October 5, 2011
Bro. Rene Tumang

Many people have died without knowing the purpose of life and not discovering the person the Lord wanted them to be.

We believe that we are all created by God.  And God has a blessed purpose for each one of us.

I have always said this - the additional meaning of a community is that it is an extension of God's love.

True, we are able to hear Mass, listen to the homily of the priest and are able to attend the highest form of worship.  Here at the prayer meeting, as what I have always stated, this is an additional worship with the Lord. We all study and and feel God's presence here.

Are we the person the Lord wants us to be? Is God victorious over us right now? Today? This very moment?  Amen! God is a persevering God.  If you are persistent, God is more than persistent. If we are good, God is better. If you are generous, God is more than generous. If we are patient, God is more patient. Why? Because all these things come from Him. These things are overflowing from Him and He continues to be holy.  We cannot outdo Him because all good things come from Him. Whatever we have, all of these are just an overflow of His being holy.  We have nothing to boast of.  The blessings we receive here are an overflow of His goodness.  Later, as we leave this place we will all have a lot of blessings.

The Lord is good in parables. There are lot of parable stories told by Jesus to people whom He only wanted to reveal His truths. Earlier, we cannot understand the Word of God.  But as we mature, we slowly learn the meaning of the parable and live by it.

What other characteristics does God have?  As a healer, He has many techniques. He even performed magic as in the case of Moses when God instructed him to strike the stone so that water would flow out from it. 

What were all these about?  God can do all things for all the children He loves. 

What other characteristics does He have?  He also likes to change names. From Abram to Abraham.  Simon to Peter. 

When God calls us, what does He usually change?  The schedule of a new member who works at a call center from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m. has not changed for the past five years.  But when God called her, her schedule suddenly changed and now she is able to attend the believers fellowship.  Indeed, when God calls, He makes changes in our lives.  What are the things that God has changed in your lives?  Character? Heart?  Not only these things are being changed by God, but also our lifestyle.

When Jesus called Peter, he left his boat and followed Him. So with Matthew, Barthemeus, and others.  When Jesus called you, have you changed?  Yes?  But not totally.  Because I believe, if we have really followed Jesus, we would have changed totally and we would have been taking a different path.

I believe that God wants us to change that we do not want to change. Because we still have many attachments.  We still have a lot of things we want in this world, i.e, condominium, house and lot, car, boyfriend or girlfriend, spouse, etc.

In our service to God, we have not given our all because we still have a lot of attachments.  And most often than not, we are teaching our Teacher with our prayers: "Do this and do that for me, Lord."

The Sanctuary is a beautiful place to pray. It is so peaceful.  It is a privilege to pray for all those in need, lifting them up to the Lord.

As stated in Ephesians 4:22-24 , "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Every day, we make a hundred tiny choices, few good deeds, many mistakes - sometimes big mistakes.

We have a lot of choices to make in our everyday life.  But once we are called, we have to make a difference. Jesus should radiate in our lives.  The longer you are in the community, the more Christ is manifested in your life.  It should already be your way of life.

Our character changes depending on the situation and people we are with.  Sometimes we treat people of different stature differently.  We are still not yet so solid that even when shaken we will not change.  Have you seen a person like that? Who, even in times of persecutions, only smiles?

Gone are the fears knowing that God is with us. Full of trust in God's providence, let us change the way we look at life.

Make a diffence.  Open your eyes to future possibilities.  There are things that you never thought you could do.  We have to reach our destiny - the purpose of God for ourselves. Let us always ask, "Lord, why did you call me?  It is impossible for me to listen to Your Word and not be transformed. It is impossible for me to change unless you have a better plan for me."

God would want us to say, "Don't allow me to contradict what you want to do with my life."  The important thing is that, it would only happen if we are always in God's presence. Present at Jacob's Well, Treasures, Believers Fellowship, and Divine Sanctuary.

You can experience God in silence and in peace.

Colossians 3:23 : "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

As what the Lord says, "whatever you did to the least of your brethren, you did unto me."

Challenge: You must do what you cannot do and what you do not know, and depend on what you do not have, the rest of your life.