Is it wrong to aim for success in life? Is it wrong to be ambitious? Some people feel guilty about this. Others, of course, couldn't care less. They want to be successful in life no matter what. That's why personal ambitions drive them. But can we aim for success without compromising our faith? Can we be ambitious and still retain our commitment to Christ? What a lot of people don't know is that there is such a thing as spiritual success. God wants us to succeed in our lives, spiritually speaking. We cannot become dreamers and doers if we are afraid of ambition and success. But just like our wrong views about God, we must renew our minds concerning true success.
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. (Luke 1:57-66)
We are called to be witnesses of the Gospel. Sharing the Good News with others is our privilege and responsibility. But not many of us are doing it effectively. Effective witnessing is all about sharing the Good News to others so that they are persuaded to trust God also. But how do we do that in such a way that we do not alienate people in the process?
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Main Idea: “Choose to share the Good News without excuse.” (“Piliin mo na ibahagi ang Mabuting Balita nang walang pagdadahilan.”)
How can we witness to others effectively?
Two Bold Decisions
1. Overcome rejection to share your conviction (vv.57-61).
2. Overcome limitation to share God's revelation (vv.62-66).
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqy0cAP9IJc
1 Then after fourteen years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 As for those who were held in high esteem — whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism — they added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9 James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. (Galatians 2:1-10)
Having differences in the church is inevitable. But it should not lead to hostility or division. Through godly and mature dialogue we can identify the issues and find solutions that lead to peace and unity. More importantly, we must aspire for what is glorifying to God rather than simply winning an argument. As God's people who are dearly loved in Christ, we must show sincere love toward one another. We must learn how to resolve our differences in a godly way.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkJt56QOlLk
Many of us struggle to find time for prayer and often find it boring and difficult to focus. We get distracted by our to-do lists and sometimes feel like we’re talking to ourselves or reading a wish list to the sky. We make excuses and feel guilty, then turn to our phones. Prayer can feel like eating vegetables - we know it’s good for us, but few of us actually enjoy it. Let's learn more about the practice of prayer.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRncQQZCiMY
36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
In the Philippines, some congressmen are planning to pass a law that would lower the retirement age of government employees to 56. That's good news! Most people work so hard in their younger years that, when they grow old, they can retire comfortably. Now, if this law is approved, people can retire much earlier. They can then spend their remaining years enjoying life and their families. But is that all we can really expect when people grow old? Interestingly, the Bible speaks of many examples of people who, when they grew old, chose to live productively and fruitfully for the Lord in spite of their old age.
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Main Idea: “No one is too old to serve the Lord.” (“Walang tao ang sobrang tanda para maglingkod sa Panginoon.”)
How can old people serve the Lord in spite of their age?
Three Options
1. Ministry of Prophecy (v.36).
2. Ministry of Prayer (v.37).
3. Ministry of Promotion (v.38).
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmxJO6Jl8fM
Text: Psalm 30:1-12
Sickness is difficult. No one wants to experience it. But sometimes God may use it to turn our lives around. Of course, this is not true all the time. There are sicknesses that eventually lead to death. We must trust in God's sovereignty in those cases. But if ever the Lord will use sickness to turn our lives around, there is usually a pattern that results in the glory of God. In other words, there is a purpose for healing.
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Central Idea: “Healing is for God's glory and for our transformation.” (“Ang kagalingan ay para sa Kanyang kaluwalhatian at ating pagbabago.”)
How is God glorified through healing?
Five Stages
1. Complacency leading to sickness (vv.6-7).
2. A cry for divine help (vv.8-10).
3. Healing from God (vv.11-12).
4. Thanksgiving to God (vv.1-3).
5. Worship based on revelation (vv.4-5).
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M53JgHcldBc
There is a dimension of prayer that goes beyond words to a simple, loving presence. This is called contemplation. Contemplation is a form of prayer that goes beyond words to the loving presence of God. It allows us to connect with Him in a profound and sacred way, experiencing unity and oneness with Him. In this state, we let go of our thoughts and desires and surrender to the whispers of God, allowing love and grace to flow to us and through us from Him.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew74tlU7q7M
The Church as The Bride of Christ | By Pastor Bong Baylon | RLCC
Date: Oct 20, 2022
Text: Psalm 45:1-17 (cf. Hebrews 1:8-9)
The Bible uses different metaphors to describe the relationship between Jesus and the church. One of them is the metaphor of "bride". Thus, the church is called the "Bride of Christ". As the "bride", the church is waiting for the official "wedding ceremony" that will happen when Jesus finally returns. In the meantime, what does it mean to be the "bride of Christ" today?
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What does it mean for the church to be the "bride of Christ" today?
Two Priorities
1. We must pay careful attention to Jesus. (vv.1-9, 17; cf. Heb 1:8-9; 2:1-4)
2. We must prepare for our wedding day with Jesus. (vv.10-16; Eph 5:22-33)
Central Idea: “As the bride of Christ, our priority must be Jesus.” (“Bilang mapapangasawa ni Cristo, ang dapat maging prioridad natin ay si Jesus.”)
Questions, Comments, Feedback - https://tawk.to/rlccphil
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6RZHYFzb4o