"Where will you be five years from now?" was the question asked and pondered by every individual who was present in the so-called "For D' Boys".
God’s Word and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ were the backbone of this fun-filled gathering of enthusiastic and energetic young men of Loakan Baptist Church. I don't remember who started it but the experience was so real and intense, though it was held in church and sometimes in a resthouse-dyay taloy if you know what i mean…hihi
We normally start off singing our favorite choruses, then manong sam or manong abe (or should I say Doc Sam and Pastor Abe) share a 5 to 15 min devotion. Then, each one is given an opportunity to share either a blessing from God, a prayer request or just to pour out a hurt or a heartache. This gathering is an opportunity to settle each other’s differences in a Godly manner so as to strengthen each others relationship as brothers in Christ.
Sometimes we lose track of time not because we wanted to but because of the excitement, the joy of being with one another. The fellowship would not be complete if there was no food, especially "pinikpikan" , "kalding" and "A-so" (the favorite menu hihi). Grabe! if you could have seen us eat before? wow !we could finish one big kaldero of rice! (i'm referring to my manongs 'coz they could finish up to 3 to 4 full plates hihi). And Sometimes our food was even sponsored by Doc H. T. But there’s this one rule that when it comes to dishes, It is your "priviledge" to do it if you are the youngest among the group, so often times I was always busy after the battle,hihi.
Thanks to Nikki, Manong Abe and Manong Sam, we had wheels to go to Taloy or camp 1 if ever we want to change venue. And Uncle Julio for allowing us to use their rest house in Taloy.
Jokes? huh! they were endless, we laughed 'till our stomach and jaw ache...cowboy jokes, ibaloi and yanki style...you name it, it was all there.
There was this trip that I wish I could have gone to, 5 men- Sam, Marzan, Norman, Rene C. and Jerome (I think) decided to hike Sto thomas to Camp 1. It took them 10 hrs but they conquered the mountain … imagine the struggle, the hardship and the contentment… they made it! ( having heard their stories and looking to their pictures ).
"For D' Boys" - the experience and the fellowship was amazing, it was one of God's ways in strengthening our relationship as brothers in Christ.
To LBC YP ( esp the bubulog )- my prayer is that you’ll continue to bring honor and praise to the Almighty God and to remain faithful ‘till He comes..
As the song says,…
What this dying world could use is a willing Man of God
Who dares to go against the grain and works without applause;
A man who'll raise the shield of Faith, protecting what is pure;
Whose love is tough and gentle; a man whose word is sure.
God doesn't need an Orator who knows what just to say;
He doesn't need authorities to reason Him away;
He doesn't need an army to guarantee a win;
He just needs a Few Good Men.
Men full of Compassion, who Laugh and Love and Cry-
Men who'll face Eternity and aren't afraid to die-
Men who'll fight for Freedom and Honor once again-
He just needs a Few Good Men.
This is the land of my forefathers... once was a field of rice, where my forefathers till the ground. Now, is the land for planes and of aircrafts... yet I still call it my beloved homeland... Loakan.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Power of Words and Tongue
One thing a Christian should put in mind is that every word he speaks is powerful. Let me bring you to the verse James 3:5-8.
James 3:5-8 (New International Version)
5) Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
6) The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7) All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
8) but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
In this verse it clearly points out that the tongue of man is dangerous as a fire. Just a small spark can turn to a great and huge forest fire. Same with our tongue, just a simple word it brings out, may make a gigantic and massively destructible word to any man. It can make man miserable and his reputation, marred with evil thoughts.
The tongue is described to be untamable. Perhaps that is because it simply speaks what is from the heart. If the heart is evil, therefore the tongue speaks evil but if the heart is pure, then the tongue speaks good things. Though that is not always the case, sometimes, even with great intentions, wrong words come out of our mouth.
But the power of the tongue or words is not limited to that.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Timothy 3:16-18 (New International Version)
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
As I Thessalonians 5:11 speaks, encouraging one another, of course through words, build each other up. If words can destroy a man, so shall words can be used to build-up someone. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the scripture, known as God’s Word, teaches, rebukes, corrects and instructs His people so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The secret of having our tongue speak good things depends on how we nurture our heart with God’s Word.
2 Timothy 2:15 (King James Version)
15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Psalm 1
1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
So the question, “How will you use your tongue or your words?” I lay down before you. It is my hope that we will use our tongue or our words for the Glory of God. Praising Him and singing of psalms and hymns; encouraging other Christians especially when they are down, and refrain from letting your tongue speak of evil things against one another.
James 3:5-8 (New International Version)
5) Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
6) The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7) All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
8) but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
In this verse it clearly points out that the tongue of man is dangerous as a fire. Just a small spark can turn to a great and huge forest fire. Same with our tongue, just a simple word it brings out, may make a gigantic and massively destructible word to any man. It can make man miserable and his reputation, marred with evil thoughts.
The tongue is described to be untamable. Perhaps that is because it simply speaks what is from the heart. If the heart is evil, therefore the tongue speaks evil but if the heart is pure, then the tongue speaks good things. Though that is not always the case, sometimes, even with great intentions, wrong words come out of our mouth.
But the power of the tongue or words is not limited to that.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Timothy 3:16-18 (New International Version)
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
As I Thessalonians 5:11 speaks, encouraging one another, of course through words, build each other up. If words can destroy a man, so shall words can be used to build-up someone. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the scripture, known as God’s Word, teaches, rebukes, corrects and instructs His people so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The secret of having our tongue speak good things depends on how we nurture our heart with God’s Word.
2 Timothy 2:15 (King James Version)
15) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Psalm 1
1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
So the question, “How will you use your tongue or your words?” I lay down before you. It is my hope that we will use our tongue or our words for the Glory of God. Praising Him and singing of psalms and hymns; encouraging other Christians especially when they are down, and refrain from letting your tongue speak of evil things against one another.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
For D’ boyz…
The “For D’ Boyz” fellowship is quite a unique fellowship in the Church of Loakan. I had experienced partly of this fellowship. But probably my brother Gideon has a bigger experience of this fellowship. I say unique since, I presume I haven’t seen such fellowship amongst other churches. Though I believe the so called “elders” of this fellowship want to have it on their own respective churches now. :-)
I can’t fully grasp or imagine how this fellowship started, but it seems to wane off as well through out this new generation. I only heard hearsays about this fellowship. And I know it was perhaps one of the great fellowship before, as it impacted many of the men these days, who are of course Loakanians (maybe not by blood, but by heart… hehe!).
As far as I could tell, boys before who engaged and experienced this fellowship seem to have made them drawn closer to one another. And it seems that, that bond is still there even if they are far from one another. I could imagine whenever they meet; they would start planning to have fellowship with one another, planning to buy food somewhere, where ever, even if it was in the middle of the night. Funny! But perhaps it is actually how I saw them when I was with them. And still I could see that to happen, if they only had a chance to meet with one another again and that is of course they are free to do so (I mean they are not that free because they have responsibilities now.. like family… but of course not all.. :-) …).
I could still remember how they laughed with one another; Making jokes at one another; eating much food to make bigger bellies; telling stories about what happened to them, experiences they couldn’t forget; going home late at night; and, on some formal notices or planned activity they don’t forget God’s Word. As I probably still remember, they did this fellowship on some occasions. Someone going far, someone came back or probably when everyone is there or simply many of them are there, enough money to go out and have a snack and simply, meeting once a year.
But one thing I remember, I can’t forget, but never experienced. Taking from their own words about how this fellowship had helped them grow matured or be more open with one another, is that through this, they had experienced telling one another’s hurt from one another. I believe it was a time for them to tell their hurts against their fellow brother, face to face. That’s one thing I really see unique on this fellowship, which seems hardly to see among other fellowship. I really don’t know how to picture those events that they might have gone through in such circumstances. Only they can tell you.
Hearing those stories we’re perhaps inspirational. Hopefully, we the new generations could also apply. But there seems to be real big differences this day from the past. They say before, they even punch one another. Hardly can I see that happen these days among the young people. And perhaps one big difference, they got wheels… We these days, don’t have much… (haha!)
It was definitely a great time I had before, with my big brothers in the Lord. I felt the heat of their fellowship. Though I was silent, simply observing, watching their every movement and listening to what they say. I felt a warm feeling in my heart, like a charcoal tossed in a burning flame. Openness and such transparency! They seem to know one another as if they were real blood brothers. And perhaps, that is what they are, maybe not physical but spiritual. And Christ’s blood is their bond.
As I see them and watched over them, I saw full trust. True, they may have their own arguments, differences and misunderstandings, but I think they made a way to settle things on the matter. Their relationship is much important more than anything. That is because they are brothers in the Lord.
For some reasons, trust seems to be hard to earn these days. But anyway who are we to be trusted? We are sinners. We are faulty and fragile creatures. We are human as we say. But God has always been there to make a way. Perhaps we never do learn to come to Him and seek His will and wisdom. We always want to follow our own instincts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (King James Version)
5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I do hope we Christians will learn to trust in God no matter what. To know and follow His will and not our own, for His ways are far greater than ours. May we continually seek His will for us to obey and not think on our own “What we ought to do?”, for we are all fragile and could easily be broken to pieces. But in God’s hands, we can be as beautiful as a vase or pot, to be His masterpiece.
I can’t fully grasp or imagine how this fellowship started, but it seems to wane off as well through out this new generation. I only heard hearsays about this fellowship. And I know it was perhaps one of the great fellowship before, as it impacted many of the men these days, who are of course Loakanians (maybe not by blood, but by heart… hehe!).
As far as I could tell, boys before who engaged and experienced this fellowship seem to have made them drawn closer to one another. And it seems that, that bond is still there even if they are far from one another. I could imagine whenever they meet; they would start planning to have fellowship with one another, planning to buy food somewhere, where ever, even if it was in the middle of the night. Funny! But perhaps it is actually how I saw them when I was with them. And still I could see that to happen, if they only had a chance to meet with one another again and that is of course they are free to do so (I mean they are not that free because they have responsibilities now.. like family… but of course not all.. :-) …).
I could still remember how they laughed with one another; Making jokes at one another; eating much food to make bigger bellies; telling stories about what happened to them, experiences they couldn’t forget; going home late at night; and, on some formal notices or planned activity they don’t forget God’s Word. As I probably still remember, they did this fellowship on some occasions. Someone going far, someone came back or probably when everyone is there or simply many of them are there, enough money to go out and have a snack and simply, meeting once a year.
But one thing I remember, I can’t forget, but never experienced. Taking from their own words about how this fellowship had helped them grow matured or be more open with one another, is that through this, they had experienced telling one another’s hurt from one another. I believe it was a time for them to tell their hurts against their fellow brother, face to face. That’s one thing I really see unique on this fellowship, which seems hardly to see among other fellowship. I really don’t know how to picture those events that they might have gone through in such circumstances. Only they can tell you.
Hearing those stories we’re perhaps inspirational. Hopefully, we the new generations could also apply. But there seems to be real big differences this day from the past. They say before, they even punch one another. Hardly can I see that happen these days among the young people. And perhaps one big difference, they got wheels… We these days, don’t have much… (haha!)
It was definitely a great time I had before, with my big brothers in the Lord. I felt the heat of their fellowship. Though I was silent, simply observing, watching their every movement and listening to what they say. I felt a warm feeling in my heart, like a charcoal tossed in a burning flame. Openness and such transparency! They seem to know one another as if they were real blood brothers. And perhaps, that is what they are, maybe not physical but spiritual. And Christ’s blood is their bond.
As I see them and watched over them, I saw full trust. True, they may have their own arguments, differences and misunderstandings, but I think they made a way to settle things on the matter. Their relationship is much important more than anything. That is because they are brothers in the Lord.
For some reasons, trust seems to be hard to earn these days. But anyway who are we to be trusted? We are sinners. We are faulty and fragile creatures. We are human as we say. But God has always been there to make a way. Perhaps we never do learn to come to Him and seek His will and wisdom. We always want to follow our own instincts.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (King James Version)
5) Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
I do hope we Christians will learn to trust in God no matter what. To know and follow His will and not our own, for His ways are far greater than ours. May we continually seek His will for us to obey and not think on our own “What we ought to do?”, for we are all fragile and could easily be broken to pieces. But in God’s hands, we can be as beautiful as a vase or pot, to be His masterpiece.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Loakanian Forum
Yo guys, check out the Forum I'm currently working on.... feel free to comment on it... :)
Oh yeah, you'll find the link at the right menu where sites are listed.... :)
Oh yeah, you'll find the link at the right menu where sites are listed.... :)
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