Inner Healing: A Spiritual Formation

We have invited Mrs. Mary Lynn Dickau for an Inner Healing Seminar for UECP.  We have separate sessions for Pastors in the morning that runs for three mornings, while the lay leaders for two nights.  Afterwards, the pastors would have one on one session with her and an overnight prayer retreat in Tagaytay.

The difference between our session with the lay leaders was only the pastors are being prepared to equipped on how to really pray for healing as we minister to the people in the church and praying for the healing of the church as a whole.

I was impressed with the insights brought forth by the framework which was presented to us this morning.  Though I have preached on such topic on sanctification.  The insights were far beyond my knowledge of explanation.  I was able to understand better the doctrine of sanctification.

Inner Healing was actually about our journey with God towards Him.  Most of the time we have a wrong concept with God which causes hurt, frustration, anger and revenge.  We are hurt in our journey here on earth by different external forces.  We are healed when we accepted Jesus as our personal saviour but the process of healing is an ongoing process.

Death is suppose to include sadness, fear, and other negative elements that causes emotional and spiritual drought in a Christian's life.  We face such challenges everyday that we treat each situation as a stand alone item.  Whenever, we are done with such challenge in life, it becomes a close book.   But actually this is a wrong concept.  We should build on our victories so that we death becomes smaller because Jesus has overcome death, and holy living should get bigger as our experiences of grace from God multiplies.

We are continually walking out of this darkened world.  As we walk towards the light, our surrounding gets brighter.  In every stage of this walk, when we are drawn to God or our knowledge and experience of God increases, our surrounding gets even brighter out of the darkness of this world.

 Inner healing involves our spirituality, emotions and physical healing.  So that as we journey life here on earth, we get to know God more and be drawn closer to our Creator until the time comes.  It is walking not towards death but home.

Zoobic Safari Experience

I was invited to join a group of young people to Subic's Zoobic Safari.  It was a long drive going there and a long drive coming back to Manila.  The main highlight was really about the tigers.  Nothing special actually.  I brought my camera along but has less than 25 shots for 6 hours.

I really felt the show they had in the first part of the tour was a little over.  It seems they are cruel to those animals performing to entertain the public.  I did not clap my hands because I notice whenever the monkey did not follow the trainer, the trainer would pull the cord around its neck to force it to follow.  I think this is animal cruelty.

I think there is no suitable zoo park here in our country though I have not gone to all.  My next target is the zoo in Vigan, hope that place, animals are well kept and are in suitable cages.  I think the government should spend a good place for this kinds of parts for the Filipino kids education on live animals and proper care for such living things.

 I think Taronga Zoo, was the best zoo I have visited but this is located in Sydney.  Also for the underground sea experience, the one in Sydney was also well maintained.  Lastly, the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore are also a nice place to look at thousands of species of birds and they are well kept and maintained.

Preaching in NMEC Prayer Meeting

It was really a blessing as I was invited by Jean chi to preach in their English Prayer Meeting tonight.  I was so happy because I saw a lot of good old friends whom I have not have worship with for the past eight years.

The prayer meeting was well attended, I think this has always been the strength of Rev. Huang's leadership.  The whole atmosphere was really warmth and loving... I think that is the best description I could think of.

I hope and pray that the exchanges of fellowship between the two churches can continue to rekindle old friendships and partnership for the glory of God.  I think it is really time to move on and shake hands and bless one another and be reconciled as a church.

I know that people continue to have strong acquaintances with one another through these years but I pray and hope that such strong acquaintances will not only be on the individual level but on a church level.

 God is good - all the time.

Sermon Preparation Burnout

If you think making a sermon is easy... guess again.  I have been writing my sermons for the past months and it seems I am really exhausted preparing them.  I am almost out of brain juice but I still need to get ready for Sunday's sermon.

Sermon preparation starts with meditating on the Word of God for weeks trying to seek God's message for the congregation.  Afterwards it involves writing it down, identifying the central proposition, title and outline.  You have to explain the biblical context and try to find the theological context and the relevance to your audience.  And you need to form the application with added illustration for more clarify and clear expectation from the listeners.  It needs rewriting and rewriting.  And you cannot just seat down and write and write because in each paragraph you write, you need time for reflection for it to sink in completely to you.   You cannot really just preach and preach, it needs relevance and connection with your personal transformation.

Then, you still need to practice how it should be delivered depending on the age group of your audience.  If you are speaking to a Chinese congregation, you still need to translate it to Chinese.  My world lately seems to evolve only in message preparation.  And it seems, I am going rounds, doing one sermon after the other just to keep up with my scheduled preaching.

But praise God for allowing me to preach His word to His people.  Since this is my call to do so and I really need to spend more time with Him to continually gain insights from His Word.  I enjoy spending time with God, but it seems my life has been enclose to this activity only lately that makes my life a little less exciting.  It seems I needed some recreation to have a fresh outlook for my messages..

MUSAIC by Windsong

I was so blessed by the message of Pastor Robbie Casas when he spoke about Biblical Management of Worship Ministry.  It was the only  message that caught my attention today.  I am not saying the rest of the messages were not helpful but it seems I have been teaching those stuffs in church for years already.

Though what Pastor Casas shared were nothing new to me, but he really spoke with credibility and integrity.  It seems the Holy Spirit was shouting within me.  I was reminded of my personal worship with God and my true role as a pastor in managing worship.  I really felt that I have not done so much for my church worship.  There was no seriousness in our worship on Sundays.  So many people who takes part in our worship does not really prepare themselves seriously especially one their walk with God.  I think even our theology in worship is somewhat hay-wired... The pastoring role is really missing, and sadly many of us were not really lifelong learners were we wanted to take initiative to learn new stuffs for the betterment of our ministry.

So, I decided to invite him to speak to our church leadership especially those who are involve in our worship service.  We have finalized the schedule and will announce it soon.  I hope he could help reshape our worship in church and really help us develop true worship that honors, glorifies and pleases God.

Reclassifying Files

Tuesday and Wednesday has been two long days for me as I start to reclassify my remaining 30% of computer documents.  It was not really easy, after two long days, I am still around 10% short since I discovered that many of my MS Publisher documents cannot be read by Mac, I have to shift each one to PDF files.

I am still adjusting to my new MAC, after these I have to start learning how to really use pages, keynote and numbers.  It seems not that easy changing systems but since it was already an investment, might as well go for it and no turning back.

My consolation from these reclassifying besides the backaches, I was able to really throw away lots of junk from my computer files and really able to reclassify my documents for easy access.  I really still wonder how can all of my files be able to fit in my limited macbook hard drive space.  Anyway, we'll find out soon hehehe...

Though I have reclassified so many files already, I believe I still need to throw away some more stuffs from my files.  I better look for time to do it...

Organizing stuffs make things easier to find in a long run... but reclassifying sure is a long run itself.

Throwing Away Stuffs

I planned to go to the office this morning but the heavy rain has really prevented me from leaving home.  And I really need a break after doing the sermon for St. Stephen's and my grandmother's wake.  It was not really easy and I was really exhausted since I also got fever during that week.

It has been my personal custom to clean my two rooms (bedroom and study room).  Since, I wanted to relax and do something different, I opted to bulldozer some stuffs.  For years, many times December, I would practically go through my stuffs and throw things away to de-clog my rooms with so many stuffs.  I think it was my Chinese instincts of wanting to keep and pile up things at home is always in me.  So for five years now, after collecting usually by December, I have this moments of de-clogging my rooms by getting a sack and start to put unwanted things there and throwing them away.

We practically have so many things at home that we do not need but do not know where to put them.  And our home does not look like homes but warehouses.  The best way is to de-clog and throw stuffs away.  I do not worry throwing away new things, I believe those who need it most, will be able to get them from the junk.

Some people might criticize me for doing this but honestly, I only give those stuffs away that I really do not need.  I do not throw all things away.  It can be a new notebook or a pen or a picture frame... But I am sure those who are in need would be able to get it from the trash.  Why not give it to our less fortunate employees at church?  Well, I do give them stuffs that are better than those I throw away.  Some kids out there are really in need are picking up garbage.  I always remember the prayer of Ms. Beltran when the faculty is having raffles in school.  She would ask God that the one who need it most would get the best price and everyone would agree that the winner was really the person who is in real need.

Breaking December tradition, I was able to gather up one sack for disposal.  I was also able to clean up some files at home as well as reclassify some books.

I started to de-clog because there was one time, I really wanted to get married, and after surveying our house and my room, it can't really fit another person with all of my personal garbage.  That was the time I made my personal resolution to de-clog rooms.  My first time to do this, I was able to throw away five sacks of stuffs.  And I was happy, that anytime my lifetime partner would pop in, she has plenty of space to put her stuff in....hehehe