Christian Bible Baptist Church offi cial Sunday publication

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 44 | OCTOBER 30, 2011

VictoriousVictoriousVictoriousChristian LivingChristian LivingChristian Living

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"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

1 Corinthians 15:58

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DR. ED M. LAURENA

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It has always been God’s desire for His children and His work to be fruitful. As we learned about it this month, may we have a desire and courage

to be fruitful in our labor for God. How our church started and grew is a result of somebody else’s efforts. What our church has accomplished is a result of God’s grace with His people who decided to work hard for the cause of Christ. Our works will always be compensated by God through their results, many times bigger than what we expect.

As an individual, your salvation from hell is a fruit of Christ’s sacrifi ce on the cross. Somebody’s labour of follow up and faithfulness resulted to your spiritual growth. I believe that such will yield the same result if you become faithful in serving God. Allow the opportunities God laid out through our church for you to be fruitful. Be consistent in win-ning souls, bringing people to church, involving in a ministry, participating in our activities such as the upcoming Missions Conference and family camp. Our labours and sacrifi ces will not be in vain since it is God who will bring the results.

As we expect God’s power for our services today, may I request for your prayers, too, here in Taiwan. I am blessed to see the eagerness and growth of the believers here. Our outreaches here are evidences of God’s faithfulness.

On this last Sunday of October, allow God to work in you in a special way. God bless you and your family. Let us all pray and anticipate for a great Sunday!

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Victorious Christian Living (Fruits of Steadfastness)Colossians 2:5 / 1 Corinthians 15:58

I. Steadfastness in the faith produces acknowledgment for the word of God.A. Steadfast believers are learners of God.B. Steadfast believers are learners of God’s will through His word.

II. Steadfastness in the faith promotes adoration in worship to God.A. True worshippers of God seek to worship in spirit and in truth.B. True worshippers of God spend to worship in spirit and in truth.

III. Steadfastness in the faith prolongs adequacy in the work for God.A. Steadfast believers in Christ through time have walked their talk.B. Steadfast believers in Christ through time have worked out their teachings.

“ “

All around us we see things stumble and fall that seemed stable: organizations, institutions,

people. We look for something dependable, stable, unchangeable. We find it by faith

in the living God.

To stand right with Christ, one must learn to walk with Christ.

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a prayer-knot and hang on.

The men who have moved the world have been men that the world could not move.

The way to endure change is to find something that never changes.

c h u r c hc h u r c hc h u r c h

---------- For more information look for Ms. Jocelyn Tolentino at the Ushers' Table after the evening service. ----------

*Registration is available at the Ushers' Table after the service.

ONE of the most exciting stories in the Bible is in Acts 27. We fi nd the Apostle a prisoner of Rome, dispatched to Caesar to appeal his case, as was his

right as a Roman citizen. The journey to Rome was most quickly accomplished by ship, usually. A voyage of a few weeks turns into a six-month ordeal.

Even though a prisoner, Paul had access to Julius, the Centurion charged with his delivery to Rome. In verses nine through eleven we read, “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”

Put yourself in the place of the Centurion. On the one hand, you are getting counsel from the ship’s master and owner. On the other hand, the counsel is coming from a prisoner, someone whose incentive might be to delay the journey and therefore delay his judgment for crimes allegedly committed. To whom would you listen?

Paul could be perceived as an annoying guy. When things go poorly, we hear him saying in verse 21, “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.” Maybe the sailors were tempted to reenact the story of Jonah by casting Paul into the deep, not caring if a great fi sh was present or not!

As exciting as this story of danger at sea is to read, that is really just a backdrop for what really can thrill our hearts. Reading from verse 22, “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”

God had ordained for Paul an audience before Caesar, fully confi dent that Paul would deliver to this ruler of the world the message of God’s supreme authority

and an opportunity for salvation. Nothing could stay the movement of God’s hand. As we go through life’s journey in the center of God’s will, we can know that no matter how rough our seas get, God will see that we get to our appointed destination to do the work He before ordained (Ephesians 2:10).

There is no place any safer than the center of God’s will. If that is where you are,

then you are safe even in a shipwreck!

Paul’s steadfast faith and trust in God for safety had a tremendous impact on the other men that were fortunate enough to travel with Paul on that fateful journey. God had promised Paul that every one of those men would survive the suffering. Indeed, when some of the men thought to abandon the ship in verse 30, pretending to let down the anchors while really letting down the lifeboats, they listened to Paul’s admonition to stay on his course or face death.

The text does not tell us whether all or any of the sailors and soldiers that were on that ship became belie-vers in Paul’s Saviour or not. There is another lesson for us in this as well. Whether the sailors became believers or not was not Paul’s responsibility. It was suffi cient before God that Paul remained strong in the Lord, not wavering in his faith. Paul’s own testimony at other times is that he would rather be with Jesus in Heaven than on the earth being tossed around and shipwrecked—again!

We are all on a journey through life’s turbulent waters. We who possess salvation

need not worry. We are safe in the shipwreck. But most of the people with whom we travel

have no such comfort. We can help. We can help bring them to a peaceful shore.

God never promised us smooth sailing, only a safe landing.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2run the race

In the Greek Olympic Games of old, a unique race was run. The winner was not the runner who fi nished fi rst — it was the runner who fi nished with his torch still lit! There are times in our lives when we feel like we just can't continue in the race. These are precisely the times when the enemy loves to assault us to the point of breaking and torment us saying "You'll never make it to the fi nish line, you may as well just quit now". This is the time we need to cling on to God's promises! The Lord will soon reward our diligence for all our toiling here in this world. Paul said, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Let's allow God's wonderful promises to strengthen and comfort us in each circumstance so that we can run the race — not to fi nish fi rst, but to run together, side by side — the fl ame of our torch reaching the fi nish line blazing brightly with fi re for Him!

Be an example of the believers, In word and in conductBe steadfast in love, in faith, in purity of lifeFor those behind us, Let us stand within the gap

And make a difference in their livesBe an example to follow Christ

Lord, I desire sure fruit in my salvationThru good works shining in Your reflection

By Your grace that paid the ransom for my redemption…Such is my commitment as I bring to You all my best and utmost devotion

Being Your new creation, staying in Your will’s blessedness for Your exaltation.

Lord, I desire more fruit in my spiritualityThru changed attitudes glowing with Christ-like beauty

By Your love that overflows with joy, peace and tranquility…Such is my pursuit as I grow along Your longsuffering and gentleness-security

Being Your child, showing kindness, meekness, temperance, faith, as well as loyalty.

Lord, I desire much fruit in my soulwinningThru new converts receiving Your truths, wisely learning

By Your power that ushers the lost to Your feet for their heart-cleaning…Such is my goal as I combat my slothfulness, indifference and arrogance-sinning

Being Your laborer, sowing Gospel seeds for everlasting wealth indeed worth owning.

Lord, I desire delightful fruit in my servingThru full-time volunteerism seeking Your vineyard’s carving

By Your calling that upholds my participation with cheerful giving… Such is my entreaty as I exert life-building efforts despite test and proving

Being Your minister, helping others while to Your Great Commission I’m cleaving.

Lord, I desire sweet fruit in my sacrificesThru blissful prayer-fellowship expressing grateful praises

By Your mercy that beseeches me to present offering which pleases…Such is my aim as I vanquish rigors of faithfulness’ trials and worldliness’ curses

Being Your heir, striving to radiate Your holiness-standards upon Your biblical braces.

Lord, I desire bountiful fruit in my stewardshipThru commendable influence exemplifying victorious partnership

By Your command that drives my spirit to produce within Your leadership… Such is my longing as I advance for Your kingdom and mature in my discipleship

Being Your servant, doing church tasks with diligence while enjoying great worship.

Lord, I desire eternal fruit in my steadfastnessThru precious rewards exposing deeds of selflessness

By Your authority that prods me toward Your righteousness…Such is my plea as I run the race with patience and submissiveness

Being Your faithful, following You along paths of obedience-willingness.

by Sis. Beata Agustin

A TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY pointed out that the cheetah survives on the African plains by running down

its prey. The big cat can sprint seventy miles per hour. But the cheetah cannot sustain that pace for a lengthy period of time. Within its long, sleek body is a disproportionately small heart, which causes the cheetah to tire quickly. Unless the cheetah catches its prey in the fi rst fl urry, it must abandon the chase. Sometimes Christians seem to have the cheetah’s approach to serving God. We speed into ministries with great energy. But lacking the heart for sustained effort, we fi zzle (die out) before we fi nish. We vow to start faster

and run harder, when what we need may be not more speed but more staying power—stamina that comes only from a bigger heart. Motion and busyness, no matter how great, yield nothing unless we allow God to give us the heart.

John McCain tells this story from his days as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam: In the fi nal years of our imprisonment, the North Vietnamese moved us from small cells with one or two prisoners to large rooms with as many as 30-40 men to a room. We preferred this situation for the companionship and strength we could draw from our fellow prisoners. In our cell was one Navy offi cer, Lt. Commander Mike Christian. Over time Mike had gathered bits and pieces of red and white cloth from various packages. Using a piece of bamboo he had fashioned into a needle, Mike sewed a United States fl ag on the inside of his shirt, one of the blue pajama tops we all wore. Every night in our cell, Mike would put his shirt on the wall, and we would say the pledge of allegiance.

I know that the pledge of allegiance may not be the most important aspect of our day now, but I can tell you that at the time, it was the most important aspect of our lives. This had been going on for some time when one of the guards came in as we were reciting our pledge. They ripped the fl ag off the wall and dragged Mike out. He was beaten for several hours and then thrown back into the cell. Later that night, as we were settling down to sleep on the concrete slabs that were our beds, I looked over to the spot where the guards had thrown Mike. There, under the solitary light bulb hanging from the ceiling, I saw Mike. Still bloody and his face swollen beyond recognition, Mike was gathering bits and pieces of cloth together. He was sewing a new American fl ag. That is steadfastness!

ACTS 29 - Christian Bible Baptist Church offi cial Sunday publicationSt. Francis Homes 2, San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines 4023 • Dr. Ed M. Laurena, Pastor

telephone: (02)869-0433 • email: info@cbbcphilippines.org • website: www.cbbcphilippines.org

Baptist Youth Fundamentalist @ 1:30 PM

ANG sabi ni Hesus, “Ako ang daan, ang katotohanan, at ang buhay: walang makapupunta sa Ama kundi

sa pamamagitan ko.” JUAN 14:6

Wala nang iba pang makapagliligtas sa iyo mula sa impierno. Magtiwala ka kay Hesus ngayon! ROMA 6:23

“Kung ipahahayag ng iyong bibig na si Hesus ay Panginoon at mananam-palataya ka nang buong puso na Siya’y muling binuhay ng Diyos, ikaw ay maliligtas”. ROMA 10:9

1. Aminin mo na ikaw ay isang makasalanan. ROMA 3:102. Talikuran mo ang iyong kasalanan (magsisi).

GAWA 17:303. Manampalataya ka na si Kristo Hesus ay namatay

para sa iyo, nalibing at nabuhay namagmuli. ROMA 10:9-10

4. Sa pamamagitan ng panalangin, tanggapin mo si Hesus sa iyong puso bilang iyong Tagapagligtas.

ROMA 10:13

MANALANGIN KA NG GANITOPanginoon, ako po ay isang makasalanan at nangangailangan ng kapatawaran. Nanampalataya po ako na nadanak ang dugo ni Hesus at Siya ay namatay sa krus para sa akin. Tinatalikuran ko na po ang aking mga kasalanan. Tinatanggap ko po si Kristo Hesus sa aking puso bilang aking Tagapagligtas. Amen.

"Kung tinanggap mo si Hesus bilang iyong Tagapagligtas, ito na ang simula ng iyong bagong buhay kay Kristo." ROMA 8:1

Ngayon:1. Basahin mo ang iyong Biblia araw-araw upang makilala

pa ng lubusan si Kristo Hesus. 2. Makipag-usap ka sa Diyos sa panalangin araw-araw. 3. Manambahan ka sa isang simbahan na pinapangaral

si Kristo at ang Biblia ang tanging pamantayan.4. Ibahagi sa iba si Kristo Hesus.

AYON SA BIBLIA, IISA LAMANG ANG DAAN PATUNGONG LANGIT!

CORNERCORNERCORNER church church church church church church church church church

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TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

MORNING EVENINGMon Acts 27-28 Ps. 99Tue Rom. 1-2 Ps. 100Wed Rom. 3-4 Ps. 101Thu Rom. 5-6 Ps. 102Fri Rom. 7-8 Ps. 103Sat Rom. 9-10 Ps. 104:1-18Sun Rom. 11-1 Ps. 104:19-35

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