A Midnight Update On Life

It's 12 midnight of November 30th -- the church is so much in a state of stillness compared to how it is during a Sunday service. Outside are only a few cars left driving towards the highway. Inside there is me, sitting in the clerk desk and a couple of "intercessors" on the wait for their time of prayer. Chairs are piled up and lights are dimmed but there is not a bit of eerie feel that lingers on the atmosphere. There is, instead, an ambiance that I've been much familiar with this past week; an ambiance which feels like HOME.

Why am I in church at midnight? And what were the sudden surprises that took place these past few days? The events that occurred are interesting. I figured it's been quite awhile since I've posted a personal blog entry. This is the perfect night to sit and tell you about all that's been happening lately. So here you go with all the recent updates at once ;)

1. Loving Jesus more and more.
- I've been reading a written sermon of prophet Sadhu entitled "A Rose for Jesus" where he talks about the way to becoming Christ's bride and the kind of relationship that He longs for us. Inspired by this, I wrote an inspirational entry, "The Song of Solomon" which states how this particular book in the bible changed my entire perspective of a connecting with Christ-- it is in the state of a more affectionate, more intimate approach towards this Lord and Savior. Loving Jesus proves to be the best source of everything I needed to continue the walk in ministry: the source of strength, joy, and peace. 1 John 4:19 states that "we love because he first loved us", and it is in love that we do things more excellently for the glory of our Great God just as Paul says, "do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14)". Here comes a point in my journey where in prayer, I learned that everything else does not matter, as long as "this.. you and me, Jesus.. this is real..what we have is real."  To love Jesus more is the highlight of the beginning of my "-ber" days since the eve of the Feast of Tabernacle-- the rising of the last blood moon in this century wherein God allowed a great turning point of my life and of my brothers and sisters in faith that are close to my heart.

2. The Feast of Tabernacle

Along with Pstr. Sam in white and other brothers & sisters in faith.

Last September 28, a full blood moon rose above the skies all over the nations of the world at exactly the very moment of the Feast of Tabernacle or "Ingathering" under the Jewish calendar as it is written in Exodus 23:16. As the huge blood moon shone over Israel, live at the coliseum where we were along with thousands of other Filipino Christians-- I stood amazed, fearful with a Godly fear, and mesmerized as I see the prophetic Scripture unfolding before my very eyes. As it  is in Acts 2:20, "the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord". Two things I came to realize at this point; that the Lord has marvelous feasts granted to His people, and that to have this most significant feast occurring at the very time the last blood moon appears within a 300-year interval is certainly not a coincidence. There will be "great wonders in the sky above (Acts 2:19)" during the end times and we are definitely approaching towards the last days. The impact of this in my life? Both an encouragement and strengthening of faith; that there are not a few but more and more souls are getting saved during this great harvest time, that prayer intercessors all over the world are working together to have God's plans established on earth, and that the He has sent His prophets to bring the news of the near coming of Christ Jesus our Lord and prepare the way for Him. The Church age has ended and the Kingdom age has come. For it is now not a time of division, but of unity of all churches and denominations that walks according to the authentic word of God as one in the kingdom of light against the kingdom of darkness. Intense? Yes. But these signs of times caters me to a progress  in my individual walk with God knowing that this God is real, His Word is real, our relationship is real, and so is the spiritual battle that has already have been overcome by Jesus Christ.

3. The Children Ministry

Teacher April sharing the Word to the kids.

Last time as I was sitting right at a corner busy preparing their module, a couple of children entered the church earlier than the appointed time of fellowship (which didn't surprise me since their enthusiasm to know the Word has been tremendously intensified these past few months). They sat right at the other side of the aisle and asked permission to get hold of one of the bibles. One of the kids flipped through the pages looking for a certain verse as the others gathered around him saying "that was in Psalms..", "no, it was in Peter", "no, try looking at the old testament". This melted my heart in total thanksgiving to my Lord Jesus for it is because of Him that this ministry became possible. To think that a year ago, it's funny that these kids (because of how they're used to behave in the streets and the squatters), used to enter the church in nasty masters and set the entire place in chaos. A-horrible-chaos. Now they've learned to utter a prayer, share a testimony, sing for God, dance for God, and most of all, read his Word. The children ministry is thriving because of the Spirit moving to each one of these children. Today, we are tackling the book of Mark and putting emphasis on getting to know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior.

4. The Youth Ministry

The youth worship team during first rehearsal.

This week, God has pointed us to a new endeavor with the young Christians. As I was on my way to church one Tuesday, I was listening to a new playlist that was sent to me by a cousin on shuffle mode. The song "Chosen Generation" made a very huge impact to me like one of those moments when the Holy Spirit is leading me to a message or a revelation. As I arrived in church that day, there came a proposal of launching a Youth Ministry and I knew right there that this was God's will for us and the community-- another step for the expansion of His kingdom. The youth are the front-liners of this generation and this generation is indeed a chosen one, "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9)". It brings me great joy to see that more young people are getting to know my Lord Jesus Christ and decide to follow Him, to run the good race of faith. It is my prayer that as this ministry starts, the blessing of God may be upon it to sustain and continue the work that has been done.

6. The 24/7 Prayer Intercession

The prayer intercession module. 

Now the highlight: The beginning of our 24/7 Prayer Intercession stirs up all the things around and even intensifies the passion & service inside this church and its ministries. For quite awhile now the Philippines has become a part of an inter-denominational national prayer movement which started in 1989 and was adapted among nations and its localities. The God Almighty has been so gracious that He finally revealed to us the particular calling of our community after seven years of gathering together each week to fellowship and meditate upon His word.The Spirit has been guiding us mightily, even going beyond evangelism and teaching, to Spiritual gifts and warfare-- slightly different and more escalated from the call of other ministries. And so we wondered to find out that it is after all to prepare us for this calling, a call to be prayer warriors in these last days. God brought me and my mother who is currently pasturing the church, to Manila last September so as to cross path with what is now established as the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP). It is encouraging to know that our fellow followers of Christ (not in the spotlight but in meekness and lowliness) are indeed everywhere in the corners of this nation, working hand in hand to establish God's Word and prophecies in this land through the strong move of congregational prayers. Prayer houses are being established in individual towns and cities of the Philippines and along with this comes the purpose of this church-- to be a 24/7 House of Prayer. There has been a construction of a prayer room where anyone or any group of intercessors could enter and pray for individual lives, for families, for cities, and for nations.

Truly, this life is such a blessing from God. To live life for Him is even a more wonderful thing. For this life I'd say is of without sense and meaning apart from Him. And I know because I've been to where the world was and was delivered out of darkness to light. My satisfaction is this: that regardless the progressive expansion of this ministry, the most significant aspect is that Christ is the center of it all. My highest hopes is to keep it that way :)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." -Colossians 3:17