Breaking Your Vessel

Mark 14:3-9

Have you heard of the touching story about a little girl from a poor family who loved attending Sunday School, but there were so many children and the church was so small that she sometimes couldn’t get in? The later died and the pastor of the church was called to handle her service. It was discovered that she had been saving money to help pay for a larger church. It amounted to 57 cents. That 57 cents became the spark for a series of fund-raising movements that resulted in the buildings of Temple Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Temple University, Good Samaritan Hospital, and a large Sunday School building. Her name Hattie May Wiatt and her church is Grace Baptist Church of Philly pastored by Rev. Conwell. The first sermon sermon he delivered was in 1912 for the child's gift. Resulted in one of the most remarkable stories about giving to God.

Our message for this morning is one of the most fascinating testimonies about a woman having a gift that was no ordinary. So her life turn extra ordinary for she learned to give and laid it in the Master's hands. She was not a judge like Deborah or queen like Esther or any book in the Bible was named after her like Ruth. She is Mary of Bethany. Her life testimony was immortalized for she learned and discovered that love is greater than life, cause is greater than the cost, communion is better than convenience and devotion is greater than dream. What Jesus did to her is beyond compare. Her life testimony became unending.
How can our life be immortalized? Let us see the pattern.

1. She was chosen to fulfill her purpose. 14:3
What is a gift if it did not touch the recepient? In this case, very rarely, Jesus was in the receiving end. Can we give something that can touch the heart of Christ?

2. She gave her best to fulfill her purpose. 14:4-6
Three hundred dinarii is equal to a year wages but she was not hesitant to offer to Him. In fact she insisted it. For a woman like her, this gesture is remarkable. As what the Bible said, for where your treasure is then your heart will be also. The Lord put these things in her heart. She was the one who sat at the foot of Jesus to receive what cannot be taken away from her. When the time came to anticipate what Jesus will do, she was there to anoint Him. She was able to understand Christ next move. She must be listening to the heart beat of the one who saved her.

3. She brake the vessel. 14:8-9
What is the meaning of breaking the vessel? She could just pour it on Jesus' head for the flask is as expensive as the imported perfume from India. Mary has something to convey in her action. She meant that if her gift will not be received she will not use it for anything else.
She just wanted to say, "Lord if you will not use me then I will not be used by anyone." Let God break your box as what Savior did to this woman. Let the Lord softened your heart!

Have you ever experience breaking your vessel? Did Christ receive it fully?

13th Anniversary

Obedience is inherit in the relationship of man (as a created being) with God, the Creator. The New Covenant does not do away with the need for obedience to God. In fact, it supply the strength to live that way. Heaven will be a place of obedience to God. (Deut. 28:1-2; John 6:38; Phil. 2:8; 1 John 5:2-3; John 14:15; 1 Cor. 15:28)

Deuteronomy 7:9, "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

Hoops and Armour

Hoops and Armour

"We play hard but we share Christ harder."

Eph 6:10

Our church takes the opportunity of sharing the gospel through basketball.  

This is an intentional sharing of the gospel to men in basketball courts during halftime, knowing that we are to Gospel wherever we are in every given opportunity.

Naalala ko pa noong nasa elementary school days pa ako, sa tuwing sasapit ang Kapaskuhan ay excited na excited pa ang mga batang katulad ko sa panahong ito. Malamig na ang panahon at may mga nag nagcacaroling na, tapos sa school may special Christmas program. Syempre laging may something new pero hindi lang naman ang kagamitan ang tila nagpapasaya sa mga bata. Iba ang "atmosphere" tuwing sasapit ang kapaskuhan. Ngunit ako ang may napapansin na kapag nagiging teenager na o "umi-edad na" ay wari baga'y nawawala na ang "sense of wonder" o pagtataka na katangian ng mga bata ang mga "nagkaka-edad na" sa Christmas celebration.

The wonder of Christmas is not something we possess but it is something that possesses us. Ito ay sangkap ng Pasko na mayroon lagi ang mga bata iba kaysa sa palagay natin na parang nag-iisip bata. This is something we need to savor whenever we hear the song "Joy to the World". This is God's delicacies He prepared to those who are in tune with Him. We look at the Savior's birth with hope and expectation that will fulfill our pursuit of perfectness or holiness. It is our separation from other creatures that though we see the world as fragile and fallen as it is, we aspire and dream of a paradise that only the Divine can give.

Ang malalim na problema ng tao sa mga struggles niya sa kasalanan, kalamidad, karamdaman at kabiguan ang nagtutulak upang hanapin niya ang kasagutan. These are realities we have to face everyday. The only solution is not enchantment or day dreaming. Tingnan natin ang isang bata when he open up his box of gift. In a moment, we can see how the little boy wonder that made his eyes wide open as he is fascinated by the present. Hindi natin kailangan ng explanation with the mystery of virgin birth kundi ng pananalig na kaya Niyang gawin ito para sa ating nais manampalataya. Pero someone said that life consist of four stages. In the first stage, we believe in Santa Claus. At the second stage we no longer believe in Santa Claus. The third stage is when we find out that we are Santa Claus. The fourth stage and final stage has arrived when we look like Santa Claus.

Let us keep our amazement and wonder at Savior's birth just like those who heard the shepherds had told them (Luke 2:18) and when the child's father and mother heard what was being said about Jesus (Luke 2:33). Have a blessed Christmas to all!

"Kahit isang araw lamang, mas gusto ko sa templo mo, kaysa isang libong araw na iba ang tahanan ko. Gusto ko pang maging bantay sa pinto ng iyong templo, kaysa ako'y tumira sa bahay ng mga palalo."- Mga Awit 84:10

Malapit nang sumapit ang ika-100 taon gulang ni Evangelist Billy Graham. Milyung-milyon katao ang lubos na nakakilala sa Panginoon dahil sa kanyang pangangaral. Sa aking estimate, siya ay nangaral ng Salita ng Diyos ng mahigit 50 taon sa 6 na kontinente ng mundo. Marahil siya na ang may pinaka maraming kaluluwang naakay sa kapanahunan natin. Ngunit kamakailan lamang ay may ibinahagi siya sa ating lahat tungkol sa kanyang biggest regrets o malaking panghihinayang sa loob nang 100 taon na buhay niya. 3 ang pinaka-pinanghihinayangan niya sa kanyang buhay.

Unang regret: Ang konti niyang panahon na iginugol sa kanyang pamilya. Aniya, marami siyang misyon pinuntahan na ang ibang ay kailangan pero marami din na lakad na hindi naman lubos na mahalaga compare sa ginugol niya kasama ng kanyang mahal sa buhay. "Everyday I was gone with my family is gone forever."

Kayo ba ay nakaka-relate sa kanyang patotoo?

Pangalawang regret: Mas mag-spend siya ng more time nurturing his spiritual life. He will spend more time to pray not only for himself but for others. He will spend more time sa pag-aaral ng Word of God not for sermon preparation para mai-apply niya sa kanyang buhay. Sapat na ba ang time natin sa prayer at God's Word?

Pangatlong regret: Mas Mag-spend siya ng more time for fellowship with other believers. Mag focus siya nang maigi sa fellowship ng mga kapatid para siya ay turuan, palakasin at sawayin kung kinakailangan. What a humble spirit.

Ang isang hindi niya pinanghihinayangan ay ang tanggapin ang panawagan ng Diyos upang maging evangelist of the Gospel of Christ.

Para sa atin, itong 3 bagay ang madalas natin isinasakrispisyo. Marami tayong matututunan sa kanyang 100 taong buhay na paglilingkod sa Diyos. 

• Value personal Bible study time. 
• Invest in the lives of other Christians. 
• Nurture your family.

Little Stewards Club

Children's Sunday School

Children are part of the church. This is why we keep on and teaching them the Good News about our Lord Jesus.

One of the great things our church have accomplished this year is conducting regular training for those who wanted to commit in leading these little ones at the foot of the cross.  The said training was launched early summer of this year.  We decided to name the Children's Group as Little Stewards Club.  

Barangay 21 & 24

As a result, we now have a greater number of teacher volunteers to handle the children's classes not only during our worship service but also in the community where the teachers are.

Cuta, Batangas City

Pallocan West, Camella Homes - San Pascual, Barangay 21 and 24, Cuta, Batangas City; recently opened center; these areas are regularly conducting fellowships headed by our volunteer teachers who consistently attend the teacher's training.  We are praying that all of these centers in different barangays will continue and that God will bless every house who are hosting the Children's Fellowship.  Being volunteers, they are raising their own fund to sustain every fellowship for the children in their community.  We are also looking forward to open new more centers in new areas at the same time more financial supporters to partner with us in this ministry for the children.

 

Camella Homes, San Pascual, Batangas

Pallocan West, Batangas City

Most rewarding experience of sharing lives with children is their gratefulness and appreciation even in the smallest things you've done for them.  How much more if it is done out of love for the Lord and the souls of the children.

Little Stewards Club in Video

Feel free to connect and message us to support all of our church ministries as God has touched you.

Level Up

The above video sums of the activities of our church for the past few months. 

Sunday Worship Service - 10 am
Youth Gathering - 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month
Hoops and Armour (Basketball Fellowship) Every Sunday

Re-Charge (Prayer Time) Every Saturday 2pm

PREACH Youth Camp - May 4 - 6 , 2017

Children's Fellowship - Last Sunday of the month
Water Baptism - June 25, 2017

Books Boxes Distribution

In 2011, before going out for overseas mission, my family and I donated all of our books to Bible School in Lipa, Batangas for we saw the need for tools among pastors and christian workers in the province. Truly we cannot out give God for the Christian books and bibles we gave to His Body, the Lord multiply it ten times after three years of sowing. I met a Christian brother, director of a mission in the USA that distribute Bibles and Christian books to Churches worldwide. He shared containers of books to the Philippines of which our ministry became one of the beneficiaries.

Since then, Lord Jesus Stewards Fellowship Inc. has been a blessing to churches in Batangas and beyond, giving Bibles and books to ministries and para churches. Our goal is to provide personal library for pastors and teaching materials for church workers and volunteers to help them grow in their ministry life as well as the church which they are ministering. 

There is a cost for every effort and vision we aim to fulfill for Christ. The custom cost, trucking and warehouse fees are among those we cover that before became burden but now an opportunity to grow and sow just to provide tools to our workers in the fields. Because we know that our cause is greater than the cost. Our communion is better than convenience and our devotion to win the lost is greater than our dream. 

God's Love Remains - DVBS 2017