(1 Kings 18:20-40) Praying for an Encounter with God

 

What can we learn from Elijah's confident prayer against the prophets of Baal? And what does his example teach us about praying for unbelievers?

In this message, may God grant us the same heart as Elijah and pray while we pray, "Lord, make Yourself known personally and powerfully in people’s lives so that unbelievers will be drawn to You and believers will deepen in their walk with You."

Here is the outline of the message:

Image source:

(Luke 9:57-62) Three Demands of Obedience

Obedience is a heavy word. But often, we speak of it flippantly, forgetting that it demands much from us, even our very lives. This is especially true when we speak of obedience to Christ. In this sermon, we will hear about three demands of obedience based on Luke 9:57-62. May God grant us willing hearts to embrace and practice these demands:


1. Obedience demands sacrifice (vv. 57-58)

2. Obedience demands immediacy (vv. 59-60)

3. Obedience demands commitments (vv. 61-62)


Listen to the whole sermon here:

Length: 38:51 (Please wait for a few seconds for the audio to load)




Here is the outline of the message:

Image source:

(Luke 9:57-62) Ang Katotohanan sa Pagsunod kay Kristo

 Sa mensaheng ito ay ating makikita ang katotohanan tungkol sa pagsunod o pagiging disipulo ni Hesus. Mainam na balikan ang mga katotohanang ito upang makapagmuni-muni tayo patungkol sa ating relasyon kay Hesus at pananampalataya sa Kaniya.

Tatlong bagay ang matututunan natin tungkol sa pagsunod:

1. Huwag asahang madali ang pagsunod kay Kristo (vv. 57-58)
2. Huwag ipagpaliban ang pagsunod kay Kristo (vv. 59-60)
3. Huwag palilihis sa pagsunod kay Kristo (vv. 61-62)

Mapapakinggan po natin ang mensahe rito:

Length: 41:13 (please wait for a few seconds for the audio to load)

Narito po ang outline ng mensahe:

Image Source: https://everydayexiles.com/2019/06/04/obedience-is-belief/lydiamccord/

(Luke 22:39-46) Jesus' Prayer in the Midst of Struggle

Today’s passage brings us nearer to the culmination of the Passion Week where our Lord is about to face the cross. But before the physical sufferings, the beatings, scourging, mocking, crowning, crucifixion and death, everything started with His private struggle in a garden in Jerusalem.

Let us learn about the powerful narrative of Jesus’ struggles in Gethsemane as we learn truths about prayer. Let us learn from the narrative how Jesus was able to face the cross with peace in His heart.

We'll do this by looking at four scenes of struggle that will teach us three truths about prayer:

Four Scenes of Struggle
1. The Summons (vv. 39-40)
2. The Struggle and Surrender (vv. 41-42)
3. The Strengthening amid Suffering (vv. 43-44)
4. The Scolding of the Apostles (vv. 45-46)

Three Truths about Prayer
1. Prayer as a weapon against temptation
2. Prayer as a sign of humility and submission
3. Prayer brings comfort in suffering 

Listen to the whole sermon here (44 minutes) :

If it doesn't load, check it here on Chirbit

Photo is taken from http://paintingandframe.com/prints/guiseppe_cesari_the_agony_in_the_garden-8031.html

(1 Timothy 6:3-21) Guarding our motives in Ministry

In our passage today, we are called to guard our motives in ministry or service. Paul says there are three things we need to focus on to be able to do this. He said, we should:

1. Not to be motivated by personal Glory (vv. 3-5a; 20-21)

2. Not to be motivated by Gold (vv. 5b-10; 17-19)

3. BE motivated by God (vv. 11-16)

Length: 46:29





Here is the outline of the message:

Image taken from: 
https://i1.wp.com/proverbsnwisdom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/freeimage-1942594.jpg?fit=2048%2C2048

(1 Timothy 1) Dealing with False Teachers

"What will you do if you hear false teachings or meet a false teacher?" This is the question faced by Timothy in Ephesus, and Paul was concerned about his young apprentice that he wrote this letter of 1 Timothy.

Today, we also face this question one way or another. And how should we respond? There are at least four ways based on the first chapter of 1 Timothy.

When dealing  with false teachers, we need to be:
1. Bold (3-4)
2. Salvation Focused (5-6)
3. Scripture-Grounded (7-11)
4. Gracious (12-17)
 

Errata (lest I become a false teacher): 
            1. Romans 6:24 should be Romans 6:23

            2. Paul met Jesus on the Road to Damascus NOT Road to Emmaus

Listen to the whole sermon here (39 minutes) :

If it doesn't load, check it here on Chirbit

Here is the outline of the message:

Picture Source: https://americaoutloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/WolfSheep.jpg

(Nehemiah 9) When God's Word Confronts You

Nehemiah 8 to 13 came about as a response to the reading of the Book of the Law (Gen-Deut) beginning in Neh 8:1-2. All the things we’re seeing are evidence of the transforming power of the Word of God in the lives of the Israelites.

Confronted by God’s Word, they responded accordingly. That’s our focus in this passage. When you are confronted by the Word of God, there are at least three responses that will happen. You will respond in:

1. Confession

2. Celebration/Worship

3. Confidence

Listen to the whole sermon here:

If it doesn't load, check it here on Chirbit

Here is the outline of the message:

(Nehemiah 3-4) Facing Opposition to God's Work

Faced with opposition, big or small, against our faith, our Jesus, how will you respond? Our passage in Nehemiah answers this very question through the Jewish experience of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah 3 and 4.

And as we study these chapters, particularly Nehemiah 4, we will see three distinct themes that occurred again and again in the passage. We will see:

A. Challenge
B. Divine Pursuit/ Encounter
C. Response of Faith

Keep these three themes in mind as we witness how Nehemiah faced the opposition against fulfilling God's work.

Listen to the whole sermon here:

If it doesn't load, check it here on Chirbit

Here is the outline of the message:

Image is taken from: https://aprilcoon.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/opposition/

(John 5:1-18) Trust in the Son, Not in Tradition

This is my sixth sermon for the Afternoon Service of the Diliman Campus Bible Church. Here, we will see the tension between Jesus and the Sabbath tradition of the Jews, and we are confronted to choose one of the two.

The choice cuts deep in the Filipino experience, being a nation steeped in religious traditions and beliefs. But God's Word invites us to take the bold step of trusting in the Son, not in tradition.

Listen to the whole sermon here:

If it doesn't load, check it here on Chirbit

Here is the outline of the message:

(John 15:1-11) Abiding in the True Vine

This is my fifth sermon for the Afternoon Service of the Diliman Campus Bible Church. It is an exposition of John 15:1-10 on the series of Jesus' 7 I am's.

In this passage, Jesus speaks of Himself as the True Vine. In order to understand this statement, we will focus on the following points:

1. The Metaphor of the True Vine, the Vinedresser and the Branches (vv. 1-3)

2. Two Questions about Abiding in the True Vine

a. Why abide in the True Vine? (vv. 4-6)

b. What does it mean to abide in the True Vine? (vv. 7-11)

Listen to the preaching below for the entire message. May you be blessed!

Here is the outline of the message:

(John 10:1-10) None but Jesus

This is my fourth sermon for the Afternoon Service of the Diliman Campus Bible Church. It is an exposition of John 10:1-10 on the series of Jesus' 7 I am's.

In this passage, Jesus speaks of Himself as the Door for the Sheep. This is one of the three truths taken from John 10:1-10.

Here we see that Jesus:

1. Leads us to the Truth
2. Liberates us from Sin
3. Lays down His life for His people

Listen to the preaching below for the entire message. May you be blessed!

    

2Peter 3 Three Encouragements about Jesus’ Second Coming

This is my third sermon at Diliman Campus Bible Church, PM service. It is an exposition of 2 Peter 3:1-18 on March 25, 2018.

The passage contains three encouragements for believers about Jesus' Second Coming. These are:

1. Believe His Return

2. Be Aware of His Return

3. Be Steadfast for His Return

Dive into the message to find out more. May you be blessed! :)



    
  

A Peek into a Minister's Heart

This is my first ever sermon in our local church at Diliman Campus Bible Church. It is an exposition of 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5. Entitled, "A Peek into a Minister's Heart," this message leaves us with six truths inside the apostle Paul's heart. These stirred him to continue serving the Lord amid ministry challenges and persecution.

As we listen to God's Word, I pray that Paul's example will also spur us to continue the fight of faith even if it's hard and discouraging, all for God's glory! May you be blessed!

Listen to the recorded message below:

Check this out on Chirbit

You can also read the outline manuscript here (please wait for the document to load):

Influence; Represent

God gave me the opportunity to share His Word yesterday at the Youth Anniversary Celebration of Sto. Cristo Gospel Church at Bulacan. Rob, an alumna of DCF invited me last month. I learned that their youth fellowship is in a rebuilding stage after facing challenges a year ago.

I shared from Matthew 5:13-16 which is a passage that reminds us Christians of our identity as salt and light in a dying world. In a gist, I encouraged their youth to continue influencing people with the Gospel and representing God's love and justice in all they do and say. Prayerfully, as the world watches it will be attracted to the Jesus we profess.

Listen to the recorded message below:

Here is the outline of the message:

The Cost of Following Jesus

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? What will this cost me? Are there things I need to leave behind when I believe in Jesus?

Christianity offers salvation to everyone who puts their faith or trust in Jesus. Some people mistake this for "easy believism." In reality, to be a follower of Jesus demands all of life. The idea of trusting or believing in a Savior means that I should die to myself and surrender to my Savior's rule.

Listen as Kuya Arbie Magno shares the cost of following Christ from Luke 9:57-62. May you be blessed!

Check this out on Chirbit

Navigating through romance

February 28 is the new hearts day for DCF! We capped the Valentines season with our Banquet Dinner and Ladies and Gents Night. This is our way of realigning our hearts and minds with God's on the subject of love and relationships.

Prof. Bot Jocano, our faculty adviser delivered the message. It was actually a repeat of his talk in the freshmen fellowship on Eros Love.Here are some of the striking insights from the message:

1. On the issue of romantic love, are you willing to let go of what feels good to do what‘s right?

2. When considering romantic relationships ask, "Will he or she bring me closer to or farther away from God?"

3. Before entering a relationship, consider your unfinished business and ask, "At this moment of life, what is God calling me to do first and to prioritize?"

4. Even before considering romance, reflect upon your relationship with God. How can your romantic relationship sail smoothly when your walk with God is on a nosedive?

5. Guys, are you willing to wait and labor for the woman you love even if it takes you several years like Jacob?

6. Don‘t enter into a relationship if you‘re not considering marriage.

7. Evangeligaw, disciple chicks and misistry are definitely off the list.

Listen to Sir Bot's message here:

Check this out on Chirbit

Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ

Come February and everyone begins talking about romantic love. That's the norm worldwide. For the UP Christian Community, however, February meant more than romance. The UPCC decided to focus on brotherly love among siblings in the Lord.

Bro. Jade Gascon from the Jesus is Lord Church exhorted the body to truly stand united in its testimony for Jesus in the UP Diliman Campus.  This is made possible only if the members had genuine love for one another flowing from their common ground-- the blood of Jesus poured out for their salvation.

He tackled love on the one hand and wrapped it around unity. With a diverse Christian tradition on campus, unity thrives only when there is love. Unity, of course, is different from uniformity. We can celebrate our uniqueness as Christians and still be united in Christ through our love for one another.

My brother may be all-out for contemporary Christian music and I may be a fan of classical hymns. But what is this outward difference compared to our bond in Jesus? Because of our Savior, the Apostle Paul can write this about the Christian community, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28)."

I long to see the fulfilment of Jesus' prayer for us in John 17:20-21, "“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, tthat they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

As a take home, I am challenged to think about how much I love my brethren in the UPCC, and what else I can do to make our unity more evident in the eyes of our campus. All these for the glory of Jesus and the renown of His salvation.

Listen to the full sermon here and be blessed:

Check this out on Chirbit

Paradoxes: Encouraging the UPCC to Share Jesus

I'm uploading the message I shared in the first Koinonia Night (K-Night) of the UP Christian Community for AY 2013-2014. This is a reflection on the persecution experienced by Stephen and the believers in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 7:54-8:4. 

I pray that this message will encourage everyone in the UP Christian Community to passionately share Jesus. It is a timely message especially at the start of UPCC's Jesus-Weeks (Dec. 5-18) when every Christian in UP is called to join the sharing of the Gospel on campus. We hope to partner with all of you in God's work in UP Diliman. 

Feel free to listen and share the message. May God alone be glorified!

Check this out on Chirbit

This is the video mentioned in the podcast. Watch it before continuing with the message.

You can read the outline of the message below. You can share it freely to your friends.

DOWNLOAD

Dis-a-fear: When fear meets God

 Listen to a talk I gave among freshmen on the issue of fear. Though originally the topic covered overcoming fears of college life, I chose to zoom out and talk about fear itself. How can one overcome fear? Not by one's power or might but by God's enabling alone. This talk also looked into the source of fear and the importance of having God as the foundation of one's life. May you be blessed, encouraged and challenged!

Evangelism: An Overview

©CreationSwap/Rich Aguilar

Pastor Bel Magalit tackles evangelism during a council retreat of the Diliman Campus Bible Church. Here he shows us an overview of how the first-century believers understood Jesus' Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. I highly recommend this podcast for everyone engaged in ministry. May you be blessed!