As we welcomed the Christmas season last Sunday, we started on the new series Come to Worship.

Christmas is all about worship - it’s a reminder for us to pause and be in awe because of Jesus. When Jesus was born, He gave us the chance to be known, accepted, and forgiven. When we experience His love, we can’t help but come to worship.

The series is about the different postures of worship and this week Ptr. Dan preached on “Lifting our Hands.”

Science says that lifting our hands together with deep breathing, promotes circulation, releases happy hormones, and rewire our brain. If lifting our hands for no reason make us feel good, how much better will it be if we do it purposefully? When we lift our hands to God, to the King of all kings, everything changes.

Be encouraged as you listen to last Sunday’s preaching.

As we conclude the series, Multiply, Ptr. Roy Ricafort preached on the principle of sowing and reaping.

In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul is teaching about a law of nature that has spiritual implications. When we sow little, our harvest will be small. But when we sow generously, our harvest will be plentiful.

Giving is not an obligation but it's a matter of the heart. What are the motives of our heart when we give? God loves it when we give out of joy and love.

There is a promise in giving, as Paul has written in 2 Corinthians 9:8.  That if we give, God will give us more than enough for our own needs and enough for us to do good works for others as well. When we give, God multiplies.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Generosity Encouraged

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

During our Convergence Sunday Service, Ptr. John Rohrer spoke about the many facets of love.

There is something about the church coming together where all of us are loving Jesus, people getting saved amidst this love, and our love for one another.

John 3:16 proves how God is our greatest love. He is a giver; not a taker. God loves us and He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). His perfect love casts out all fears (1 John 4:18).

Love can grow strong, but can also grow cold. When the love have gone cold, we start to run away. This is common because we are human and therefore, we try to rely on human love.

Human love is wonderful, but will fail when we need it most; it's imperfect, but perfect love covers a multitude of sins (James 5:20).

People will come and go but the heart of this church will always be the people who are affectionate and kind-hearted.

May you be inspired and enlightened as you listen to the podcast.

Week 1 of our series, Rosemary Flynn preached about how God must be first and the principles of multiplication.

Our walk with God is not something that comes without challenges. In these times we must hold-fast to God and trust Him, may it be in our finances or in other aspects of our lives. Watch Him turn your situation around.

Last Sunday, we continued and finish off the series "Grace Changes Everything."

Ptr. Joel Magpantay preached on salvation as shown in the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.

Jesus was traveling through Jericho. Zacchaeus was short, and curious and determined to see Jesus. Tax collectors were known to be crooks at that time, and as a chief tax collector Zacchaeus could be hated by the public. He ran ahead to where he knows Jesus will pass and climbed a sycamore tree. When Jesus reached his spot, he called out Zacchaeus by name and invited himself for dinner at Zacchaeus’ home because Jesus knew that Zacchaeus came and was seeking for him.

The crowd saw this and began to mutter perhaps they think less of Jesus associating with sinners like Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus stood up and offered half of his possessions to the poor and offered restitution to all he had wronged four times the amount he had cheated them. Jesus saw the intention of Zacchaeus’ heart and Jesus asserted that Zacchaeus had received salvation and reaffirmed that he is a son of Abraham - a call for the people to welcome and accept Zacchaeus’ repentance.

Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."  The final passage summarises Jesus' mission – why Jesus came here on earth. This was enough for Zacchaeus to understand that Jesus loves him regardless of him being a tax collector, being someone despised by society. Jesus sought Zacchaeus and made it possible for Zacchaeus to find him.

God does not wait for us to come to him or until we perfected our life and get our acts together. God sought and found us first God ordained everything through his mercy and his love for us. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus associates himself with us, sinners, loves us willingly! Jesus’ love changes us. This is grace.

On Sunday, we continued on the series “Grace Changes Everything.” Ptr. Roy Ricafort preached on how the grace of God can make us whole again as demonstrated in the story of a blind beggar in Luke 18:35-43.

Here we find a blind man (whom recorded in the book of Mark as Bartimaeus), sitting by the roadside of Jericho begging for alms. When he heard that Jesus is passing by, he began to yell persistently loud. As the crowd tried to stop him from yelling, Bartimaeus kept shouting and made a bold declaration of faith, shouting “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus noticed Bartimaeus and asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Bartimaeus replied that he wanted to see.

Jesus want Bartimaeus to verbalise his faith and for the crowd to hear. And Jesus responded to him, “Your faith has healed you.” Immediately, he received his sight and when the crowd saw this, they also praised God.

Sometimes we are intimidated and subdued by our own blindness. It's possible to almost give up. But not Bartimaeus. His faith has brought him from darkness into light. 

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As we continue the series “Grace Changes Everything,” Ptr. Roy Ricafort spoke about the importance of proper understanding of what God’s grace is. He preached on the story of a sinful woman forgiven in Luke 7:36-50.

Though seen by the society as unclean, the woman had probably heard about Jesus and came to the banquet hosted by Simon the Pharisee.

To help Simon understand the sinful woman’s actions, Jesus told him a parable about forgiveness and used this parable to interpret the woman’s devotion in terms of forgiveness. Jesus acknowledged that her faith had brought her salvation.

Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s grace. Jesus has the authority to forgive sins, when he died on the cross, he paid for the debt we can never repay.

When we fully understand what Jesus has done for us, that grace that we have received - the more we will love God. Let our lives reflect God’s forgiveness and grace. Let us show that grace to others regardless who they are, what they do or say.

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As a new series kick-off this week, Ptr. Roy Ricafort speaks to us how God's grace can change not only a person but also an entire community as seen in the book of Luke. This week starts with the story of a widow and her son.

As demonstrated in the story, the widowed mother lost her only son. God saw her need and spoke into her situation. Through Jesus’ powerful words, her son was brought to life. Jesus was able to turn her desperate situation into a joyous occasion. Jesus Christ’s compassion can transform a hopeless situation into a celebration that will bring praise and glory to God.

Listen to last Sunday’s preaching and may this message speak to you.

Luke 7:11-17 ESV: Jesus Raises a Widow's Son

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This week, Ptr. Dan Monterde talks to us about embracing the lifestyle of giving.

It is one of the evidences that God is working in our life. Giving is not just about our resources but a heart that we allow God to transform within us. And once we become that person of love, we can’t avoid giving because the core of loving is a generous heart.

How can we embrace giving? Be encouraged as you listen to last Sunday’s message.

"For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

2 Corinthians 8:3-7 NIV

This week, we wrap up the series “Who Do You Think You Are?”. Pastor Roy Ricafort preached on how we are called to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

As a disciple, how do we live our life as a follower of Jesus? Listen to last Sunday’s message.

“As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.”