Tall Order

Half way through 2007 [my] Pastor Joe [DiSarno] preached about the qualities of God's love. Agape love looks so different from man's concept of love. Agape thinks more about the welfare of others than the welfare of self. Agape gives more than it takes. Agape is more than just feelings.

As Pastor Joe spoke on the matter over a period of a few weeks, I began to think that agape -- unconditional love -- is such a tall order. It's the kind that is not based on feelings. It's the kind that's always extravagant. It's the kind that's always willing to make sacrifices. At the end of this series of sermons, two questions came to mind: who can measure up to such high standards, and can I measure up to such high standards?

The answers? Well, to the first one -- Jesus measured up to the standards. He was born without sin. He lived a life without sin. He modeled love at its purest, highest form. He was compassionate to the corrupt, kind to the poor, merciful to the sinner, open to the oppressed. Yet His love was firm and strong and He wasn't afraid to dish out tough love when necessary. He made the most extravagant sacrifice that anyone can make -- He laid down His life for His friends... and enemies. He loved when it felt good. He loved when it hurt. He loved even when no one reciprocated. He loved completely, ultimately, unconditionally.

To the second -- by God's grace I can [attempt / hope] to measure up to the standard.

- - - - -

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Called to War. Called to Intimacy.

Things are quite dynamic now in my spiritual life. I mean, everything I hear from the pulpit, read in my personal devotional times, and receive from the Holy Spirit are all in sync. The Lord has been leading me to very specific places in the heavenlies lately. He's called me to a time of war and deeper intimacy.

This has been confirmed through the preachings of Pastor Nap, my Bible readings (right now on the Prophet Isaiah), and through the Elijah List website. Particularly today, the prophetic word on that website centers on the anointing of Elijah and how his deep intimacy with God led him to the world scene where God's power was made unmistakably evident in his life and ministry.

Intimacy is the key to authority. Intimacy is the key to warfare. Intimacy is the key to a successful Christian life. This is what the Lord has been speaking to me through the ministers in my church. And the Holy Spirit has been teaching me to live these out.

Plus, Pastor Nap has also been prophesying over the men of Maranatha Christian Fellowship that the Lord is really drawing us nearer to His heart and leading us to weep over the nation. So be it Lord.

- - - - -

Father, lead the men of our house and of our nation to a deeper, more intimate relationship with You. Raise us up to be the warriors and leaders You have called us to be. Let Your heart beat in ours, so that we can care for the things You care for. In Jesus' name. Amen.

'Forever' and a Day

The New Life Sounds Choir had a very fruitful season of evangelism this Christmas. We presented our 2007 holiday cantata entitled "Christmas is Forever" at Cinema 1 of SM Cebu and got a huge response from people who were seeking the Lord. It was a powerful cantata and many of our brethren said it was heavily anointed. I think we all felt the anointing on the ministry that day.

More than 500 people responded to the invitation to receive Jesus Christ into their lives during the cantata presentations in the afternoon and in the evening. Talk about getting a big harvest. The net was cast. Now the job of pulling the fish in begins. I pray, along with my congregation and fellow ministers, that all of the seeds sown will find fertile ground for growth and fruitfulness. Help us usher them to the kingdom, Lord, so we can disciple them and teach them your ways.

For this season of ministry with the choir, I'd say the Lord has taken us -- individually and corporately -- to yet another level of dependence on Him, another level of receiving and extending His grace, another level of intimacy that translated to a more powerful time of ministry during the cantata. Everybody who put in their time, talent, energy and heart into the production and presentation of the musical sowed not only in the physical but also in the spiritual, which is why I believe the Lord moved so mightily last December 8 at SM.

Kudos to all the members of the New Life Sounds Choir: the singers, the dancers, the actors, the stage directress, the choir directress, the kids' choir and dance team, the cantata support group, the backstage/behind the scenes crew, the sound and light crew, the narrators, the logistics team, the connectors, the consolidators, the facilitators, the ushers, the intercessors and everyone who did their best for the Lord. All glory and honor goes to Jesus for what He has accomplished.

Up next: the Easter cantata! Haha!

A Prophetic History

I was googling my last name the other day in an attempt to find more descriptions of a place in Spain called Machacon. I even searched in Wikipedia with very minimal results. Went back to Google and found a very interesting piece of my family's history online.

It turns out one of my ancestors, Nicomedes Machacon, was one of the revolutionaries who fought against the 400-year Spanish colonial rule. When I read the articles at Leon Kilat and Cebu's Revolution, I got a sudden sense of alignment and confirmation of my destiny. I am a warrior intercessor who descended from a local revolutionary. How awesome is that?

Somebody in my lineage sowed a great prophetic act into my life by fighting for freedom from colonial oppression years ago. And I guess my mother and brother also prophesied over me as a kid when they teasingly called me a "freedom fighter" because I would uphold rights at a young age.

And recently, I researched on my first given name -- Michael -- and got into deeper study on the original owner of the name, the Archangel himself. He is a warrior angel, the leader of the Armies of Heaven. His name in itself was a worship to the Almighty One: "Who is like God?" It is no accident that I was given this name, in the same way it is no accident that I am a descendant of one of Cebu's revolutionaries.

And now...

...it's time to fight!

- - - - -

"Stand firm in the armor of our God
And pierce the darkness with light
All praise to the overcoming God
Let us lift our sword and fight!"

Indescribable

This is Man.

This is Earth.

This is the Solar System.

This is the Milky Way.

And further out... the Horsehead Nebula.

And further still... the Sombrero Galaxy.

Even further still... the Hourglass Nebula.

Way out there still... the Perfect Storm Nebula.

Way, waaay out there... the Starry Night Galaxy.

And really waaaay out there... the Whirlpool Galaxy.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
-- Psalm 19:1-2

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
-- Psalm8:3-4

My Seasons in the River

I've been with the Maranatha Christian Fellowship in Cebu for four years now and looking back, the Lord has brought me through many seasons with the congregation and in my personal life.

I joined MCF in 2003, in the time when the congregation went through a season of shifting. During this season, I got swept into the river and began my flow -- my journey -- into true spiritual growth. This was also the time when I started my involvement with the MCF New Life Sounds Choir. 2003 will always be a big spiritual touchstone for me as I consider it my spiritual birth year. I really felt welcomed into the river during the September 2003 Let the River Flow prophetic conference. I literally felt growth in my spirit beginning here.

As the years passed and as I began to grow more in the river, God also brought me through a season of testing and waiting. There was this dream of mine that I have had for such a long time and I thought it had been answered in 2003. I have been seeking the Lord about the fulfillment of this dream and for two years -- 2004 and 2005 -- I had been in a season of waiting on Him. It was one of the most trying times in my life. The things I thought I knew and claimed were put through the fire. But the Lord's assurance to me was through the prophet Isaiah: they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. And renew my strength He did! Looking back at that time I can say those waiting periods really molded me and trained me in pursuit of the King.

I was also brought through a season of labor and more responsibilities -- particularly in the choir. The Lord gave me some seemingly unsurmountable stuff back in 2006 pertaining to our cantata presentations and I felt thoroughly overwhelmed. But it was God's way of training my hands for war and for more. The bigger the load I got, the more dependent I became on Him. This season taught me to do the best that I can, to trust God to do the rest and rest in Him when I've done my best. He is in control after all. Not me.

Finally, the changing of seasons in the last month has brought me and my congregation -- and presumably, the nation -- to a season of war. It's now time to contend for the lost of this nation. It's time to take back by force what belongs to the Lord. It's time to stand on the authority that God has given us over this nation and over the oppressing spirits in this nation.

The preaching in the church lately has been focusing on recognizing the seasons, knowing the proper response for the season, and learning to flow with the Spirit this season. I liked Pastor Nap's word of encouragement during the revival service last night: God is drawing the men of this house (MCF) to Him and giving them the heart of Jesus so that they will care for the things God cares for; this is a season for men to become more sensitive to the things of God and the presence of God. I believe this. I feel it. God is calling the men of MCF to a deeper intimacy with Him and that intimacy will result in a heart of stone being traded for a heart of flesh -- a heart that always longs for more of the Lord.

It is an exciting season here in the Philippines and -- based on the prophecies on Elijah List -- all over the world. There is just so much more that God can do that we have not even begun to imagine or think. Ha! He's just about to blow the Philippines away! I KNOW IT!

A Day of Religion

I was having lunch at the office cafeteria the other day when I overheard some co-workers talk about the topic of religion. They were discussing how some religions have become a "business", with men of the cloth duping laymen and using the name of God for unscrupulous purposes. Listening to their conversation made me think about the truths of their argument (yes, there are certain religious sects that have made faith a cash cow for personal gain) and the fallacies of their thesis (there are true believers of Christ and servants of the One True God that serve Him wholeheartedly for the benefit of others).

I was also saddened how many ungodly wolves in sheep's clothing have tarnished the image of Christianity -- or any religion for that matter -- and as a result, have led astray many people genuinely seeking God. We need to come against these spirits of greed, deception and manipulation as these are present in our country.

Prior to having lunch, a friend of mine at work asked me what religion I belonged to. I had a hard time answering him. I ended up muttering, "Uhm... I don't have one." Haha! Discomfort sat it. Frankly, I still don't know how to answer this question. I would sometimes answer, "I'm a Pentecostal Christian!" But does that really cover it all? I mean, I have always heard it said in church that Christianity is not a religion but an intimate relationship with Christ. So, I lived most of my Christian life eschewing the label of religion.

But according to Wikipedia, "religion is a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people," and most dictionaries' definition of the word "religion" pretty much describes some of the things that are involved in my relationship with God. I guess part of the reason why I don't consider myself religious or belonging to any religion is because there is -- whether I like it or not -- an existing stigma attached to religious groups and sects. And this leads to the discussion I heard at lunch time (above paragraph).

*Sigh* There is still so much to learn about the whole religion-relationship thing, and although I'm still not comfortable with the religion label, I totally have no problem with the relationship tag -- that's a more succinct description of what I have with the Lord.

- - - - -

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -- James 1:27

Blogs of Blessing

I've been scanning Blogger profiles today, looking for other believers online. While doing so, I aslo came across quite a few "naughty" ones that made my thoughts "stray". It frustrates me that sometimes I can't help but follow a certain train of thought that I know isn't going to please God. Today was one of those sometimes.

Anyway, as I was gathering more URLs of Blogger blogs, I came across one that belongs to an 18-year-old Christian guy who hit the nail on the head with regard to my frustration.

John also had a similar frustration and he talks about it in an entry in his blog, fervently.run.the.race. I particularly like the encouraging word his pastor gave to him: "That is proof that you ARE for real. Before, you did all these things but it didn't bother you. Now, you are living for the Spirit. When you do them it bothers you so you notice your sin more."

I was blessed by this guy's blog, and even more blessed to find many other Christian bloggers that are sharing their lives, testimonies and victories online.

Check out The Radiant Ones [my blogroll] on the left panel of this blogsite to visit John's weblog and of the others I found here in Blogger.

- - - - -

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today', so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. " -- Hebrews 3:13 NASB

Underneath My Skin

Courage was never a question
Choosing the right thing was
Bravery is not a suggestion
Believing the merits of a cause

Faith is not a matter of seeing
Feelings are a desert mirage
Love will not always come freely
Liberty comes at a cost

Joy can be occasionally elusive
Justice can be quite the same
Truth is not often as blatant
Trust may some times be to blame

Hope is an inexpensive luxury
Happiness isn't always bliss
Doubt can be a missing guitar string
Devotion may lead you amiss

Corruption is a bucket of water
Correction is the leak below
Eternity takes forever to capture
Emotion is a toddler in tow

Wisdom may not be an assurance
Wealth cannot shelter the soul
Failure can be one's insurance
Foolishness can make another whole

Curiosity can last a lifetime
Conundrums may never cease
Maturity can happen in seconds
Misery may afford sweet release

Peace is not a bird that flies
Promises should not be brittle
Fame may not sing lullabyes
Freedom cannot be belittled

As random as randomness can be
Tell me now what to do with these
Bits and pieces of what I believe in
All merge, entagled underneath my skin

From the Last Season

It has been such an intense season, the one that just passed by recently. It was, in hindsight, God's way of training my hands for battle and arming me with strength to make my way perfect. The circumstances aren't any easier now than they were in the past season but with the lessons the Lord taught me then, I feel more equipped to face the challenges of this new season -- with God's grace of course. After all, what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

The lessons that I have had to learn in the past several months included the discerning of spirits, the exercising of faith and total dependence on God, and the bending of the ego to an even lower level of humility. And if there is one word that I would use to describe how I felt in the last season it would be stretched. I really felt the Lord stretching my spirit to see how much more I can have of Him, and my body to see how much more of my flesh can be submitted to His will.

At the start of the new season, I believe that the Lord has anointed me and equipped me to take on the things that are yet to come. With the lessons I learned in the last season and the encouragements that culminated with the propetic conference last month, I really believe that God has trained my hands for war, lifted me up to a new level of dependence on Him, and gave me His supernatural strength to soar in this season of war!

On 24/7 Watch

I got hit today! And I fell. Looks like the enemy is striking where it hurts me most. But I cannot -- did not -- stay down long. I am already aware that this is a season of war. I guess I got a little bit careless on the battlefield earlier. Won't happen again... by God's grace.

Now more than ever, I find the need to be constantly vigilant. I know the Lion of the Tribe of Judah is strong within me, but there is also another lion out there who's just lying in wait, looking for someone to devour. The prophetic word during the Let the River Flow conference was really a timely warning. The watchmen really need to be watchful... 24/7.

The Lord prepared me this morning as well. On the commute, He reassured my that He is my Deliverer, my Help in time of trouble, my Rest in the rage of war, my Faith in the face of evil and my unfailing Hope. Also, Stacey Campbell's words during the conference comforts me now: "God loves me no matter what!"

The scripture says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I stand on that word and I will not let the enemy butcher me in the battlefield. I HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE DEVIL. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!

Not I No More

und nicht mehr lebe ich, sondern Christus lebt in mir; was ich aber jetzt im Fleisch lebe, lebe ich im Glauben, [und zwar im Glauben] an den Sohn Gottes, der mich geliebt und sich selbst für mich hingegeben hat.

Съразпнах се с Христа, и сега вече, не аз живея, но Христос живее в мене; а животът, който сега живея в тялото, живея го с вярата, която е в Божия Син, Който ме възлюби и предаде Себе Си за мене.

Med Kristus er jeg korsfæstet, og det er ikke mere mig, der lever, men Kristus lever i mig; men hvad jeg nu lever, i Kødet, det lever jeg i Troen, på Guds Søn, som elskede mig og gav sig selv hen for mig.

Con Cristo estoy juntamente crucificado, y ya no vivo yo, mas vive Cristo en mí; y lo que ahora vivo en la carne, lo vivo en la fe del Hijo de Dios, el cual me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí.

J'ai été crucifié avec Christ; et si je vis, ce n'est plus moi qui vis, c'est Christ qui vit en moi; si je vis maintenant dans la chair, je vis dans la foi au Fils de Dieu, qui m'a aimé et qui s'est livré lui-même pour moi.

Napatay ako kaupod ni Cristo sa krus. Indi na ako ang nagakabuhi karon, kundi si Cristo na ang nagakabuhi sa akon. Kag ining kabuhi nga akon ginakabuhi karon amo ang resulta sang akon pagtuo sa Anak sang Dios nga naghigugma sa akon kag naghalad sang iya kabuhi para sa akon.

Ég er krossfestur með Kristi. Sjálfur lifi ég ekki framar, heldur lifir Kristur í mér. Lífinu, sem ég lifi nú hér á jörð, lifi ég í trúnni á Guðs son, sem elskaði mig og lagði sjálfan sig í sölurnar fyrir mig.

Napako ako sa krus na kasama ni Cristo, gayunman ako ay nabubuhay. Ngunit hindi na ako ang nabubuhay kundi si Cristo na ang nabubuhay sa akin. Ang buhay na ikinabubuhay ko ngayon sa laman ay ikinabubuhay ko sa pananampalataya ng Anak ng Diyos na siyang umibig sa akin at nagbigay ng kaniyang sarili para sa akin.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.



Galatians 2:20... in different tongues

Let the River Flow 2007: Day Three

November 25, 2007 / Sunday

Morning Session
The worship time was really powerful and God's presence was unmistakable. Pastor Joe DiSarno came up to the pulpit and sensed the Spirit asking, "Where are the watchmen? Where are they?"

Because the glory of God was so great in the hall, one of the giants in the land came crashing down -- Jezebel! Stacey Campbell called on the men to rise up and take our place of leadership, as watchmen of the Philippines, and as gatekeepers of our families. It was really amazing. I believe the men coming forward to the altar and declaring victory over the Jezebel (controlling) spirit in the nation was really symbolic of what was happening in the spiritual. Whoa! Jesus has given us the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions, and to overcome "ALL" the power of the enemy! Hooooooooooooooooooooo! Hallelujah! Freedom!!!

I'm telling you it was a great way to "anoint the warriors" of Cebu! Haha! Daddy!!!

The Lord's reassurance to the body was that He loves us no matter what. Therefore, we don't have to strive as children of the Father. We don't have to fall under the performance trap. We don't have to prove anything to anyone. WE ARE LOVED BY THE KING! WE ARE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE ALMIGHT GOD! PERIOD. Haha! The God who holds the universe in His hands has His eyes locked on us. Whoa!

Rise up, men of God! Rise up, WARRIORS! "Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, 'I am strong!'" Rise up, sons of God! PREPARE FOR WAR!!! Haha!


Afternoon Session
The afternoon meeting was more of a time of instruction as to where our "war efforts" were to be concentrated. Stacey said she felt Cebu is going to be a place of training and instruction for the Kingdom, and that she sees the city as a spiritual refreshing station for the nation. Wow! I live in Cebu. I am so blessed! Haha!

Later on, Stacey shared part of what she and her husband, Wesley, were doing in their ministry. She shared about the need to reach out the women and children of the world, emphasizing that children at the most at risk today. She also pointed out the spirit of poverty as one of the major enemies of the Church. Looks like we've got our work cut out for us. Hehehe. Thank You, Lord.

Stacey used the parable of the good Samaritan to drive home her point. In the passage, an expert of the law asks Jesus, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Then Jesus tells him the story of the traveler who fell into the hands of robbers, and how a priest and a Levite who were passing by didn't do anything to help the poor guy on the ditch. Instead, it was the most unlikely -- the Samaritan -- who extended a helping hand to the beaten man. Stacey challenged us, as Christ did in this scripture, that if we want to go to Heaven, we should "Go and do likewise" -- or as I summed it up in my notes: "Love God. Love people."


Evening Session
The last session of the conference was really something else. It was as different and as unique as the other sessions the came before it. Stacey shared to us part of what she does during her personal devotional time. We were reading passages of scripture, and singing the Word as a way of praying the Bible. It was intense. Everyone was on their feet and singing the Bible to God, singing prophetic words to the nation. It was really great. I got a lot of tips from this evening's session.


- - - - -


Let the River Flow 2007 was incredible, to say the least. With the changing of season in the Philippines, it was timely to hear what the Spirit of God had to say. I believed we got what we needed in preparation for the new season. I believe the men in this city, in this nation are hearing the call of God to take their place of leadership, and are rising up. I really believe things are starting to change in the spiritual atmosphere in my nation.

I am excited about what God will do next.

"Maranatha!"


- - - - -


To Pastor Benjun and Ate Malou: I hope these notes gave you an idea of what took place during the conference. God bless you guys. ;o)

The Tower

The Tower still stands in the place it was built
While the birds have all flown and the flowers now wilt
It is mighty and high as its powerful Builder
And when the Day comes, it will leave all bewildered

The Tower is tall and a bit unrelenting
Its Spires are high and they seem never-ending
Its Gates may be hidden from mortals ascending
But Windows announce the Immortals descending

The Tower is far from the hands of the reaching
It is closer to those whose hearts are not beating
It glimmers afar, on a wide, barren field
Its secrets the Tower won't easily yield

Some look at the Tower in awe of its gaze
While some are but humbled and greatly amazed
It welcomes the weak, pursuant of vigor
And when they draw near, the Tower gets bigger

The Tower still stands in the place it was built
No longer the hidden, not troubled with guilt
It beckons the famished to take on their fill
And shelters warrior who knows to be still

Never Fails

One of the songs covered by Jars of Clay [in the album Who We Are Instead] is this really moving song called Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet. I find this really encouraging in times when I feel weak, tempted and down. It reminds me of a fundamental biblical truth: Jesus' precious blood that was shed on Calvary for mankind has never lost its power.

Read the story behind the song here.

Jesus' blood never failed me yet
Never failed me yet
Jesus' blood never failed me yet
This one thing I know
That He loves me so

Jesus' blood never failed me yet
Never failed me yet
Jesus' blood never failed me yet
This one thing I know
That He loves me so

Jesus' blood
Won't fail me yet
Won't fail me yet
Won't fail me yet

Jesus' blood
Won't fail me yet
Won't fail me yet
Won't fail me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet
Never failed me yet
Jesus' blood never failed me yet
This one thing I know
That He loves me so

Let the River Flow 2007: Day Two

November 24, 2007 / Saturday

Harp & Bowl
The second day prayer and intercession time was more intense and focused again on the nation. There was a strong cry for God's Kingdom to come down on the Philippines.


Morning Session
Before Pastor Jerome came to share the word, he prophesied over the Jesus Revolution and Maranatha worship teams. It was a call for the team members to rise up and go to the next level of faith.

Pastor Jerome's preaching was anchored on Exodus 4, where God asked Moses, "What is that in your hands?" He pointed out that God has given us what we need to do what God has called us to do. After all, God planted eternity in the hearts of men. In order for us to fulfill God's will in our lives we must recognize the purpose He has set in our hearts and the things He has placed in our hands.

Pastor Jerome urged us to not underestimate what God has placed in our hands because it can be used by Him mightily when we place it back in His hands. "It depends on whose hands it is in!" It was basically calling us to use what we have -- the talents, the giftings, the time, the resources though little it may be -- for the glory of God.

He also quoted Daniel 11:33, wherein it says "Those who are wise will instruct many."


Afternoon Session
Pastor Salome Oro shared on the topic of submission to authority. She said that the Kingdom of God is run by principles and one of them is submitting to authority to be in authority. It is important for the Christian to be under authority -- God's and those delegated by God -- especially during wartime.

Pastor Sal pointed out the benefits of submission to authority. God designed authority:
- to bring guidance
- to ensure success
- to bring confirmaton and bear witness
- to discipline in love
- to circumcise hearts
- to properly release to ministry

Our response towards the delegate authority in our lives is submission as unto the Lord. Pastor Sal stated that we need to die to self, die to pride, die to delf-preference. She also said there should be a death to any desire for self-importance -- all glory has to be given back to God, all our actions and motives should point back to the King. We must allow the Spirit of God to take dominion in all aread of our lives.


Evening Session
Stacey came back for the second evening and started the session by saying that we were getting deeper in the river -- no longer at ankle level. Stacey felt that the night was about consecration and that people needed to decide at that time whether they were willing to go all the way for the Lord. We have to be in perfect union and oneness with the Father, Spirit and Son, and that as Christ's bride we need to be completely one with Him.

Stacey read from the gospel of John (chapters 2 and 6) and showed how Jesus kept speaking in "riddles", which drove the casual disciples away. She emphasized that God doesn't want superficial believers. This was a call to truly go deeper and more intimate with God, and an echo of what Pastor Joe has been saying in past few months: "God doesn't reveal Himself to the casual.

- - - - -

Day Three to follow.

The First Act of War

Wow! This is it! After the briefing and equipping for war last weekend, I get back to the battlefield and find the first act of war already pointed out to me. I visited Elijah List yesterday and the headline that greeted me? "Declare War on Ungratefulness and Grumbling with a Heart of Thankfulness."

Whoa!

The prophetic word from Francis Frangipane zeroed in on the problem with grumbling and how it can lead to moral decay. "The offenses we do not transfer to God in surrendered prayer inevitably decay and become a venom we transfer to others through gossip. In the process, we embrace slander, but we feel justified. We become malicious gossips, but in our minds we're only communicating a 'truth,' a character flaw, that we self-righteously 'discerned.'"

This sentence also spoke to me when I read it yesterday: "Grumbling caused people to stop seeing and appreciating miracles. It caused disciples to be offended by Jesus' teaching and they stopped walking with Him."

The old song used to say: "Give thanks with a grateful heart." That's the remedy, the cure, the weapon of warfare we should use against grumbling, ingratitude, gossip, slander, malice. Frangipane states, "An unthankful heart is an enemy to God's will. Can you join me with this? Can you crucify a murmuring spirit? We have received too much from God to allow ourselves opportunities for ingratitude and unbelief! We have received too many gifts and privileges to allow grumbling to disqualify us of our destiny."

{read the full text of the prophetic word here}

- - - - -

I pray that we would keep our hearts grateful with what God has done in our lives. We need to recognize His hand of blessing, protection, provision, guidance, love, mercy and grace. There is so much we need to be thankful for. An ungrateful heart and a grumbling spirit has no place in the Kingdom of God.

Let the River Flow 2007: Day One

November 23, 2007 / Friday

Harp & Bowl
Before the 10am assembly started, we had a worship, prayer and intercession session. The spirit of intercession for the nation was heavy as it came down upon the Upper Room of the Maranatha World Outreach Center (in Manalili, Cebu).

There was a cry for the children of the nation, for the fatherless generation; that Father God would father them; that the Lord would send them father figures to train them and raise them up so they can fulfill their destiny in the Lord.

A prayer for the schools in the nation was also spoken. It was a prayer for the teachers to become the leaders and instruments that the Lord would use to raise up the students in righteousness.

There was also a cry for the Filipino church, the body of Christ in the Philippines, to rise up and stand in the gap for the nation.


Morning Session
The main emphasis during the morning session was a changing of seasons. Pastor Jerome pointed out that recognizing the seasons in our lives is one of the most prophetic things we can do. There is a new season that has already begun in the Philippines and we can either be part of it or just be bystanders. Pastor Jerome said it this way: "We could either be forerunners or drifters."

There was a call to revolutionalize our way of thinking, to have a mindset of serving God and fighting for the Lord as the Philippines has now entered a spiritual season of WAR! "We must have a wartime mindset," said Pastor Jerome. He also emphasized that Satan wants to lure us to a peacetime mindset in order for us to not be on the watch. "WE ARE AT WAR!"

The challenge toward the end of Pastor Jerome's preaching was to bring the focus back to God, and to put our wartime mentality on. We were encouraged to find joy in this season of war and to be confident in the fire of God to burn inside of us.

The question that lingers in my mind is: "Are you willing to lay down your today for your country's future?"


Afternoon Session
Stacey Campbell came in for the afternoon session and confirmed the prophetic word spoken by Pastor Jerome -- the season is changing in the Philippines; it is a season of WAR! Stacey pointed out that on her way to Cebu, on the plane, she sensed the strong presence of witchcraft and demonic spirits in the land; that these spirits are oppressing and opposing Christians in the nation. She called for us to fight against these spirits for GREATER is He in us than he that is in the world.

Stacey also encouraged us to turn passive faith into aggressive faith, and to not let the enemy's design (to make us quit) take over us. Instead, we should hold on to the fact that God wants -- and enables -- us to be successful overcomers.

She also said that God is training us for this new season and that even in our trials we can be happy because there is joy in serving Him -- this is also a confirmation of what Pastor Jerome said in the morning session that God doesn't want us to live a miserable life.


Evening Session
The evening session was a build-up of what had been shared by Pastor Jerome and Stacey during the day. Stacey felt that she was in Cebu to anoint the warriors and prophesied over Pastor Joe (DiSarno) saying he's a general who's gonna be getting battle strategies from the Lord and lead the army to war.

Then Stacey read from the book of Joel (chapter 3), which is call to war, to rouse the warriors. She highlighted the importance of becoming intimate with God in relation to going into battle: "You can't go to war if you don't know you're loved!" Intimacy is the key to victorious warfare! And acts of war does not have to be big and bold all the time. Stacey shared that during her times with the Lord, He told her that "it is enough that you die to yourself daily."

Another point of emphasis that night was the importance of how we pray and live our lives, because according to Stacey, "it matters to the nation." As we stand in the gap and pray for those who cannot pray for themselves in the Philippines, we also need to show God's love and righteousness by the way we act and live. And there was also the reminder to keep praying and fasting for this nation to bring in the prophets, prophetic words and prophecies.

It is time to get serious about the weapons of warfare God gave to us -- FAITH, HUMILITY, PRAYER AND FASTING (among others, of course). Because of John 3:16 -- because God so loved the WORLD -- we need to be in warfare for the world, for the lost, and bring them into the Kingdom of God.

- - - - -

Day Two to follow.

Let the River Flow Prophetic Conference 2007

Stacey Campbell was in town last weekend for a three-day prophetic conference called "Let the River Flow" here in Cebu. Man, those three days were very powerful. Also with us was Pastor Jerome Ocampo of the Jesus Revolution movement.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were really amazing days of soaking in the presence of the Lord, getting filled with His Spirit, getting equipped for the incoming season, getting connected with what the Lord is doing in the Asia Pacific region and with what God has in store for the nations in the years to come.

This series of entries is in response to Pastor Benjun (Uybengkee)'s request to post the highlights of the conference online. So, here we go.

More Revelations and Prophecies

The Elijah List website has become one of the sites that the Lord is using to speak to me -- for confirmations and revelations. Today's featured prophecy from Chuck Pierce and John Mark Pool gave me the following:

+ "I am praying that you sing a new song. Do not stop singing until you get to the end of your song. The enemy tries to stop your song from coming to the end. He brings circumstances and discouragement to get you out of your place so you cannot hear the completion of the song."
[This is a revelation of my current circumstances]

+ "I decree that you will not fall short, but will have new energy, stamina and strength to press through for the extra mile... I decree that we will hit the mark."
[New bread for the now to reach the next level]

+ "We are entering the calendar year 2008, and the Lord has shown me this will be a year of 'New Gates', and we will enter these new gates with thanksgiving."
[This is a confirmation of the changing of seasons]

+ "Thankful hearts know their 'position in God' through Jesus Christ as Lord, and are very thankful for that."
[Confirmation of a previous word to trust God and be humble]

+ "King David appointed Levites to lead in prayer, thanksgiving and praise."
[Revelation of my calling as a Levite.]

+ "True worship of God comes forth from grateful hearts. Feelings such as bitterness, envy, hostility and pride disqualify one from genuine worship. Thanksgiving opens up the door of the heart toward God in such a way that the individual is freed for true worship of God."
[Encouragement for me to continue walking in the path of thanksgiving]


[read the full text of the prophecy here]
- - - - -

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. " Philippians 3:13-14

A New Season

During last night’s revival service, I got confirmation of many things that have been swimming in my head. It felt good to know that despite my shortcomings the Lord has graciously led me to the path that He wants me to walk on. Those confirmations were also assurances that my desire to be able to clearly hear God speak to me has been granted in ever increasing measure.

My pastor, Joseph DiSarno (my friends fondly call him Joe Di), mentioned in the midst of the service that he sees a changing of seasons. He sees it in the spiritual: a new season is coming. This confirmed what I have been sensing in my spirit: that the Lord is bringing me into a different season. I also sensed this changing of seasons in Maranatha Christian Fellowship (my congregation), the New Life Sounds Choir (one of the ministries I am involved in) and the Philippines (my beloved nation).

Another word I received last night was a confirmation of my decision to totally lay down something that I had been holding on to for quite some time. When one lays something down before the Lord, it has to die. And when something is dead, it has to stay dead... until God decides to resurrect it, or use it as a seed to grow more Christ-like qualities in one's character. Either way, the decision has already been made. This particular season in my life has ended. The rest is now up to God.

Thirdly, Pastor Nap, who shared the word last night, spoke on the need for change in the Philippines; that there needs to be a turning of the fathers' (the Elijahs') hearts to the children and the children's (the Elishas') hearts to the fathers. This one confirmed the Lord's recent reminder to me to pray for my nation, and to continue fasting and praying with my congregation until God pours out His justice on the Philippines.

- - - - -

A few days from now the Let the River Flow Prophetic Conference will take place here in Cebu. Stacey Campbell is coming and so is Pastor Jerome (Ocampo). Things are stirring up in the spiritual atmosphere in the Philippines, particularly in Cebu. I believe, along with my congregation, that God will unleash a prophetic word and anointing for the body of Christ in this nation. New oil that will bring the church -- and the country -- to a new level of faith and dependence on the Almighty God.

A new sesason is coming. The prophets are rising. And a new Philippines is just a matter of time.

Just Believe

[Written in June of this year with a specific situation in mind. Now, it has become an all encompassing statement of faith.]

When the shadows grow long and the answers are grey
When all you prayed for seems to go away
Do not fix eyes on the visible or ears to the audible
Do not jettison hope, have faith in the impossible

Broken wings can mend if you just give them time
Broken dreams are pieces of the strength you need to fly
Keep your heart humble and your spirit tender to touch
Keep the little you have, in time it will become much

Press on, continue to seek the One who holds your life
Press in until you fall face first before the light
Till shadows disappear sooner than you thought
Till the battle is won which you never fought

Lay it all down, the load, the burden you carry
Lay it at His feet, for His yoke is not heavy
Stop the struggle; trust His hand, His promise
Stop doubting His plans; you can go beyond this

Just believe
Just believe
Just believe

By Our Love

There's this 30 year-old hymn that Jars of Clay did a cover version of in their album Redemption Songs that really sums up how we as Christians ought to be known to the world. The song -- They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love -- I believe, is as true today at it was three decades ago.

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.


written by Peter Scholtes

Fly Away Dimly

[From my 2003 journal, written October 01, 2003]


Let me be independent of what I see
And rely not on what my feelings tell me
For You have said it and so it shall be:
I will never leave nor forsake thee

May circumstances be not my gauge to say
You were with me then but not here today
Your unchanging promises will forever stay:
And surely I am with you all the way

Let me learn to trust that You are here
Whether I feel You or not, I will not fear
Your Word makes it absolutely clear:
Draw near to Me and I will draw near


[note: the title is an anagram of the first letters of this poem.]

Five Lessons of Purpose

2003 is a touchstone year for me. I would say it is the hinge of my spiritual maturity. The Lord has spoken to me through many ways in that year. One of the ways He spoke to me was through the Purpose-Driven Life, by Rick Warren. I received wisdom from the Lord then that I still am living out and living with right now.

Lesson #1 – I am not in control!
Control is an illusion. God is the creator of the universe, the solar system, the earth, and me. Everything is under His power, including my finite, insignificant life. He made me and chose me before I was born, before I knew Him. He is the God who orders my steps and who wrote the days of my life in His book even before any one of those days came to be. He’s got it all planned out and he’s got it all under control. My purpose is to seek Him and find out what His best for me is, and walk in it.

Lesson #2 – Please God, not men!
This is one of the lessons the Lord has been hammering in on me in the past few years. “Let the people pleaser die, Mike! And do what pleases Me!” my Daddy said. So, up to today, the people pleaser is gradually digging its own bunker, six feet under. And the best thing about pleasing God is that He is the only One that really matters and deserves pleasing.

Lesson #3 – Pray for everyone!
A tall order when I first received this from the Lord. I used to have a problem keeping awake or attentive when I pray. But over the years, my prayer life has evolved. I’m not saying I’ve made it, but only that I get better with each passing day. It’s a challenge to pray for everyone because everyone is such a great number. Nevertheless, the Lord is wise, being a God of order, so He reminds me to pray for the people in my life in an orderly fashion. Lately, God has been reminding me to pick up my call to pray for MY NATION [capitalized because I need to take ownership of the Philippines and bring it before the presence of God in prayer]. I’m working on it. With all the other believers praying for this country, it’s only a matter of time before God SHOWS UP!

Lesson #4 – Not feelings; not sight!
Faith is one of the things the Lord has been growing in me since my 2003 turning point. Learning to transition from depending on what I see in the natural to relying on what I see in the spiritual is one of the disciplines I have had to undergo in the last four years of my life. I praise God from brining me from glory to glory in this aspect of my life and for giving the increase in my faith. After all, the Christian life is walk of faith, not by sight.

Lesson #5 – Rely on the Lord and be victorious!
God is looking for people who are solely dependent on Him. People who will seek His face to worship Him, and His will to obey Him. These types of people get to be the victorious ones. People who have a wholehearted determination to find God are the most likely to succeed and get more of Him. Me? A work in progress. I’ve got the whole dependence-on-God part down pat (who am I without Him anyway). But I still work on the wholehearted-determination part. And I’m glad I still have lots of room for improvement.

I am so blessed to have read the Purpose-Driven Life. Other people may have different responses to the book, but for me it was life-changing.

And now, I’m moving onward to my next touchstone.

40 Days of Purpose

I read the Purpose-Driven Life book back in 2003 and it became one of the open doors that led me to revival. God used this Rick Warren book to redirect my life to Him – to truly knowing the Lord in an intimate way.

After my 40 days of purpose, I found my calling and my purpose – the broader version of it, that is.

“My sole goal is to please God by growing in the spirit with fellow believers; serving the brethren humbly; sharing my testimony and the good news of God; by reaching out and sharing the Gospel to those not yet in the Kingdom.”

It has been four years since and living out this purpose every day gets more exciting and more challenging.

“Help me Lord to live out this purpose-driven life.”

Revived

[From my 2003 journal, written September 15, 2003]

I don’t want to be ever parted from You
I love You my God and I desire truth
There’s so much more I want to know about You
Let Your Spirit guide me, reveal Your truths

May my mouth speak nothing but Your praises alone
And my life show Your mercy, glory and grace
And from my heart overflow the love that You’ve shown
And Your joy manifest all over my face

In surrender and obedience I lay down my life
To do as You please, Lord have Your own way
Consecrated, set apart, a living sacrifice
To live for You and die to myself everyday

O God, to You my life truly belongs
All praise, all honor, all glory, all love
My psalms, my hymns, my spiritual songs
Ascribed to You who reigns from above

Warrior

[Written on September 20, 2006.]


fight the battles that face you now
don't run away and don't be cowed
once you win this one, though scarred
you will be brought much closer to your star

the struggle is not really a necessity
if you put on the armor that you carry
march on the path and leave your fear
your shield is your faith, your mission is clear

stand your ground, unsheathe your sword
take aim and advance like never before
the wind is on your back; unfurl your wings
you can take on what the future brings

whatever you encounter here today
prepares you for things to come anyway
so always brace yourself, at all times be ready
be vigilant and watch out for the enemy

be still and know that you are not one
if all your courage is harnessed by the sun
you are chosen and you will surely win
know that and be strengthened from within

Paradox

[Originally posted on my Multiply site, June 11, 2007]

I was with my cell group leader, Jesse, two Saturdays ago and we were talking about the Kingdom of God and how it is so filled with paradoxes, like 'losing to gain', 'dying to live', 'giving to receive', and 'being humble to be exalted'. It made me think even deeper about my faith in God and my walk in the Kingdom.

God's wisdom is unfathomable and His ways are incomprehensible to the finite human mind.

To man, being strong is being independent and being able to do things on our own. To God, strength is found in admitting weakness and total dependence on Him and relying on Him to enable us to all things through Him.

To man, the accomplishments of the proud exalts him. To God, the humble in heart, the broken in spirit gets exalted and inherit the earth.

To man, giving up something they want the most is foolishness, never letting go of something they could never keep. To God, surrendering to Him your most precious desires to seek His will first is wise, never losing what was meant to be yours in the first place.

I am just beginning to understand how the system of the kingdom works. It is exciting. It is disorienting. It is humbling and, sometimes, it hurts. It is something that the mind has to be taught to accept as reality. Easier said than done. [I know this for a fact!]

God's kingdom is a kingdom of paradoxes. Paradoxes that baffle the human mind and perplex the human heart. It takes a broken spirit to sense and understand the principles of the kingdom. It takes a contrite heart to submit to the will of the King.

Underfoot

I visited the Elijah List website today and read the recent prophecy [prophetic dream] by Bill Hamon. In the article, Hamon exposes the "five kings" [demonic spirits] that have been coming against the Body of Christ.

Hamon identifies the five spirits as the spirit of oppression, the spirit of religion, the spirit besiegement, the spirit of blindness, and the spirit of accusation. As I read the entire article, I recognized that these are the same demonic spirits that are attacking Christians -- collectively and individually -- here in the Philippines.

The article goes on to reveal what the Lord would have us do to these kings: "It's time to put your feet on the neck of the enemy and enforce your victory!" Amen to that! Now that these spirits are exposed, let us put them in their proper place -- under our feet! "Jesus is waiting until all enemies are made His footstool."

Read the full text of the prophecy.

Driven by Faith

“Don’t define truth by what you see!”

I recall Coach Al Hollingsworth saying those words a few months back when he brought Vertical Leap to my city. Those words are essentially what faith is all about: having the courage to believe in the invisible and the intangible in the midst of the overwhelming visibility and tangibility of our circumstances.

In recent months, those words have been the anthem of my waking life and, to the best of my abilities, made every effort to march to its beat (I’m still learning how, day by day). It is not easy – especially for someone who has been conditioned to walk by sight and to gauge reality by emotions and circumstances.

As a human being, I have been given a plethora of physical senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, temperature, pain to name a few. These physical senses are designed to help me perceive things physical in nature. They enable me to define my physical reality. However, for those who believe in God and have a faith-based relationship with Him, another set of senses overrides the physical ones.

Man is more than just flesh and blood – he is a spirit being, made in the image of God who is also a spirit being. To perceive the things of the spirit, we have been given spiritual senses to live by. Spiritual senses that help define our truth in line with God’s truth. This is where faith comes in.

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” [Hebrews 11:1]

The tough part about faith? You don’t perceive what’s coming to you using your physical senses. Tough because most – if not all – of us have been trained from birth to rely on what we see, hear and touch to determine reality. To see is to believe after all. Faith, on the other hand, requires more. Faith is taking a step out of the boat and believing you can walk on water. Faith is turning the laws of physics upside down and commanding a mountain to throw itself into the bottom of the ocean. Faith is believing first, seeing second.

It is absolutely essential for professing Christians, who believe in the invisible God, to have faith - to live in it, walk in it, breathe in, sleep with it. We have to be sold out to the fact that when we are called out to tread on water, we won't sink; that when we are called to uproot mountains, they will obey; and that when we believe, what we prayed for and believe in will come to pass. Otherwise, all will be meaningless and useless because without faith, it is impossible to please God.

As I continue to live out my life in Christ, as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, I find it more necessary to believe what the Word of God says. I find that the more I believe what He says in His Word, the more my faith increases -- or more appropriately, the more He increases my faith. The more He increases my faith, the less I rely on my physical senses for guidance and direction.

It is now the Holy Spirit that guides me past the capabilities – and limitations – of my physical senses, as He shows me that I can see more, be more and do more when walking in faith, using my spiritual senses. The worlds says to see is to believe. The Spirit says believing is seeing. This is the essence of a faith driven life.

My goal? To let God show me how to live not only a purpose driven life, but a faith driven one as well.

About This Blog

1st Row From the Pulpit is a life blog.

It is also where you will most likely find me in church, listening to my pastor's sermons.

It is a chronicle of my spiritual journey as I flow along the River of the Living God.

It is a repository of memories, notes from sermons, revelations, rhema, poems and things I get from my Father's presence.

It is a testimony of how God works in the life of a simple/complicated man, and how He changes me from glory to glory -- not because I am good but because He is good; not because I love Him but because He loved me first!