The Power of the Scriptures

Imus Unida Christian Church

Pre-Encounter Lesson No. 1:



The Power of the Scriptures



"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).



We should love the Word of God and follow its instructions in the same way as the captain of a ship would adhere to his compass. The Bible is a great treasure as it contains the answer to all our needs. Read what Moses instructed his people in Deuteronomy 28:1,2:



"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God."



What is the Bible?



The word Bible comes from the Greek terms 'biblios' and 'biblion' (in the diminutive form) both of which mean 'book'. It is the word of God revealed by the Holy Spirit to men to be written. When Matthew quoted from the Old Testament, he often mentioned that the Lord has spoken through the prophets (Matt 1:22; 2:5). In the same way, the Apostle Peter also mentioned that the prophecies given in Scripture had their origin in God (2 Pet 1:20-21). But it must be noted that even though the Bible is revealed by God to men to be written, God did not override the personalities of the authors. All of them wrote in the manner dictated by their own individual personality.



Importance of the Bible



Apart from having power to transform lives, the Bible also stands out because:



A. It is God's Word and the revelation of Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:20)



B. It contains the divine laws. (Jeremiah 31:33-34)



C. Its content, in 66 books, summarizes the work of about 40 writers from different periods.



Things That Make the Bible Unique:



A. The Bible is the revelation of God to mankind. (2 Peter 1:20-21; 2:19-20)



B. It refers to the salvation of mankind. (John 6:32-33; 20:31)



C. It refers to the truth. (1 John 2:21; John 17:17)



D. Jesus is the central character. (John 14:8-9)

How to Draw Near to the Word of God

A. Listen carefully to the voice of God on a daily basis. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

B. Listen/Read it with a right attitude. (Acts 17:11)

C. Meditate on it (undertake detailed study). (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2)

D. Apply it. (Matthew 7:24-27)

E. Communicate it and confess it. (Romans 10:10)

How to Study the Word of God

A. Choose an appropriate place.

B. Make studying a habit.

C. Keep a devotional notebook in which you write in it everyday:

• Message from God for me today
• The promise of God for my life
• The command to obey
• Personal application
• Scripture verse to memorize

Benefits of drawing near to the Word of God - 1 Timothy 3:16

A. It teaches (doctrine).

B. It convicts (make us aware of our pitfalls).

C. It corrects (leads us to the right path).

D. It instructs (shapes our character).

How do I obtain that power in my life?

Set apart 15-30 minutes (or more) a day to the following:

A. 5-10 minutes to speak to God

B. 5-10 minutes to read the Bible, starting with the Gospel of John and finishing with Revelation

C. 5-10 minutes to meditate on what you have read

If we discover the secret of living in communion with God, we will find 'heaven's treasures'.

Application

Determine to maintain real relationship with God through regular Bible study.

Determine to read through a set number of chapters every day and memorize the texts God uses to speak to you directly. Start with the Gospel of John.

Curses on Disobedience

Luke 13 (New King James Version)

6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'
8" 'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. 9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.' "

The clock is ticking...God is watching over the trees of the field. If His tree does not bear fruit, what do you think He will do to that tree? If a human being does not do the purpose for which he was created, what will God do to him?

1 Timothy 6:9 (New King James Version)

9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

The focus of many is to be rich, to acquire more wealth, properties, jewelries, cars, houses and lots in exclusive subdivisions, top of the line computer gadgets, luxuries in life...what will happen if a man dies in the process of acquiring all these without taking into consideration the status of his own soul? What is 100 years of this lifetime in exchange for eternity? Are you foolish enough to fall into a trap of accumulating wealth on this earth while losing your soul in the process?

What are the penalties or curses for disobedience to God?

Deuteronomy 28 (New King James Version)

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. 17 “Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 “Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. 19 “Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 20 “The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. 21 The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. 22 The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. 24 The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. 25 “The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 Your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and no one shall frighten them away. 27 The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. 28 The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart. 29 And you shall grope at noonday, as a blind man gropes in darkness; you shall not prosper in your ways; you shall be only oppressed and plundered continually, and no one shall save you.30 “You shall betroth a wife, but another man shall lie with her; you shall build a house, but you shall not dwell in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but shall not gather its grapes. 31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it; your donkey shall be violently taken away from before you, and shall not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you shall have no one to rescue them. 32 Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, and your eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all day long; and there shall be no strength in your hand. 33 A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the produce of your labor, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually. 34 So you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see. 35 The LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head. 36 “The LORD will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods—wood and stone. 37 And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the LORD will drive you. 38 “You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. 39 You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 40 You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil; for your olives shall drop off. 41 You shall beget sons and daughters, but they shall not be yours; for they shall go into captivity. 42 Locusts shall consume all your trees and the produce of your land. 43 “The alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower. 44 He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail. 45 “Moreover all these curses shall come upon you and pursue and overtake you, until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 And they shall be upon you for a sign and a wonder, and on your descendants forever. 47 “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. 49 The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. 51 And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you. 52 “They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you. 53 You shall eat the fruit of your own body, the flesh of your sons and your daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you. 54 The sensitive and very refined man among you will be hostile toward his brother, toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the rest of his children whom he leaves behind, 55 so that he will not give any of them the flesh of his children whom he will eat, because he has nothing left in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her delicateness and sensitivity, will refuse to the husband of her bosom, and to her son and her daughter, 57 her placenta which comes out from between her feet and her children whom she bears; for she will eat them secretly for lack of everything in the siege and desperate straits in which your enemy shall distress you at all your gates. 58 “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the LORD bring upon you until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess. 64 “Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone. 65 And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. 66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. 67 In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see. 68 “And the LORD will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’ And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

Shouldn't it be much better to submit to God and follow His will on earth than to suffer any of these curses?

Blessings of Obedience

Deuteronomy 7 (New King James Version)

12 “Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. 13 And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock. 15 And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you. 16 Also you shall destroy all the peoples whom the LORD your God delivers over to you; your eye shall have no pity on them; nor shall you serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you. 17 “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I; how can I dispossess them?’— 18 you shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt: 19 the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs and the wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So shall the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20 Moreover the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until those who are left, who hide themselves from you, are destroyed. 21 You shall not be terrified of them; for the LORD your God, the great and awesome God, is among you. 22 And the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you little by little; you will be unable to destroy them at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you. 23 But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed. 24 And He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will destroy their name from under heaven; no one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. 25 You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. 26 Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing.





Healing takes place when a person is obedient to God. He is not afflicted with a terrible disease because God takes good care of the son who serves Him well. The Lord even supplies his every need and, at times, suprises him with those that he wants. He is like a good Father to an obedient son who bears fruit in good season...but cuts off His ties with a disobedient person.





Malachi 3 (New King James Version)

17 “ They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “ On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.” 18 Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.





Partial obedience is disobedience to God. In 1 Samuel 15 Saul spared King Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them when God commanded him thru Samuel to go and attack the sinners, the Amalekites, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them but kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey, fight against them until they are consumed. Saul did his mission and utterly destroyed the Amelekites but brought back their king, Agag. He and his men also took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord in Gilgal, as he claimed was their purpose. But to God, obedience is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the smell of burnt offerings of fat rams. His rebellion is as the sin of withcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because he has rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected him from being king.





Review the ten commandments given to Moses for the people of Israel and the first three commandments are all about reverence and worship of one true God. As written in Deuteronomy 4:24 "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Making a carved image in the form of anything and worshipping it will provoke Him to anger. The one thing that God hated the most is idol worship. It is an abomination...detestable, loathsome, disgusting and provokes His extreme anger because idol worship is worshipping a mere creature rather than the Omnipotent, Almighty, All-Powerful Creator, meaning a grave insult to a Holy God.





How do you worship and pray to God? Who do you pray to? Matthew 6:6 pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Pray to your Father and not to a picture or a stone or a carved wooden image. They have ears but could not hear you. They cannot even move that you have to carry them in a procession. How can they grant what you wish and pray for?





Psalms 115 (New King James Version)

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; 6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; 7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. 8 Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.





Acts 17 (New King James Version)

29 Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.





Deuteronomy 5 (New King James Version)

7 ‘You shall have no other gods before Me. 8 ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 9 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 10 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 11 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

If you want to get healed, you strictly follow your doctor's advice...why not follow your God's commandments. He created you so He knows every part of your body. He can make them well if He wants to. The first thing you should do is talk to Him...heart to heart...ask forgiveness for all your sins and request Him to help you obey His every command and, eventually, everything else will follow...blessing after blessing, grace and forgiveness, deep inner joy, peace of mind, and healing, both spiritually and physically.



Psalms 95 (New King James Version)

6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. We should kneel to the Lord and not to any picture claiming to resemble Him because no one has ever seen Him except His son, Jesus. Pray to Him in Spirit for He is Spirit.





Ephesians 6 (New King James Version)

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—





Romans 1 (New King James Version)

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.





1 Peter 4 (New King James Version)

3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

This message is not in any way meant to offend or hurt anyone but to reveal the truth to everyone so that all will be saved as is the perfect will of God, our loving Father. I pray that your hearts and minds be open to accept the Word of God as the true doctrine of salvation. Amen.

Those who fear God need not fear death

2 Timothy 4:6 (King James Version)
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.


Philippians 1:23 (New International Version)
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;


Departure is a nautical term that suggests dying...severing ties with this world and getting to a better place where there is no more pain, sorrow, or suffering, completing the purpose for which we were made. For Christians, it is a time for joy and excitement and a hearty "Bon Voyage!"


Psalm 23:4 (New International Version)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.


John 14:1-3 (New International Version)
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.


It is like traveling to a distant land where you have never been before...there is excitement but at the same time fear of the unknown. No need for worrying because Jesus assured us that He is going there ahead to prepare a place for us and will come back and take us with Him so we may be where He is.


2 Peter 3:13 (New International Version)
But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.


10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.


11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.


The destruction of the existing earth will no longer be by flood but by fire... along with the sky above us which is the first heaven. We ought to live holy and godly lives as we look forward to the second coming of Christ who will bring us to a new heaven and a new earth.


1 Corinthians 2:9 (The New King James Version)
"Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."


Galatians 6:9 (The New King James Version)
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.


All we need to do is to continue living a good life, doing the will of the Father here on earth, doing good to all, especially to those who are in of the household of faith and we shall reap the reward that God has in store for us. We should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ. For our citizenship is not here on earth but in heaven. We are here to learn and just passing through in our journey to heaven.


Revelations 3:5 (The New King James Version)
"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."


Revelation 21 (New King James Version)
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Revelation 14:13 (New King James Version) "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them."

This is the description of the New Jerusalem from Revelation 21:18 And the construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

If you knew you were dying...

If you knew you were dying, how would you spend your time? What would you say to the people you love? How would you live? Where would you go for consolation and comfort?

Proverbs 1:23 Turn at my reproof; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.

Malachi 3:7 "Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of hosts.

Go back to God...make a clean slate, search your heart for any unforgiven sin. Ask the Lord, though your sins are as red as crimson, to make them as white as snow by the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, who died and paid dearly for all our iniquities. Receive the grace of forgiveness , make a complete turn around from sins, and begin to serve Him.

Malachi 3:17 "They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "on the day that I make them My jewels. 'And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him."

Serving the Lord is the best thing you can do for your life. Anyone who has kept His commandments and has served Him for a long period of time can be assured of God's mercy. He will be spared from hurting, harming or destroying...and will be taken cared of like a good son who has served him well. It is never too late to make amends with God. He can read your heart and will meet your needs halfway. The goal here is to be included in the Book of Life.

Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.

The Lord is not far from us who search Him. Acts 17:27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring!"

Read the Bible everyday and make someone happy each day of your remaining life...in the process you will be happier because you are learning from an awesome experience and becoming a better person. Hosea 6:6 "For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings."

Submit yourself to baptism in Christ. Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him...
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Tatiao Ministry...

James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

I belong to a small group of Christians gathered together for a common purpose of helping the poor citizens of Tatiao, Silang in Cavite to improve their lives. We recently parted ways but stay connected with one another thru prayer and text messaging. Human as we are, we have differences yet transparent and at the same time comfortable enough to be ourselves...no pretentions nor hidden agenda. We reach out to each other and help meet each other's needs...genuinely and sincerely concern for each other's welfare. We are more than sisters or family members because of the love that binds us together. Though apart, we are together in prayer fostering unity and strength amongst us.

I'd like to believe that God is pleased in the unity of this group thereby opening the door for His complete healing for me and eventually for a sister named Evelyn...physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I got healed of hyperthyroidism without medications. Unbelievably, my recent thyroid function tests...TSH, FT3 and FT4 are now normal. Blood pressure reading also went down from as high as 156/105 to 120/80. Next on the line is my blood glucose level which can be controlled thru exercise and proper diet...no more white flour and sugar for me from now on. I am glad my eyes are wide open now on the importance of proper nutrition and exercise to maintain good health.

When we walk in love and unity, our prayers become more effective and something supernatural takes place...God pours out His abundant blessings and healing in our lives, our needs are abundantly supplied, and we experienced deep inner joy that nothing can compare in this world. Smile is as natural as breathing...and an aura of happiness and contentment is forever etched on our faces. As our mentor, Tita Myrna Sayoc said, "If Jesus is in you, it will surely show on your face!" We all turn away from sin afraid of losing the favor of God in our lives.

Christmas if fast approaching and I believe we can be together again visiting the folks in Tatiao and giving gifts...sharing blessings and ministering to people...we surely miss each other's company. See you all soon my dearest friends...

Be healed...or your sins are forgiven

Aside from stress and depression, sin could also be the cause of psychosomatic illnesses. Read Mark 2:1-12 Four men carried a paralytic to Jesus entering from a hole at the roof of the house because of the crowd. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves: "Why does the man talk in that way?" He said to them: "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven, or to say, 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk again'?" The man stood and picked up his mat and went outside in the sight of every one. They were awestruck ; all gave praise to God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Another story of healing is John 5:1-15 regarding a man healed of his infirmity at the Pool of Bethesda. Note that he had this infirmity for 38 long years. Jesus said in John 5:14 "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."

Admittedly, not all sicknesses are caused by sin, but shouldn't it be more important to treat first the soul and spirit so as to cure any accompanying psychosomatic illness? When we neglect the reading of God's Word, we invite spiritual illness. When left unattended, it affects the physical being as well. The Bible is God's prescription for the health of our soul. Read it often to maintain good health both on the spiritual and physical realms.

Proverbs 18:14 A man's spirit sustains him in infirmity - but a broken spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

If anyone of you is ill, first search your heart, ask God forgiveness for all the sins you committed and pray for complete healing of your physical body as well. He created you so He knows how to repair every inch of your body. Believe that He already heard your prayer and receive His healing. Praise and thank Him for healing you and be grateful for all the blessings you receive from Him. Do not dwell on the sickness...do not even talk about it but focus more on the healing. Day by day thank God for removing symptoms of illness...and day by day praise God for His glory.

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

We all belong to God...He made us so we are His people. It is our duty to keep His commandments...know them by heart and follow His perfect will for us. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. This is compassion or charity, and holiness, without which no one can see God.

Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all men, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

So we all need to be reconciled to God...accept that we are all sinners and ask forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquites; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. This means healing, not only of the body, but most especially of the spirit and soul. It was all paid for by the blood and the stripes of Jesus.

Write this advice in your heart if you want to live long: Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding; 14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies, and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand, in her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.

To remain healthy, it is important for us to be joyful always in all circumstances... focus on the brighter side of life...the good things in life...so you would attract more good things because you appreciate what you already have. It is called law of attraction. "Whatever it is you are feeling is a perfect reflection of what is in the process of becoming." In the biblical sense, it is called FAITH. Without faith, you cannot please God.

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. Depression, according to a study, is the main cause of psychosomatic diseases including cancer. Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Reading the Bible will bring goodness and health to us. Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Proverbs 15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.

Continue to increase in knowledge and wisdom, day after day, for it is said in Proverbs 24:13 My son, eat honey because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste; 14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; If you have found it, there is a prospect, and your hope will not be cut off.

It is best to start your day right by worshipping God...singing praises to Him, adoring and glorifying His most holy name, His wondrous deeds and amazing creations and thanking Him for all His goodness to us. It would be wise also to make a gratitude list or carry a gratitude stone with you wherever you go to remind you everytime you see the stone to thank God for eveything. Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man who is always reverent, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

God commands us to be joyful always. It was mentioned in the Bible more than 200 times so it must really mean something... that we rejoice everyday of our lives. He wants us to have pure joy coming from deep inside our hearts so we can live prosperous and victorious lives as He meant to be.