Parenthood

Parenthood - the state of being a parent and the responsibilities involved.

childrearing, motherhood, fatherhood, child care, parenting "parenthood is the toughest, most rewarding job you'll ever have"

*There are schools for nurse, engineer, teacher, doctor, lawyer etc. but no schools for parents.
*The Bible however teaches us to become a son/daughter.

1. Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? - NOT IN THE POSITION NEITHER WEALTHY PEOPLE, NEITHER THE WISEST, BUT WITH A CHILD AND A CHILDLIKE HEART

2. Become like children, be humble - FORGIVE, TRUST, LOVE (LOYALTY) - PURE AND SINCERE

3. Receive a child in God's name - NO ABORTION, NO ABANDONMENT, RESPONSIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE

• Do not abort them from the Kingdom of Heaven (let the children come to Him, do not hinder them) -Mat 19:14
• Mary never had an abortion
• do not hinder the greatness of your son/daughter through your limitation, trust God's unlimited blessings to bless your children (for the God is the Provider of their needs)
• all children come from God and belong to God

• Bring them to the church first (before the school or mall) -(Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple) -Luke 2:27 - first day of the week is Sunday bring your children to church before the mall or elsewhere
• Introduce them to their REAL FATHER (God and God's Business) -Luke 2:49

4. Whoever mislead the children is better to die - NONE SHALL PERISH, LEAD THE YOUNG GENERATION TO GOD, PARENTS MUST FIRST SURRENDER THEIR LIVES TO GOD.

• Parents must lead their children by showing good example - faith, words, action
• do not confuse your child by making the wrong thing right because you keep on doing it
• parents are responsible and accountable to their child's destiny, cannot afford to neglect them and their needs.
• parents can influence their children

5. Do not despise the little ones - DO NOT NEGLECT YOUNG CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE
DISCIPLINE THEM (DISCIPLE) AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

•  what they see and hear influences them
• train them in the light of God's Word

Mat 18:1  At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
Mat 18:2  And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
Mat 18:3  and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5  "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,
Mat 18:6  but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 18:10  "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

This Is My Son (Yan Ang Anak Ko!)

     Matthew 3:17 

And a voice from heaven said,

 "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."

Why Jesus died on the cross for the redemption of the sinners? Why did He involved with His Father's business of saving man? Because He is the Son of His Father (God).
No one will adhere with the business of his father unless he has the spirit of a son. He is not after the wage, he is after the welfare of his father's affair.

The spirit of sonship is found to someone who has a sense of ownership, it doesn't matter to him whether he received a wage or not. He can see the need and responded to it immediately.

The Father (God) is pleased with Jesus because of His involvement and love to whom the Father loves. 

He seeks to please Father. His agenda is his father's agenda.

• A Son involves to his father's business  vv. 1-2
• spirit of son has concern for the success of the father's business/house

Joh 4:34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
-there is a son who has the spirit of slave, act as a slave.. as hireling, but a son act as he own the business.
-a son do not take the shortcuts, because he is a son he is willing to learn about the business, he spend time with the Father.
-spend time in discipleship and training.
 

• A Son has the authority over his father's business vv.3-5
• spirit of son use the authority to bring transformation

-the sheep knows my voice - familiar voice, always with the sheep (togetherness brings familiarity and one spirit)
- use the authority to lead, to bring change, to produce, to increase

• A Son takes the responsibility on his father's business vv.10-14
•  spirit of son is responsible of bringing progress to the father's business

Joh 17:12  While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost---so that the scripture might come true. 
- I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly - the very purpose of a son is to bring progress, prosperity and eternity.
-most people who are afraid do not want responsibility and accountability
-willing to be disturb, unafraid to lose
-lose your own privacy, will change own priorities
-I know my own and my own know me - one spirit
-to establish such kind of relationship - submission, mutual affection

• A Son lay down his life for his father's business vv.15-17
•  spirit of son give his life

-pay the price, walking extra mile, doing more than required, responds to the need, work without being told, overtime, after the result not the wage
-find your life in God's purpose for you
-for this reason the Father loves me - son's willingness find favor in the sight of the father.

• A Son choose to to be in his father's business v.18 
• spirit of son volunteer

- I give it up on my own free will - not forced nor bribed to do it but volutarily involve Himself in His Father's business.

-Phil 2:7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
-A Son with the spirit of sonship choose to be a bond-servant for the business of His Father. 
-though in the form of God, made in the likeness of men.
- a son is a true servant
-servant is always after His Master's will, he has the freedom to choose, slave  has no right to choose.

 

*A disciple with a spirit of sonship - ang takbo ng isip ay kung papaano matutulungan ang magulang (leader), a disciple with a spirit of slave - wala syang pakialam, not submissive, rebelde.

• Exo 21:5  But if the slave declares that he loves his master, his wife, and his children and does not want to be set free,
  Exo 21:6  then his master shall take him to the place of worship. There he is to make him stand against the door or the doorpost and put a hole through his ear. Then he will be his slave for life.
  Exo 21:7  "If a man sells his daughter as a slave, she is not to be set free, as male slaves are.

PRODIGAL SON - SPIRIT OF SLAVE

ELDER SON - SPIRIT OF SON

 

John 10:1-18

Joh 10:1  "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3  To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
Joh 10:4  When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
Joh 10:6  This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
Joh 10:7  So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
Joh 10:9  I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
Joh 10:10  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Joh 10:12  He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
Joh 10:13  He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
Joh 10:15  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Joh 10:16  And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
Joh 10:17  For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
Joh 10:18  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father."

Ang Pagbabago ni Juan Tamad

Juan Tamad is a character in Philippine folklore noteworthy for extreme laziness. 

Juan Tamad represents a person who is too lazy to work that even his mind is idle.  He has no dreams in life and too satisfied for what he got. He may be called parasite, too dependent on others, burden, and insensitive.

Proverbs 13:4

Lazy people want much but get little,

but those who work hard will prosper.

Poverty is the result of laziness. Being born in a poor family is not your fault, but to die poor and miserable is yours to blame. Laziness usually results to -

1. Corruption - greed of money and position but unwilling to work hard.

2. Bitterness - blaming others about his poverty and misery.

3. Poverty - stays with the mindset of being poor and unwilling to take action.

4. Crime - it increases because of oppression from the people in the position.

5. Broken Relationships - lack of responsibility and accountability to the family and to self.

John 5:17

But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, 

and I Myself am working."

Our Father (in Heaven) is working, even until to this very day so Jesus works too. Diligence is one of the marks of being a son or daughter of God. Jesus profess that He Himself is working.

According to the Bible, laziness is wickedness, no sense of responsibility and accountability. Like Cain, his offering was not accepted because it reflects the works of his hands and the attitude of his heart. When God asked him, where is your brother?, he answered God, Am I my brother's keeper? He was dull to take responsibility and even his offering to God is a result of his laziness.

Lazy servant is a worthless servant! - Mat. 25:26,30

In tagalog, "walang pakinabang", worthless servants are condemned and punished. Whatever he has will be taken away from him. God's design for us is fruitfulness, multiplication and dominion. But since sins enter into humanity, we lost our destiny and became disorder. Man was not able to rule even over himself which leads to unproductivity and loss of values.

It is about time for us to restore the lost image to Juan Tamad. He was deceived for a long time that's why he remain poor and wicked. He thought of himself as industrious but the truth is he is idle (lazy). He lost his dignity (self-respect) that graft and corruption became part of his value system, which also leads to loss of respect to others, willing to murder over material possessions and position.

Worst thing happen was when Juan Tamad was elected to be part of the public leadership. He led the people to became idle like him by allowing gambling to have easy money, giving away a little amount of money in exchange to "utang na loob" for the next coming election.

Juan Tamad must come to know Christ as personal Lord and Saviour. He needs someone who is dedicated to disciple him, to replace his values with Kingdom (God's) values. Juan Tamad needs to die to his old nature and be transformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ. 

Patay na si Juan Tamad! Sya na ngayon si Juan Masipag (may pangarap, masikap, maagap, at higit sa lahat may paninidigan sa kanyang pananampalataya sa Dios, may malasakit sa kanyang kapwa at may pananagutan sa kanyang bayan).

Juan Tamad is just around...he may be found in schools, in your own home, companies, churches, government offices, streets or might be in front of the internet. 

This is a challenge to all of us, if our God is diligent and productive, He works until today, as well as the Son, so are we His followers. 

Daniel 11:32
But the people who know their God will be strong and take action.

Godly people are man and woman of action who is always after the result and increase (fruitfulness and multiplication). 

They always rule because they first rule themselves.

      Tamad (Lazy)                                vs.             Masipag (Diligent)

Palaging nangungutang                                  Nagtatrabaho nag-iipon               

Takot                                                                       Malakas ang loob   

Irresponsible at walang pakialaman          Nakikita ang pangangailangan

Ayaw mahirapan                                              Handang mahirapan

Laging may dahilan                                         Gumagawa ng paraan

Mahirap at pabigat                                          Mayaman at nakakatulong

Gastador (walang value ang pera)                 Good Investor (know 

                                                                          the value of money) 

Habang buhay na nangangamuhan        Naging Boss (amo) like Joseph

When you know your God, you will never remain poor. You will know the correct values in life. Kahit mahirap kang ipinanganak hindi mo na ipapamana sa iyong anak ang kahirapan...magsisikap kang mapag-aral ang iyong anak, at kung ikaw na anak ay ipinanganak sa mahirap na pamilya...magsisikap at magsisipag kang makatapos ng pag-aaral.

HOW TO GET OUT FROM THE CURSE OF POVERTY?

• -Your Fruitfulness starts with your daily walk with God. - Mat. 6:33
• -Your value depend in your identity with Christ not with the material possession. - Jer. 29:11
• -Your relationship with God will lead you to take action. - Daniel 11:32

Ang tunay na masipag ay gumagawa hindi sa kanyang kapahingahan sa hinaharap kundi likas sa kanya ang "mag-produce" at "mag-multiply". Para sa kanya iyon ang halaga at hininga ng kanyang  buhay. Ang kapahingahan sa kanya ay makatulong sa iba mula sa bunga ng gawa ng kanyang mga kamay.

Prov. 10:22 

It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, 

And He adds no sorrow to it.

• Wealth comes from the Lord. He only gives it to the righteous (wise and diligent), 
• He never gave it to the wicked (lazy and fool).

• God is a wise investor. He scatters His seeds to the good soil where He can gather abundant harvest, never to the barren land where His seeds will turn to waste.     

Juan Masipag here he comes...everything his hands do will prosper! 

He will never be the same again!

Prov. 10:4

Lazy hands bring poverty, 

but hard-working hands bring riches.

Christlike-ness

Genesis 1:26 "Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
 
Philippians 2:4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Have this attitude ^[e]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be ^[f]grasped, ⁷ but ^[g]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death ^[h]on a cross.

1. Life Loser - denying your own rights
Gal. 2:20 ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in my body, I live by faith, indeed, by the faithfulness of God’s Son, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2. Soul Winner - bringing people to God (sharing the Gospel)
a.) Nicodemus - John 3:1-21
b.) Samaritan Woman - John 4:4-26
2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

3. Disciple Maker - training people
Mat. 4:19 Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish."
 

4. Obedient Unto Death - unconditional abiding in God's will

Philippians 2:8 he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross.

Mat. 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Buhay Disciple

Matthew 10 :19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.   

Jesus sent His disciples to preach the gospel and minister to the needy. He prepares their hearts to the coming rejection and persecution. 

The Spirit of God will speak through you. The Lord commissioned us to be witnesses to the world. He knew we will experience intimidation that may cause us to fear but Jesus assured us that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need to say.

The one who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus did not presented a christian life as perfect and free of trials. Instead, He encourage His disciples to endure the coming sufferings which will shake their faith. In short, He wants to tell His disciples to keep doing what they are doing for the expansion of God's Kingdom, no matter what the situation is, we must be undisturbed and unstoppable.

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. To follow Jesus means discomfort. He Himself was rejected, persecuted and sentenced to death. The way to overcome sufferings is the way how Jesus overcame it - ENDURE. Doing His way is far from the ways of the world which is fighting for own rights, on the contrary Jesus deny His own and died.

2 Timothy 2:11It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 

SEED OF THE NATION

Amos 9:13 (BBE)
See, the days will come, says the Lord, when the ploughman will overtake him who is cutting the grain, and the crusher of the grapes him who is planting seed; and sweet wine will be dropping from the mountains, and the hills will be turned into streams of wine.

(ISV)
"Look! The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the one who sows will overtake the harvester and the treader of grapes will overtake the planter. Fresh wine will drip down from the mountains, cascading down from the hills.

GOD'S WORD IS GOD'S WORK
-This verse is a promise of abundance, overflowing and great harvest
-the very reason that our lives remain unfruitful because of sin, a sinful life is a barren life
 -Barrenness cost unfruitfulness, it is a cursed life.
-you, we, the church was barren, unfruitful because still living in a disobedient, sinful life and  we do not understand the power of Christ's death and the cross.
-as we pass through the cross...as we understand the power of His death...cursed life has been cancelled and we transfer to the blessed life.
-our life is like a seed, before it bears fruit...it must die first.

*John 12:24:  "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

 **Increase in seeds, increase in harvest

a. SOWER  OVERTAKES THE HARVESTER
-The Seed of God -   JESUS CHRIST
-It is not the teaching nor the works of Christ to be multiplied  (though that would be a by-product.) (We are to do greater works. John. 14:12). 
-What to be multiplied was Himself, Jesus the Seed planted in mankind. 
-God sent His Son (the SEED) to the earth, not to remain alone but to die that (the Seed) He planted in man bring forth life in us, His very image. 
-Jesus was to multiply Himself in man and each new generation of enchristed ones to further multiply the Christ in others.
-sower of the seeds will overtake the harvester because many seeds are dying to self
- you die, we die....dead from lustful desire, emotion, reasoning
-your old life is dead...and you have a new life today ready to reproduce.

b. OVERTAKE  - Multiplying
-we are the fruit that bears the Seed of God
-now more seeds are dying that would bring great harvest
-reproducing Christlike character in every man

c. LIFE OF ABUNDANCE
 - blessed life - John 10:10
 -OVERFLOWING

-when Jesus died...He was able to reproduce Himself to Peter and His disciples...and the disciples died to themselves...reproduce the church...and the church must die to herself....
-WE ARE SEED OF THIS NATION who live to die...die to live and to bear much fruit, fruit that will last
-ang BUHAY NATIN NGAYON AY HINDI NA UNFRUITFUL KUNDI FRUITFUL NA AT OVERFLOWING PA...AT BLESSING PA SA IBA....AT MULTIPLYING PA DAHIL PATAY NA ANG DATING IKAW. NOW THE CHURCH WILL BE OVERTAKING....YOUR LIFE OF SEED WILL REPRODUCE A GREAT HARVEST!!
 -PAG LABAS NYO NG ENCOUNTER NA ITO...YOU ARE THE SEED OF THE SOWER...

MISSION: I'M POSSIBLE

      What a precious gift to have someone whom you can trust and trust you as well. This kind of person is rare, courageous and daring, who looks at the possibilities of transformation and believe in the potential of others. It is not easy to be involved to someone with conflicts, hang ups and tantrums. However, there are some people who dare and were able to produce great leaders.

1. Jonathan to David

1 Samuel 20:2 “Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!” 3 But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.” 4 Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you.”

-Jonathan was supposed to be the next king after his father Saul. David was a big threat for that position, his father wanted to kill his friend but Jonathan selflessly protected the life of the anointed chosen king of God. A person like Jonathan is a king's maker, no hidden selfish plan. He recognize and acknowledge whom God choose. He values relationship than position. He has no insecurities in the greatness of others.

2. Ananias and Barnabas to Saul

"Acts 9:17  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him ..."

-Ananias and Barnabas are the only persons who dared to come close and gave chance to a person who put many believers to death...a criminal. Because of their obedience to God and trust...a great christian leader was born.
-having somebody like Ananias and Barnabas, every wasted life becomes a useful life.
-they have the eyes of seeing a new life in a person despite of his past.

3. Mordecai to Esther

Est 4:13  "Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews."

-Mordecai was able to raised up a virtuous, beautiful and God-fearing orphan girl in the life of Esther. He took care of  his cousin,, provided her needs, imparted his life by sharing his values. He patiently raise up a seemed to be hopeless girl and turned her to be the first woman of the palace.
-Esther from being nobody to a somebody to her own people. Her courage and compassion comes from the values being imparted by her mentor.
-a great mentor like Mordecai is valuable, he spoke directly, he never compromise what is important, he is passionate to his values and to his people and he is unfraid to speak the truth and right, silent about his own accomplishments, and his drive is the welfare of others.

4. Jesus to Peter and other disciples

^{Acts 2:40} Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”
⁴¹ Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

-The unwanted, unnoticed, and outcast of the society became the world changers. The least in the eyes of this world was able to perform miracles, spoke to the authority with boldness and three thousand people were saved with his preaching.
-Jesus trusted His disciples regardless of their backgrounds, temperaments and personalities. He was faithful in dealing with their weaknesses, he rebuked and corrected them yet love them and a friend to them.
-Jesus saw the unlimited potentials of His disciples. He declared blessings upon them. He has faith in them. He never gave up to the impulsiveness and denial of Peter, doubt of Thomas, hot temperedness of James and John, unwillingness of Phillip, superiority of Nathaneal. He was not bothered by the past of Matthew, not intimidated by Judas' disloyalty and plan of betrayal.
-Jesus always look on the POSSIBILITIES and POTENTIALITIES of His disciples...so the church begun.

     They are leader raisers, king and queen's makers, producers of world changers. They are able to create useful creation from a wasteful scrap.  A world changer is born by a king's maker. It is not being the first but being the last. Not by being served but serving others. Putting others' interests before his own. His agenda is based on the agenda of the King of kings.

     If you are a disciple say to yourself "I'm Possible to change"...Be thankful to the friend-leader you have who never gave up on you, look at you beyond the person who you are right now, he protects, trusts and loves you. He corrects even it hurts in order to bring out the seed of greatness inside of you.

     Are you leading someone to Christ? Or discipling an unwanted kid across the street?  Worth sacrificing...they will become great if you never give up on them.

     Every one is POSSIBLE TO CHANGE if there is SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO BELIEVE.
  

Producing a World Changer

     Peter is known to be one of the great leaders of the early church. He became the world changer of his generation until today his legacy continues. However, before Peter was made, there was a John the Baptist who testified and proclaimed about Jesus and Andrew who brought him to the Master. A disciple is reproduced by a disciple maker like Phillip who sought Nathanael to tell him that he found the Messiah. 

     Producing a disciple who will change the world is not by accident but intentionally we need to.... 

1) Testify

• Testimony Attracts True Disciples vv. 34-37
  • -true disciples follow v.37
  • -true disciples seek v. 38
  • -true disciples come v. 39

 2) Invite

• Invitation Leads to Conversion vv.40-42 

• -from Simon (grain of sand) to Peter (small rock) v. 42
• -from weak faith (unreliable) to stable faith (reliable)
• -from fisherman to fisher of men - Matt. 4:19      
  

19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people."  
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

• from personal dream (limited, less and earthly) to God's dream (greater, larger and eternal) 

• from being impulsive (emotional) to a world changer - Acts 5:14-16

14 Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. 16 A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.

3.  Encounter

•  Personal Encounter with Jesus Produces Faith vv. 45-49

• -faith comes from hearing the Word of God
• (listening to God's Word)- thru 4 greatest meetings (devotion, cellgroup, Sunday Celebration and Trainings)
• -transformation happens during encounter with God (Saul)
• (encounter, worship celebration)
• -passion base on Truth and understanding (Paul)
• (not base on emotion or feelings)

      True Disciples testify about Jesus and how they were changed, they draw people back to God. They bring people to Christ (and to the Church) to experience true conversion and transformation that turns them to be a world changer....a disciple maker.

Reflection: The world changer might be just around, waiting for your testimony and invitation. 

John 1:34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." 35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed ). 42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter ). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"