Christmas Greetings from Barcial Family

My family and I would like to greet one and all a very merry Christmas. 

 In the midst of the calamity that has affected our country the Philippines in the fast days, we still find hope in Christ. We still have reason to rejoice in Jesus’ birth since He is always worthy of our praise. Every year the question arises “Tuloy ba ang Pasko?” The economy is not picking up worldwide and people seem to wonder if Christmas is worth celebrating.  Definitely the people affected by the recent flooding brought about by Typhoon Sendong will find it very difficult to celebrate this year. It is not Christmas but Christ is worth celebrating regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.  The Bible commands us to rejoice, pray and give thanks in everything, even in trials and temptations:

 1 Thess 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 Since we are so blessed and spared from such calamities, we should be sharing our Christmas joy to our fellow countrymen.  Our WIN – Philippines National Office in cooperation with our International and Middle East Office has already communicated to us their support and appeal to all WIN churches worldwide to help out willingly.

 Today as we worship the Lord, may the Lord’s compassion for the lost that led to His birth on earth move us as well in giving beyond what is expected of us. Our second basket offering and everybody’s birthday giving will be towards the relief efforts for Southern Visayas and Northern Mindanao flood affected areas through our Philippine National office.

 May the Lord bless you mightily in your generous, prayerful support for God’s people in these endtimes.

 We wish you a prosperous New Year AHEAD!

 Thank you and God bless us all during this Yuletide Season

 

Ps Edward, Sis. Marlene, David John and Sally Joy

TRIP TO HEAVEN (BIYAHENG LANGIT): The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:1-13) by: Bro. Teody Galit

Predictions, projection, and best guesses-every one likes to state what they think the future will hold. Meteorologists forecast the daily weather, sports journalists predict the outcome of a championship series, pollsters project the probable winner of an election, news commentators declare the direction of the nation, and futurists explain what the world will be like in a few decades.

In addition, our daily conversations are sprinkled with future talk: “Who do you think will win?” “What are your retirement plans?” “What will your son do after graduation?” Often these amateur prophecies are not fulfilled exactly as stated: Partly sunny turns into a rainy day, the underdog becomes an upset winner, a technological breakthrough changes the way we live, and an unexpected event changes our plans.

With Biblical prophets, the story reads quite differently. Inspired by God, each of their predictions would come true, in exact detail.

The gospel of Matthew provides amazing examples of the power and accuracy of God’s prophets who had foretold the coming of the Messiah. From His humble birth by a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) to His crucifixion (Psalm 22:14, 16-17) with criminals (Isaiah 53:12) to His resurrection from the dead (Psalm 16:10) Jesus did what the prophets had predicted—He fulfilled every prophecy and fit every description of the Jewish Savior.

Have you ever experience being denied or not permitted to board in a flight in one of your trip? What did you felt about it? You had prepared for this trip for a long time and were so excited about it especially if it was your first time to travel. But at the exact date of your trip right there in front of the departure gate the man who is in charge told you that you can not join the flight because either your requirements are incomplete or the worse thing is you are not included in the list because you are not qualified. The message for today will talk about the most awaited trip that every Christians are waiting for our final trip.

Point # I: The main characters: Vv. 1

I.1: The Ten Virgins

I.2: The Bridegroom

1Then the kingdom of heaven shall be liken to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

The second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is the next important event on the calendar of God. When Jesus was here on earth He promised that at the end of time He would come again.

There are 318 different places in the New Testament dealing with the Second Coming of the Lord. The doctrine of the Second Coming is the object of ridicule to the unbelievers and even to some whom called themselves believers or Christians; and yet it is one of the most important doctrines of the Bible.

I.1: The Ten virgins:

¹Then the kingdom of heaven shall be liken to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

             Two kinds of virgin

a. Five were wise. vv. 2, 4

²Now five of them were wise….⁴but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

b. Five were foolish. vv. 2, 3

²…and five were foolish ³Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them

I.2: The bridegroom: V. 1a

¹Then the kingdom of heaven shall be liken to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

Point # II: The Two Scenarios. V.5

         II.1: The bridegroom was delayed

⁵But the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

The bridegroom was late, He did not come at the time as they expected. Many in the apostles’ times imagined that the day of the Lord was at hand, but it is not so. For us it seems that Christ return is delay, and yet it really does not.

There are good reason for the Bridegroom’s coming to be delay; there are many purposes to be accomplished; 1. The elect must all be called in, 2. God’s patience must be manifested, and 3. The saints’ patience was tried. But though Christ return is delayed in our time, He will not be delayed on His due time to come. He said He will come back and for sure He will. He promises it three times in the book of Revelation, notice that every time He said He will come every body should do something.

a.    Rev. 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked and they see his shame.

b.    “Rev. 22:7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

c.    Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.”

II.2: The ten virgins all slumbered and slept

⁵But the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

Being slumbered is not new to Jesus; remember what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane while He was praying?

Matt. 26:36, 40

³⁶"Then Jesus came with them to a place Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."…⁴⁰ Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour."

While He is delayed, those that waited for him, grew careless, and forgot what they were attending; they all slumbered and slept; as if they had given over looking for Him; “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth” (Luke. 18: 8).

There could be a danger of spiritual slumber within the believers today, it happened before while they were with Jesus. Considering that the basis of our endurance to wait is our faith, once our faith decrease and failed we can not wait any longer.

The wise virgins slumbered, and the foolish slept; we can think of that way; however, they were both become faulty. The wise virgins kept their lamps burning, but did not keep themselves awake. There are so many Christians today that  when they have been Christians for a long time, sometimes their faith grows weary and get bored in their preparations for Christ’s second coming. When Jesus returns to take us to heaven, we must be ready. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. Our relationship with God must be in our own. It was hard for the disciples to watched with Christ even in an hour; How much more to watch with Him in decades?

Point # III. Urgent needs of believers. Vv.6-13

III.1: Be prepared; no one will do it for us: Vv. 6-9

⁶And at midnight a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! ⁷Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps ⁸And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not enough for us and for you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

Give us of your oil! This request was requested with sensible necessity. Those who see their needs of grace and faith on the last minutes to save them, can not expect any help from others, it is too late. God would have given them oil, had they asked in time; remember that there would be no buying when the market was closed, when Jesus return to take us to heaven no body can help us once He caught us unprepared for the trip.

III.2: Be prepared; being a member of a church is not a guarantee. Vv.10-12

¹⁰And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward the other virgin came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ ¹²But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

As Christians, we profess, not only to believe and look for, but to love and long for the appearing of Christ. The second coming of Christ is the center in which all the lines of our faith meet.

The purpose of these virgins is to meet the bridegroom, which is as much their happiness as their duty. They come to wait upon the bridegroom when He appears, and to wait for Him until He comes.

It will be the most disappointing moment in our lives when the time of the second coming of Jesus Christ comes when He tells us that He does not know us. Just like the five foolish virgins, the moment that they waited for so long came but still their preparations fall short to the eyes of the Lord.

III.3: Be prepared; for the unexpected. V. 13

¹³’’Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming

Though Christ coming delayed longer, He will come at last; though He seems slow, He is sure that He will comeback. In His first coming, He was mentioned and expected by those that waited for the consolation of Israel; and in the fullness of time He came; His second coming, though long deferred, should not be forgotten. His first coming was not with any observation at all, remember that “He was in the world, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:10-11); but His second coming will be observed by the entire world; every eye shall see Him. There will be a cry from heaven, for He shall descend with a shout of the Angels.

Comparisons of the Ten Virgins

Every one had a lamp.

Every one dressed in the garment of a bridesmaid.

Every one claimed to have been invited.

They all acted like the others.

They all had the same purpose.

None suspected that there was anything wrong with any of the others

Only the wise virgins entered and joined the wedding party

Wise with extra oil, Foolish no extra oil

 

The ten virgins symbolize two different kinds of believer, who pretended to be both worthy to meet the bride but their true identity was revealed on the actual hour of the wedding. Today’s believers can also pretend to be true followers of Jesus, they do everything to look like one and that they are ready on the second coming of Jesus; they spend time in the ministry, doing church works, doing charity works.

Our true identity will also be revealed during His second coming to be with us in our final trip, “our trip to heaven”.

Conclusion:

 Malachi 3:1-2

 ¹"Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming," Says the LORD of hosts. ²"But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. (NKJV)

His first coming was without external impact or show of power, and yet in truth there were few who could not stand its testing might. Herod and all Jerusalem were stirred at the news of His wondrous birth. Those who supposed themselves to be waiting for Him, showed the fallacy of their professions by rejecting Him when He came.

His life on earth was a winnowing fan, which tried the great heap of religious profession, and few enough could abide the process. But what will His second coming be? What sinner can endure to think of it? "He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked."  In His humiliation He did but say to the soldiers, "I am He," they fell backward; what will be the terror of His enemies when He shall more fully reveal Himself as the “I am?"

His death shook the earth and darkened the heaven, what shall be the dreadful splendor of that day in which as the living Savior, He shall summon the quick and dead before Him?  Let us search ourselves tonight and make our calling and election sure, so that the coming of the Lord may cause no dark thoughts in our mind.

Let us cast away all hypocrisy, and to be found of Him sincere and without rebuke in the day of His appearing. It is only 2 days from today before Christmas; the whole world is busy preparing for the celebration of His birth, His first coming. People spend time, money and resources even though most of them don’t know the real meaning and purposed of His birth. For us Christians real meaning and purposed of His birth is sum up in the message of John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

The preparation that people can do is to receive Him as their Lord and savior so that they can benefit during His second coming. He will come again not as a baby but as a Powerful and Mighty King. May He find us ready when He comes again on His second coming?

The moral and practical lesson of the whole parable is there will be no second chance for all the unprepared. “Who want to go to Heaven?” “BE PREPARED”!!!

Teody Galit

The Master's Choice (Mark 6:7-13) by: Sis. Lilia Cabatbat

The uniqueness of the ministry of the Lord Jesus is the kind of men He chooses to be His disciples. In our time, if we are to review their qualifications they are probably not the kind of people we would choose to represent us. Several of them were fishermen, a former tax collector, a couple of them were quick tempered, one of them was a revolutionary and one was a traitor. These men lacked spiritual understanding; they lacked faith, humility, power and commitment. These men were missing the point of Christ’s teachings, lashing out at people who were different, they’re saying the wrong thing, and they’re walking away from their commitment to Jesus. But, in spite of their weaknesses, the Lord used these inadequate men to turn the world upside down for His Glory. If He can use them, definitely He can use us too. Amen!                          

 

These men have been with Jesus listening to Him teaching & watching Him perform miracles. Jesus has been teaching them so that He could send them out to preach the Gospel. The passage we’re going to study gives us the details of our Lord commissioning the 12 for their first mission trip. I would like us to understand that, just as Jesus had a mission for the original 12,  it remains the same for us today, He has still a mission for us to accomplish that is to build his kingdom here on earth. Let us see their commission & their work so we can learn more of how the Lord expects us to serve Him in our present time.

 

l. THE MISSION OF THE TWELVE. Verse 7

 

  7. And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out    two by two and gave them power over unclean spirits.

 

A)     They were sent two by two.

 

In Matthew 10:2- 4 they have been paired up, they have no choice but to go with their partner. Jesus sent them out this way for a couple of reasons. It fulfilled the requirements of the law, for every testimony to be established by the words of 2 witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15)

 

It provided the men with companionship, encouragement and for someone to pray for them. I believe it is still the best method that we can use today. When two people go out to share the gospel, they can encourage one another, pray for one another & help one another stand in these evil days. When you go out to minister could it be in the prison, in the hospital or wherever the Lord tells you to go take a fellow Spirit filled believer with you, it will make the job easier.

       

B)      Jesus gave them “power”.

 

This particular word refers to inherent power, it has the idea of someone possessing the right to do a thing & having the power to carry out. Literally, they were an extension of Him as they ministered.

 

When Jesus saves us, He gives us the power to carry His message to the world, Acts 1:8. We may feel inadequate for the task, but His power rest in us & on us. We may be weak in our word & may feel that our testimony lacks power, but Jesus has promised us His Holy Spirit to empower us & that is more than enough for us to get the job done. Amen. In order for us to be a powerful witness of Christ in sharing His Word, healing the sick and casting out demons, is for us to live a life of OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD, WORSHIP AND PRAYER. 

  

II. THE MANDATE OF THETWELVE. Verse 8-11

 

⁸He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff, no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts  ⁹but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰ Also He said to them, In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that city.

 

Jesus gave His men   some very specific commands:

·         To take nothing for the journey except a staff.

·         They were instructed to travel light, no extra luggage

·         They have to go as they were, no special preparation for their travel

·         They have to undertake their assignment with their full faith in the Lord & His ability to take care of them.

 

We are saved by faith & the Lord expects us to live by faith. He wants us to walk in complete dependence on Him & on His power to supply our needs. If the Lord sends us out in His service, we can trust Him to take care of us. I believe that as the Lord calls you, He will equip, He will provide and empowers you to do great and mighty things for His Glory.

 

Now, we are not also to be foolish with our resources. Just because the Lord will meet all our needs does not imply we are to give away everything we have, but we’re also commanded to be good steward of what the Lord has entrusted to us. Sometimes the Lord allows us to save during the days of prosperity so that we will have resources during the days of adversity, as we can learn from Joseph’s time. Two timeless principles we can learn:

 

1. Always be a wise steward of the wealth God blesses you with.

2. Always trust the Lord to take care of you.

 

C)      They were to take only one coat.

 

Maybe during that time usually it’s just the rich who could afford 2 coats. Jesus was sending His men out, as common men among common men. They were not to present themselves as though they are better off than the people they encountered.

 

Sometimes we Christians act like we are better than the lost people around us. In reality, the only thing that separates us from the most wicked of sinners is the pure grace of God. Apart from the blood of Jesus & the grace of God in our lives, we would be as bad or worse than they are. Praise the Lord indeed for His grace and His mercy that God bestowed upon us.

 

D)     They were to accept the hospitality of the local people & they were to abide in whatever house they have invited into. They were not to seek out better accommodations, not to look for more comfortable house to live in. They were to take what they were given & be content with it. Simplicity and contentment is what the Lord is teaching His men here.

 

I’ve read a commentary about the church of the 18^th & 19^th century. The Church was rocked by scandal. The Pastors were notorious for seeking their comfort above the needs & welfare of their churches. They were famous for their knowledge of hunting dogs & for the wines in their wine cellars, than they were for preaching the Word of God or ministering to the needs of God’s people.

 

The same could be said about many preachers in our day. They live like kings while their people struggle to support their lifestyle. The TV preachers of our era with their opulent homes, air conditioned dog houses & limousines have left a bad taste in the mouth of this generation.

 

Preachers, if you pastor a church there may be times when you will have to get by with very little. If you serve a church where the people are small minded about things of God, they will do their best to see to it that you have to live by faith. Thank God for church people who knows the needs of their pastor & his family. Regardless of the pay package, preachers, pastors or anyone in general who serve God in whatever capacity should not look to the church as the source of their resources. Instead they should look to the hand of the Lord & trust Him to meet their needs, because God is faithful to fulfill His promise. NUMBERS 23:19 says, “God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change his mind, does He speak and not act, does He promise and not fulfill.” God is faithful. Amen! Our duty is to take whatever the Lord gives us with a heart of gratitude & learn to be content with the things He provides. HEBREWS 13:5 says,

 

Let your conduct be without covetousness, be content with such things as you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

 

E)      When the disciples entered a village, and they and their message was rejected, they were to leave that village and shake the dust off their feet. This is a practiced of pious Jews who carefully removed the dust of a heathen land before re-entering Jewish territory. A gesture of dis association from the pagans and the pollution of their land. Jesus told His men to do this as a sign that those who rejected the gospel would face a harsh judgment someday for rejecting His offer of salvation.

 

The primary message of the disciples was a message of hope and salvation, and it remains true to the church of today, we carry the same message to the world. We are to point the way to Jesus Christ, His free offer of salvation.

 

Now no one likes this kind of message. We are ridiculed for sharing about Jesus, let us share Jesus to them anyway, and let the people accuse us of being out of mind or out of step of this world. Let them mock us for proclaiming that Jesus is the only way for salvation, & that they need to repent of their sins & come to Jesus. Let them say what   they will, but the truth of God’s salvation be proclaimed, that  the only way to heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ, JOHN 14:6 Jesus said,” I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” The only way to avoid hell is through the Lord Jesus, JOHN 5:24, Jesus said,

 

” Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes in him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

 

III. THE MESSAGE OF THE TWELVE. VERSE 12

 

^12. So they went out and preached that people should repent.

 

The message of the twelve was simple it could be understood by everyone who heard it. They preached that people should “repent”. The word means to change one’s mind for better. It refers to a change of mind that leads to a change of action. Literally, it means converted. When genuine repentance takes place, the change in a person’s life is radical and powerful. Repentance says, I will stop doing the things I should not do, and I will begin to do the things I should do. I will stop living a life of sin and I will start to live a life of holiness. It really involves our will to choose which way of life we are to take. One of the characteristics of the new birth is a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:7). If you can live in sin without seeing the need to turn from it and repent, most likely you are not saved by the grace of God, 1 JOHN 3:9 says whoever is born of God does not continue on sinning.

 

IV. THE MINISTRY OF THE TWELVE. Verse 13

 

¹³. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who are sick, and healed them.

 

The disciple went out in the power of Jesus and they experienced Him move and work in power and glory. In their time, the people did not have the complete Word of God as we do, so they needed proof of the message by working powerful miracles among the people.

 

In our present time, God still confirm His Word in us and through us in powerful ways. He will manifest His power as he confirms His message, MARK 16:15-17. We will see the Lord confirm his Word by changing lives. When the gospel is shared in His power, He draws people to himself. The greatest miracle the Lord Has done in the lives of people is the salvation of one’s soul and the transformation of one’s life. Amen!

 

·         To think that Jesus could take us, hell bound sinners & make us into a child of God is MARVELOUS beyond words.

·         To consider that Jesus would love us & reach out to us in grace is AMAZING.

·         To think that Jesus would die on the cross to redeem us from our sins is WONDERFUL beyond beliefs. ISAIAH 53:4-6

·         To think that Jesus would save us who are trapped in our sins is a MIRACLE the mind can hardly comprehend.

 

Praise the Lord that God has been mindful of us, and has thought about us even before the foundation of the world. Hallelujah for His Great Love for us that He rescued us from eternal death and gave us eternal life in His Son Jesus. So it’s now our responsibility to reach out and share the love of God to those people that God send across our path, could it be in our homes, in our workplaces or wherever God places us. Amen!

 

Conclusion:

 

Today Jesus is still in the business of saving souls and transforming lives for His Glory. Now what have we been doing with the salvation that we received from God, did we pass it on or share it to others? If we have not yet done it, let us ask God’s forgiveness for our neglect and His Holy Spirit to empower us.

 

Did we realize that of all places in the world God purposed us to be here, not only to earn money but God wants to use us to accomplish His purpose that is to establish His kingdom where we are  right now.

 

Have we been living a life of total submission to His WORD, a life of Worship and Prayer, and by doing so our lives then are an impact to our homes, our workplaces and to our community we’re living?

 

Are we living our lives that radiate the character of Christ, bringing forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit, especially in times of testing, trials and temptations?

 

Mga kapatid, the task remaining is so great, we need the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit to do the Great Commission of the Lord in this end times.

 

The question is, are you willing to be part of it. Don’t ever listen to Satan’s lie that you are weak and inadequate ‘cause God uses ordinary people to do His extra ordinary work, just be willing and be available for HIM. It’s my prayer that, may we open our hearts to the Lord’s leading as He speaks to us, as we study His WORD and as we  commune with Him in prayer.

 

GLORY TO HIM ALONE WHO IS OUR SAVIOUR, MASTER AND KING BOTH NOW AND FOREVERMORE!

 

Sis. Lilia Cabatbat