Bem Blogs 'bout Bday

August 23rd is the day of my birthday.  Facebook messages started to come in the day before from friends and family in the Philippines.  As those messages would come, I wondered, "What is a good way to respond?"  Usually I don't think of birthdays so much (due to the bad macho and forgetful mentality that I have developed concerning it) but with my new found life in Christ I have a greater appreciation of it.  So I thought that it would be nice to "Blog 'Bout Bdays". 

When one thinks of their birthday, the first thing that comes to mind is another year of life.  This past year was one of the most challenging ones now that I think about it.  I applied, enrolled, enduring and enjoying  the Master's College.  My sister and I began to worship with SBCAC.  I started to work for the first time with graveyard hours.  I got to go to Philippines for a missions trip.  God has surely blessed me with experiences but none these are worth the experience if God was not the center.  All of these things have come to have eternal value because I know that these blessed experience came from Him, through Him and to Him.

So I am very thankful to the Lord for giving me another year of life.  If I am still on this earth, then He still has plans for me to proclaim Jesus Christ so that sinners would be forgiven and enjoy reconciliation with the Father.  I pray that all would have birthdays in which they can celebrate with our God which can only come through Jesus Christ.  So I hope that this blog is a blessing to those who read it. 

P.S  I know that there are others celebrating their birthdays on this week and so I would like to greet them a Happy Birthday:

Ben
Sabrina
Kevin
Joben
Kuya Yoyie
Allen
Skae

Enjoy another year.  Peace. 

Jude 17 - 23 DEFENSES UP

Today at SBCAC's (South Bay Christian Alliance Church) WNBS (Wednesday Night Bible Study), we went through the book of Jude verse 17 through 23.  The main theme of the study was that the church is called to defend themselves for there are evil men lurking within there mists.  In verses 4 - 16, Jude gives a description of such men so that believers may identify them.  In verse 17, they have come to know who these evil men are and they are being called to put up there defenses.  How does the church do that?  Jude shows them.

1. They are only able to pull up there defenses because they have experienced the love of God.  It is by God love that they are able have such a protection.
2. Acknowledging that they are empowered to defend themselves because of God they are then called to remember the teachings of Jesus which come through the words of His apostles.  
3. The next defense is to "keep yourselves in the love of God" (v. 21)  Believers so then ask "How do we keep ourselves in the love of God?"  Jude provides the answers to that.
• by building up our faith
• praying in the Holy Spirit
• wait for the mercy of Jesus Christ
4. We are not only called to defend ourselves but to also help others whose defense are down whose having doubt.

Church of Christ let us build up our defense by observing the commands that Jude gives us to protect us from the ungodly men who are lurking within our mists.


Here is the study if you have time to watch:
(Unavailable at the moment, but will be update ASAP or a link will be provided if the video cannot be posted on this blog)