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The Fallibility of Ministers

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Will not ecclesiastical rank and dignity confer infallibility? No—they will not! It matters nothing what a man is called. He may be a Preacher, Minister, or Deacon. He is still a fallible man! Neither the education, nor the anointing oil, nor the laying on of hands, can prevent a man making mistakes. Will not numbers confer infallibility? No—they will not! You may gather together princes by the score, and ministers by the hundred; but, when gathered together, they are still liable to err. You may call them a council, or an assembly, or a conference, or whatever you please. It matters nothing. Their conclusions are still the conclusions of fallible men. Their collective wisdom is still capable of making enormous mistakes. The example of the Apostle Peter at Antioch is one that does not stand alone. It is only a parallel of many a case that we find written for our learning, in Holy Scripture. Do we not remember Abraham, the father of the faithful, following the advice of Sarah, and takin...
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We Are Not Of This World

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In the gospel of John chapter 8 verse 23, when Jesus replied, “You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world." The Lord is expressing a sense of belonging that surpasses everything we have or will ever experience on this side of eternity. Christ is from above, and so are we, God's children. To read His words, "but I have chosen you from the world, that is why the world hates you," shows how incomparably special believers are in the eyes of the Lord. God the Father offers the entirety of who He is, in the person of the most valuable treasure in heaven - the Messiah, Christ Jesus.
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Lessons Through An Afternoon Encounter

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I almost did not speak with them, my flesh apprehensive as always. I had no words to say, no care to show. Two days with little sleep and a ton of things to attend to will definitely dull the senses. I just want to physically rest with my mind agreeing just for once.  Finding a place to park took me here after dropping off my wife and daughters at the hospital for a check up. St. Martin of Tours parish is located in Bocaue Town Proper. I had to pay a fee upon entry, and a small group of 12-year-olds ran up to my window, asking for change. I ignored them. I found a spot in the far corner of the lot hoping for some quiet but they followed me, hoping to get a few coins for it. "Come back later," I told them.  The impression to talk to them came gently. But I was too tired in my body and mind. Try as I may to ignore the tug in my gut, I tried making up excuses not to. But like always, I surrendered. Waited. "Help me please. What do I say?" I pleaded as I watche...
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The Urgency in 3AM Prayer Meetings

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Grace would have us conclude the church's three day prayer meetings deliberately held at 3AM to inconvenience ourselves and emphasize the dire urgency in petitioning the Lord's hand to bestow greater spiritual blessings upon us, most especially in the area of prayer. It is common to give what time we can spare to prayer but to see how evil these days are is to give the time we allot for rest and instead knock early in the morning on the door of the just Judge who not only does not slumber, but takes great pleasure in answering those who stand confidently at His courts, believing He will. Teaching the children's church, preaching, devotions, reading of Scripture in family worship: all these and more are dependent on God's hand moving. The desire to labor for God and the temptation to achieve it through the arm of the flesh steals from His glory. The work is His. The Christian is His. The power is His. Therefore the glory should be His. All the believer can claim as his i...
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Dumaguete - Ending

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We visited a dear brother in Quezon City on our way home who has been going through a difficult chapter in his life. He’s been struggling with severe back pain for months—pain that’s made even the simplest movements excruciating. On top of that, he’s now facing the possibility of losing his job because he can no longer keep up with its demands. Photo by K The visit wasn’t long, but it gave us the opportunity to share a meal as a family at a nearby ramen house. We didn’t talk much about work or the pain. I honestly zonked out at the table from the travel, having barely gotten three hours of sleep the night before. However, we concluded our time with exhortation for the brother to bear his cross, and prayer for the Lord's will in his sanctification.  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Psalm 119:71   Matthew Henry writes: That it has been the advantage of God's people to be afflicted. David could speak experimentally: It was good f...
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Dumaguete - Beginning

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This would be the first post of a very long backlog that I hope to fill after nine months of not blogging. Since my last post in August, a lot has happened, the majority of which has been related to daily Family Worship. Being overwhelmed and exhausted was what took up the greater part of the missing time. As things begin to wind down, I will try again to resume documenting from where I left off. Pastor Nate Sonner of Reformed Presbyterian Church Dumaguete sent me a casual invitation sometime last December, (if my memory serves me well) to a conference concerning planting biblical and reformed churches on May 19. Dr. Al Baker from Vanguard Presbytery will be speaking. I didn't think much of it but I went ahead and invited some of the brethren in our gathering. We started saving weekly in our make-shift piggy bank. By March we were already booked and every detail sorted out for us. It is sobering to learn how much of what we heard on Day 1 of the lecture corresponded to our view...
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Stepping Back

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Currently seeking Christ, more than public preaching, posting, and social networking.  Before I closed down my Facebook almost a year ago people asked me to keep the posts public because it edifies the saints. Maybe. But it also elevates me, and pulls me into wasting precious time checking people's activities. I began developing a sour taste for its daily noise and overwhelming barrage of repetitive memes, posts, and quotes from famous theological celebrities; people's thoughts on things, on other people, and on God. I found myself checking the site less, and my interest to be socially present and relevant lesser still. So this is the point where I question my own faith, on where and for whom it stands; my very motives for all I do. I am willing and prepared to withdraw from everything I am publicly involved with, (except be the head and priest of my family of course,) detach myself from what has become in my eyes, a circus of dead bones and lifeless programs, elev...
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The Unity of the Church

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Posting this for record's sake, as the topic is of much importance. Chapter 1 of What is the Church by R.C. Sproul In the seventeenth chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus gives the most extensive prayer that is recorded for us in the New Testament. It is a prayer of intercession in which He prayed for His disciples and for all who would believe through the testimony of the disciples. That prayer is called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. One of the central themes of that prayer is Christ’s request to the Father that His people might be one. It was a prayer for Christian unity. Yet here we are, in the twenty-first century, and the church is probably more fragmented than at any time in church history.  We've seen a crisis with the question, "What is the church after all?" Historically, via the ancient church council of Nicea, the church has been defined by four key words. It is, 1) one, 2) holy, 3) catholic, and 4) apostolic. As we study the nature of the church, I want to look ...
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The Last Week of August

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After a year of daily family worship, it pleased the LORD to mercifully birth the reading of scripture to 4 new households this year. The young ones have brought the practice they've learned with us into their own homes, and they intentionally read the scriptures to their unbelieving families. There is already a stirring among those who have heard the word read. Its very heartbeat is to magnify the reality of God's great glory as the Scriptures are read, and the Psalms are either read or sang - by the whole family, the fruit of all this is left to God. To worship with the family in the home is to obey and honor God. Photo by Tish I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. Psalms 45:17 Our prayer is for God to raise up a new community of families who worship God daily in their homes. Fathers who fulfill their rightful duties to God as the priest and teacher of the home, and the children are raised in the fe...
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Family Worship

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So keep these words deep in your heart and in your soul, and have them fixed on your hand for a sign and marked on your brow; Teaching them to your children, and talking of them when you are at rest in your house or walking by the way, when you go to sleep and when you get up: Writing them on the pillars of your houses and over the doors of your towns: So that your days, and the days of your children, may be long in the land which the Lord by his oath to your fathers said he would give them, like the days of the eternal heavens. For if you take care to keep all the orders which I give you, and to do them; loving the Lord your God and walking in all his ways and being true to him: Deuteronomy 11:18-22 / 6:7-9 The gift of family worship, was given to us April of last year and has continued non-stop 7 days a week till this day. It also gave birth to the weekly prayer meeting in which the whole gathering participates, all thanks be to God for the great kindness He evidenced through the exa...
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A Thing Of Wonder

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I've always wondered why sodomites and feminists are more publicly vocal and insistent in their ideology more than Christians are public with their faith? Why drag queens insist in reading fables to children in schools more than Christian parents commit to reading Scripture to their children daily at home? Why Mormons risk walking under the sun all day to witness to people in behalf of their false god, more than Christians would do the same for the true God? Why extremists blow themselves up believing in a false religion more than Christians would resolve to go everywhere preaching the word as in Acts 8:4? Why  government minions are more purposeful and intentional in brainwashing the populace with false information than the people of the Everlasting Kingdom are in sharing the gospel truth with those in their immediate social circles? Why heathenism is out in the open and Christianity is mixed into the crowd of other heathen churches.  ..for the sons of this world are wiser in...
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All Must Hear

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My wife takes our current house help through the pages of the New Testament each day before starting work. Her life is unbelievably difficult, and seemingly hopeless. Singled out by her in-laws for her background, she struggles between being beaten and maltreated by her husband, disrespected by her children, and having nowhere to turn to, till she found solace in talking about the Lord. As believers we are to treat each soul brought to us by the Lord as a candidate for His mercy. Each gasoline boy, driver, or security guard, a recipient of a gospel tract. These bread crumbs, done consistently and without regard for numbers, will one day surprise us in heaven. I tend to imagine a soul in heaven approaching me saying, "Remember that one tract you gave at such a place? The Lord used that to save me. And now I am here to worship God forever because you obeyed."
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Setting Our Eyes Upon Eternity

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Some gain the things of this world in the strength of their youth at the cost of the next life, and all they have are rusty memories that die with them. While some set their eyes upon eternal things at the cost of this temporal life, and gain a crown that will never fade away. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. Matthew 19:29-30 
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Covenant Theology for the Children's Church

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We are currently teaching covenant theology to the children starting from the Pactum Salutis. God has been so gracious as to provide the wisdom to translate this deep subject into simple language in order to communicate it well to the children. Covenant Theology is pivotal in giving us a coherent picture of the plan of redemption that culminates at the cross of Christ. It answers many questions and unifies what may seem to be disconnected stories of Scripture into one seamless and majestic revelation of the eternal God's grand design. Our goal is to explain the promise, necessity, and reason for the coming Messiah and His work in redeeming us to the Father, according to His eternal will. We are pleased to hear each precious soul, from the eldest to the youngest, recite scripture. May it please the LORD to preserve these blessed children unto salvation for His name's sake.
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We Stand Not On The Shoulders of Men

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This Sunday was a review of the lessons from the past month. The children who have been with us for 14 months have responded so wonderfully to the catechisms that I cannot begin to praise God for deepening the children's understanding. The Old Testament's main ideas, starting with the Genesis' prophecy of the coming Messiah up to Joshua, required about a year to study. Much grace has been given to the teachers who put their hearts to pray for the children, and going the extra mile by burning the midnight oil, studying for the lessons, often into many mornings. It gives me great joy in encouraging them that their labors in the LORD are never in vain, and that they have been given the privilege of shaping these minds who would one day, Lord willing, be granted saving grace. They have a hand in affecting these children's lives who in turn will be the very ones to take the gospel into their homes, to their parents, and to their siblings. God is able to do more with the litt...
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Our Family Worship Channel

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We are opening our channel to everyone who find joy in the worship of God. The only requirement is a humble heart. Join us without any obligation, and start the worship of God in your own homes. Here is our Telegram link. Photo Credit  Our daily Family Worship with the whole church, consistently upheld by LORD, is now on its 15th month. Every 9:30 in the evening, Monday to Sunday, the church gathers to read Scripture, share thoughts, and sing/read the Psalmody to the LORD. What started off as a 15-minute family covenant quickly spread like fire among the saints, with worship going for as long as 45 minutes to an hour. Some of the children have also started an afternoon family worship for those who work the night shift. It so pleased the Lord to birth the reading of scripture in one of the homes of a dear saint where she reads with her parents and sibling who are unbelievers, but now look forward to the reading of scripture. Truly if we have great joy in honoring the Lord, he will g...
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