Christian Restoration

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV) "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

To call is to speak in a loud distinct voice or make a request or demand. It may also mean an invitation. At all times it is our fault to be there—in a strange place, situation and unhappy circumstances. Maybe also because of waywardness or a foolish choice but God is also there to hear our call in prayer and when we confess, He will promptly deliver us.

CALL ON THE TRUE GOD. We try to get in communication through prayer to elicit a good response to our appeal from God. THIS IS THE ADVANTAGE OF FIDELITY. Christians must model the action of calling to God not only in uncertain future. We know God is so near to us and He gives us a promise that is enough to entrust our expectations to Him. "Ang Dios mao ang atong dalangpanan ug kalig-on, Madali nga katabang sa atong kalisdanan." (Psalm 46:1).

THIS IS GOD'S PROVIDENCE. He longs to lead us His children in much different way and gives us security under His protection. "Kanako magatawag siya, ug ako motubag kaniya; Ubanan ko siya diha sa kalisdanan: Akong luwason siya ug akong pagapasidunggan siya." (Psalm 91:15).

One verse, from Isaiah 55:6: "Pangitaa ninyo si Jehova samtang siya hikaplagan pa; sangpita inyo siya samtang anaa pa siya sa duol. THIS IS AN INVITATION TO GRACE. God's salvation is freely extended to all nations. Jesus' comforting promise  is "Ug sa mahiadto na ako ug makaandam na akog luna alang kaninyo, moanhi ako pag-usab ug pagadawaton ko kamo nganhi uban kanako, aron nga diin gani ako atua usab kamo." (John 14:6).

RECEIVE AN ANSWER FROM THE TRUE GOD. To assimilate through the mind or senses the weight of something given by God relatively as to open arms.  THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CLOSENESS. Christians must stay together in honoring God and  His friendship will be with us to show us His guidance and instruction for our good. "Ang pagpakig-abyan ni Jehova anaa kanila nga nahadlok kaniya; Ug kanila igapadayag niya ang iyang tugon." (Psalms 25:14) The Lord is sovereign over changing circumstances and will always  guide us to our desired haven or shelter.

Another verse is Isaiah 48:6. THIS IS AN EARNEST ADVISE FROM GOD who provides His help  from unexpected sources. Nothing is sweeter than a growing Christian who received God's announcement of new things—the hidden events that before they spring into being we already knew it from  God so we face God's tomorrow with confidence.

Lastly, is Amos 3:7. THIS IS ABOUT GOD'S PRONOUNCEMENT. His word says He will not do something without revealing His plans to His servants, the prophets (the preachers of today), who will warn the sinful man that his suffering is through the permissive will of the Lord. Jesus' words in John 15:15  rings a bell for us: "Dili ko na kamo nganlan nga mga ulipon, kay ang ulipon dili masayud sa ginabuhat sa iyang agalon. Apan ginganlan ko kamo nga mga higala, kay ang tanan nga nadungog ko gikan sa akong Amahan, kini gipahibalo ko man kaninyo."

God is our hope in times of need including pain and lasting regret. Our relationship with God illustrates our closeness with Him and between God and us is a heart full of love that overflows and lives that is able to see, hear and feel Him. We freely call to God and glorify Him in the process." Ug tawgon mo ako sa adlaw sa kalisdanan: Pagaluwason ko ikaw, ug ikaw magahimaya kanako." (Psalms 50:15). AMEN

The Man who denies Jesus (like what Peter once did)

Matthew 26:67-75

Key verse: (v70) “But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.”

Parallels: Mark 14:66-72, Luke 12:56-62, John 18:15-18,25-27

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The Man of Sorrows thirst for us

(John 19:28)

"Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."

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Celebrating our triumphs daily in the Lord

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

THEME: Joy and peace

AIM: The theme of joy has been frequent in Paul’s letter to the Philippian church (Phil 1:8, 2:2, and 3:1). To write the same things may refer to what he has previously taught them: to delight in suffering and triumphs.

Christian behavior that testifies

2 Corinthians 5:7 New International Version (NIV)

“For we live by faith, not by sight.”

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THEME: The Christian’s destiny

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AIM: This verse presents a metaphor between a country and its citizens in exile or far away from home. The Lord is the distant homeland believed in but unseen. Travelling on, advancing by steps in the real course of life, Christians go on with bliss of our strong belief, trust and loyalty to our God.

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INTRO: This second letter to Corinth occasssioned by events and problems that developed after Paul’s first letter to them. The letter is rich and varied in content. It tells of a crisis between Paul and the Corinthians, the resolutions and defense of Paul to his ministry.

WALKING BY SIGHT

This gives the ability to see those worth seeing, which may be absurd or disorderly—an occasion for no joy or belief.

a.    The world at present is entangled into all kinds of wickedness and impiety as it features a bad character of unadulterated (pure) mischief and sin. Psalms 37:10 says, “For yet a little while, and the wicked shall be no more. Indeed you will look carefully for his place but it shall be no more. All that is seen today will before long be consumed.

b.    All the pursuits of men as can be seen today will soon perish. James traverses the outline of the sun “no sooner as it rose with a burning heat withers the grass and causes the flower to fall,” so will the strength in performing all the habitual means of accumulating abundant possessions and display of material wealth (James 1:12).

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Walking by faith

We have a strong conviction and firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

a.    The believer does not direct his eyes mainly in wickedness and abundant wealth, both having a tendency to get in the way of his attention for he considers these as one serving only for a limited time and provisionary. He, however, directs his vision to things not seen, which are eternal having infinite and abiding fellowship with God (2 Corinthians 4:18).

b.    Hope that is not seen makes an addition to the Christian walking by faith. He cherish by desire with anticipation and eagerly awaits for it with perseverance.The chance of something good to happen in the future with Christ is the trustaccompanied by his belief of fullfilment (Romans 8:24).

CONCLUSION:

Christians conduct ourselves in our course of life with orientation to the things which are unseen, and not with reference to the things which are seen. By faith, we believe in the those things which we do not see. We believe in the existence of objects which are invisible, and we are influenced by them. To walk by faith, therefore is to live in the positive hope of things that are to come; in the belief of the existence of unseen realities; and suffering them to influence us as if they were seen.

Christ my Life

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

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THEME: Rich meaning of life in Christ

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AIM: Philippians 1:21 gives us the hope of seeing Christ. It teaches us the advances of our faith where the Lord is the center of our lives. Dying in Him means to be united with Christ in a deeper sense.

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INTRO: In the prospects of Christian martyrdom and missionary labor, this makes our overall and final expectation with Christ.

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LIVING IN CHRIST’S GRACE  

Our hope is rooted in Christ, our reason for living

a.  The Christian is crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and the power of the old self is destroyed (Romans 6:6). From then, we live the rest of our earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires (1 Peter 4:2). We are completely one with Christ (John 17:23).

b.  The Christian forgets everything and refrains from being self-important of self but only boasts about the cross of Christ for by means of His cross, the world is dead to us and we also are dead to the world (Galatians 6:14 ).

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DYING IN CHRIST’S PEACE

God’s assurance gives us wonderful joy and encouragement

a.  The Christian believes that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will take back with Jesus those who died believing in Him (1 Thessalonians 4:14 ). We will possess glorious bodies in exchange of our weak, mortal bodies (Philippians 3:21). We will be gathered together (2 Thessalonians 2:1) and will rule with Christ (Revelations 20:4).

b.  A victory prize of being put right with God awaits every Christian (2 Timothy 4:8), those who submitted to God’s strict discipline (1 Corinthians 9:25) and those who remained faithful under trials (James 1:2).

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CONCLUSION:

The hope of seeing Christ must give us a good meaning every moment. It must give us reason to live in behalf of Christ. Our death is not merely a relief from suffering but something more. Happy are those who die in the service of the Lord. (Revelations 14:13). We may be dead but our life is hidden with God (Colossians 3:3).