Philip and Chette Friendster Blog

Isaiah 25
Praise to the LORD
 1 O LORD, you are my God;
       I will exalt you and praise your name,
       for in perfect faithfulness
       you have done marvelous things,
       things planned long ago.
 2 You have made the city a heap of rubble,
       the fortified town a ruin,
       the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more;
       it will never be rebuilt.

 3 Therefore strong peoples will honor you;
       cities of ruthless nations will revere you.

 4 You have been a refuge for the poor,
       a refuge for the needy in his distress,
       a shelter from the storm
       and a shade from the heat.
       For the breath of the ruthless
       is like a storm driving against a wall

 5 and like the heat of the desert.
       You silence the uproar of foreigners;
       as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
       so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

 6 On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare
       a feast of rich food for all peoples,
       a banquet of aged wine—
       the best of meats and the finest of wines.

 7 On this mountain he will destroy
       the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
       the sheet that covers all nations;

 8 he will swallow up death forever.
       The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears
       from all faces;
       he will remove the disgrace of his people
       from all the earth.
       The LORD has spoken.

 9 In that day they will say,
       “Surely this is our God;
       we trusted in him, and he saved us.
       This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
       let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

 10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain;
       but Moab will be trampled under him
       as straw is trampled down in the manure.

 11 They will spread out their hands in it,
       as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim.
       God will bring down their pride
       despite the cleverness [a] of their hands.

 12 He will bring down your high fortified walls
       and lay them low;
       he will bring them down to the ground,
       to the very dust.

——

As I read Isa 25, the whole chapter. I couldn’t stop praising God. After so many problems, trials, persecutions; God’s hands rest upon my life (v.10) He has delievered me from those people who tried to ruin me. He protected me from those deceitful lying lips and delivered me from the enemy. He made me strong and because of Him I overcome it. Truly that when God spoke to me and Philip

“AFTER INJUSTICE COMES GREAT BLESSING”

He is right. So I can’t stop praising God!

It’s true that when you are pressed down and the enemy keep crashing you. When you give the battle to God; He’ll do something.

This is the God that we serve.

Reading the posts dated: March 2 - When God visited my Room and January 6 - Chette.. the Worshipper of God… made me realize that on those dates… God has been “readying me” to take the big step.

What’s the big step you ask?
For the past month, God promoted me into a bigger position in His Church here in JIL Angeles. I’m heading up the VIA/JAM now in JIL Angeles uh.. not only Angeles but the whole Area19a (composed of Angeles, Magalang, Mabalacat and Sn.Luis) and uh.. what’s VIAJAM? um.. The Music Team to be precise.

This is my Ministry Priority right now; I’m the OIC of the Music Team here in JIL Angeles… but God, Ptr.Arnel, Sis.Luz and Sis.Bheng already informed me that I should be ready to handle this team now meaning to be the Head. Ever since God has called me to serve Him; He already told me that He will use me mightily in the field of Music. Although I don’t understand Him that time, I thought He will just use me mightily as a Worship Leader… I didn’t know that Jesus visiting me in my room… had a big reason behind it.

But handling Music Team is not a child’s play. Sis.Edith Mendoza (JIL Worldwide Worship Leader head) said that before. You are not just accountable for your team… but as well for the congregation. How can you train them Physically and Spiritually? How can you prepare them for a spiritual battle every Sunday? How can you maintain their growth? It is totally nerve-racking.

Not only that…

If Handling VIAJAM or WAM is nerve-racking then becoming a PULPIT MINISTER is more than nerve-racking! Its not enough that you are a master of Speech Club, or you are very familiar talking to the crowd. Becoming a Pulpit Minister is not an Easy Job. Some people say, “If you are “dumb” become a pastor.” Preaching and teaching the Word of God is not an easy task. Because it is not about how you deliver the message but its how about you put the message in the hearts of those who are listening to you. Delivering the message of God is not about Skill or your pronunciation. It’s about sharing your relationship with God. Talking not only to the Physical senses of people but as well as their spiritual senses. 

To God be the Glory, my Spiritual maturity has been increasing rapidly eversince March 1, 2009 (When God had visited me). But to tell you frankly, I do not know whether to be happy or frightened. Yes. I should be happy because this is the will of God… for His Children to be more matured Spiritually. But I am frightened because, It happened so fast! and I feel like I couldn’t go on with the flow.

“No time for Fear” - this what the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart. This is the time of faith and determination. This is the time of Spiritual growth and the time to trust God 100%! This is the time to press on towards the Goal. I’ve been running away many times in the past years… but this time, I have to stand up and face to face accept the challenges that God has put in my life.

“NO TIME FOR FEAR
IT’S TIME FOR FAITH AND DETERMINATION”

…So Help me God, for You have said in Your Word in
“Zech 4:6: Not by our might, nor our power… but BY YOUR SPIRIT”

I AM NOTHING WITHOUT CHRIST