Tag: june

2018

Know God, know Joy

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Heart-wrenching, soul-crushing circumstances come to us–all of us. Failing grade, failing career, failing business, failing health, failing relationship, failing hope, failing life–all of which cause us to feel downhearted and sorrowful.

The answer? God. God whose power never fails, whose peace never fails, whose wisdom never fails, whose mercy never fails, whose love never fails. HE never fails.

So, like Habakkuk, despite the many reasons to be dejected, let us rejoice… IN the Lord. In His power, in His wisdom, in His mercy, in His love. In who He is.

2018

Tatay Rene: Journey to Greatness

Being a father is more than a role. It’s a calling, and it’s a tough one. As the head of the family, he must be strong, even amid difficult situations. He must be a role model to his children. He must work hard, even to the point of neglecting the strain of it on his body. And most importantly, he must be wise in his decisions because one mistake could cost him and his family everything. Fatherhood, indeed, is hard enough. But imagine how much harder it would be if a father also takes the role of a mother. Tatay Reynaldo “Rene” Sarmiento of the Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Church Manggahan Chapter in Rodriguez, Rizal became a widower 17 years ago when his wife died due to a kidney disease. From that moment on, he had to take care of the needs of his six children by himself.

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2018

Know God, know Strength

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

The human body was created to sleep, even craves for it, especially after a long, action-filled day. Why? Because sleep is the body’s way of restoring our muscles, tissues, and cells. Deprived of it, our mood fluctuates, our memory falters, and our energy fails. But what if what we need is more than just sleep? What if the many concerns of life have left us exhausted—not just physically but, more so, mentally and emotionally? What if we have gotten tired with life? Tired to live? The answer is found in Jesus. He has promised not just to sustain us but, also, to refresh and renew us. What is more, He has promised not just to strengthen us but, also, to be our Strength.

2017

I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

With every assignment comes the promise, the enablement. Having given the disciples the task to carry on the Great Commission, Jesus concludes by saying, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Notice that He did not say I will be with you, but I am with you. Neither did He say for some time, but always—an always that does not only mean until they are alive, but until the very end of the age. This is Jesus’ promise to His disciples.

And to us—to all of us who would tread the path of obeying Him, of serving Him, of abiding in Him; to all of us who would dare say Jesus’ words back to Him: “Lord, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”