Ang Pag ibig ay nagpapatibay

Scripture: 1 Corinto 8:1-13
1 Tungkol naman sa mga pagkaing inihandog sa mga diyus-diyosan, alam nating “may kaalaman tayong lahat.” Ang kaalaman ay nagtutulak sa tao na maging mapagmataas, subalit ang pag-ibig ay nakapagpapatatag.
2 Ang nag-aakalang may nalalaman siya ay hindi pa nakakaalam ng dapat niyang malaman.
3 Ngunit kilala ng Diyos ang sinumang umiibig sa kanya.
4 Kaya nga, tungkol sa pagkaing inihandog sa diyus-diyosan, alam nating ang mga diyus-diyosan ay larawan ng mga bagay na di-totoo, at alam nating iisa lamang ang Diyos.
5 Kahit na may tinatawag na “mga diyos” sa langit at sa lupa, at ang mga tinatawag na “mga diyos” at “mga panginoon” ay marami,
6 subalit para sa atin ay iisa lamang ang Diyos, ang Ama na lumikha ng lahat ng bagay, at tayo'y nabubuhay para sa kanya. Iisa ang Panginoon, si Jesu-Cristo, at sa pamamagitan niya'y nilikha ang lahat ng bagay, at sa pamamagitan din niya'y nabubuhay tayo.
7 Subalit hindi lahat ay nakakaalam nito. May mga taong nasanay na sa pagsamba sa mga diyus-diyosan noong una, kaya't hanggang ngayon, kapag kumakain sila ng ganoong pagkain, inaakala pa rin nila na iyon ay handog sa diyus-diyosan. Dahil kulang pa ang kanilang kaalaman, ang akala nila'y nagkasala sila kapag kumain sila niyon.
8 Ang pagkain ay walang kinalaman sa katayuan natin sa harap ng Diyos. Walang mawawala sa atin kung hindi tayo kumain ng ganoong pagkain, at wala ring kabutihang maidudulot sa atin kung kumain man tayo niyan.
9 Ngunit mag-ingat kayo, baka ang paggamit ninyo ng kalayaang kumain ng anumang pagkain ay maging sanhi ng pagkakasala ng mahihina pa sa pananampalataya.
10 Kung ikaw na may sapat na kaalaman ay kumakain sa loob ng templo ng mga diyus-diyosan, at makita ka ng mahina pa sa pananampalataya, hindi kaya siya mabuyong kumain niyon kahit inihandog sa diyus-diyosan?
11 Dahil sa inaakala mong “kaalaman” ay napapahamak ang iyong mahinang kapatid na tinubos din ng kamatayan ni Cristo.
12 Sa ganoong paraan, nagkakasala kayo kay Cristo dahil itinulak ninyo sa pagkakasala ang inyong kapatid sa paggawa ng mga bagay na labag sa kanyang budhi.
13 Kaya nga, kung dahil sa pagkain ng karne ay magkakasala ang aking kapatid, hindi na ako kakain niyon upang hindi siya magkasala.

Reflection:
Mapagwagi ang Pag-ibig (8: 1-8)

Ang Corinto ay isang kosmopolita na kilalang kilala sa mga paganong templo nito na nakatuon sa maraming iba't ibang mga diyos. Matapos ihain ang karne sa mga diyos na ito, ang mga tira ay ibinebenta sa pamilihan. Sa kanyang liham, sinabi ni Pablo sa mga mananampalataya sa Corinto na ang pagkain ng karne na ito ay hindi nagpaparumi sa kanila, ngunit hinihimok din niya sila na huwag pahintulutan ang kanilang kaalaman sa katotohanang ito na maging isang hadlang sa mga hindi sumasang-ayon. Dapat silang umiwas sa pagkain ng karne dahil sa pag-ibig para sa mga may pananampalataya na mahina. Kapag nakatuon lamang tayo sa kung ano ang alam natin, madali nating maging mapagmataas at walang pakiramdam sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kapatid. Ang ating kaalaman ay dapat palaging pinahahalagahan ng pag-ibig upang hindi ito hadlangan ang iba ngunit hinihikayat ang mga ito na sundin si Kristo.

Paano ka tumugon sa mga kapananampalataya na hindi komportable sa isang isyu na alam mo ay hindi isang kasalanan? Paano mo maipapakita ang pag-ibig sa Diyos at sa iba pang tao sa paraan ng iyong pagtugon?

Kalayaan sa Pag-ibig (8: 9-13)

Sa mga talatang ito, nakatutok si Pablo sa kung paano dapat balansehin ng mga mananampalataya ang kanilang kalayaan sa pananagutan. Ang mas mahinang mananampalataya-na maaaring sumamba sa mga idolo sa nakaraan-ay maaaring hindi lamang mahihirapan na kumain ng karne na inihain sa mga idolo kundi maaaring matukso upang hatulan ang mga kumakain nito bilang mga sumasamba sa mga diyus-diyusan. Sa kabaligtaran, ang mga walang isyu sa pagkain sa karne ay maaaring tingnan ang mga taong umiiwas sa mga ito bilang espirituwal na wala pa sa gulang. Kaya tinuturuan ni Paul ang lahat ng mga mananampalataya na magkaugnay sa isa't isa sa diwa ng pag-ibig at hinihimok ang mga matatapang na mananampalataya na gamitin ang kanilang kalayaan upang kumilos nang may pagmamahal sa mga mahinang mananampalataya. Kapag lumalakad tayo sa pagmamahal, gagamitin natin ang ating kalayaan upang maitayo ang iba at pasiglahin sila upang maging higit na katulad ni Cristo sa pagkatao.

Anong mga kalayaan ang maaaring hilingin sa iyo ng Diyos na kusang-loob na itabi para sa kapakanan ng iyong mga kapatid kay Cristo?

Letter to God

Ama, salamat sa kalayaang mayroon ako sa Iyong Anak na si Jesucristo. Nawa'y maimpluwensiyahan ng pagmamahal ko sa Inyo ang kaugnayan ko sa aking mga kapananampalataya. Bigyan mo ako ng puso na sensitibo sa kanilang mga pangangailangan. Tulungan akong maging isang pagpapala sa Iyong iglesya ngayon. Sa pangalan ni Jesus. Amen.

When a Pastor is.....

          One of the noblest ways to serve God is responding to the call as a Pastor. To spend time not just reading but studying the Word of God molds not just the mind but even the heart. If I would ask, “What would be the greatest prize of Pastoring?” I would be answering, “A change life each day!” A Pastor is not a perfect human being but someone whose life is being transformed each day just like any other Christian. Though expectations from a Pastor are wider like the distance of the North to South, there are some who are striving to meet all these. The capacity and ability is varying daily. There are some who are able to stretch and becoming more flexible.

            Pastoring is not an easy task. It demands all area of your life: time, money, energy and effort. It demands love to persevere. It needs an unwavering commitment to the Lord to stand and be still on all unending struggles.

            As a matter of fact one of the joyful calling in the Christian realm is Pastoring but reality would remain reality no matter how joyful a Pastor’s calling will be. Sometimes Pastors are in a solitary place even they are surrounded by people that God has given him. Are there really some of those fellows who understand a Pastor’s heart? Pastors need them!

            Who knows when a Pastor cries alone in his room? Is there anyone who understands the heart of a Pastor? Who comes to ask about his struggles and his bitterness? Who knows when a Pastor needs a hand? Who knows when he needs a shoulder to cry on? Whom he can approach when he is struggling about his family, his relationships? Who is not going to judge a Pastor at his weakest moment? Who would stay friend to a Pastor when everybody turns their back to him? Who can give an appreciation to a Pastor instead of blaming him of all the mess in the church? Who can back up a Pastor’s decision without criticizing him? Who knows that even a Pastor wants to be criticized and be corrected in a Biblical way? Who knows a Pastor’s feeling when a gossip about him is spread instead of talking to him first?

Dear Pastors: of all the hardship you are facing in the ministry lookout out for the souls of the flock God has entrusted to you with all diligence. Keep on displaying love, care, dedication, enthusiasm and selflessness to the members for the sake of Christ. Pursue the noble task of leading the church, teaching and preaching the Word. With all humility, protect the church from false teachers, exhort and admonish the saints in sound doctrine. The commitment is to Christ who - the Head of the body and to God who reward those who diligently seek Him. 

4 Possible Reasons why members leave the church

     1. Leaders do not love each other.

People keep on saying, “There is no such as perfect church.” That is true either but to live constantly without the bond of Christ’s love in the church is a devil’s lie. Leaders do not protect each other but tearing each other apart. Most of those who should be model in the church are double-tongued:  they say “I love you!” in the presence of someone but burst hatred in behind. Hypocrisy – they wear a mask and portray something that they are not. They live in pride and instead of humility. They are pointing fingers to other; they do not want to be counted accountable when situation get worst.

2. Activity without Purpose.

Our church remained idle for how many years. Believers meet only on Sundays. After the Worship service people are gone. No time for qualitative talking. No fellowship except the two hours of meeting every Lord’s Day. No visitation, No prayer meeting. No Bible Study. The result is a noticeable decreasing attendance every Sunday. Vacant chairs are greater than that of the number of believers who come to worship God on Sundays.

When the leadership perceived the problem, the purposed of building up a group to settle this matter had been organized. Some leaders are appointed to do the task of visitation and Sundays Schools. But when some of these men do not find any interest on what they are doing – quitting is their necessary tendencies. And then, the needs are not met.

When people do not know the purpose of their activity or the reasons of their appointment, when people do not know why they do what they do, they easily get loose to what is assign to them.

3      3. Members do not cooperate.

The problem is not just with the leadership but with the members as well. Cooperation is impossible when children of God had more time with world than the Lord. Members have more time in their own personal material gain. They can’t even just give a one whole day with the Lord. They are always in a hurry. They fear their bosses more that they fear their Master. They always seek the supply rather than the Supplier. My point is the members obstacles why they can’t get into the service of God is their own lust. I have seen a lot of Christians whether young people or adults who have more time browsing their Facebook, who spent much time watching Television. They have fun with the things of this world but unhappiness with the things of the Lord.

4. Spiritual Stagnant.

Who can tell that someone can survive on this kind of Church? The outcome of this chaos in a church is forming a vacuum on someone’s spiritual life. When leaders do not love each other, how will obedience to the Word of God will portray. When activity does not have purpose, what will be accomplished? When members do not cooperate, how someone’s gift will be used?

The Lord has called His church from darkness to light for that light to shine bright in the life of the lost and more specifically to the life God’s children. There is no such as perfect church but an imperfect church is called to serve the perfect God. The Bible tells us to be perfect because He is perfect. Isn’t He is calling His church in the same way? In particular, I am not talking about sinless perfection. But the Church is called to manifest the light that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. To love just like God love us while we were yet sinners by sending His Son as the perfect atonement for our sins.

In conclusion, I am not telling that a church member should leave a church because of these reasons. My primary purpose for drawing these things is for the church to pray and asked God’s guidance so that everything will fall into their proper places.

If you can add more to these reasons, you can comment what you know below.

When I dont know what to pray

Pray alone

When I don’t know what to Pray!

You sit in a dark place. Alone! Broken! Confuse! Needing help! And the last resort you have is God. You know He listens. You know He understands. He loves more than anyone else. It became a routine, a habit to being unable to pray alone with God. It happens over and over again. Talking to God in a solitary place becomes harder and harder.

If we’ve been asked about the importance of prayer, I’m absolutely sure we’re going to say, “Prayer is necessity.” But how often we fail to pray? It is possible that the only venue someone is active in prayer is in a church group.

Are you called to pray like that? Becoming negligent?

Becoming negligent in prayer is avoiding one of the most vital parts of Christian life. Christians are instructed to be “devoted in prayer” (Romans 12:12); “to pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17); and “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16).

To be one of the believers having an “I do not know what to pray syndrome” is to live a lifetime of not having a closer and more intimate bond with God. 

Jesus taught us to break a bad habit of prayer.

1. Don’t be like the Hypocrites

In Jesus’ time the Pharisees had a distorted example of prayer for they “practice their righteousness before men to be noticed by them;”

Nowhere in the Bible does praying in public is condemned. The king of Nineveh in Jonah’s time had decreed a national day of repentance, Jesus prayed to the Father when He fed 5,000 men and the early church was devoted in a corporate prayer.

A distorted practice of prayer is praying to catch people’s attention and not God’s.  

“You have no reward with your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 6:1 [NASB]

2. Don’t attract Praise from People

The Pharisees display of devotion is non-sense. Their prayer doesn’t come to God. They are not divinely awarded by God. People’s attention and admiration is the reward they get

“They have their reward in full”

Matthew 6:5 [NASB]

The Pharisees’ hypocrisy is an example to avoid.

“When you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and you Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:6 [NASB]

Public prayer or a group prayer is an add on and not a substitute for private prayer. You don’t need a special decorated room. It is a room where you can be alone for a few minutes and a good place to pray. Some go to mountain alone. Some have their own prayer room. Anywhere you can be alone can be used for private prayer.

So what are we going to say in prayer?

Some have their list in prayer. Some do not. Some pray whatever things that comes in their mind. Just pray and talk to God about everything as if He is your Father and a best friend to share everything. God as a Father “knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). Tell God how tired, stress, hurting, offended, unable to trust. He is not surprised when you discuss to Him everything. He knows your very need.

God is more ready to provide us good things. Like our earthly father, God wants a personal lasting relationship with us built on love.

Like we can have a closer relationship with friends and relatives, prayer can do the same to us with God. We are to spend time talking to God who cares, understands and willing to listen and wanting to hear from us.

3 Bible Character for Persistent Prayer

3 Bible Character of Persistent Prayer

It is the nature of humanity to look for a model or an example they can imitate. I heard a lot of young people from different churches thanking God for the life of man or woman of God who show faithfulness in the service for the Lord. Even Apostle Paul told the same thing in his letter to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Nothing wrong with that unless we are taking Christ’s honor and cloth it with His servants.

Model of Persistent Prayer

And because we are people who are very good in imitating, may we come to imitate Bible personalities who overcome fears and weakness through persistent prayer.

1. The Early Church

Dr. Luke recorded this in his letter that the early church were spending their time in prayer, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer,” [Acts 2:42 – NASB].

The early church is one of the best examples of a rapid growing church. Their growth and testimony didn’t just became effective because they are bold but because of the Work of the Holy Spirit through their prayer. They have given up their intellectual power to convince unbelievers to follow Jesus and trusted the Almighty God by praying.

 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Acts 2:47 [NASB]

Another record of miraculous work of the God through constant prayer is found in Luke 12:5 and 12. Peter was kept in prison because of his witness and proclamation because of Christ but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church for God. His release can be found in verse 12 when he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

2. The Apostle Paul

Apostle Paul bore record of his constant prayer to God. He is a man of God who endured severe persecution (2 Corinthians 11:30-33; 12:7, 10). Then in chapter 12 verse 8, we found him imploring to God three times that his infirmities might leave him. Though God didn’t remove the infirmity, he was promised greater motivation,

 “My grace is sufficient for you”

2 Corinthians 12:9 [NASB]

Therefore, Apostle Paul became well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when he is weak, then he is strong.

3. Jesus the Son of God

The greatest and immovable model for Biblical personality to be imitated is Christ. The early church prayed because of Jesus’ example, Apostle prayed because he is imitating Jesus. The Disciples inquired to Jesus to teach them to pray in Luke 11.

Jesus was persistent in prayer when He is in deep distressed because of the coming suffering on the cross (Matthew 26:36-39). While His disciples were in deep sleep He prayer 3 times (Matthew 26:40-44). His stress didn’t leave Him for He prayed that His Father’s will be done not His but He received necessarily help to face what is ahead (Matthew 26:45-47)

Having seen the Son of God in a persistent prayer, how much more we are? Let us imitate the example of Biblical characters more importantly Jesus. In your stress and depression, fear and weaknesses God has something to offer you through prayer.

“if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”

Matthew17:20 [NASB]

3 Biblical Examples of Persistent Prayer

3 Biblical Example of Persistent Prayer

Biblical Example of Persistent Prayer

One of my friends had made request to me if I can help her in doing her essay assignment to be submitted following day. During the day she asked me for help was the week I had a lot of things to do. I told her I but she kept on asking me repeatedly until I can no longer resist her.

A Christian is tempted to stop in praying maybe because their prayer took so long to be answered. Christians struggle with this though there is prayer that is worth fighting and ask for.

We need to consider the example of persistent prayer to help a believer in this struggle.

1. Persistent Friend

We learn the story of a persistent friend who went to his friend at midnight because a friend came to him from a journey at midnight. He doesn’t have bread to offer so he went to his who is asleep that time. His friend doesn’t want to be bothered and the door is already shut and his children are in bed with him. And said he cannot get up to give him anything. Then Jesus added that his friend will give him not because of their friendship but because of his persistence.

“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”

Luke 11:8 [NASB]

Jesus taught this parable of a persistent prayer for the believer to do the same. A child of God should keep asking his father with persistence in prayer.

 “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened.”

Luke 11:11 [NASB]

The climax of the story fall into the character of God the father who is good and answers the prayer of a persistent child.

2. Persistent Widow

It is a weakness of every person to be energetic in doing things from the start then will slack in the middle. The example of a persistent widow encourages us not to lose heart. The widow came to an unrighteous judge who doesn’t fear God and does not respect man. The nature of this judge didn’t stop the widow to come to him every day for a legal protection she asked from her opponent. Then Jesus told His audience that the request was granted because the bad judge was bothered and because the widow continually coming to him.

So this is Jesus’ encouragement,

“Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”

Luke 11:7 [NASB]

3. Persistent Believer

Apostle Paul told the believers in Rome to be “devoted in prayer,” [Romans 12:12 NASB]. He exhorted in his letter for the Ephesians’ church, “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” [6:18 – NASB]. And for the Colossian’s church, “to devote yourselves in prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” [4:2 – NASB] and lastly to “pray without ceasing;” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Persistence in prayer doesn’t just make our prayers which are according to God’s will be answered but it help us to wait patiently knowing that our good God and Father cares about His children. Whenever you face struggle in your prayer just look on the example that Jesus and His apostle taught for our edification and growth.  

Persistence in prayer shows the faithfulness of God to those who enduring in prayer even if it seems hard and impossible.  

3 Principles of Effective Prayer

3  Principles of Effective Prayer

Principles of Effective Prayer

Almost of the people believe God answers their prayer. In today’s topic we are going to consider that not all people are heard by God but He answers our prayer with certain conditions and principles that could help us know if we are really heard.

1. Pray in Faith

Prayer requires faith and faith is one of the basic substances of prayer. A Christian is told in the Bible to pray with believing. We are told to believer because it is possible for someone to pray without believing. And this kind of prayer along with all God’s condition in prayer will move Him and receives from Him.

“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Matthew 21:22 [NASB]

When we put faith in prayer we are actually following the biblical concept and requirement of trusting God. And the Lord has put hope to us from His utterance that by believing we can receive what we ask.

“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted.”

Mark 11:24 [NASB]

It is a promise for all God’s children that He hears and answers the faith express in prayer.

2. Pray With Humility

Humility is having a proper or right acknowledgment of yourself. Having been proven that you are a person with highest degree, being served in the company, a boss. To be humble doesn’t mean to deny your real social status but in spite of your achievement your learn to acknowledge that God is your Master through Christ and you are totally dependent upon the Grace of God of God

Since the Bible warns Christian about being proud.

“God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5 [NASB]

And

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.”

Matthew 10:24 [NASB]

Do you still remember the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14? The Pharisee trusted himself as if he is righteous and viewed others with contempt. He thanked God that he is not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers or even like the tax collector. Otherwise, the tax collector, standing in distance away and was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me. The sinner!”

Then Jesus, the “tax collector went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

3. Pray According to God’s will

Whether we’ll be honest or not, we have prayers that have not been answered by God. Then, we started to say, God is not powerful at all. God is a liar. But let me ask you a question, do you understand what it means that God will do whatever we ask? He will do whatever we ask that which according to His will. God will not grant us any prayer that is outside or contrary to His will.

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us”

1 John 5:14 [NASB]

  

Prayer is not making God obey us. Prayer is asking God to let His will be done. It means, by reading, studying and meditating the Word of God, we make His will our will and our prayer will be done for us because it is His will we  ask. If we understand what God’s will is then we are going to pray the right thing.