We Have Been Forgiven

When was the last time that you heard in your church that you have been forgiven of your sins?

When was the last time you were told that if you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are righteous in God's eyes?

When was the last time you were told that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God is on your side?

And when was the last time you were told that if you are in Christ, your sins and lawless deeds are remembered no more?

Take some time to ponder and meditate on these truths today. Blessed Day everyone!

Shalom Jerusalem!

Shalom Jerusalem!

Why do we always hear about Jerusalem in the news these days? Why are Jews around the world so much hated to the point that they are killed just because of their nationality? Why such hatred?

In Genesis 12, God called out a man named Abram who later became Abraham. This same man would become the 'father of many nations'. The covenant was then passed down to Isaac his son, and finally to Jacob his grandson, who later became Israel (Genesis 35:10).

Through Israel, God will bless all the nations around the world. But sadly, they were not fully obedient to their call and they committed idolatry, worshipped other 'gods' which are made of wood and stone, and turned away from the real and living God who has chosen them.

Ultimately, God came in the flesh to turn His people around. He came in the world as Jesus. He came as their King and Messiah. But He was not accepted, but was instead delivered up to Pilate to be crucified. However, all these were divinely planned out to carry on the Redemptive work for mankind.

And that is why Satan hates the jews so much. Jesus came as a Jew and so it can be said that salvation came from the Jews. This hatred against Israel and the Jewish people is satanic and it is evil. And anyone who hates Israel for that matter is definitely not on the Lord's side and they will be dealt with seriously when He comes back for His people and for us!

Many churches around the globe are saying that the church has replaced Israel. This foolish and satanic teaching is called REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY. And sadly, this is very prevalent in many many churches today.

God has not cast away His people (Romans 11:1). When He comes back again, He will descend and split the Mount of Olives. And with one word, He will slaughter the anti-christ who, for 3 and a half years, has been killing the Jewish people.

Remember this promise from God to Israel written in Genesis 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you,And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”.

While it is true that the nation of Israel is yet to wake up from their blindness regarding their Messiah, but they are definitely NOT cut-off from God's covenant. One day, all of Israel will be saved and we look forward to that day.

With this, let us always be prayerful for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel. Let us also pray for the safety of the Jewish people in as much as we also pray for our own safety. Blessed day to all of us!

Shalom Jerusalem!

(Photos are property of my Bible teacher Ideal Baldoni)

How Are We Really Saved?

THIS question is the foundation of all things. How we answer this will govern our entire christian walk. Thus, where we find our answers is literally a matter of heaven and hell.

Depending on the doctrine we grew up with, the subject of salvation can be very controversial. Different christian denominations have been split on this subject - yet the Bible has only ONE thing to say on this.

Very explicitly, The Bible is plain and consistent: The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38). In Ephesians 2:8, it tells us "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God".


If that's not enough, The Bible interprets what it means to be saved by grace. In Romans 11:6, it contrasts the two "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace."

The ultimate answer is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. By believing in Him and what He has done at the cross, we are identifying ourselves with His death, His burial, and His resurrection (Acts 13:61, Romans 10:9).

Thus, our good works has nothing to do with attaining salvation in as much as salvation can only be freely given as a gift, and not laboriously attained.

What about good works then? Did not the Bible say in James 2:24 that "You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone"? And did it not proceed to say that "Faith without works is dead?"

This is why we must rightly divide the word of truth ( 2 Timothy 2:15). What the book of James is saying in a nutshell is this: now that we have been saved through faith, let's not be unproductive, fruitless, and idle. But rather, let us go out there and be a blessing to others. We are blessed to be a blessing (Genesis 12:2). Thus, good works is the fruit of salvation, and not the root of it.

Ephesians 2:10 will testify to that as it says "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

While this may be an eye-opener to some, this can also be offensive to many who insist on their own tradition and resist what the Bible says. But what matters to us is our salvation and how we need to be anchored in Jesus Christ alone and His finished work. That's what really matters the most. God paid a dear price for this salvation, and He will not allow anyone to corrupt what His Son has died for.

We Are Blood-Bought

GOD had a choice: spare His Son and let all of us just burn in hell, or spare us which would then cost Him His Son.

His Son is perfect, we are not. His Son is sinless, we are not. His Son is righteous and holy, we are not.

Yet, God did the unthinkable. He spared not His only Son but gave Him up for us. His Son's death bought us out of the slave market of sin. His blood was shed inorder to wash away the stain of sins and so that we be reconciled to a perfect and sinless God.

With this, let us be assured that we are not just any other face in this world. Let us always bear in mind that we are blood-bought, not with the blood of bulls and goats that they used to offer during those days, but by the royal blood of Jesus Christ. Take heart! We matter to Him!

On Reading the Bible "Too Much"

ANOTHER erroneous saying that we want to debunk today is this: "Too much reading of the Bible can make you crazy". It is not so prevalent in many areas in Cebu, but it exists nonetheless. And thus, it needs to be addressed at once.

First, we want to establish that the Bible is breathed by God (2 Tim 3:16) and all the words of God are true (Ps 119:160). Jesus said that we are not only to live by bread alone, but also by every word of God (Mt 4:4). Moreover, Jesus Himself is the Word of God, who already co-existed with God, who came down in the flesh and tabernacled among us (John 1:14).

Second, Jesus Himself has a high regard for the Scriptures. When He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He used the Scriptures to overcome the testings. He used the lines "it is written... (Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4). If Jesus Himself esteemed the Bible highly, how much more should we?

Lastly, The Holy Spirit is the main Author of the Bible working in different secretaries who came from different backgrounds. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity and it is He who has inspired all the words that are written in the Bible. With this, we are assured that the Bible does not sway us away from what the Father and the Son wants us to do. Instead, it is wise if we listen to what He has to say since it is He who knows all things about the Father and the Son.

Combining all the three, we can conclude that we should be reading the Bible as frequent as we can contrary to the false saying that it can make us crazy if we read it too much.

We don't live by just reading it once a month. Nobody here eats a meal and then lives the next 17 days without eating again. Likewise, we can't face life without feeding from the Word of God. We were designed to feed on it. We were made to become dependent on His Words. We need Him.

This saying that says "Too much reading of the Bible can make you crazy" is nothing more than a false staement from the pit of hell. It is a Satanic statement meant to discourage anyone from reaching out to the Bible. How can it make one crazy when it is the very food that we were made to feed on?

In closing, we want to encourage you to go to the Bible as often as you can. It is like a fountain springing forth with fresh water. Anyone who is thirsty and comes to this fountain will surely be satisfied, and in return, out of His own belly shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38).

An Open Encouragement To All

What are you more conscious of today? 

Is it healing?

Is it financial provision? 

Is it career problems? 

Or is it a broken relationship?

Whatever it is, cast it all to the Lord and as His Word promises, there is no way He will let you down. Believe and be settled that this Big God is right in your midst, working things in you, though you, and for you. We serve a good God. And all He has for you are all plans of good and not evil. Blessed day ahead!

The God Of David Is Our God Too!

EVERYBODY knows about how a boy named David swung a tiny stone against a towering demon in the person of Goliath. And so the stone went up in the air and punched through the bronze helmet of the giant monster. Miraculously, the 2.74 meter demon tumbled down at the impact of the small stone, and then David ran and used Goliath's own sword and decapitated the giant beast.

But what many of us forget is that even before the battle, David was so sure that the Lord God will deliver Goliath into his hands, and that he will strike Goliath's head off from his body.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (1 Samuel 16:45-46)

David had a good opinion about God. He knew that God is on his side. And with what he knew, he went about the battle and ended up victorious.

As believers in Jesus Christ, it is important that we be established in the truth that God is a good God and that He is for us and not against us. It is so important because this will not only give you a full assurance that you are not alone, but it will also assure you that with God on your side, you will always be victorious against all your Goliaths in life.

Goliath was a giant but David was small and the result was a miracle. Don't be afraid of the towering Goliaths in your life. The same God who fought for David is fighting for you. You are not alone. You are not on the losing end. The God of Israel who defeated David's enemy is very much alive and present your life and He is actively decapitating all the giants that are on your way. Be strong and have faith.