The Real January

Today I decided to come to office. My schedule at the office is Mondays and Wednesdays, but since this week's workdays was only Thursday and Friday, I decided to come over. Apparently many people are still on a holiday hangover because we were only four at the office, and yesterday I was told it was also as few. For the whole morning, I worked on projects. I'm enjoying this time because I've caught up with my project backlogs.

I've been enjoying this time, this past few days because once again time has become a luxury. I've been spending great extended time with the Lord in my extended times of solitude and personal devotion. More time with my wife and my loved ones. A time to reflect, think, and write. If life can just be like this, but in a few more days, the real January will come. Clients will be breathing on my back once again. I will be back in campus ministry, among other things. That's why these times are so precious. Because I'm readying myself, steadying myself. Before I go out there again I want to reinforce my foothold in Christ, the only unchangeable thing in this world and in my life. I believe that when my relationship with God is OK, it directly affects every facet of my life. I am reminded of the Steve Furtick article about making Christ not just the first, but the center of our lives in 2013 - http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-how-to/147384-don-t-put-jesus-first-this-year.html

Here are some things on the top of my head that I'd like to do more this year:

• Communicate more clearly, care more deeply
• Solitude, stop, think, reflect, write - these are indispensable moments where I recharge and regain stability
• Don't let my quiet time fall into the list of my priorities - This is a non-negotiable, pivotal and will dictate how every facet of my life will turn out.
• Spend more quality time with my wife, appreciate her more
• De-multitask. This article resonates. "How to slow down in 2013". It shares 5 things on how to slow down including taking long walks and eating slowly. Simple yet true - http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/whole-life/5-ways-slow-down-2013
• I am who God designed me to be. I have my own strengths, abilities. I can be confident with who I am in the light of Christ and not other people's shadow.
• Spend more time with my family and loved ones.
• Connect and catch up with friends more. Be open to new friendships.
• Laugh more and enjoy life. Don't take life too seriously. Thank God more. Give more.
• Stop procrastinating. Rest time should be rest time. Work time should be work time.
• My horizontal relationships hangs on my vertical relationship.
• Serve God in new and meaningful ways.
• Health is wealth.
• Be more present in the present. Enjoy the moment. Be there in the now.

My wife and I are also preparing ourselves for the upcoming Prayer and Fasting week. It's important to start the year on your knees. We're coming up with our faith goals and faith commitments this year, and we're excited at how God will once again display His greatness, love and just-in-time moments this year.

The Rainbow Covenant

"I will remember my covenant between me and you …" Genesis 9:15

This was God's promise to Noah after the flood. After forty days of destruction and cleansing. God put up a rainbow as a sign to a covenant that God will no more destroy the earth by flood. A covenant is defined as an agreement between two parties. But in the Bible, when God makes a covenant with man, He sticks to it for who He is. It is comforting to know that He doesn't act in response to our human frailty. This is the kind of covenant love God has for us. 

Every story in the Old Testament is truly a shadow the things to come. In the the New Testament, a new covenant of grace is given to us through Jesus Christ. In both the flood narrative and the new testament covenant of grace, we see similar elements, the flood narrative pointing to the new covenant. In both instances each covenant is addressed to all creation:

A punishment - In the flood story, the punishment for man's wickedness is death through forty days of flood. In the new testament, the punishment for man's ultimate problem (sin) is spiritual death.

A payment - After the flood, Noah makes a sacrifice of animals to God. It was a common symbolic practice of substituting man's life for the animal's life. Moreover, the Hebrew word for "covenant" is "berith" which means "to cut" because then covenants are made between two parties by cutting an animal in half. In the new testament, God gave His only Son to die on our behalf. Jesus became the substitute and sacrifice for sin's demand.

A promise - God's covenant promised no more flood. We can now experience God's covenant love through Christ. Overcoming sin and death is made possible. True to God's covenant, His love finds us. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.

A proof - After the flood, God put up the rainbow as a sign of His covenant to all creation. So that when He sees the rainbow, it will remind Him of His covenant never to send a destructive flood again. In the new testament, the beautiful rainbow becomes the rugged Cross, the sign established by God. That through Christ's death on the cross, we are no longer object of wrath, but clothed in Christ's righteousness. "Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne." "I give You praise for You are my righteousness …"

The following passage is a short but beautiful picture of the new covenant we have received through Christ:

Hebrews 9:15 (coincidentally, the rainbow covenant is found in Genesis 9:15) - "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant."

So what now? What does God say in the Bible how we should respond? These beautiful pictures of God's covenant love should move us to a change of heart and action:

Hebrews 10:22 (CEV), So let’s come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let’s keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water.

Thank You, Lord, for once again reminding me about Your covenant love.

Last Sunday 2012

On our last Sunday for 2012, we finally visited BFGFC after a long time. It was actually the week before that we planned to visit but Nette contracted sore eyes. It was a great time reconnecting to friends and youth. After that my family went to Robinsons Magnolia for lunch. We planned to watch a movie, my mom liked Thy Womb, but wouldn't you believe the movie was only screening in 4 cinemas in Metro Manila?? So we just opted to just hangout. We did try the Magnolia Ice Cream house, the remnant of the famous Magnolia ice cream plant back in the 80s.

New Year 2013

2012 has past, a new year unfolds ...

• As I look back to 2012, I am thankful for the different opportunities to serve Him and share God's love and message in various ways.
• Thanking God for good health, provision and protection for my family and loved ones.
• 2013 is a new challenge and we look at it with new optimism, hope and enthusiasm.
• I know what I need. More of Jesus. I need to continually make Him in the center of everything I do. More of His presence, grace, wisdom and strength.
• "Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years." (Deuteronomy 8:4) - I am reminded by God's sustaining grace in the midst of the wilderness, I do not need to fear but to trust Him more.
• Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. - Philippians 4:12-13

Happy new year! Just got done with our media noche preparing to hit the pillows for another morning.