Dealing with pride

Pride is the reason of division

Pride is considerably a destroyer to people and the body. When we have this, we become paralyzed, unable to move and do the things that God has for us. So often, that Churches split up because of this. We can do things for the glory of God. We can do things to serve Him. But if this is reigning, it creates division and this is one of the things I saw on my entire Ministry.

Forgive and forget

God doesn’t leave His people with an unfinished problem, unsettled. He wanted to fix things for His glory. Jesus said to humble ourselves unto Him and He shall lift us up. I forgot the last part- He shall lift me up. I focus on the word humbleness. It won’t be easy to beg a person to forgive you even if you know you have no fault. The Bible is found in us. We are the living bible and a living testimony. It is where the body dwells because it becomes a mirror of truth. What you can read in the Bible should manifest in the body. If we don’t live the word we read and preach, there is no light in the Bible and as we walk in the light of the gospel, we carry God’s love which is built in to us since we have the first encounter with God. So pride should disappear so we can create a good atmosphere in the body of Christ. Not division. Pride has to be dealt with the Church, first of all, among leaders and then to the body. We need to overcome this and learn to forgive, forget and move on forward.

Stand firm and be humble

I cried many times when I see Churches broken up. Some people are happy because it becomes multiplication. It can be right, but if the fruit of the multiplications becomes bad, and we multiply because of pride, it shall not prosper no matter what we do. There should have a fundamental truth being laid aside and so with good intention so we can carry on building His Kingdom. The road is very narrow indeed to enter the Kingdom of God and we need to stand strong so that we are not going to be carried by the wind when it blows where we stand. Stand firm yet remain humble in the sight of God.

Expecting great things from God

Looking for an Apartment

I have some interesting encounter today. One of the sisters has asked me to find a flat or apartment that she can share the rent. In just few minutes, I called up somebody whom I have not in contact for so many months. It was not even 30 minutes that things had been settled and agreed and felt like, they knew each other for many years. It is amazing that God uses people around to connect us to one another.

Part of Church wall being painted

Secondly, when we arrived at the Church, we saw a changed on our wall near the front door. Newly painted with a color that matches inside our building. Basically the wall looked ugly outside but God touched somebody’s heart to paint it. Though he painted only some part of it which looked nice actually, I am thrilled to wait and see the next part. I expect great things. I have seen so many miracles in the Church and this is very obvious. Somebody saw that the one who painted the wall was the employee of the guy who owns a pottery shop who is always against us. He was upset because of our noise. We did try our best to minimize our music when we know it is his rest hour but it's been difficult for us especially when a lot of people coming to the Church. He doesn’t want to hear our music and he ended up switching off our main electricity so we can’t play any instruments and sometimes he is calling police men to stop even in the middle of our worship service. I remember when we had a big meeting in the Church and he just turned our lights off. I felt a bit embarrassed. One of our Elder talked to him and tries to explain things but he was really aggressive and furious. He never had been good to us actually. But we rejoiced today knowing that God touches his heart. God will do more things. More miracles, more surprises. I am so encouraged. Praise the Lord. Expecting great things from God, Attempting great things for God, huh!

In His service,

Nova

Receiving God's Blessing

Reminder

It's really a blessing to have a person next to you, someone who always remind you anything that concerns your daily routine. I'm glad, my husband just reminded me to update my blogs from time to time. We were talking via Skype since he was away for 3 weeks. Unfortunately, he was not feeling for few days. Last Monday, he was unable to go to the office and stayed in the hotel the whole day resting. Thank God he is better now.

Our new guitar

So today? We have a blessing received which we thank God. Somebody donated a new guitar for the Church and I hope this one gets better than our old ones. We needed to replace the one we had because we found it difficult to fix and I really praise God for His faithfulness. Oh, we shall have a very beautiful sound on Sunday. I believe without the guitar, we still can worship God if our motive really is to worship Him with all our heart. But if we have instrument? Oh, that would be more fantastic "Sing a new song unto the Lord"! He is always a good God and a prayer answering God, Hallelujah! Give Him praise.

Praising God,

Nova

Unexpected Circumstances

God plans your day

Yesterday was my plan to write a blog but because of the circumstances occurred; I wasn't able to do it. It was one of my days that I will not forget.
I meant to visit a brother’s house who, happened to be away. As I saw the bus, it stopped just where I was standing the driver saw a sign from me that I had to ride so I took a ride. I just realize that it was a wrong bus and I had to stop and take another bus. So the bus I was riding was the right one and I thank God I arrived to my destination. I was checking things the house if everything was alright and tied up the mess of the cats, I close everything well and also the utility room which was opened when I arrived. I informed a dear brother in the UK while I was on my way that I closed everything and the utility room. So when the bus stopped near our place, I came down undecided whether I go to the Church yet not. Few minutes after I came down to the bus, I received a message from a brother that the utility needs to be opened because the neighbor needed to use as they are building a new house opposite. In other words I needed to go back again and re open the utility room. As was riding a bus, I realized that I passed their place and I needed to stop but the driver was also confused on my reaction, so I reached at the end of the village which too far from where I should stopped.

Confusing day

During those hours of messing up, I couldn't imagine how many songs I already sung as I was interceding especially of the things that happened to me. I tried to comfort myself as I found it very confusing day. I should not be upset because this happened maybe and it meant to happen to teach me something. I couldn't understand what happened generally.
I had more plans that day. That I will go to the market and buy some fruits and vegetables since the bus station destined to load people nearby but it was closed. I arrived at the Church at 2:00 pm, praying, reading God's Word, printing my Sermon outline to be ready on Sunday and fixing a place for computer. When I finished doing things and ready to go home, I tried to call a taxi because it was still far for me to walk with carrying lots of things on my bag and a bag of groceries but my phone was dead so I couldn't even call a taxi nor our Elders or leaders who have a car to drop me home. My husband was a bit worried if I was alright who knew I've gone too long and not informed. He is away for 3 weeks and not knowing exactly what's going on could be worrying for him but I praise GOD that everything was fine and we only need to bunderstand e patient from time to time.

God is in control

Sometimes in our life, things happen in an unusual way. We couldn't but it's there. We can't drive things the way we want. I had more plans that day but It wasn't me who handles my Day. I had more plans that day, but God showed me His way. Thing happened like this is designed by God, not ours.
God bless your journey in Christ,

In Christ alone,

Pastor Nova

Call to serve God

Struggling

There are times in our life that we don't know the answers of our questions. Times that no matter what we do, we can't make it nor can we straighten every areas of our life unless we build our strong faith in God. We can trust God in many ways.
Personally, I do struggle many times. Struggle for my job as I am also working while at the same time Pastoring a Church. Responsibility is not really easy but I have hope in God that my labor will be in vain. Since I started the ministry, 8 years ago, The Church survives without giving the finances to the Pastor. Sometimes, the enemy is trying to pull me down to quit and better to sit down rather than being a Pastor for years without salary and struggling financially. Often, people are coming to me to ask for a prayer upon different aspects of life and started to pray for them. I love to be with people and to hear their burden or difficulties because in this way, it builds me up too. It strengthen my walk with God. I usually gain strength when people are coming to me with needs in heart. Sometimes, their problems are always the same and the same as mine too. Pastors did not come from heaven directly. Pastors are human with the same need and the same heart. We carry the same things. Pastors are not above or on the top. We are all the same to one another. I am just curious to know what it would be when the Lord comes and see us laboring in His vineyard. Some sitting on the nice chairs, some are not. Some living in a luxury house and some are not?

Ministering to people

I am handling differently nationalities which initially it was mainly Filipinos. God cause us to grow as we respond to His Word. I am not a great Pastor. I am not on the top. I am from the root and trying to crawl and hold on to the ground which the Lord Himself. We are not even a perfect Church but we just trust the Lord's grace in our lives. Our Church is not rich nor the author of this blog. I usually walk 35 minutes before I can get to the Church. Our house is a bit far from our Church. We don't have a car and I don't know when to have. If you pay taxi all the time, you ended up bankrupt.

Sacrifice is a part of our serving

We have to realize that if our serving is genuine and pure, we shall understand the word SACRIFICE!Give the best.
As am writing this blog, there are some Pastors who may have a similar situation that I have and I believe God is blessing you thus far. It may not be finances all the time but He is blessing you in your relationships, family, health and other aspects of life.
Be blessed. Be strong. Be still and know that He is God.

Sunday Service

God says something....

It's been a great day today. great service. God is a revealing God. We had a guest speaker from North Carolina named Pastor Greg and He spoke about The Purpose of Man. The message was really direct and it was really a great opportunity to invite him preaching the Word. During the Sermon, he was led by the Holy Spirit to pray for some people and I opened my ears to hear very well what he was saying to each one. Very seldom that our Church experiences this things and I was glad to take the opportunity to listen and be aware of what God is saying to our people. As a Pastor, we really need to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our Church and that we shall know what God is saying to the congregation. Very often we invite speaker and have a different menu. Usually, our Church need to hear new things from invited speakers and I guess it is very exciting to realize that there are some needs that need to be met spiritually. God be praised!

Crucified with Christ

What is really meant by Christian living?

What is really meant by having Christ in our lives? All Christians automatically live the life of Christ. No doubt. No question. But the thing is, do we all live the life that we meant to follow?
Living a Christian life would not be that easy thing to do but this is what we receive. Living a Christian life means, we've been consecrated. Living a Christian life is a Commission that we all need to respond. The very common problem for us all the time are finances, health and relationship. It became a roller coaster in the area of life, yet God walks with us. He is always with us daily. The fact that we are already decided to follow Him, we already separated from where we were before and stepping into a place where God wants Us to be. Once we say yes to God, we crucify our flesh and that means we can not crucify Him again and again and again. We always go back to the place where we started. People like to repeat things as if they want to sin first and then go back to God and sin first and go back and ended up asking for re-Baptism. Paul mentioned about crucifying our flesh. I am crucified with Christ: Neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.Galatians 2:20.

No turning back

We already decided to follow Christ. There is no way of turning back. There is no way of going back. There is no way of repeating what you've done in the past. And in this time, where we must make an effort to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Yes we can sin from time to time, Yes we fall from time to time but we need to stand strong and defend our faith no matter what happen. At the end of the day, we are the one who could benefit the things we have labored. Salvation is individual. We need to fight the good fight of faith till Jesus comes.
God bless your day.