Candy, a 24 year old girl. Crying while sharing the Good News. She trained also the girls on how to share the Gospel. Candy, started praying for sick people including her mother. She wrote her own story below, be shock with this cute lady:

April 31,2010 – about 1 pm..

i was talking with rachel & ruth..by the time peter & his wife,a canadian couple, were having a chat with another group of circle where paul,annette,lucinda,ian & robin sits..rachel’s companion..they were all australian..& wonderful persons…ian suddenly called my name..then he introduced me to peter & peter’s wife..ian asked me if i would like to do what paul & the other guys had discussed & taught us the other day to peter..peter had a backache & i said yes of course! though there’s a little nerve in my flesh ..lol! then..we set peter in a chair & asked him to relax..with the help of ian..we aligned peter’s feet..& then everyone reacted when they saw peter’s feet ..the other was about 1 inch & a half short..so i kneeled put my left palm at peter’s leg..& started to pray..deeply & deeply..then..there’s the sudden warm feeling flowed in my arm to peter’s skin..his shorter foot began to grow..& grow..& grow..& grow..then,someone’s touching my shoulder & i heard paul’s asking me to stop praying..because peter’s shorter foot became taller than the other foot..& so i & ian stopped praying..then the feet went to normal..then,the guys asked peter to stand & tell us what does he feel..he wiggled his hips & keep on shaking his head..& can’t find a word to describe it..he said the pain was gone..then he hugged me & thanked me..& everyone hugged me..i myself still amazed with what had happen..

May 7,2010 – about 11am

i went to molong’s nipa hut..i found jinky-a 6 year old girl,lying down & so silent..i asked her what happen to her..she complained her tummy’s aching..then..something’s whispering in my head that i should heal her.. it made me sweat a lot that i can’t understand..after a while of being uncomfortable..i kneeled near jinky & told her i want to heal her & so she have to trust me..the girl nodded..the funny thing is..my mind got blank..i can’t remember the words..glad i saved in my phone the words ian had taught me..then..i paid attention at jinky & focused..i put my palm in her tummy & started saying..”holy spirit,i release your healing power now..be healed & made whole..spirit or infirmity out! in jesus name!..”the same feeling i had when i was healing peter..my palm is so warm…after a while..jinky was running & biking..& not complaining about her tummy anymore..!!!

May 7,2010 – 9:45 pm

mama has complaining her backpain the other night..& so i remember what had happen to peter & jinky..
i asked her if her back is still aching..so before she went to bed..i did the healing to her..when i put my palm at her leg & closed my eyes..she suddenly talked..& asked me why not put my palm at her back..i also wondered but i immediately remember what paul taught..& so i explain to mama about it & that she should trust me & trust the holy spirit.. she nodded..& i start again..the next morning..i asked her about her backpain..she said it’s gone..!!my eyes went big..! lol! this is the confirmation that i waited after what had happen to peter & jinky..then i remember rachel’s text that night..”Love should be the main reason we want someone healed..”i told her what i did to jinky the other day..that i really wanted to heal the girl..can’t afford to watch her suffering pain..

PRAISE GOD FOR THESE WONDERFUL & AMAZING EVENTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All i can say is..I am happy thAt HE is within me…Amen!!! ; )

________________________________________________

The Woman Revivalist….

Her name was Lusinda, always creating some trouble wherever she was invited. Along with Robin they visited one of my Auntie’s hospital where she work as a chief nurse. [Wish I had some pics.] My two Auntie and one of my relatives witnessed what has been transpired. Healings all around the hospital. It was just good. I remember one of  my deep thoughts, if Benny Hinn or one of the healing guys has really has some healing Gifts, why not get in to the hospital and directly prays for the sick? This crusades are manipulating God with their high expensive preparations. Looks like their God could not move without a song or an opening prayer? It takes two simple people only to see what I have been envisioning – Lucinda and Robin are doing some great damage in the hospital. They are ruining their business!

My auntie’s are full of stories of what’s going on – they ended up praying for the nurses it’s because they want them to get prayed! My auntie says that it’s their first time to see this inside their worplace.

Next day, two of them visited my Auntie’s community, 5 cities block far, it takes for them about an hour and a half travel by jeepney, stayed there whole day, went home a bit late in my house. We eat ahead of them. A text was sent to my cell phone that many things has been happening where they’re at. People wanted to hold them for a night. I took about 2,500 shoots in one week while they’re here. Two locations we’re not documented, their hospital visit and my Auntie’s community place.

“No worries, just relax, at the end of the day what matters is people getting healed from their deseases and set free!” – Paul Land

First Healings…

My father was ministered first right in the middle of a crowded restaurant on the first day that we all meet. He is a trainor of gun shooting and so being reluctant wearing an ear protector his ear was damage and can’t hear anymore. Actually half of his face was sort of paralyzed. Can’t hear, can’t see one eye, and can’t breathe one side of his nostrils. And also he has sore back…all for many years. It’s different seeing someone in the community got healed, co’z you don’t know them so well. But say, your own father? That’s different. The healing takes instantly is his sore back, then his ear has some pain while praying and could hear a bit…it is recovering..and after 2-3 days he was completely healed. I tease him to cover his ear and hear me speak from a bit far. And guess what, he hears me speak and even follow what I’ve said!

Many healings took place in my house also, you better watch out, the holy spirit is here with us! A mother who has leg pain was healed instantly, she’s Candy’s mother – once a nieghbor, now a family. A Canadian couple named Peter and Margareth visited my house for a couple of hours before their flight back to Canada has been healed instantly by a prayer of 2 day old Christian, it’s Candy and Analyn 13 years old and Derick my niece, 10 years old.

All in all we ministered in 3 communities, trained about 20 people only. One community we baptizes 6 people instantly. But healings could not be counted. Albert, Jomie and Jilian has their own websites just being made. And their story can be written by their own hands then. Soon, this report can be edited with their links.

Dumaguete City

Two days in Dumaguete has some experience too, 9 of us, including me and Albert and Jomy, this time Jilian stayed. Jomy and Albert, is their first time to attend a traditional church, they didn’t even know that it’s a born again church LOL. And its their first time also to speak in front of people in  the church meetings. They’re good though. Many young people was encourage by their boldness to pray for the sick. I am very proud of my boys. It’s their first time also to get out Cebu and do some healing [mission] stuffs he he. It was just much fun. Ministering about 5 churches there in one day!

Now a lot of things must be done, leaving me a lot of assignments to follow up. But at least I became jobless instantly on healing sick people. I’m tired of sick people, they make me sick he he. Now my healing team can take over my job. I hardly pray for the sick when the Ausies are here, they hardly call my name to pray for the sick, always the boys or the girls. Think they want me jobless here. I think so, what do you reckon?

What!!! Oh that’s a filipino way of, “Pardon me?”

Ian, please explain.

This is all what I mean why it’s all Trevor’s fault. I got some reservations for him: Why he didn’t show up in Cebu? Now mate, please explain.

VIGAN and BAGUIO CITY

Most of my trips are mostly chaotic, messy, or unplanned but appeared ‘fractal’ in each location. Part of the reason, as my Singaporean extended family, Hezekiah Tee, would say, “We plan and plan until God is out of the plan” I became more convince of this truth. Even getting my airline tickets are messed up, I waited for cebupacificair to shoot me an email that they have promo fares, so to avail their marketing strategy I don’t have time to even to check with my friends in the places where I should go to. I simply asked and pray to Papa where and when within the given months that the airline offers. For 4 years that I have been traveling 2-3 times a month, at least some months I travel more than that either by air or by bus, once I flew 16 times in a month! I only canceled twice of my flights and stayed home knowing confidently that it is not His will for me to go. No ‘super-spiritual’ feeling that I need to discern but simply trusting Jesus of His leading. I’m glad I did, that He did, ..we did it together.

It was my second visit to Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, about an hour and half flight from Cebu to Clark airbase, and an 8 hour by land trip. Normally flights there are in the everning, so I arrived there as usual at 4 o’clock in the morning! And Edwin, which is my extended family there always fetch me at the terminal with his trycicle, that is a 3 wheels motorbike use to fetch people and gain some coins. I should say that for most of the places where I’ve been in my country, Vigan is the best so far, it was voted with UNESCO’s favorite tourist spots. The Spanish hetitage is brilliant in its structure, the Filipino history will be mostly found there. A very small city but there’s a lot of things to see. Anyway, Edwin treated me a tour around on my first visit. This time, it was more focus on how was he doing when it comes to making disciples and building Jesus family intentionally.

Making Disciples

Wherever I went my task is two-fold: Making disciples to those who see my life becomes a light and salt, that in turns creating themselves to believe in me, trust me and become loyal to me….’for while.’ I call this, Disciple for awhile, since you will not ask them to follow you but to follow Jesus. Second is teaching them HOW to make disciples of Jesus through their friends. In a nutshell this is what is all about…

Our job is to ‘go and make disciples to all nations,’ don’t need to go through theological stuff here, am not good at that, never been to college and surely never been to a Bible School. And by the way, I am glad I did…not. “Going” is simply where you are right now that is God would want you to make people His disciple simply because anywhere you are now it has people around you that you can make one!  Jesus has already given the command to ‘go’ and ‘sent’ you in the field. To simply ‘ask’ and ‘wait’ where only shows our timidity.

How can ‘making disciples’ becomes an easy job to reach the growing population? It is found in the word ‘make’ not in ‘disciple.’  Our job is to MAKE disciples not to disciple. I will only ‘make’ you a disciple, a disciple of Jesus Christ. If my job is to disciple you then you are my disciple. The question is, “Who’s disciple are you?” Jesus right. “So who is your discipler if you are Jesus disciple?” The Holy Spirit. The reason why disciple making becomes hard simply because we have come to believe that it is our job to disciple. Honestly, it is very hard to disciple people simply because it is not our job. But it is very easy to ‘make’ disciple simply because that is our only job.

Visitation Versus Habitation

When it comes to seminars on Discipleship, the teachers or speakers would quote how ‘Moses and Joshua” and “Elijah and Elisha’s” way of discipleship. Studying and recognizing traits of a disciple who follows his master “Moses” and “Elijah.” Sorry, it connot be done this way now simply because we are not trying to create our own disciples, but Jesus disciples. And Jesus has given us a better way to do it. Our job is to make disciples. The Holy Spirit’s job is to disciple. Jesus job is to build His Church, Ekklesia.

Old Testament way of handling the Holy Spirit is based on friendship principle, that is ‘give and take.’ The Holy Spirit was given only to three [3] kinds of person: Priest, prophet and kings. King David was such a man who has this three position. Though he is but still he knows that he only ‘borrowed’ God’s spirit that is in him: “Cast me not away from Thy presence, O Lord. And TAKE NOT Thy Holy Spirit from me.” was his prayer when he sinned against God through Batsheba. And it was the same in the case of many, “When the spirit of the came…” and He gladly came down and help in their troubles.

Indeed God is a faithful visitor…He visits Revival Nights Services on Sunday’s and what an awesome God who instantly revives people from the dead who mostly those people had just been on the mornings Sunday Worship Services! My my my, if we can revive people why don’t we do it everyday? Well, the fact is even if we are faithless He will remain faithful. We ask God to come down and He did but have ask God to stay with us? Knowing the Holy Spirit was given to us to stay within us ‘forever,’ ‘Never will leave you nor forsake you,” “I will be with you to the end of the age.” He is not ‘in’ and ‘out’ in if we fail Him but always ‘in’ in Christ Jesus, He is not looking for a place to visit but to stay at home! A visitor obviously visits for an hour or two simply because it’s not his house.

“God became flesh and dwelt among us.”

That word ‘dwelt’ in Greek simply means ‘Tabernacle.’ We become His temple, His habitation. He cannot abandon us just as He could not abandon Himself. He is with us, in us, for us! Church is simply Christ in you. It is where His spirit lives, not where we meet. Has He find His habitation in you? Or He just simply visits because you put a limitations for Him to do that?

One of the ways we hinder Him to fully be in us is just around 12 inches from our hearts – the way we think of Him! When I was in Baguio, we joined a seminar called “Hearing God’s Voice.” The theme was very interesting but to our dismay with Art and Eric, my extended family who’s hearing the speaker speaks it was not what Jesus teaches. One of the many statements that was so frustrating is: “If you don’t feel the love of God then you are not in the spirit.” Much more of the statements ca be read like this: The Holy Spirit depends on what you’re doing, if He likes it then He will stay in you, if not? Sorry, He’ll leaves!

The Holy Spirit is IN you and will always be in you “until the end of the age.” Either you feel it or not, you don’t have to. Read 1 John, get a marker and start marking the word “know” and you be shock! I don’t feel that I have an ears both sides of my head but I know I have it. I don’t feel my intestine in my tummy but I know its there. Christ in me the hope of glory. Even if I ‘try’ to backslide, sorry, I cannot because that is against what He told me!”

Three days I spent with Edwin and his wife Norma, most conversations revolved around life, family and making disciples. The family have grown there. Actually, my visit prompt us to make his personal website here: http://www.edwinsarona.wordpress.com. Our sites on making disciples are more personal rather than like an organization where everyone visits and get help in one site. Those 42 that I made disciples for a year are the ones who are connected more simply because they are the one’s who are closely related to me. They are my ‘children in the Lord’ and I have become their ”parents in the Lord.’ Of course, others may visit and learn but we encourage everyone to make their own personal site for their friends who they make disciples can visit their own too. In this way, all we’ve got in our sites are more personal experiences on HOW we make disciples and in the ‘Blogroll’ are other personal sites and so on. At this time, since we’re just starting there’s only three for now. Visit also albert’s site on how he make disciples throguh his friends here: http://www.albertpacquiao.wordpress.com

A Quick Note on Albert

Albert is the first person that I make disciples last November 2008. He is 16 year old at that time, now 17. And on this span he make 10 disciples of Jesus. He ‘buries’ them hismself! Actually two days after I left home to Vigan, January 17th, he baptizes three. Oh, sorry, only one but there is three of them who was baptized. He only baptized one, and the one that baptizes, baptizes also the other one and so on….Fell free to visit his site and see it for yourself and how this chain works. He has all the stories of his journey there. Ophs, feel free to give comments to enourage him.

HOW?

How ‘making disciples’ be the job of everybody? Everyone has friends, look for people who believe in you, trust you and loyal to you. I am sure there are. As you recognize them they are mostly younger than your age simply because you will be fathering or mothering them soon. As my father in the Lord and friend Mike Peters always reminded me of one of the powerful words Jesus spake to have ‘hundreds of fathers, hundreds of mothers, hundreds f brothers and hundreds of sisters.” That will be second intentional word to say to them, “I have become your father in the Lord and you are now my children in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 4:14 – 17, Eph. 6:1. 1 John.

Disciple for Awhile

Looking for people who believe in you, trust you and loyal to you are the traits that only you will look for a person to qualify them as ‘faithful men who can be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:2. Of course, how can ‘obey’ you as their ‘parents in the Lord’ [Eph.6:1] if they don’t believe in what you say, and you cannot be trusted as a person? Or say, what does it take for them to believe in you and trust you? Surely your life must be a ‘light’ and ‘salt’ of this earth right? Hey, we don’t bring Good News to the people, we are Good News!

‘Disciple for awhile’ as we mean it because when you finally recognize that they have your belief and trust and loyalty then you help them how to become His followers. Before he follow Jesus surely there is someone that he follows, let it be you. Because normally people will look someone who can be their leader, let it be so to you but not for long co’z there are two things that you cna do to them who normally follows you. Either you draw them to Christ or you draw them to yourself. Remember the warning of Paul to the Ephesian elders: There are those among you who draw disciples for themselves.

Again, Do it Intentionally

Being intentional is simply saying the word: I will make you a disciple of Jesus. And so on….[as you go under my HOME site you will find the article “I Will Make You A Disciple” in which my conversation with Albert and the other 42 of whom that I make disciples for a year and 2 months now. Of course, this is not a formula as these words will not work in most Ausies, however what works there is “I will help you how to follow Jesus.” And you can add to that, ” we can go together in this journey!”

PART TWO is coming….

Always IN HIM,

Long for short

Redeeming Families

“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.”

A Psalm of David, 22:27

To borrow from Roy Hession’s words from THE CALVARY ROAD,¹

THOUSANDS of years ago, in the most beautiful Garden the world has ever known, lived a man and a woman. Formed in the likeness of their Creator, they lived solely to reveal Him to His creation and to each other and thus to glorify Him every moment of the day. Humbly they accepted the position of a creature with the Creator – that of complete submission and yieldedness to His will. Because they always submitted their wills to His, because they lived for Him and not for themselves, they were also completely submitted to each other. Thus in that first home in that beautiful garden, there was absolute harmony, peace, love and oneness not only with God, but with each other.

Then one day, the harmony was shattered, for the serpent stole into that God-centred home, and with him, sin. And now, because they had lost their peace and fellowship with God, they lost it with each other. No longer did they live for God – they each lived for themselves. They were each their own gods now, and because they no longer lived for God, they no longer lived for each other. Instead of peace, harmony, love and oneness – there was now discord and hate – in other words, SIN!

It was into the home that sin first came. It is in the home that we sin more than perhaps anywhere else, and it is to the home that revival first needs to come. Revival is desperately needed in the church – in the country – in the world, but a revived church with unrevived homes would be sheer hypocrisy. It is the hardest place, the most costly, but the most necessary place to begin.

To Recapture the Church We Must Recapture The Home

Giving the modern description of the church today there is no resemblance to what the New Testament portrays. Instead of its leaders ‘fathers’ the church more like a family, they acted more on like a committee, and treated it as a corporation, and their ‘congregations is the clientele, and evangelism is sales and marketing. And there is competition with other corporations (“churches”) in the same town².’ What is once a ‘world-changers’ followers of Jesus has now become one of its ‘multi-billion’ enterprise in the business-world who is being conformed to its patterns.³

There are many sad church stories attached to this phenomenon, to name the most deadly one’s in the lists is the attacks of the family in which none of these so called ‘methods and strategies to win and earn more’ can support it nor protect it. Family members are in high risk of our own man-made persecutions. I was once in a ‘Blessing the Pastors Christmas Party’ attended by 200 Christian Leaders in my province. One recognized pastor of a mega-church was invited to speak instantly. I was surprised to hear his message to his co-pastors, “There is one thing that concerns us as pastors if our children would be willing to take over our ministry when we retire.”⁴

Dysfunctional Families

It was mentioned that for younger generations today the life of a Christian ‘had no appeal; for them, it was a sham of an existence, plastic, stenciled, prescribed, something to flee from, not something to pursue.’⁵ Or I should be merciful enough to say that church for many is something to run to for temporary relief of the pressures of the world, but still not something to pursue.

I should ask you politely and hope you will give me an honest answer. If you have been going to church for more than 10 years have you ever heard a sermon about family? I hope you did hear it more than 5 Sundays because me; aside those family seminars that I attended, only 4 Sunday on the row: 1^st Sunday: Husbands, love your wives, 2^nd Sunday: Wives, submit to your own husbands, (the pastor have even a hard time preaching about it in front of children around and singles!) 3^rd Sunday: Children, obey your parents in the Lord and 4^th Sunday: Sorry, I can’t remember it!

My point, we hardly hear sermons about how we should behave as family together but if you check out most of our problems? It’s almost all about family! One Sunday I was invited to preach in a church in the next city, I purposely tried to ‘prophesy in my mind’ just to see it for myself if this is really true. I tell you, I am not in the ‘spirit mode’ as I did this, as I said, I just tried if what I thought out is true. So, just after I prayed before my sermon on family, I called out personalities one by one,

“There are some wives here that have some marital problems with their husbands, stand up.”

“There are husbands here who have some relationship problems with their wives, stand up!”

“There are some mothers here that have problems with their children, stand up!”

“And lastly, there are some children here who have problems with their parents, stand up!

And honestly, you can count the heads of those who remain seated. Ninety-five percent of them stood up to their feet and the church numbered around 150 members! And I said to all of them,

“Our enemy, Satan, will never destroy God’s people by church but by family.”

He, Roy Hession, rightly said, “a revived church with unrevived homes would be sheer hypocrisy.”

His Dwelling: Temple Body

My Dad was saved about 3 years now in an ‘unnoticed’ organic church coffee talk meeting in a pastor’s friend’s house. After few weeks of being a Christian and can hardly go to this pastor’s friend church for a Sunday Service for he lives in the north, about 3 hours from the city, urges me to take my sisters to attend church next Sunday. I told him that ‘God, if He would choose to find a place to dwell either in a ‘church building’ or where he is at his home then He chooses to be with him. In His spirit inside my Dad, God chooses him to reveal Himself to him. That church is not where we meet but where His spirit lives. That church is not about ‘going’ or ‘attending’ a series of religious meetings once or twice a week for 2-3 hours nor ‘doing’ something to maintain his Christian life, but being with Him 24 hours a day, seven days a week,  a daily life that is affected by Him. My Dad ‘talks to God alone every night about his plans and dreams’ and ‘wakes up at 4 every morning and read his favorite Christian books and prays every dawn’ before doing his cleaning routine in his ‘My Home, My Garden’ as he calls it. And he doesn’t need to know what to call that. We Christians loves to have ‘themes’ in everything that we do; that’s a devotion, a prayer meeting, or a Bible Study and even name a ‘testimony’ when we shares our ‘Christian experiences’ to our brethren. Can we stop creating our own ’Christian Dictionary’? A simple person can know Christ without these eh?

God’s Very Own Family

If home is really where the heart is
Then home must be a place that we all share
for even with our differences our hearts are much the same
And where love is we come together there.

-Sandi Patti

“You came back” says the older Gorilla to Tarzan, after fighting over with the humans which he thought was his family. He replied, “I came home.” Coming back home from my trips is important for it is where I could be with my family. And we all share the same longing: to be with our loved ones. It is the person’s last resort or request here on earth aside God is to be or to see his or her loved ones! He maybe in death bed a husband always calls his children, or tried to find his lost son and see his face for the last time. Remember the rich man and the Lazarus? What was his last request? Is it to put his money and treasure in a safety box? Or is it to let Lazarus go back and take over his properties? Nope, but to let Lazarus go back and warned his five brothers to his current situation in hell. Who can live without a family? I interviewed a lady of his 60’s, we recognizes each other’s faces when we bump into each other. When I ask about how she feels being separated 15 years with she said, “It’s ok.” But when I ask about her not having their own children she replied with regrets by not having a family. “How pity I am and poor and needy that even when I die no one will take care me.” I realize then how important family is to her. Another incident I could not forget was when I was a youth pastor. Playing ‘ice breaker’ questions we bump into, “What is the most painful experience you’ve been through?” The answer turns out to be a story – it is to see my dad having a fight with mom.

God’s Broken Family

In my own experience was when my Dad was once have another woman and see my mom hurting I cried out in my bed. I was very young being a Christian then. I ask God many times with the same question: Why. God switch the topic from my family to His and said to me, “Have you not felt how it hurts me so bad to see my own family, Adam and Eve fell?” Those words cut so deep in my heart that I was crying for hours like carrying Gods burden in me. With just that sentence I was feeling the heart of God. I have the desire to see my own family restored but God gives me that desire by putting His desire in me!

“Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4. It can be read also as follows, “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you what to desire in your heart.” I am having His desire to restore families wherever I go. This is the way ‘to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Lk.1:17

God’s Way of Family Redemption

To be continued…..

Footnotes:

1. The Calvary Road, Roy Hession. Chapter 6: Revival in the Home. http://www.christianissues.biz/pdf-bin/sanctification/thecalvaryroad.pdf
2. Reimagining Church, Frank Viola. Chapter 5. Page 99-100
3. http://www.truthwatch.info/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=130&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
4. Pastor Mel Caparus of Living Word Christian Fellowship. ‘Blessing the Pastors’ Party hosted by OMF Lit. Inc. held at Royal Concourse, 2006.
5. http://www.simsonwolfgang.de/betterthantheHippies.pdf