No Boundaries

Seconds, hours, so many days

You know that you're lost, but how long can you wait?

Every moment you are dying

Coz you know you've lost your way

What if your chances are already gone?

This life is too short 'fore you knew it, it's done

That's why you gave me one good reason

To tell you of what Jesus did

Onto the cross He was holding on

With every step He climbed up on that mountain

Though every breath was harder to breathe

He made it through the pain, bore all our sin and shame

And got to that one thing

Died on the cross, you think He went nowhere?

He rose again, humanity redeemed

He'll take you by the hand and show you that with Him

There are no boundaries!

There are no boundaries!

Believe it and trust it, no other way

What if today could be your end?

Don't know where the future's headed

What other way've you found?

I've jumped every bridge and I've heard every lie

No other Name can save, and then I knew why

Then I knew why!

Coz there He was still holding on

With every step He climbed up on that mountain

Though every breath was harder to breathe

He made it through the pain, bore all our sin and shame

And got to that one thing

Died on the cross, you think He went nowhere?

He rose again, humanity redeemed

He'll take you by the hand and show you that with Him

You can go higher, you can go deeper

There is no other, that can cleanse from within you

Salvation is here and all you do is believe

With every step He climbed up on that mountain

Though every breath was harder to breathe

Yeah! There are no boundaries

There are no boundaries!

Died on the cross, you think He went nowhere?

He rose again, humanity redeemed

He'll take you by the hand and show you that with Him

There are no boundaries!

There are no boundaries!

There are no boundaries

Luke1:37

"For nothing is impossible with God."

Acts4:12

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Christian Night

But He said to me, ""My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
~2Corinthians12:9

So much has happened for this long while now, and i've just recently come out of my hibernation to finally get back here. Anyway, last August was an entire month of testing. Hibalag's Christian Night was coming up, and God's called me to help out in planning for it. The moment i heard the news, all the blood from my head rushed down to my stomach. It was, yet again, another Gideon moment for me. Drowned it in prayer immediately when i reached home, and God was just clear about Christian Night.

To be honest, when it comes to taking the lead spiritually, i am absolutely terrified, and would make every attempt to confirm, or to excuse myself from taking the job. However, since God was pretty clear, i'm pretty sure i really don't want to spend three days in a fish.

Weeks of preparing came by our way, and Patrik, the one in charge of the whole night assigned me to coordinate with all the presenters of the night which increased my concern for the matter tenfold. Not only that, CCC was also asked to perform a skit, and i was gonna be acting director. The pressure of planning a night that would bring Jesus out into the open, coordinating with seven group presentations plus the speaker for the night, directing CCC's presentation, not to mention the horrifying thought of messing up really just brought me to my knees every night. I wasn't exactly 100% sure i was up for the job, but God sure was, and for that, i have to obey.

Day after day, God continually filled me with His strength and He was not slow to showing me His faithfulness, providing encouragements everyday, providing Euna, Anton, Gretel, Lilet, Zee, Neil, Jong-jong, Paolo, and Johanne for the team, and most of all, assuring me with His Word.

When the week finally came, a lot of problems came up, but to no avail, God prevailed. I knew it would be a week of nonstop activities here and there, so i was also thankful for a couple of fellowships along the way. During the night before the big event, i literally cried out of exhaustion both physically and mentally during youth night. KG kept assuring me about God's grace, and that it's really a time to fall to my knees.

That night, and the morning after, i texted everyone i knew who's prayers would be of use. It was pretty awesome feeling like i was calling an army of prayer warriors. However, as the day passed on, i was already hearing of attacks everywhere. People were late, sick, disappearing, unwell, grounded, and the like. It was hard hearing about what was happening, but it somehow encouraged me all the more to know that the enemy was getting desperate. God assured me then that it was going to be a powerful night.

Christian Night started with introduction and prayer, then Victory's band. All the while, whenever i went over to where some of my friends in the audience was, i would always ask about how the night was going, and KJ would always tell me to take nice, deep breaths before telling me anything. Next was CCC's Need You to Love Me skit. Next was PSALM's We Can Make a Difference dance, followed by their Puppet skit. Next was J2MAD band. Then came the FREAKS. Kuya Archie then came out and delivered the message powerfully. From what my friends in the audience said, around 20-25 people came up to accept Christ in their lives! H4U band did the last songs, and the night ended with blessed people, saved souls, empty stomachs, and [not to mention] my sore neck.

God can do so much with hearts that are just willing to listen and obey to what He has to say. It doesn't matter what we feel, it's about what He wants. God bless y'all! <><

Freshmen Festival

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. -Proverbs3:5-6

It has been a spectacular, and not to mention exciting couple of weeks lately. A test of trust and faith is great every now and then.

So here's what happened since the school year began: my friend, Patrik, probed me to join RLC [Religious Life Committee], the organization that collaborates with all other Christian organizations in campus. Drowned it in prayer, and found myself being called to do it.

So for the first activity, we were planning a Freshmen Festival, aiming to welcome freshies in school and share the Gospel to them. I'm blessed to see that majority of the core members of RLC really are believers with the intent to make Jesus renown.

Since me and kuya Dex were like the only two from CCC during the meeting, Patrik told us that we would have to prepare stuff like gimmicks and the like for the festival, under our organization, as did PSALMS and CYF. We were also told to prepare presentations for the event. Kuya Dex assigned me to get anyone for presentation. I would've gotten a friend's band, or even our church's drama team for it, but they all had to be in Ozamis for an outreach during that time, which meant extra testing for us [whew! ~]. Anyway, God was pretty clear about doing two skits, Need You to Love Me, and Lucy. God was awesome providing the people i needed for it. We practiced enough, and usually, because guys are [well,] GUYS, i also did only a bit of extra lecturing [you gotta love 'em for that].

June 26, 2010 finally came, and even though i've been shaking in my boots for weeks already, this time, not to mention having made a complete fool of myself the night before [another story which i intend not to share], i'd say i was quaking. Had to be constantly reminded that where faith starts, fear ends. Still not quite sure what i would say after the presentations, and it was raining, which meant we weren't going to do it in the venue we selected [ampi]. It was already 4pm, and everyone was supposed to show up by this time, but i only had three people and that concerned me a lot. Most of them went over to a friend's house for lunch and fellowship, but turns out, rain was pouring like crazy where they were at! Prayer was all it took. A little while later, one of them showed up. Then another two. Then just as we were about to start, the last three arrived, and i could finally breathe easily.

Presentations started, and we had to adjust to a lot of things, but all went well. We did the skits, and i did some talking. Though a lot of them really weren't listening, i knew God was still at work, and that it was far from over. After of which, more presentations continued. I then met up with Eli, Angelo, Abby, Kirsty, Greena and Cazel, and gave them a bit of an overview of how things will turn out next. When Kuya Noel arrived to do the message, i gathered them to help out in the follow ups, and more prayer.

The message was being delivered. You could literally sense the battle raging inside the crammed chapel. By the time he gave out the opportunity, i called the six of them to be at the ready and do some more intercession. Everyone's heads were bowed down, and the opportunity was given out. A minute had passed, and no one budged. Suddenly, a few people from the far end of the room stood up, then everyone in the room stood up all at once to receive Christ. We were moved to tears by what God just did. Worship went on, and we did the follow ups. I got acquainted to a group of seven guys. Prayed for them and told them more about Jesus. One of them turned out to be a Muslim, and it was actually my first time sharing to one. Same thing happened to three other guys a while later. We all just came out blessed to be part of a miracle. Went out with them a bit for more fellowship.

Things may look dysfunctional, but when you know God called for it, He always knows what He's doing. <><

dust

How do we really treat our existence here on earth? Only but so many have uncovered the very essence of existence. Too many take the time they breathe in for granted, but still for many of us, we are left to ponder on a number of things people disregard.

After watching the movie "Amazing Grace," it's really breaking how too many people confuse humanity with savagery. How simple movements to save lives can be viewed as rebellion against the government; how simple acts of grace can be viewed as strategies to exalt oneself; how so many people stand firm in an idea they believe in, and end up contradicting themselves time and time again.

This brought me to the reminder that the human race is bound on pride and evil. Few have really noticed how much this world has fallen. For most, it's no longer surprising to see anyone lie, cheat, steal, crave, and connive for the lusts of their hearts, and in addition, opposing such practices becomes wrong! For this reason, countless people have dubbed themselves numb to the pains brought about by the corruption of such acts and practices, and end up tearing down one another.

It is very painful how people grow comfortable with contradicting themselves with aid of the pride they harbor in their hearts just to get their way.

This further brings me to a self-discovery: i claim to be one of integrity, yet i still manage to find myself sinning against the God who breathed in me the very life i've destroyed. I've come to see that i'm a being not fit to be called a man for man was created in God's image, and God does not sin! What i am is a repulsive crerature transformed into the rightful image, which i have for so long been running away from, by the blood of the Son of God. i am a servant made capable to serve the Creator of the universe. Unless i daily let this take full effect on me, i will end up facing the wrath the God who went through incredibility just to set me free. It is never a case of self-exaltation or self-strengthening, rather self-realization that i am nothing without Jesus.

It has become clear that there are only two things i can, and will ever know: i am a great sinner, and Christ is the great Savior.

"Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered."
~Psalm32:1

When True Love Died

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tzuAxhOSfE

2Corinthians5:21

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Tonight, we watched The Passion of the Christ movie. It was torture to have to see what Jesus had to go through. In fact, this portrayal done by the film couldn't even be compared to what happened to Him.

Isaiah52:14b

His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness

The verse says that He was beaten to the point where no one could recognize Him.

i was just so horrified, watching that i thought in my heart: God, i am not worth this effort! however, God reminded me that it was never because He thought me "worth His effort" that He went through the incredibly painful death that He did not deserve. He kept reminding me that it was because He found me so filthy in my sin that it took the merciless massacre of His body, and the continuous flowing of His blood, just to take away the sins that stained my life so that i may dwell in His presence.

Goes for all of us. He loves us so much that He was not willing to leave us in the terror of our sins. His painful journey to the cross was just enough for the salvation of all humanity. Nothing more, nothing less. The very fact that THIS was what it took to redeem us all is hard to swallow, but it is already done. Now it's up to us to be forgiven, and leave our life of sin.

John8:10-11

Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, Sir," she said.

"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

When You Sin, Where/Who Do You Turn To?

1Samuel 12:20-25 "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of His great Name the Lord will not reject His people because the Lord was pleased to make you His own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."

Who ever said that the Christian Walk was going to be easy? I mean, we were even promised that it was going to be difficult. One of the things that's so evident in our life that makes our Walk so difficult is the struggle with sin. It is the very thing that placed the Son of God on the Cross to take our place in death just to set us free. You see, the more we take in to understand the reality of the danger of sin, the more we really struggle against it, and all the more we should allow what Jesus did on the Cross to take effect on us. This brings me to the verses God’s led me to.

(verse 20)
One of the things I remember most when I was real fresh in my Walk, and I am still very young in Christ, is that I can really tend to overestimate my capabilities as a believer, and underestimate the grace of God. When the Israelites realized the danger their sins could cause them, they practically panicked. However, Samuel encouraged them all the more not to turn from the Lord. I can honestly tell you that the devastation I felt when I stumbled actually caused me to worsen my relationship with Him the more I focused on it. Living with and for Jesus is not based on our emotions, I can tell you that. We serve Christ regardless, because He loves us regardless.

One of the real beautiful things about living with Christ in us is that even though we still sin, so long as we keep coming back to Jesus, we no longer live for sin; we're no longer dead in it, but we’re dead to it, and alive in Christ.

(verse 21)
One of the things that's so evident when it comes to us human beings is that we're really drawn and made to worship something. Things that are other than God come in the form of money, a job, a person, a figure, nature, a gadget, a celebrity, artists, musicians, makeup, computer games, pornography, computer fads, drugs, liquor, self, relationships, etc. But I tell you that anything we turn to which isn't God (even if we think that it is God) is an idol. All idols are worthless and incomparable to the Creator of all you know and see.

(verse 22)
It is really amazing how God is still faithful whichever point we've reached in our life. If you read 2Timothy2:11-13, it says in the first two parts that if we die and endure with Him, He will reward us greatly; if we disown Him, He will also disown us; but the thing in this verse that really captures me most is the fact that He will remain faithful even in our faithlessness. But that's just who God is. He's the Author and Finisher of our faith. He won't stop pursuing us just because we've stop our pursuit of Him. He's the God who won't give up! As unfathomable as it may be, He chose to create us for His purpose, and continues to love us unendingly, immeasurably, and unchangingly.

Before any of us came to know Christ, He wanted us to start a relationship with Him. Once the starting's done, He wants us to keep going, despite the fact that we keep on stumbling. Wherever we are in our relationship with Him, He still wants to meet us right where we're at and to keep pushing forward.

(verse 23)
This one goes out to those who have accountability to someone you're discipling, or even to the friends you have around you. You won't always be in good weather when it comes to leading and guiding people in their life as believers. Even the friends we have who talk to us about their concerns. It could come as a challenge to lead them in the way that is good and right. It shouldn't be our own perspective of what is good and right that we teach, but God's. If you read the whole Psalm119, you can really see how powerful God's Precepts are. His Word declares His sovereignty over all which is created, so there's no one else we should really point anyone to except God.

(verse 24)
God's grace, faithfulness and mercy should cause us to respond to Him with fear and service. Now, fear and service really go hand in hand. There is no service when that righteous fear and recognition of One Who's in authority is absent. If the fear is absent, it's most likely that God's not the One the service is rendered to. Furthermore, fear of the Most High can't really be called "fear" if it does not cause you to serve. If you read Hebrews12:3, it tells us of Jesus' zeal for the glory of God by bringing man back to Himself even if it meant opposition from the ones He came to save.

(verse 25)
Samuel here cautioned the Israelites of God's wrath against sin. Here in the old testament, disobedience to God meant quick deaths to many. But all the time, when God spoke of His wrath and anger against His people, Israel, He's always extending mercy to them, and opening up a door for them to repent. God also extends mercy to us at this very moment. Sadly, a lot of people take God's grace as a licence to sin. They tell themselves it's okay to sin because God's already forgiven, and that nothing really "bad" has happened to them, and God hasn't punished them yet, so it's still okay. It is never for our own selfish pleasure that God had to free us from sin. In fact, sin is so filthy that it took the merciless slaughter of the Son of God just to take it away from us so that we will be cleansed of it, and be made pure to enter His presence.


So do not turn from the Lord, even when you think yourself too unworthy. Fact is, you were never even worthy to begin with. Do not replace God with anything in your life. Idols are worthless. Keep going back to the Cross, because although God knows everything about us, He is still pleased to make us His own. Let's lead each other back to Christ with prayer and encouragement. Lastly, everything about God should cause us to fear and serve Him.