Why does God allow suffering?

Why does God allow Suffering?

Let's open our bibles to the book and Job, and please listen along, as the complete message is on the audio recording and not on transcript.

Chapter 1-3

There lived in the land of Uz a man named Job--a good man who feared God and stayed away from evil.He had a large family of seven sons and three daughters and was immensely wealthy, for he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest cattleman in that entire area.Every year when Job's sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to their homes for a celebration. On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment.When these birthday parties ended--and sometimes they lasted several days--Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.One day as the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them. "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. And Satan replied, "From earth, where I've been watching everything that's going on."Then the Lord asked Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.""Why shouldn't he when you pay him so well?" Satan scoffed. "You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does--look how rich he is! No wonder he 'worships' you! But just take away his wealth, and you'll see him curse you to your face!" And the Lord replied to Satan, "You may do anything you like with his wealth, but don't harm him physically." So Satan went away; and sure enough, not long afterwards when Job's sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother's house, tragedy struck. A messenger rushed to Job's home with this news: "Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us, drove away the animals, and killed all the farmhands except me. I am the only one left." While this messenger was still speaking, another arrived with more bad news: "The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to tell you." Before this man finished, still another messenger rushed in: "Three bands of Chaldeans have driven off your camels and killed your servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you." As he was still speaking, another arrived to say, "Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother's home, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and engulfed the house so that the roof fell in on them and all are dead; and I alone escaped to tell you." Then Job stood up and tore his robe in grief and fell down upon the ground before God. "I came naked from my mother's womb," he said, "and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." In all of this Job did not sin or revile God. Now the angels came again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan was with them. "Where have you come from?" the Lord asked Satan. "From earth, where I've been watching everything that's going on," Satan replied. "Well, have you noticed my servant Job?" the Lord asked. "He is the finest man in all the earth--a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in me despite the fact that you persuaded me to let you harm him without any cause." "Skin for skin," Satan replied. "A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness, and he will curse you to your face!" "Do with him as you please," the Lord replied; "only spare his life." So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. Then Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself and sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die." But he replied, "You talk like some heathen woman. What? Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?" So in all this Job said nothing wrong. When three of Job's friends heard of all the tragedy that had befallen him, they got in touch with each other and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Job was so changed that they could scarcely recognize him. Wailing loudly in despair, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air and put earth on their heads to demonstrate their sorrow. Then they sat upon the ground with him silently for seven days and nights, no one speaking a word; for they saw that his suffering was too great for words. At last Job spoke and cursed the day of his birth. "Let the day of my birth be cursed," he said, "and the night when I was conceived.Let that day be forever forgotten. Let it be lost even to God, shrouded in eternal darkness.Yes, let the darkness claim it for its own, and may a black cloud overshadow it. May it be blotted off the calendar, never again to be counted among the days of the month of that year. Let that night be bleak and joyless.Let those who are experts at cursing curse it. Let the stars of the night disappear. Let it long for light but never see it, never see the morning light. Curse it for its failure to shut my mother's womb, for letting me be born to come to all this trouble. "Why didn't I die at birth? Why did the midwife let me live? Why did she nurse me at her breasts?  For if only I had died at birth, then I would be quiet now, asleep and at rest, along with prime ministers and kings with all their pomp, and wealthy princes whose castles are full of rich treasures. Oh, to have been stillborn!--to have never breathed or seen the light. For there in death the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. There even prisoners are at ease, with no brutal jailer to curse them. Both rich and poor alike are there, and the slave is free at last from his master. "Oh, why should light and life be given to those in misery and bitterness, who long for death, and it won't come; who search for death as others search for food or money? What blessed relief when at last they die! Why is a man allowed to be born if God is only going to give him a hopeless life of uselessness and frustration? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. I was not fat and lazy, yet trouble struck me down."

Job's friends told Job you must have been a terrible man, you must have sinned so badly for God to do this to you. And Job replied,

Chapter 31

"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust upon a girl. I know full well that Almighty God above sends calamity on those who do. He sees everything I do and every step I take. "If I have lied and deceived-- but God knows that I am innocent-- or if I have stepped off God's pathway, or if my heart has lusted for what my eyes have seen, or if I am guilty of any other sin, then let someone else reap the crops I have sown and let all that I have planted be rooted out. "Or if I have longed for another man's wife, then may I die, and may my wife be in another man's home and someone else become her husband. For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell and would root out all I have planted. "If I have been unfair to my servants, how could I face God? What could I say when he questioned me about it? For God made me and made my servant too. He created us both. "If I have hurt the poor, or caused widows to weep, or refused food to hungry orphans-- (but we have always cared for orphans in our home, treating them as our own children)-- or if I have seen anyone freezing and not given him clothing or fleece from my sheep to keep him warm, or if I have taken advantage of an orphan because I thought I could get away with it-- if I have done any of these things, then let my arm be torn from its socket! Let my shoulder be wrenched out of place! Rather that than face the judgment sent by God; that I dread more than anything else. For if the majesty of God opposes me, what hope is there? "If I have put my trust in money, if my happiness depends on wealth, or if I have looked at the sun shining in the skies or the moon walking down her silver pathway and my heart has been secretly enticed, and I have worshiped them by kissing my hand to them, this, too, must be punished by the judges. For if I had done such things, it would mean that I denied the God of heaven. "If I have rejoiced at harm to an enemy-- (but actually I have never cursed anyone nor asked for revenge)-- or if any of my servants have ever gone hungry-- (actually I have never turned away even a stranger but have opened my doors to all)-- or if, like Adam, I have tried to hide my sins, fearing the crowd and its contempt so that I refused to acknowledge my sin and do not go out of my way to help others-- (oh, that there were someone who would listen to me and try to see my side of this argument. Look, I will sign my signature to my defense; now let the Almighty show me that I am wrong; let him approve the indictments made against me by my enemies. I would treasure it like a crown. Then I would tell him exactly what I have done and why, presenting my defense as one he listens to). "Or if my land accuses me because I stole the fruit it bears, or if I have murdered its owners to get their land for myself, then let thistles grow on that land instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley." Job's words are ended.

Chapter 38

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:"Why are you using your ignorance to deny my providence? Now get ready to fight, for I am going to demand some answers from you, and you must reply. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Do you know how its dimensions were determined, and who did the surveying? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" Who decreed the boundaries of the seas when they gushed from the depths? Who clothed them with clouds and thick darkness and barred them by limiting their shores, and said, 'Thus far and no farther shall you come, and here shall your proud waves stop'? "Have you ever once commanded the morning to appear and caused the dawn to rise in the east? Have you ever told the daylight to spread to the ends of the earth, to end the night's wickedness? Have you ever robed the dawn in red, and disturbed the haunts of wicked men, and stopped the arm raised to strike? "Have you explored the springs from which the seas come, or walked in the sources of their depths? Has the location of the gates of death been revealed to you? Do you realize the extent of the earth? Tell me about it if you know! Where does the light come from, and how do you get there? Or tell me about the darkness. Where does it come from? Can you find its boundaries, or go to its source? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!

In other words God was Job, Job do you really want the answer to every question? Do you think you're going to be God? Chapter 40 The Lord went on:

Chapter 40

"Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? Or will you yield? Do you--God's critic--have the answers?" Then Job replied to God: "I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers? I lay my hand upon my mouth in silence. I have said too much already." Then the Lord spoke to Job again from the whirlwind: "Stand up like a man and brace yourself for battle. Let me ask you a question, and give me the answer. Are you going to discredit my justice and condemn me so that you can say you are right? Are you as strong as God, and can you shout as loudly as he? All right then, put on your robes of state, your majesty and splendor. Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. Humiliate the haughty with a glance; tread down the wicked where they stand. Knock them into the dust, stone-faced in death. If you can do that, then I'll agree with you that your own strength can save you.

Chapter 42

Then Job replied to God: "I know that you can do anything and that no one can stop you. You ask who it is who has so foolishly denied your providence. It is I. I was talking about things I knew nothing about and did not understand, things far too wonderful for me. "You said, 'Listen and I will speak! Let me put the questions to you! See if you can answer them!' "But now I say, 'I had heard about you before, but now I have seen you, and I loathe myself and repent in dust and ashes.' " After the Lord had finished speaking with Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "I am angry with you and with your two friends, for you have not been right in what you have said about me, as my servant Job was. Now take seven young bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves; and my servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf, and won't destroy you as I should because of your sin, your failure to speak rightly concerning my servant Job." So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job's prayer on their behalf. Then, when Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his wealth and happiness! In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! Then all of his brothers, sisters, and former friends arrived and feasted with him in his home, consoling him for all his sorrow and comforting him because of all the trials the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring. So the Lord blessed Job at the end of his life more than at the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. God also gave him seven more sons and three more daughters. These were the names of his daughters: Jemima, Kezia, Keren. And in all the land there were no other girls as lovely as the daughters of Job; and their father put them into his will along with their brothers.Job lived 140 years after that, living to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren too. Then at last he died, an old, old man, after living a long, good life.

You must go home some time and read that whole story, what a story, how that man in all his natural passion and cried out against God and argued against God. And God, saying to Job, you're just a man, you shouldn't be arguing like this; you're trying to put me in the wrong so that you can be right? Job you must leave the answer with me. And the secret of the whole story is this, Job never knew why God allowed him to suffer...

Living Word Ministries

The Living Word Christian Churches of Cebu International, Incorporated (LWCCCII) is a Corporation organized exclusively for spiritual and religious purposes. Its ministry call is summarized in Matthew 28: 18-20. The Corporation is composed of the Board of Elders and the general membership who have fully complied with all requirements for membership. LWCCII is a member of the Communion of Christian Ministries (CCM) in the Philippines that stand with the same faith and convictions.

Vision

LWCCCII seeks to bring GLORY to God, by enhancing the individual and corporate spiritual lives (passion and devotion in the disciplines of worship, prayer, study, meditation and application of God's word) of its people through the faithful preaching and teaching of God's word. It seeks to uphold the supremacy of Christ in the individual and corporate life of the church, thereby bringing about spiritual maturity and holiness for both. It likewise seeks to build the local church through discipleship to bring about ministry to the church based on loving relationships, having understood the concept of being part of Christ's body and God's household. As part of its commitment to discipleship, it seeks to safeguard the church from false doctrines, churches and teachers. Lastly, it seeks to fulfill the Great Commission in the establishment of churches here and abroad, by the preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. All of these pursuits are to be sought in dependence and guidance on the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Mission

Our mission is to uphold and cultivate a biblical and lofty view of God in the life and ministry of the church which includes contending for the purity of the gospel and the biblical faith, standing as the body to which ministers and leaders of member-churches, although autonomous, will be held morally and doctrinally accountable, equipping pastors and workers of churches outside our communion, planting churches where the Holy Spirit will direct, and spreading the message of salvation of Christ Jesus to the world at large. All these things shall we do by the grace of God for the glory of His name until the day of His coming for His church

Statement of Faith

We believe:

1. Jesus is truly God as taught by the Bible. 
2. Our faith is in one God, the Holy Trinity; who is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus Christ, though fully God, became fully human. 

We Confess:

1. The Bible is God's word and teaches about our fall into sin, Jesus Christ, salvation, the church, civil government, and our Lord's return. 
2. We cannot save ourselves because sin has affected every part of our nature. We cannot come to faith by ourselves. God takes the initiative, choosing us in Christ without consideration of any good in us, not even foreseen faith. God's Spirit alone can work in us the miracle of saving faith that gives us new life in Christ. 
3. Our rescue from sin is a free and unearned gift of God through Jesus Christ. Our grateful response is living in faith and obedience to our Lord

 Core Values

1. We value Scriptures and its authority as our rule for faith, life and ministry. 
2. We value the duty of contending for the faith.
3. We value the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life. 
4. We value the importance of mutual edification, accountability and submission. 
5. We value biblical unity in the Body of Christ. 
6. We value upholding and cultivating a biblical view of God in the church life and ministry. 
7. We value the mandate of discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ for the preservation and propagation of the pure Gospel in our country and to wherever God will guide us. 
8. We value the biblical standard for leadership. 
9. We value establishing vision and direction for leaders and the local church. 
10. We value the promotion of Christ-honoring family relationships.

http://www.livingwordcm.com/

A Celebration to Marriage, Life and God's goodness

A Celebration to 50 years of marriage, life and God's goodness

Today was my grandparent's golden anniversary. There were a number of things that were very profound about this wonderful celebration but the ones in particular that I feel would be best published would be the things I witnessed to be so evident: a joyful and faithful marriage, an abundant yet content life and an amazing journey of faith and trust in God's sovereign hand.

These grandparents of mine I hardly ever knew, the groom, my grandfather Peng-hong is my immediate grandmother's brother and had humble beginnings before their breakthrough in the early 1970's. They raised their three children in a Christian and family-oriented environment and taught them well. Before the eve of gameboy, video games or PC, they had to study and master their Ping-yin before sleeping; my grandparents never had much then but they taught the value of hard work, perseverance, trust, love and the importance of having the fear of the Lord. Friends, it is true that if you are married, the best gift you can ever give to your children is being together. It was so moving, filled with joy and mixed emotions; wrinkled and unashamed my grandparents showed love and care for each other as they renewed their vows. 

They showed us a life well-lived, a legacy passed on to their children now all grown-up, financially successful and now having a family of their own, and more importantly, a faithful submission to God in their lives. It's a wonderful thing to acknowledge God as the center of our marriages; the word of God tells us that God the Father is the head of Jesus Christ as Christ is the head of man and as man is the head of the woman. While the screen showed a recap of the entire ceremony during the wedding reception and as the celebration neared its end, I remembered these verses: That He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. (2) And that a husband who loves his wife as Christ loves His church. 

Did you know that in the Jewish culture, they who are engaged are as good as married? That's the reason why Joseph was afraid to expose that Mary was pregnant else she would have been stoned falsely for not committing adultery. Allegorically, for the believer, we are engaged to Christ. Friends, a special challenge for you today: if you're married, do something special for your spouse and if you haven't yet, acknowledge the Lord in your union. And if you're single, pray for your partner to be and and do something special for your parents that they'd love.


God bless you and keep you,
Kevin

Glorious King's Cathedral

Glorious King's Cathedral  is a Charismatic-Evangelical church that was founded by Pastor Hann Wishley C. Layawan who received word from the Lord through prophecy that he was to start a hotel ministry. From a band of handful members, the church now grew to 200 members since it opened; many saved and coming to the Lord hearing the good news of salvation and the gospel of the kingdom.

The church service starts 4:00 PM (Philippine time) every Sunday at the Opal Room of Crown Regency, Tower 1, Osmeña Blvd., Cebu, Philippines 6000.

Psa 24:7-10  Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah  

Why Christianity?

Why Christianity?

Why Christianity? Why not other religions? Why not Islam, Confucianism, Shintoism, Existentialism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Paganism and other religions of the world?

Friends, before you listen to the full message, I'd first like to declare to you that there is nothing in the world that could fill that emptiness in your heart except the Lord Jesus Christ. And that there is no other world religion on this earth that shares the great truth of forgiveness, that we can be right with God. That the Righteous God of heaven, who created the heavens and the earth, unknowable and unsearchable came in the person of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ so that we can know who He is, so that we can relate with Him and Him with us and enable us to live a victorious life through His Spirit.

I tell you that it does not matter what religion you are, for a truth, the believers were called Christians at first only by those outside the church- and they were called this whenever they gathered and communed with one another as they shared the Lord Jesus Christ and remembered Him and His coming. They never called themselves Christians at first but rather called themselves "believers or brethren", they believed in God and His Christ. 

God is Righteous, God is Holy. And the simple truth is that we are not, we have all sinned; at one point in our lives, we had either lied, cheated, maybe stolen, coveted or have done something wrong, we have all sinned. That is what separates us from God, sin separates us from God; it is not your religion, it is not your race, it is not the color of your skin or your intellectual capacity, what separates us from God is our sin. And it's only Jesus Christ who lived a blameless and sinless life, only Jesus bore upon Himself our sins and curse, was shamed, and died on the cross so that we may become right with God. Every act of pardon that's ever been done to them that believe was written in His own blood. No one else paid that price, no one else bore our sin, no other religion on this whole earth carries the same message.

May you be blessed with the full message.

By David Pawson.






God bless you and keep you,
Kevin

What must I do to be saved?

"What must I do to be saved?"

That's probably the question that's in your heart right now, or "Do I need to be saved? What do I need saving from exactly?" 

I'm not sure about your situation friend but I hope you would at least read through this message entirely- I've known of young women abused sexually at such a young age by people who should have protected them, I've known of children who were beaten and hurt, rejected and left at the foot of the door of centers who would by a chance, "take them in". I've known of a man who've been cheated by his friend of what he's earned, leaving him with a broken marriage and ultimately, a broken family; I've known of the sick, murderers, drug addicts, rejected by society and secluded from society feeling as though they don't belong. And to you neighbor? I may not know entirely what you're going through, you might be hurting, you might want to stop living a messed up life, you might be sick or you might be seeking forgiveness for the wrongs you've done, I don't know... but I do know someone who does, His name is Jesus Christ.

Whatever your situation is right now, I'll leave that between you and Him, and I do mean to say between you and God. But let me share to you something about what God is like from His word, the Bible and what He's done for you that could settle the convictions in your heart.

God, who created the heavens and the earth is Holy, God is righteous and God is just and all His ways are good. The Bible says that God is a Spirit and He comes in three persons, and yet one. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and they are one. 

1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

Psalms 99:9  Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His holy hill; For the LORD our God is holy. 

Dan 9:14 ...for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does..

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.

God is perfect, righteous and holy and the simple truth is, we're not. We've all done something wrong: we had at some point in our lives have either lied, cheated, maybe stolen, or something worse... we've all fallen short from God's standard of Holiness and perfection, all of us have sinned and Sin is what separates us from a Holy God. It's not your race, it's not the color of your skin, it's not our upbringing or our backgrounds, what separates us from God is our sin.

Rom 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

The Lord said in the Psalms that He was grieved that the people go astray in their hearts, and they don't know His ways. We've gone our own way separate from God's way, in Isaiah it reads All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way. And though we'd like to do what's good, we often fail; it's only when we're deep in trouble that we later attempt do what's right, but then we're gripped by the wrongs we have done and spiral down even further not knowing why it's so difficult. 

Rom 7:19-21  When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 

We have become a slave to sin. We've rejected God's ways for a lie, and exchanged God's joy for a moment's pleasure; for only after a while we again lust after that pleasure, craving for satisfaction; but when we try come back to it, it leaves us emptier than we were before. 

Revelations 12:12 Rejoice, O heavens! You citizens of heaven, rejoice! Be glad! But woe to you people of the world, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.

1 John 3:8  But when people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the Devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these works of the Devil. 

Jesus said to them who had hardened their hearts and refused to listen to him in and sought to trap him John 8:44  For you are the children of your father the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 

 2 Peter 2:4  For God did not spare even the angels when they sinned; he threw them into hell, in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day. 

Jesus tells us that no servant can serve two masters; it's either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. We can't serve both God and the devil. We can't enjoy sin while changing our ways and turning to God. What then can I do to be saved? The truth is, no man save himself from sin and death. It is only when we repent, when we turn away from the sins we have done and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross can man be saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. 

God the Father, who was far beyond our reach came in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ on this earth.  He was born to save us from our sins, to show us what God is like (John 14:7) , He showed us what the Father loves and what He hates,and redeemed us of the penalty that we rightfully deserve as the devil's servant of sin. 

Philippians 2:5-8 Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the disguise of a slave and becoming like men.And he humbled himself even further, going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  

John 14:7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!

The cross of Jesus Christ was set on high for all men to see, the punishment of death that Christ bore on that cross was supposed to be for man, it was supposed to be for me, it was supposed to be for you, along with all the curses, guilt and shame that all of us deserved. But God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. It was on that cross that God showed His righteousness and His justice where sin was punished, and showed His mercy and love in that while we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us.  He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God.  He died for you friend! He died for me. But I share to you a Jesus who is not dead but One who is alive forevermore! I share to you a Jesus who was dead but then rose again the third day and ascended on high to the right hand of God (Ephesians 1); and He is to come again having given all men a chance to repent! I share to you that the kingdom of God which is now at the reach of your hands and not something far away and that you need not attempt to bring peace for yourself with God, for the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ the Son of God made peace for you. Your were justified by His blood friend. We were all bought for a price for the penalty of sin we didn't meet but deserved.

Romans 5:9 And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's judgment.  

Today friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is inviting you today to receive this gift of salvation. Though the gift of God through Jesus Christ's redemption is free, it is the priciest and costliest to gain: for the cost dear friend is your all: you're His and He's yours. Now that you know the cost friend, would you still like Jesus as your Lord? He says to you who are weary and who have a sincere and repentant heart, Jesus says Come and He will give you rest, His yolk is easy and burden light. Let Jesus come friend, to take away your sins and He will free you from those devilish things that are trying to master you,

1 John 1:9  But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.  

1 Timothy 2:5-6  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all... 

I would like you to pray, to talk with God but if you don't know how yet then please repeat these words, line by line as you make this decision today to turn away from your sins and turn to God:

Father I commit myself into your hands today,
I thank you Lord that you are good,
I thank you that you've sent Jesus Christ for me to know You,
Thank you Jesus for your holy precious blood that washes away my sin,
Today I renounce my [your sin(s)],
Please come into my life Lord Jesus,
Please change my heart and my mind,
Change me to the person you want me to be,
And please fill me with your Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Friend, if you've made this wonderful decision today, please send me a message. You can download these resources for free if you would like, it'll help you and guide you in your walk with the Lord:

“Knowing Christ” – Your Response

“Growing in Christ” – Your Response

“Obeying Christ” – Your Response

“Witnessing for Christ” – Your Response

Basics for Christianity
Common Questions
Life Issues

Christianity

Prayer

Titus 3:3-5  Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled by others and became slaves to many wicked desires and evil pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy. We hated others, and they hated us.  But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.  

God bless you and keep you,
Kevin

Billy Graham's My Hope America : The Cross

The Cross of Jesus Christ

Billy Graham is said to be near death now and is said to be about to go home now with the Lord. But the heart of this evangelist would just not give in to his flesh, and sounds one large call that reached the far ends of this earth and declared the gospel, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you haven't heard this message yet, friend may this message bless you greatly.

God bless you and keep you,

Kevin

In God we trust

Nothing shall by any means harm you

Prison Outreach

Mathew 25:44-45  “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

Late last year, I felt that the Lord asked me to visit a prison house and so I approached Mirte and Brian Longridge here in Cebu. They're faithful missionaries who reach out to the people whom society often rejects: to the lepers and to the convicts in prison.

The prison house we went to is the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), a maximum security prison facility with a capacity for 1600 inmates. We went there that Thursday morning 10 AM and were guided by a prisoner inside  to a prison cell whom the 'mayor' or the cell leader was open to hear the gospel.

As Brian began to speak and as our guide began to interpret,  the prisoners watched him as he poured out his heart to them- sharing to them the gospel of salvation, of God's mercy, grace and of his testimony; they began to remain quiet and looked intently on. "Who was this God that loved them? Can God really forgive me from all of the wrongs I have done, even if I had murdered?" were the questions burning in their eyes. And when Brian had given me the queue to speak, I shared to them my testimony of God's deliverance of my mother whom I witnessed shot while I was still 4 years old; how God in His faithfulness given her a second chance to live on this earth even when she was dead for 4 minutes. I shared to them that today, she still miraculously moves even with a fractured c1 and c2 vertebrae and lives normally; and that our family was now converted to the Christian faith. I also shared to them what my mom saw and to make no mistake, heaven and hell is real and one day we were to stand before God, and that we were to be judged by an infallible judge, who would judge righteously and not wrongly, that Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father and none other. The Spirit came on me so mightily I began to speak in tears, my heart poured out calling to them; and though these words were said plainly and not in a fancy speech, the words reached them and gripped them of the urgency and the severity to them who'd  depart from this life to the next without Jesus as their Savior. The men became convicted and then Mirte spoke, she then called to them who would receive this free gift of salvation from this Righteous God who came in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ who redeemed us with His own blood.

People from the different cells began to flock and look outside this cell, "What was going on?" you'd see them curiously looking in, "Why were these people from our neighbor cell now bowing their heads and receiving this God?" All the men in the cell confessed that Jesus Christ was their Lord that day and how mightily blessed I was to see them converted. Praise the Lord forevermore! Neighbor, these men deserve to know Him and choose whether or not they'd like to follow the Lord. Truth be told, God had told Isaiah the prophet to preach for 40 years to the people of Israel, and the Lord told Isaiah that as he would preach, the people's hearts would get harder and harder. And yet in other parts of the Bible we are to see men's heart softening and submitting to the Lord as they hear His word. The Word of God is either well received unto joy or it'd make man's heart even harden unto deeper pride, but it is our choice to choose but no one ever gets to stay neutral, you'll either go farther or closer to Him. Our role as Christians: as laymen, ministers or workers is to preach this great news -that Christ had come on to this earth: that God came in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross bearing our sin and had sin punished, that He rose from the dead and that He ascended again into glory and that He was to come again. 

What a privilege indeed to be in service to the King. Shout out to the rooftops that Christ is risen, call to the people in the highways and say come, let us return to the LORD.

Friend, here is something powerful, that you could share. It's a video clip from Andres Bisonni Ministries, may this bless you. If you too would like to support this missionary, or get more details about them, go to www.abm.cc.

If you don't know the Lord as your personal Lord and Savior, please ask Him to come into your life. 


Blessings,
Kevin

_______________________________________
[1] To contact Mirte and Brian Longridge please visit their website at  http://leprosyphilippines.blogspot.com/

His word : The Scriptures

You O Lord are the Rock of my foundation, my God in whom I trust

The Lord My Sheperd, I'll not want

 Psa 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

Psa 23:2  He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3  He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness 

For His name’s sake. 

 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; 

For You are with me; 

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

 

Psa 23:5  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; 

My cup runs over.

Psa 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life; 

And I will dwell[a] in the house of the LORD 

Forever.

Follow the Lord Jesus Christ

How can I be born again?

Even as the sun sets my soul shall praise you still

For God had not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. - 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

There's a unity that holds us with God, that blessed Hope had been made our peace. His blood, the blood of Jesus Christ draws us close to God the Father (Ephesians 2:13) and His Spirit gives us newness of life. In Him we live and move and have our being and in Him & through Him we have fellowship with the Father in love. Whether we wake or sleep, our hearts sure of His promise (1Jn 2:25, Jn17:3, Jn14:1-3, Acts 1-10:11) and of His word that never returns void (Isaiah 55:11), God is so wonderful, faithful and true.

Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. -Romans 4:7

And for this cause, my joy is full because my Hope is found, for that which I am sure: how my Jesus, the Son of God had shed His blood, had died and rose again. Now ascended and seated in glory, He'll come again. And even as the sun sets my soul shall praise You still, for you are God my Savior, my Lord, my Master, Bridegroom and Friend.