And Can It Be?

  Amazing love! How Can It Be, that thou, my God, shouldst die for me? This is part of Charles Wesley's song lyrics, How Can It Be? I was really blessed when I contemplated again the message of this song. I heard this hymn being sang in the church and it's not new to me. But its message has always had a great impact in my life as a child of God. It talks about His amazing love that He sent Jesus to die on our behalf. It is really a love that is beyond measure, an unfathomable love. He has interest on each one of us that He took the first step to get us back to Him. For me, I am so grateful for the love demonstrated by Jesus when He gave His life to us. It is something that I always hold on to and gives me strength. Next is the sacrifice Jesus did when He left His Father's throne and emptied himself all because of His love to us. I couldn't imagine how life would be if Jesus never did that. I would still be lost in sin now and wouldn’t have seen light. I realized all the more my nothingness before God that I need Him and I have to continue to abide in Him. His sacrifice on the cross brings freedom from sin, light and salvation for all those who believe in Him. I am glad I experience these things only by His grace and amazing love. Right now I already have personal relationship with God all because of what Jesus did on the cross and He is now my friend. I found this hope and assurance in Jesus that I could come boldly to His eternal throne. I am forgiven, set free from the bondage of sin and I am now alive spiritually and I will never be condemned. He is so gracious that He never abandoned anyone, that He first loved us and showed to us what true love is all about. Jesus also can sympathize with what we go through in life since He also experienced hardship and suffering. He never sinned but chooses to give His all to us for our redemption. Not only that I have seen His amazing love but I have also seen His amazing grace. Not one person deserves what He did but He chose to do that so we may understand what grace is all about that without His grace, we are helpless.

I appreciated how Charles Wesley arranged and how He wrote this song. It has a very important message that every Christian should always remember as we continue with our journey with Him. Once we always reflect on what Jesus did, it will cause us to be thankful, humble before God and to always realize that we need Him that life without Him is very dark and there is no real joy and peace.

God Is The Only One Who Will Always Hear and Answers Prayers

 The Philippine Catholic Church has influenced lots of Filipino Catholics in believing many mediators for they teaches that God is distant and they need a divine intercessor to intercede for them. I learned that they look up to Mary's immaculate purity as a model to emulate. They believe that the Blessed Mother is the great intercessor to Christ. Another thing is that I found out that they look up to Mary's sensitivity to needs and that was when she prayed for more wine during the wedding at Cana. They believe that Mary's intercession could never be refused of and leads them to believe in her effectiveness every time she will pray. These are what people perceived in their minds and they strongly believe in this and no wonder that their hearts are being hardened and many of them is so much devoted to Mary that they will not listen to the truth.

The problem of idolatry came that people put saints in their houses even churches believing that those saints could intercede for them. What a very sad thing to think about. They are so much blinded that they never see and realize that the saints they believe have eyes but cannot see, feet but cannot walk, ears but cannot hear and has mouth but cannot speak. What they are doing is just in vain and they never think that God is never pleased with what they are doing.

However, as a Christian who knows the truth, I have to always be on guard also because idolatry is not just worshiping saints but anything that takes the place of God in my heart. I have to always evaluate my life and strengthen my relationship with God.

Therefore, I need to take certain steps to draw me more closer to God. First, I have to develop more my prayer life and be more committed in doing it. Second, I should always make it a habit to communicate with God day by day. I have to be prepared before I begin the day. I have to listen to God through His word for everyday is a spiritual battle. I have to purposely do it. Lastly, I have to be more passionate and compassionate to those who are still lost. I have to pray for more opportunities to share the gospel especially to those who are praying to the saints or worshiping them. I should always remember that many people are lost in sin and they need to know that God is a jealous God and He wants us to worship Him alone and to be devoted to Him not to any other things.

Reformers

 The Anabaptist and the radical reformers contributed a significant impact to Christianity. They taught that baptism should come only after faith and confession. Infant baptism has no meaning at all. They believed that biblical truth should be held higher in authority than church traditions. Radical movements are not tied also to political and social commitments. This is really amazing. Their effort to stand on what they believe still contributed to what we believe.

I never knew about radicals before. But their influence was adapted by most churches nowadays. One thing I appreciated are the Anabaptist. Though I didn't know much of their other beliefs and practices, but their teaching of emphasizing Scripture as the highest authority is indeed a blessing. I know for sure that we never agree to all things that they are teaching for some of their contributions are negative and some are significantly positive ones. But I thank God since Christianity follow the right teaching and never tried to apply what they are teaching. I could see how God's mighty hand works despite all those challenges. He is really wise and He keeps on raising people who are never afraid to stand for what is right no matter what it cost. I am so grateful to God that His word has always been our light and guide as we walk in this dark world wherein many false teachings arise and if we are not really grounded by the truth of what the Scripture says, we will surely be led astray. Indeed, His word is true and it will always prevail though people would not believe it. It gives life, hope and peace to those who believe and obey what it says.

On the other hand, I learn to thank God also for Anabaptist as well as radicals for they also contributed little things to Christianity. God wants His people to love them as well and I believe God also cares for their souls to be saved. What they believe should never be an exemption for us Christians not to reach them out. They need to know the truth and on how to apply God's word correctly in their lives.

God is our Mighty Fortress

 Life is a constant spiritual battle. Our enemy is always at work seeking ways to bring us great distress, discourage us and to make us weak and for us to lose our focus on God.

As I ponder upon the message of this song, I realize all the more that I am helpless without God. He is my best help in every moment and I need Him all the days of my life and I can't live without Him. This is a humbling truth that I need to always remember for God owns me and because of that, the enemy will also do all he can to destroy me. With this reason, I have to trust God and not on my own strength for He will fight for me and He will surely win the battle which I couldn't do myself. He is my Mighty Fortress!

The reality that I am living in this world filled with evil is an important truth that I need to face day by day. I should not take it lightly but bear in my heart and mind that I only have one enemy and that is the Prince of this World, the devil. I should not fear him for I have God and His word is my defense. I have to remind myself that I am already victorious in God and the devil is a defeated foe and his doom is sure. He will not win but be left behind helpless and powerless.

To sum up all of these things, I could say that God is a God of victory, He is our best help, He is trustworthy and He will reign forever. I have to hold on to these truths and continue to live a life pleasing to God, acknowledging always my need for Him through prayer and meditating His word. I need to soak my mind with God's word. I have to memorize Scriptures for that is my defense against the enemy. I should not listen to the negative things the enemy is telling me rather I should listen to what God is telling me in His word and speak that truth to myself which would help me draw more closely to God for His glory and not be easily deceived by the enemy. I have to be on guard always with God's help.

The Visit

 The expected time of Pope Francis' visit this coming January 15, 2015 create excitement to every Filipinos. For them it is always a cause for joy and celebration and a great blessing. It was said that the last papal visit was twenty years ago. It was quite a long time since it happened and every Filipinos are looking forward for this great event. The proposed venues of the papal mass was already finalized and arranged. They give their best to prepare for his visit for they admired how he served.. Thus, people testified that he served with humility and happiness. People look up to him because of his simplicity and how he slowly influenced the church in living an exemplary life.

Knowing this fact made me realized how Pope Francis touched the hearts of every Filipinos. The preparations they made, and how they showed reverence to him proves that this is a serious thing and everyone is waiting for this time to come. Also how Filipinos valued his visits to different places and his ministry of conducting mass is so much appreciated and many people are so much devoted to him.

Personally, I am sad hearing this news because I know for sure that the more people will never know God. The pope has so much created an impact to every Filipino citizen that there are so many people being led astray from what is right. They are so much blinded and for sure they believe that what they are doing is correct. As a Christian, I have a great mission to take to share the good news to others by my life and words. Since I am living in this dark world, I have to keep shining for Jesus. I have to pray more for opportunities in reaching the lost and to have more passion and love in doing it and also to disciple others so they can help others too. I have to also pray for my fellow believers that they may be active enough in participating the Great Commission that they will never take it lightly but acknowledge the urgency of doing it and it is a command from God. May every Christian displays a life that honors the Lord that when people witness it, they will be interested in knowing God and the difference He made to someone who chose to believe and receive Christ by faith. We have to continually proclaim the God we are serving and be compassionate enough to those who are still sinking deep in sin.

CHANGES!

 Changes! We are often confronted by this fact. Yet in reality, this brings either something good and will influence us to the wrong way. The significant changes in belief and practice from the apostolic age all the way through the Dark Ages created a great twist to what the Bible really says.

In this study I learned that knowing what we believe is very important. The Roman Catholic Church teaches wrong doctrine which is totally different from what the Bible teaches. To study the Scripture more intensely is really a must. Another thing is that I learned that I have to stand with what I believe and on what God truly teaches in His word. I have to learn to interpret God's word correctly anytime and anywhere. With these learning, I have to be more than eager to learn more about God and be more acquainted with what the Bible teaches for it is God's message to all people and it is meant to be understood correctly and to be applied properly. As a child of God, I have to study God's word sincerely and put it in my heart and mind, putting into practice what I have learned from it. I realize that people don't know the truth because many religious organization taught the wrong way. In fact, they even used Scripture verses and how they interpreted them is absolutely wrong. When given opportunity to deal with Roman Catholics, I have to share the truth to them patiently and politely for they need to understand what the Bible teaches and I should not judge them for behaving the wrong way. Instead, I have to be more friendly and be more concerned about them.

In application, I really have to share the Gospel to others who are still lost and to tell them that only Jesus can save us from our sins and it only by grace through faith alone that salvation is obtained. Baptism and Lord's Supper are just ordinances and symbol of what truly happens and it is not a means of salvation. I have to share the good news and let others understand that the Bible is God's word to us and it is truth. I am more accountable to God for telling them for I already know the truth. I realize that in dealing with the Roman Catholics, or any other cultic religion, I should not argue with them but lead them to what the Bible teaches and to discover the truth and pray that they will believe and live with what they believe. I have a task to do, a mission to accomplish because I have the message to proclaim. I have to be more active in sharing my faith to other people for they are lost and need the Lord.

The Truth Will Prevail

 Where there is wrong belief, opposition is also present. This truth confronted Roman Catholic Church when they started claiming that the pope is the supreme ruler of the church and that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true Christian Church. This is really a big lie. Because of this wrong belief, it leads them in becoming more authoritative which in turn resulted to conflicts and different oppositions. They taught wrong doctrines contrary to what the Bible teaches.

I learned how intentional they are in handling the church in their own power and authority, their false claims and their incorrect teachings of Scripture. They wanted to say that they have authority over other churches. I realize all the more that interpreting God's word correctly is very important. Roman Catholics use verses to support what they believe. But the problem is, they misinterpret them and it strongly affected how they handle the church and people who do not know the truth would easily believe them. Another important thing I learned is that no matter what happens, the truth will still prevail. Roman Church's claim never succeeded and in fact I have seen how it brought trouble to Christianity. They never win because at the end, the church still remained under state authority. I have seen here how God works and how He intervenes in the evil deeds of man. Indeed, God is truth and He wants us to stand with it.

I realize that as I serve the Lord I have to always bear in my heart and mind that Christ is the head of the church. There is no other above Him. My faithfulness and loyalty should be in Him alone. However, I have to respect human authority for it is God who placed them there not as supreme but as His representatives and His chosen servants to lead His people. I also have to know the truth that is only found in His word.

In application, I have to sincerely pray and ask God to illumine my mind that I may understand His word and guidance of the Holy Spirit as well so I can interpret and teach it to others correctly and apply it properly in my life. Second, I have to keep praying for the leaders in the Church that they will always acknowledge that Christ is the head of the church and He is above all, that they may serve the Lord with a humble and pure heart and also all Christians can correctly handle the word of truth.