Greatest Love

We must be crazy

2009-01-20T18:07:00.000+08:00

Some of us have to work like crazy just to earn a few dollars (pesos) a day and send our children to school. It's a lopsided world. I guess the rest of us just have to think, "I'm working for the Lord" so we can walk the second mile and turn the other cheek.

Please Vote for This Cooperative for Very Poor Families

2009-01-01T04:23:00.000+08:00

We are starting a multi-purpose cooperative for very poor families near our home. However, because of poverty, their membership fees and shares will not be enough to really get this cooperative going. So we have asked GiveMeaning.com to include this coop in their online fundraising.

To get this proposal approved, we need at least 100 votes online. We have already received 31 votes in a few days from friends like you on Facebook and Friendster. I'm asking you to also vote online by visiting this link: GiveMeaning, or copy-pasting this link on your browser: http://www.givemeaning.com/proposal/hopecooperative .

If you can, please also pass this on your network or post it on your Multiply account. Thanks, and a Blessed and Happy New Year!

Birds don't go hungry unless...

2007-12-26T14:17:00.000+08:00

It says that birds don't go hungry. Jesus said they don't work or worry about the future. Yet God feeds them daily. Well, I really believed that until...

Yesterday, I learned that our love birds had not been fed for almost two days. That was because my wife forgot to buy bird feed. My immediate reaction was that the birds won't go hungry because God will feed them. Suddenly, I caught myself. Well...no...they ARE hungry because they are not free to roam around and look for food. They ARE trapped in a bird cage! They will eat ONLY if I feed them!

That's when it dawned on me that many Christians would not go spiritually hungry if only they were free to roam around. But because churchianity has become so restrictive and so exclusive, millions of Christians are now going spiritually hungry. Many Christians are like my love birds, trapped in a man-made cage of religiosity. They are not free to think or live as Christ would have them. They have been told that they can't read the Bible correctly and that they need pastors or priests to correctly interpret the word of God for them. They are told they have to go to Bible study or worship service in order to be fed. Otherwise, they will go hungry.

That's like putting love birds in a bird cage. I decide when and how they will be fed. And, if I forget, they go hungry. God's care for the birds is frustrated because they have been imprisoned in a cage.

Christians will be fed day in and day out (and not just on Sundays or Wednesdays) if they are not caged. They will grow if only they are free to roam and be as God intended them to be. They will multiply if they are set free to be led by their Maker. Isn't it time to free God's children?

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Tags: birds, christianity, spiritual growth, clergy, pastors, priests

Why the healing ministry and house church can't mix

2007-08-12T21:35:00.000+08:00

Can they really mix? Some have tried to marry the healing ministry with house churches but it seems to me it won't really work. Well, that is, not unless there are some major changes in the theology and praxis of the healing ministry.

Modern healing ministries have come to be quite a structured system. Being part of the traditionally structured church, healing has had to involve corporate worship and a prayer ministry. These two conventions necessitate a clergy (the ministry or prayer team) and clergy-led events (the healing seminar). So, although some healing ministries do try to heal clergy-related issues and structure-related issues, much of the healing ministry still use the traditional structure and clergy to acheive its purposes.

In one denomination where freedom and healing are major focuses for ministry, corporate worship is still a major weekly requirement. Prayer ministry teams are used to "bring healing" to the rest of the congregation. The whole system still separates the haves and have-nots — the trained and untrained.

House churches, on the other hand, by theology and praxis, do not support hierarchies and cannot employ a division between priests and people — clergy and laity. There is only one priesthood which includes all Christians.

For healing and house churches to merge, the healing ministry must give up some of its major structures. A prayer ministry with trained prayer ministers must give way to the priesthood of ALL believers (not just a few). Corporate worship has to give way to 24/7 worship where the life of each Christian, rather than just his singing, is the offering of worship. Programmed healing must give way to healing relationships in the context of life, issues, and problems.

In house churches, we've discovered that one topic of discussion may take a season to learn and experience thru life. This topic may become interwoven with other topics and issues in life. It is not proper nor even convenient to just discuss one new topic every week like most congregations do every Sunday. Rather, the Holy Spirit teaches and confronts people for a season, and it's better for them to stay with their issues for weeks or even months until the Holy Spirit is finished with that particular lesson. In other words, moving from one life lesson or topic to another each week or each meeting is not needed nor even appropriate.

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Tags: healing, house church, christianity, life lessons

No worries

2007-06-16T08:40:00.000+08:00

It's amazing how God assures us that our food, shelter, and clothing are taken care of. I don't have to worry about what my family will eat today or tomorrow. Right now we have a place to stay — our own home. We all have clothing. Although we may not always be able to buy the clothes we like, we will not go naked. These things are promised by our Provider.

At the same time, Jesus promised that He will build His own church and nothing and no one can destroy it! I don't even have to worry about planting His church or bringing in more disciples. No one can come to Christ unless he is called by the Father. It is the Spirit who brings conviction to a person's heart. I am just an instrument at the right time and the right place. His command to us is simply to disciple the ones He calls, baptize them, and teach them all His commandments.

I have determined that I will not build His church. I will let Christ build His own church. I will simply obey His command to disciple the ones He brings into my life. I will go and find the ones He is calling (when they are already ripe for the picking) and disciple them.

His Kingdom is like a seed that was planted. The farmer goes to sleep and the seed continues to grow by itself without the need for the farmer. The miracle of life and growth belongs to God. Again, the Kingdom is like yeast, just a little and it expands the dough. The Father is the Great Farmer.

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Tags: worry, anxious, provision, church, kingdom, house church, Christianity, discipleship

Whose follower are you?

2007-06-11T09:04:00.000+08:00

Last night we were at a birthday party, a surprise party thrown by the friends of one of our brothers in Sta. Rosa. We had a rare chance to meet some of our old friends/comrades from other churches.

After the party, some lingered around and talked for a while before heading home. One of the former pastors of my old denomination shared how the senior pastor of his present church was really an uncommon Pentecostal because he was strict with the Word. That means he really had a very high respect and admiration for his senior pastor. He also mentioned how one of the families of Metro South Vineyard now attends his church.

The whole conversation reminded me how Paul scolded the Corinthians about being followers of Peter, followers of Paul, followers of Apollos, and followers of Christ. He scolded them for the factionalism and disunity in the Corinthian church.

Will he not scold us in the 21st century for being followers of so many leaders and for being divided into hundreds of denominations and thousands of churches? When I meet other Christians, the talk is always about "Which church do you belong to? What denomination does your church belong to? Are you Pentecostal, Evangelical, Born-again, Full-Gospel, Protestant, Catholic, etc?" And as if that was not enough, Christians now talk of their ministries like they were denominations. Worse, they now want to convert churches and denominations into their "way of ministering."

Have we become followers of men instead of followers of Christ? Be honest. Paul warned that God will destroy those who destroy His temple — who divide His church.

What is communion?

2007-06-04T06:31:00.000+08:00

My wife is in the province on a mission and I'm left at home to look after the kids. Yesterday, Sunday, was a pretty tough day, busy with household chores. Good thing it was Sunday, and it was a day when I did less of my business work. In the evening, almost everyone was present -- just one of the boys was out. However, short dinner together was, it was lovely, sharing in a meal my daughter, my eldest son and I prepared: mung bean stew and deep-fried chicken.

The best part was sharing time together and joking around. With three teenagers, that's the order of the day. :)

Communion comes from two simple words: common and union. We've placed too much religious meaning into communion that we've lost the real sense of that word. Communion is about sharing in the things we have in common and thereby developing unity.

Communion is not a ritual. It's a lifestyle. It's about sharing with the ones we love, spending time and resources with them, serving them, and being served by them too. It's about going out of our way to develop unity with each other. It's about fellowship, talking, eating, and laughing; sharing dreams, concerns, hopes, and disappointments. And, the most important thing we share in common is Christ and his love.

What is church?

2007-06-03T11:25:00.000+08:00

Someone asked me just a few hours ago if it's alright to not attend church, stay home, watch a couple of Christian preachers on TV, and pay tithe to a chosen Christian organization.

To answer the first part of this question, we need to redefine "church." What is church?

Jesus said, in Mt 18:20 (GWT):

Where two or three have come together in my name, I am there among them.

He also said in Mt 16:18 (GWT):

... on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not overpower it.

There's only one church that Jesus built and continues to build. Nothing in this universe, physical or spiritual, can ever destroy his church. The church is not physical (such that it can be destroyed). Hence, it is not a building that can be destroyed by fire, nor an organization or corporation that can be disbanded or dissolved. Church is not the worship service or mass or even the time set aside for corporate gathering that can be called off due to inclement weather or emergencies.

Church is US. We, who believe in Christ and follow him and have received the Holy Spirit and continue to walk in the Spirit, are the church. Where two or three of us gather together as Christ's followers, Jesus is there in the Spirit. He inhabits us because we are his Temple.

Church is a group of people, not a place or event. It is not even a registered organization.

Thus, when two or three of us gather, we don't have to gather in a holy place. We are the Holy Temple. We don't have to meet at a holy time. We are forever in communion with Christ, now "seated...with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:5 –Eph 2:6, NRSV).

Yes, you don't have to go to church because you ARE the Church. You are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. You are part of his spiritual Temple, the New Temple. But you must obey Christ's command to love one another.

Decrease so he may increase

2007-05-31T18:30:00.000+08:00

I heard that Andy Comiskey, founder of Desert Stream Ministries, was in Hong Kong lately on his way to Manila, Philippines, for a conference. He was not allowed to travel to Manila because his passport would expire in less than 6 months. He had to go to the US Embassy in Hong Kong to renew his passport. It normally took 1 day to get it renewed but his was rushed in just 15 minutes (according to the story).

For some this would look like a case of spiritual warfare. But I wonder what message the Lord was really sending.

John the baptizer said that he must decrease so that Christ may increase. Too often Christians have been so enamored by their leaders to the point that they have idolized them. I say that Catholics may venerate saints, but Evangelicals idolize their leaders. What's the difference? It's all idolatry.

Christian leaders should avoid being idolized and put on a pedestal by their followers. In fact, Christian leaders should not seek a following. Paul warned the Corinthians not to be divided into factions -- those who say I'm a follower of Paul, or a follower of Peter, or even a follower of Christ. Leaders should step down from their pedestals. As John said, leaders should decrease so that Christ may increase.

Perhaps the message from the Founder and Builder of the Church is: "I want my Church back."

God can just suddenly dismantle our plans just like that at Hong Kong. We are at his mercy. He really is the Leader and Pastor of all.

Why are we here?

2007-05-29T16:33:00.000+08:00

We're not here to establish or start a new church. We are already the Church. And this world does not need another "church" or another group with beliefs that are different from other churches.

We are here to follow Jesus and obey His commands so we can be the Church he wants us to be -- united and filled with love. It's about time we find out what he wants us to do. To find out, follow him wherever he goes. Talk to him. Ask him. Eat with him. Walk with him. Don't let him out of your sight. Feel him. Breathe what he breathes.

Back to blogging by Google

2007-05-28T09:15:00.000+08:00

Google now owns Blogger, and I just migrated my Blogposts to my Google account. We can resurrect this blog. PM me at my YM : philpayfx or post a comment below.

Vision & Mission

2006-08-14T13:16:00.000+08:00

Our Vision

To be a Christ-focused open and simple church discipleship community where faithful worshippers of our heavenly Father lovingly serve one another and reach out to the world through the love and power of the Holy Spirit

Our Mission

To proclaim the Gospel of Love by raising empowered disciples who will multiply open and simple churches by living a life of love and sacrifice for each other and for their communities

Footwashing in the Filipino Culture

2006-08-11T09:15:00.000+08:00

Jn 13:12 –Jn 13:17 (GWT)
After Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer clothes, he took his place at the table again. Then he asked his disciples, “Do you understand what I’ve done for you?
You call me teacher and Lord, and you’re right because that’s what I am. So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet. I’ve given you an example that you should follow. I can guarantee this truth: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them. If you understand all of this, you are blessed whenever you follow my example.

Foot-washing is not a ritual to show humility. Nor is it a means to humble oneself. It is a cultural expression of hospitality and humility. In Israel, it was a job for the lowest slave. It was accorded to all honored guests. Guests who were not welcome were not given the honor. Note the lack of respect by one of the Pharisees who hosted Jesus. Yet among the women believers, "washing the feet of the saints" is equated with hospitality.

The cultural equivalent of foot-washing among modern Filipinos is offering (and actually cooking) a meal and a place to stay for the night. Among expat Filipinos (and OFWs), the equivalent could include offering to tour and even provide transportation to a guest.

The offer of hospitality has to include doing something that is commonly done by household helpers. In the Philippine provinces, this would even include personally harvesting fruit for take-home by the guest. It is the act of taking a servant's job and doing it for a guest. Of course, if a person is poor or does not have hired help, then he/she has to do the act himself regardless. (I guess that's the advantage and "higher position" of the poor.)

What Jesus is calling for here is for us His servants to humble ourselves before each other, to welcome each other wholeheartedly, and to serve each other humbly. By welcoming and serving each other, we are actually welcoming and serving the Lord. "Whatever you have done to the least of My brothers, you have done it to Me."

Every home a church

2006-08-01T13:11:00.000+08:00

It has always been a question in my mind how we are supposed to grow as God's children and as a Church. In my discussions with the brothers here and with my wife, it seems that the way we can truly grow together as a family and as a church, is to integrate the family and the church. The family is the church first and foremost. It is only as we grow as a family that we grow as a church. If our beliefs as Christians do not transform our lives at home, it is pointless going out with the "good news" because the good news is not good news at all. Here's a diagram of our first steps as Christians in our families and in our communities:

"...4 Hear, Israel: God is our God; God is one:
and you shall love God your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
These words, which I command you this day, shall be on your heart;
and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.
You shall bind them for a sign on your hand, and they shall be for symbols between your eyes.
You shall write them on the door-posts of your house, and on your gates."
[Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - BBE]

To begin teaching our families about God, we must first walk as Christ would and follow His life. We teach by example. We disciple by example. We must talk, walk, think, eat, drink, and breathe Christ in our lives first.

Our homes must first become a church before we can draw others to become church with us.

I would most appreciate any comments you have on this.

Update on Togo refugees in Ghana

2006-08-01T13:07:00.000+08:00

This is the latest from our brothers and sisters from Togo who are now refugees in Ghana. I was pleasantly surprised to receive this letter from Udeme. Thank God they are safe and the church is thriving more than ever in the area.

Greetings to you in the love of Christ. May this finds you and your family doing well. The fellowship here is growing, as we continue to keep the Lord Jesus the centre of our fellowship with each other, serving Him as the objective, His glory as our goal in all things.

We have recently ended an outreach meetings in a village here in Ghana. More than 18 people denounced voodoo & idol worshipping and accept the Lord Jesus Christ during those meetings. We are starting a new home fellowship in that village, please pray for success as we continue to nurture these new converts to the family of God.

Things here are still hard at the present, there are several needs among the brethren here. By faith, the trials are only blessings while abiding in Him. There is never reason for complaining, only the giving of thanks. It is true that God uses our time of suffering and difficulties to remodel, filter and soften us into His likeness! So that we may deminish, and Christ might increase!! The centre of all these, is that Christ might be all in us, and have all the glory!

You are always in our thoughts and prayers. May we continue to grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Extend our greetings, love and thanks to your family and to the brethren there. We look forward to hearing from you.

Your brother,
Udeme & the brethren here

Aawitan Kita Magpakailanpaman

2006-06-27T11:22:00.000+08:00

Just wanted to share this Filipino/Tagalog translation of Martin Smith's I Could Sing of Your Love Forever. Feel free to use this for personal or church use. However, I reserve all rights to the commercial use of this translation. Why? Because I don't believe in selling what has been given to me freely. "Freely you have received. Freely give." Songs used to worship our generous God should be used freely without restriction. Songs inspired by the Holy Spirit should not be sold but should be given away freely. Let the worship of our loving God spread freely like a wildfire across the globe.

Aawitan Kita Magpakailanpaman

Sa bundok at karagatan
Ang ilog Mo ng pag-ibig
Sa puso ko'y umaagos
Pinalalaya ng lubos

Ang puso ko'y nagagalak
Mga kamay itataas
At aawitin ko
Na ang pag-ibig Mo ay narito

Aawitan Kita habambuhay
Aawitan Kita magpakailanpaman
Aawitan Kita habambuhay
Aawitan Kita magpakailanpaman

Sabi ng marami
Ito'y kabaliwan
Kapag naliwanagan
Sasayaw ng lubos
Ang buong sanlibutan

1999 All Rights Reserved
Sinalin ni Ruel Guerrero

Is one man a church?

2006-06-25T21:26:00.000+08:00

Is one man a church? That's what a friend asked by sms this morning as I woke up. "No. Church is a collective noun." Then the Lord reminded me how when He created Adam, He said, "It is not good for man to be alone." From creation and on to the New Testament, the pattern had been community. Jesus sent the disciples two by two. Then they looked for a "man of peace" to stay with. Together they formed a new and slightly bigger community.

Then this afternoon at our house church gathering, one of the sisters shared how she felt tired and was not eager to come to the gathering. But they prayed and the Lord prompted them to "share." So they came to the gathering and shared. Another sister shared also how she skipped the gatherings for a couple of months thinking that she was still okay in her relationship with the Lord, just that the gathering was a little too far for her. (She had recently moved to another community.) But later the Lord made her realize how she still needed to community for encouragement and spiritual strength. She began attending again last Thursday.

"Do not forsake the assembly," we are reminded in Hebrews. Church is about relationship, about coming together for the Lord and to share life with each other. Man was not meant to be alone. No man is an island. We were created to share life with each other. A person who thinks Christianity is a private religion is mistaken. Christianity is LIFE together with the Master and His Body.

Not to speak but to live

2005-05-28T10:50:00.000+08:00

We are not looking for an opportunity to speak the Gospel into people's lives. We are looking for an opportunity to live the Gospel with people. Because together with them, we are the Gospel.

Philippians 2.2 "Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

The genuine Gospel is spoken in the Spirit as He touches the hearts of men.

The Gospel Written Not With Ink

2005-05-21T12:27:00.000+08:00

The only Gospel message that the world will read is a Gospel message "written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2Co3.3). The body of Christ is the Message broadcast to the rest of the world.

Jn13.35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

The reason the world is not convinced is that Christianity has become just religious talk. Christ's message was a way of life, a way of love.

Jn14.9 "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

Jesus' life revealed the Father. Does our life as the body of Christ reveal the Son? We need to examine our love for each other. If that is not going on, the message is dark.

In a family, the first Gospel message is the love between Christian parents. Among neighbors, the first Gospel message is the love in a Christian family. In a community, the first Gospel message is the love between Christian brothers and sisters.

Update on Togo Refugees

2005-05-12T14:41:00.000+08:00

Here's an update on our Togo brothers in Christ. This is Udeme's reply when I asked about whether the brothers in Ghana are able to help them at all.

Hello brother Ruel,

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your email, and for your prayers on our behalf. I am glad that you have shared our present situation with some other brethren there. We have know some brothers and sisters here in Ghana, infact, God used me sometime ago to help them to start home fellowship here in Ghana. They are of great help to us, though, they are very poor, thus, cannot be able to take care of us all, but their help is valuable to us at this time.

I am using yahoo web based email, and I can access email in any place, not only through our ISP in Togo. Here in this village in Ghana, there are some nearby internet cafe, and it cost less than approximately 50 cent to use thier computer for 30 minutes. So this is the way that I am able to connect to the internet here.
As for our situation, God promised that he would take care of us all, providing all our needs, I just want a prayer of concern to go up to Him on this, and a hearty thanks to God. Extend our greetings, love and thanks to your family, and to the brethren there. Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Your brother,
Udeme

Again, if you can help in kind, please email me.

Refugees from Togo

2005-05-10T09:01:00.000+08:00

This is a letter I just received by email from a Togo brother who is now in Ghana as a refugee (along with 20 from the same home church) after a post-election wave of violence:

Dear brother Ruel,

Greetings to you in the great name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Hope this will finds you all doing well. It have been long time since we have heard from you. There had been a lot of things happening with us at Lome, some time so frustrating, but we all thank God anyway. After the death our former president, there had been trouble seriously. Lastly, the political violence erupted more and more, with our people being killed including a brother from our fellowship. Over 20,000 people including us(our family & the church) fled out of the country several days ago. I have included the below news link so that you can have much clearer idea of what happenned, and what is going on at the moment.

After the presidential election, there have been serious violence which results in many people being killed and innocents being victimized either by the opposition militants or the government forces. One of the brother of our fellowship was killed innocently at his home when the soldiers were moving from house to house beating and shooting suspected opposition militants. Two other relatives of ours are suspected to be among the victims being killed by the military gunmen. The very odd thing is that, whether someone partakes in the violence or not, innocent people are being killed and wounded. Some of the houses have been robbed and vandalized.

Continuous violence have put us backward in many ways, and it is only God that will continue to provide for us, and give us sustainability even when it will be safe to return back home. Please pray fervently for us, we are trying to sustain here in Ghana. There is no refugee camps nearby, so our total dependency is on God. This is a very difficult time for all of us.

You can read some news about Togo's situation by clicking on the below links;
http://allafrica.com/stories/200504280681.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200505060779.html
http://allafrica.com/stories/200505060732.html

At the moment, my family, the church from Lome and friends that we share things in common here is about 30 in number. A meal for a single person cost GHC7000,(approximately 0.60EUR) and for everyone cost GHC210,000 per meal(approximately 18EUR). Twice a day costs GHC420,000 which is approximatey 36EUR. Besides this, there is daily need for water, soap,etc. It is our desire to find anything doing here to help in our daily needs, and we are certain that God will not leave us lacking. Please, keep us all in your prayers as they try to maintain ourselves as refugees. There are no refugee camps nearby, so all our dependency is on God for provision. These are dangerous and difficult times here. Please, prayerfully ask God what you can do to render aid in our circumstances.

Extend our greetings,love and thanks to your family, and to the brethren there. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Your brother,
Udeme

If you are interested in providing help and support to these Christian brothers & sisters, please email me at ruel@onlinephilippines.net.

Kingdom of Heaven

2005-05-09T22:35:00.000+08:00

Lk 17.20 "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, 'Look, here it is! ' or, 'There it is! ' For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst" (TNIV).

The true Kingdom is not a place but the reign of Christ in the hearts of humans who obey Him. It is the life of Christ in our hearts that makes the Kingdom of Heaven a reality.

Jn18.36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not °of this realm."

The Crusaders had to learn the hard way (if indeed they learned) that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a place. It's not Jerusalem. The City of Peace (that's what Yerushalayim means in Hebrew). Yet for millennia it has been the focus of war.

The genuine Kingdom of Heaven transcends this earthly world. It reigns in the hearts of those whose lives have been transformed by the One who gave His life just outside of the walls of Jerusalem. And it reaches out to all who come in touch with the King of Peace.

No kingdom, empire, or nation can ever conquer the Kingdom of Heaven. Only that Kingdom can conquer this world.

"Their Extreme Poverty Welled Up In Rich Generosity"

2005-04-27T08:49:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday we learned that the women of Rebecca Dulo had decided to collect rice, dry goods, and money to help support the needy among them. Although they are all poor living in a depressed community, they wanted to share any small extras they may have to help with anyone's emergencies.

B-- was the first to give a small plastic bag of rice. I was touched by that act of love. Here were people who had nothing but were willing to give. I saw the Macedonian spirit of giving out of their lack. I saw the work of the Holy Spirit teaching them to love each other.

2Cor8.1 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to God's people. 5 And they went beyond our expectations; having given themselves first of all to the Lord, they gave themselves by the will of God also to us (TNIV).

It is the testimony of the entire church -- a loving community -- that drew people to Christ, not the testimony of individuals. Acts 2 teaches that.

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Only I Can Change Him

2005-04-25T22:36:00.000+08:00

She sat there in the corner of the room, eyes closed, soaking in the moment, drinking in the cool living water as a sister laid hands on her in prayer. (She actually felt cold refreshing water coming down inside of her.) In a moment, it was all gone -- the pain, the heartache, the trauma. "You can't change him," He said. "Only I can change him." With the surrender came peace.

Matthew 11.28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (TNIV).

We didn't expect her to come and join the fellowship that afternoon, not after a violent fight with her husband that morning. But the Lord suddenly refreshed her and she was back on her feet again. She shared her experience with the entire group, thanking some for their prayers. We all learned from her true-to-life experience.

This is the kind of miracle that's happening in the home church here.

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Paraphrase of Matthew 23:2-12

2005-04-23T14:02:00.000+08:00

Mt23.2 "The teachers in the church and the pastors sit in an ecclesiastical position. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, difficult requirements and put them on their member's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to do what they preach.

5 "Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their prayers long; 6 they love the place of honor at gatherings and the most important seats in the church and conferences; 7 they love to be greeted with respect wherever they go and to have people call them 'Pastor' or 'Reverend.'

8 "But you are not to be called 'Pastor,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth 'Father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your janitor. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

The church has taken on the structure of Rome and has set apart the clergy from the laity. This separation is akin to what the Pharisees and scribes did. We are all brothers with no hierarchical distinction in the church. Our differences in gifts should not be used to make hierarchical distinctions. We are a nation of priests and there is only One High Priest!