Pride And Joy

My eldest daughter showed me her award, she placed second for a movie poster she made for the Career and Technical Education Exibit. She also placed third in the District Wide Prose Competition (my eldest is part of her school's Debate Team). I was inside my car along with my friend and Pastor, Russel (not Crowe) when suddenly our daughters emerged from out of nowhere. Russel's daughter excitedly announced to us that my youngest daughter was chosen as her school's Seventh Grade Student Of The Month. This occasion brought much delight for me as a father to my girls for their accomplishments. Imagine for a moment when we face our Heavenly Father after our time comes and He sez' the words "Well Done My Good And Faithful Child Well Done."

His Master replied, well done my good and faithful servant! you have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master's hapiness.

Matthew 25:21

United Body

Today in church I witnessed a body united in support of a member who is hurting and who is in need...Cohesiveness at its best!

If one part suffers every part suffers with it, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1Corinthians 12:26-27

Home 3

It's not so much the beauty of the place where God has called you to settle down as it is the people He has chosen to sorround you and encourage you within the duration of your transition. It helps to be around people you know God has chosen to be around you when you begin to doubt if the place where you've been called to be is the same place where you don't really wanna be. But after everything is said and done ultimately you begin to realize that God's plan for you is always the one that works for His glory and not yours. I am happy where I am right now only because God has allowed me to go through what I went through from the time we moved to where we are now and appreciate in retrospect how I saw His divine hand moved in every step of the way. At the end of the day it will always be all about HIM and not about ME.

Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

Djembe 3...Audience Of One

One week ago my friend and worship team leader, David called me and asked if I could play the djembe for an unplugged worship for our church's Good Friday service along with 3 others playing the cello, accoustic guitar and the keyboards. To say that I was thrilled is an understatement, I was beyond thrilled. I was beyond excited but what I realized was that it was not all about me finding my djembe's music again but it was all about Him allowing me to enter His throneroom of praise once more within a corporated church worship. Worship is never about one's ability or talent to sing or play an instrument ... the focus should always be directed not to oneself while leading worship but to the Person who deserves all our praise and all our worship. Leading worship is all about playing or singing for an audience of one...Jesus!

"I have a problem in corporate worship with anything that draws attention to an individual; I believe the focus of worship is always the Lord...".
Chuck Smith
Senior Pastor and Founder
Calvary Chapel Movement

How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to accept the praise that comes from the only God.
John 5:44

Cereal

A few days ago after going through a battery of tests that yielded good but not completely satisfying results regarding my health, the doctor advised me to be watchful of my diet and have a regular excercise. Easier said than done, but this is imperative for me if I am to stay completely healthy. Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy I was informed is going to stay with me for the rest of my lifetime. The only way to keep this under control is to have an absolutely desciplined lifestyle especially within the areas of diet and excercise. My wife bought a box of cereal for me that claims to lower one's cholesterol level if eaten regularly. I cannot help but draw a parallel between the cereal and God's word. Continuos reading and understanding of God's word provides us with the spiritual nutrients that we need thus sifting and ridding us of all the bad elements within our system the same way the cereal gets rid of the unwanted cholesterol that flows through our blood going directly towards the arteries and valves of our heart therefore causing a blockage that can be fatal to our health. Excercise indeed is something that I would liken to obedience...obedience to God's word...putting action into what we have learned of course under the grace of God and the convictions of the Holy Spirit. Obedience like excercise pumps up the much needed oxygen into our spiritual blood that helps us to function properly in a spiritual and moral level much like what excercise does to us physcially. Gnarliest thing to do? start dieting and excercising spiritually and physcially and the results will blow your mind.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror. And after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

James 1:22-24

Valley Of Obscurity

It has always been a daily habit of mine to check the internet for news from the Philippines every morning without fail. Today I was saddened to find out that our former President, Cory Aquino, the widow of the late Senator Beningno Aquino Jr. who was assasinated at a turbulent time in the history of our country is fighting yet again another battle. She was a beacon of democracy post assasination of her husband, a David if you will standing up against a Goliath (The Dictatorship) that eventually led to a popular "People Power Revolution" that brought her into power. A few hours ago her daughter held a press conference announcing to the media that her mom was diagnosed of suffering from "Colon Cancer". I understand how her children, relatives and the others who are close to her must feel as she goes through this physical mallady. I went through the same for 3 weeks waiting and hoping for my best friend Omie to recover from his own illness that eventually led to his return to Jesus.

My pastor once told me in one of my discussions with him that a lot of people turn to others before turning to God for comfort and answers in times of sickness i.e. doctors or friends (not that there is anything wrong to consult with doctors) but the Author of Life always has the answers whether it's the one that we want to hear or not, however we will always find comfort and strenght knowing that in times where our loved ones' continued lifetime is obscured by a terminal illness there is a God who comforts, a God who gives strength and a God who brings salavation for as long as we seek and trust in Him first.

Let us remember our former President in our prayers but more importantly not just for her to survive or withstand this crisis but to find hope and salvation in Jesus Christ.

"How confident are you in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death?"

Pastor Russel "Butch" Diwa

Senior Pastor

Biblical Community Church

Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4

God Alone!

"Trust is monotheistic not pluralistic"

Pastor Russel "Butch" Diwa
Senior Pastor
Biblical Community Church

As for the saints who are in the land they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. The sorrows will increase who run after other gods. I will pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.
Psalm 16: 3-4