Understanding the Radical Love of God

• God created us out of Love - He created us in His own image and called us His with purpose in mind.  Jer. 1:5; Isaiah 43:1
• God's love is perfect and pure - Isaiah 43:4
• God's love is our strength, in times of afflictions still God's promises make us move forward and know that He definitely will help us - Isaiah 41:10
• God's love is merciful - Isaiah 55:7
• God's love is freedom - we set so much things in the people we love that we imprison them.  We like possessions. but God's love free us - Isaiah 61:1
• God's love sacrifices - no one has ever laid their lives and sacrificed for the good of others.
• God's love is holy and righteous - God delights in good deeds and in the truth. - Isaiah 42:6
• God's love is everlasting

How much do we love God? Is it enough to trust, believe, obey, surrender everything for HIM?

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Real Freedom

Everyone wants freedom, but are all freedoms real according to what God wants for us?  Freedom means the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints.

There are two types of Freedoms, First is the world meaning of freedom.  It is to be in control - to make own decisions, free from God's laws or society's rules.  It is the freedom to sin.  It is a type of freedom to be miserable. Gal. 6:7-8 For he sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirits will of the spirit reap everlasting life.  The second type of freedom is God's freedom.  According to John 8:36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. It means that:
1. Every man by nature in in bondage.
2. Some are set free from this bondage.
3. That who are set free are set free by Christ.
4. That such as Christ sets free are free indeed.

There are qualities of this Christian freedom:
1. Real Freedom - universal freedom that does not leave us partially in bondage.  Free from satan, sin and law.
2. Constant Freedom - he will never come again in bondage. Gal 4:22 For it written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, the other by a free woman.

Christian freedom means spiritual liberty and servitude.  A Christian man is the most free, Lord of all and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all and subject to everyone.  Only faith alone can give freedom to man.

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Running in and out of your giants

Why do people succumbed into a problem and how to overcome it.

What is Problem?
A state of difficulty that needs to be resolved.
The most common situation that many people running off.

The difference between problem and challenge.

1. Problem is e negative situation and this is the result of our wrong actions and decisions.
2. Challenge is a positive situation that has given to us to improve ourselves.

1. When Paul and voyagers encountered a problem.

Why people succumb into problems?
• They didn't listen to Paul
  Acts 27:10 Saying "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives."
• They trust other people
  Acts 27:11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul.
• Because of pride
  They think that Paul was only a prisoner.
• Selfish Ambition
  All they want is to arrive to Italy.
• Attitude
  If they just only accept it as advice not as an insult.
• They don't trust God
  They pud God in the box.


2. When David face Goliath in the battlefield.

1 Samuel 17:37 More over David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paws of the lion and the paws of the bear, He will deliver me from the hands of this Pilistine."

How to overcome your giants

1. His perspective differed from others. He saw an opportunity.
2. His method differed from others. He decided to use proven weapon that he knew would work.
3. His conviction differed from others. He heard that Goliath's threats against the God of Israel and knew God could beat him.
4. His vision differed from others. He wanted to make God known to the worlds as the most powerful God on earth.
5. His experience differed from others. He brought to the battlefield past victorious over a lion and bear, not months of paralyzing fear.
6. His attitude differed from others. He saw Goliath not as a threat too big to hit, but a target too big to miss.

We are the one who make our own problems and if it grows big, it is because we nurture it. So if we are the one who make our own problem and if we are the one who nurture it, we can also make a thousand ways to remove it with God's help.

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Planning is the key in achieving our goals

Plan
Have the will and intention to carry out some action.
A series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished.

Goal
The state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve.
Something supposedly seen in a dream or trance.

Why is Planning important
Planning is important because without this we cannot achieve or reach our goals. It also serves us strategic steps to reach our goals like what plan to start, when to start a plan, how to start a plan and how to end-up successful.

1. What plan to start
   In planning we should know that the goal we want to achieve is possible. (The bigger our goal, the longer the time is needed.)
   
2. When to start
   If we have already the plan we need to start it abruptly. Don't wait for tomorrow to come.
3. How to start a plan
   To start a plan, all we need to do is to have the first step. Don't focus on the big picture.
4. How to end-up successful
   The only way to end-up successful is not to give up, persevere.

Let's look how Nehimiah reached his one of his goals in his life. (Rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem)

How is Nehimiah?
Nehimiah is the son of Hachaliah who felt great distress and mourned for many days because of the unstability of Jerusalem, but because of his plan he was able to fixed the problem and achieved his goal.

How did Nehimiah achieved his goal?

1. He prayed
   Nehimiah 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that i sat down and wept and mourn for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
2. He lay down his plan
   Nehimiah 2:5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant found favor in your sight, I ask that you will send me to Judah, to the city of my father's tombs that i may rebuilt it."
3. He set time
   Nehimiah 2:6 Then the king said to, "How long will your journey be? And when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me and i set him a time.
4. He have someone to help him
   Nehimiah 2:8 "And the letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that i will occupy." And the king granted them to me according to the good hands of God upon me.
5. He encourage others to help him to start fulfilling his goal
   Nehimiah 2:17 Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and it's gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.

Conclusion
We should be aware that we need to pay the price in everything we plan, so do not be dismayed or out of focus when circumstances comes against because even Nehimiah experienced this.
Nehimiah 2:19 But when Saballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, "What is this thing are you doing? Will you rebel against the king?"
We should know that achieving our goals are not unintentional but it's intentional and we need plans to achieve it.

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Our God is the God of all

"We consider other people as if they don't have God, but the reality is that they have God but they just don't know it. God said to His word that What He cleansed we must not call common.
Acts 10:15 The voice spoke to him again, a second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call it common!"

Common
Having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual.

• We must remember that God is God of all
• We must remember that we're now, because under grace and not by law

Some of us think that God only exist on our side.

In John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but has everlasting life."  Also in Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we we're sinners, Christ died for us."

These two passages are just few example that Christ died for us all because of the Father. That's why Paul said in the book of Romans 12:14 "Bless those who persecute you; bless and not curse" and in verse 20 and 21, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you."

But it doesn't mean that they're save becase in Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." That's why we are here to give them that kind of faith, in 2 Timothy 1:9 "He is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began."


God has purpose in people's attitudes for us

1. God use their attitudes to understand them.
2. God use their attitudes to stretch our patience. (just like Stephen)
3. God use their attitudes to challenge us. (just like Paul)
4. God use their attitudes to display His power. (just like Pharaoh)
5. God use their attitudes to so that we can learn to love them. (just like Jesus)

In short God use their attitudes to mold us.


How to win them?

1. Know their reasons
2. Understand them (understand not tolerate)
3. Make friends with them, start to share and inspire
4. Pray for them
5. Pray for yourself

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

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PROPHET JEREMIAH

Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet who needed to find his voice. God called him to speak to the rebellious nation of Judah. The prophet responded by saying that he wasn't up to the task. "O Sovereign Lord, I cant speak for You!" (Jeremiah 1:6)

This prophet was fearful and timid. Sounds familiar, right? If so, we can learn from Jeremiah. For he went on to badly proclaim the message that Judah was going to be destroyed. (Jeremiah 20:4)

Three things that helped him were:

1. God's Assurance - "I'll be with you and I'll protect you." (Jeremiah 1:8)
2. God's Word - "Give this message to the people: 'O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord!'" (Jeremiah 7:2, 19:2)
3. God's Empowerment - "I will make you as secure as a fortified wall of bronze." (Jeremiah 15:20)

Though Jeremiah would, from time to time battle fears and despair, he ultimately found courage and hope in the merciful loving God who "rescues the life of the needy." and one day the Sovereign Lord gave him some great news to declare Judah: "I will rebuild you."(31:4)

Jeremiah found his voice as he stuck to God's assurance, Word, and Empowerment. Will we do the same?

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NCCF is now a recipient of UNICEF

Nations and Communities for Christ Fellowship (NCCF) in Cagayan de Oro is now a recipient of UNICEF with their program, Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT) under R.A. 9208: Child’s awareness of their rights and protection in partnership with CDO government offices namely Department of Tourism, DOLE, DSWD, NAPOLCOM and other community outreaches that advocate against child trafficking and abused women.

The NCCF Adopted Community, particularly kids that are of ages 8 to 15 that lived under the Carmen Bridge, already benefited the last time event called, “Street Kids City Tour” on Dec 12, 2011 which would enable kids to a fun-filled day of free zip lines in Mapawa Nature Park, tree planting in Eco village, and free lunches.

Since the occurrence of typhoon Sendong that swept their houses, the Department of Tourism Director, Chan, initiated assistance to the above mentioned children that were affected.

We are expecting for another opportunity not just for these kids but for future generation as adopted community of NCCF. Let us do what is right and unite together for the glory of God!

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DEFINING AND UNDERSTANDING OUR TASK TO GOD

• Define-means to state precisely the meaning of

- Example:

eyes – see
feet – to walk
mouth – to speak
heart – pumping 
• understanding- the sum of the mental powers by which knowledge is acquired, retained, and extended

- means deeper meaning of things why it exist

- Example:

eyes- to see God’s wonder 
feet – to move and do His work
mouth – to praise and share His Word
heart – where God dwells

• we heard our parents saying like:

we go to school
enroll –nursery and learned the basic ABC’s to get ready for prep - to read, learned mathematics
to elem, to high school and college
and have work and perhaps get married
when you’re now working, you have your own money and think you can now buy “HAPPINESS”
AND somehow along the way, you feel something missing inside
God leaves a vacuum inside that only Him can fill in 
As Ray ann Fuentes said – to receive His full blessings, be in His presence
And thank God angels are real- God uses them to know Him more
then,we fellowship
So what then now? 

• Nehemiah 3:1-27 – Builders of the Walls (Jerusalem wall)

The walls were built with people
People with different skills and gifts
And people work together

• 1 TIMOTHY 4:11-16
• It’s time to define our responsibility as Christian

• It’s time to ask ourselves :

what I can do?
what can I give?
If yes, am I giving my all?

• A manager can’t stand alone in the company
• A president can’t stand alone 
• leaders can’t do well without the member’s support in the ministry
• Even God though He can do everything, still needs us as His mouthpiece where He can display His power and be made known
• Until we still have the breath, we can do something, do more for God 
• Until we have the breath, we still have the hope
• The scarcity in life is not proportion to what u can do into His kingdom because what God wants us to do is what is only in our hands/required right now, it’s not what you don’t have but what you have that matters
• Don’t wait until we aren’t able to, until we retire, until we are full
• Don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you decide to enjoy your life. –Joyce Myer
• Because the right time to do our service to God is NOW

• (don’t tell yourself u don’t know what to do)

It has been laid to us through His spirit the moment we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior
• The moment we are born again in Spirit is also the moment God poured out His will and plans in our lives
• It was evidently given to us
• He open our spiritual eyes to see His very will
• We need just to read and meditate His WORD and hear His audible voice AND INSTRUCTION
• TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR GOD is to dwell in His presence

• Story of Moses - Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Exodus 20:19)

Their fear of God is the exact same fear that many Christians still have today. 
The Bible tells us that God wants to establish this individual personal relationship with each one of us, but we are too afraid to approach God to establish this kind of intimate personal relationship with Him.
This is what God really wants, and if you would be willing enter in without any type of fear like Moses did; this will then be the beginning of a new and adventurous life for you with the Lord.

CONCLUSION:
Have you ever experienced the frustration of putting together a puzzle, only to discover in the end that a piece was missing? Even though that piece is just a tiny portion of the puzzle, its absence leaves a very noticeable flaw in the whole picture.
The same is true in God's Kingdom. 1 Peter 2:5 tells us, "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house" (NIV). In a physical building, a missing brick leaves a hole in the wall. While God doesn't need us like a wall needs a brick, He does want to see us connected with other Christians to make a dynamic whole - which brings us joy and God glory.

1. Every Christian Has a Job to Do

• When you belong to Christ, you are part of His body. He is the head. He leads the body, and He orchestrates its movements. 
• And you are connected not only to Him, but also to every other part of the body as well. As we read in Scripture, "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be" (1 Corinthians 12:18, NIV).
As a believer, you have an important job to do. You have a major role to play in the Church of Jesus Christ. And it's the job of every believer to rightly discern his or her role in the plan of God and to serve with enthusiasm - no matter what job God asks you to do.

2. No Job Is Insignificant 

• Therefore, before you say that your job isn't important because it isn't a visible one like preaching, consider the many behind-the-scenes people - people you've probably never heard of - that God has used to change the course of history.

3. The Importance of Working Together

Here is an important truth:
• The body works best when all its parts work together. 
• As believers, we are all different. We have different gifts and abilities, and we have different jobs to do. But we all belong to the same body. "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Romans12:4-5, NIV).
• So a believer functions best when connected to other believers.
• Get involve, we need you here
• Use the gifts and the abilities that God has given you - and bring Him glory.

So never underestimate your significance to the Body of Christ. You have an important job to do. God gifted you uniquely, and He has a plan and a purpose for your life. You are a vital and valued part of God's Kingdom!

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TOUCHING PEOPLE, CHANGING LIVES

A Touch of Class
An advertisement of drink shown in a TV commercial states that, that drink has a touch of class. Meaning, the manufacturer position it to be a special one, not an ordinary like the rest. What makes it special or has a class is the quality it has attained during the process. It was so designed by its maker with the purpose and intention to make it better if not the best, comparing to other competitive products. It was the touch of the maker that makes it different, it was that touch that makes it superior.

The Touch of God
When God created man, He created them perfect lacking nothing, man were created flawless. No clothes have been introduced for them to wear regardless of how original it might be because added clothing would be imperfect. They might be naked in terms of worldly standard when it comes to clothing but what makes it wholesome is that their body covering was the glory of God

God instituted their marriage in the Garden of Eden - that was a garden wedding, a perfect place for perfect people because they were God’s workmanship. It has the touch of God. The touch of God means His presence, His protection, His sufficiency, His power, His love and His care…it represents the over-all qualities of God…all God has and all God is. It was the touch of excellence.

Touching People
In like manner God would like us to touch people. Not the usual touch of a human hand but it is the one that affects the person. It’s what we’ve done that moves them. It might be our concern of their well-being, the care we’ve given to them, the help we extend in drawing out the best in them. The one that creates impact on their lives is that when we can relate to them. Then and only then we can have an influence in their lives.

It is really touching their hearts. People might not be instantly sold out with our ideas and beliefs. At first, they may not align and support us with what we are doing regardless of how knowledgeable we are but it is our sincere and genuine care that will convince them to be one with us. It is because they don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care. It is only when we have touched a heart before we can have their help. Therefore, we need to touch a heart before we ask for a hand.

Nokia has its caption as connecting people. We need to learn how to connect with people because it is only through connecting people that we can touch lives. To have or establish a rapport…understanding why?

Changing Lives
The end results if we really care… The Life Lessons from Jim Robin, Life is worthwhile if you CARE. If you care at all, you will get results. If you care enough, you will get incredible results. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to change. Care enough to win

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