WIN: Discipleship

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Discipleship 

by Daniel Carandang

written by Ashley Petallano

School has begun once again. We've said our goodbyes to our beds, the refrigerator that fed us for three months and our beach memories have been kept in boxes. No longer are we professional bums; we've become students once again!

Back in the campus where identities are formed and social groups are established, you can't help but wonder: WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? The jungle life in school can be so energized, busy and a tad confusing that we find ourselves lost. What is your purpose in life as a student? To be popular? To be the most-liked, macho-gwapito stud? To be the brightest student who gets nothing but perfect scores? Get those latest running shoes to enhance your athletic skills?

In the Bible, King Solomon commented on money, pleasure, ventures and relationships. You know what he called them?

MEANINGLESS.

Everything in this world can be meaningless.There is no doubt that one day, all of these (fame, money, relationships) will fade...become forgotten memories of the past. It's like hearing stories about your great great grandmother. Sure, you hear them now but let's be honest, it's meaningless to you. It's the same with the things we cling on as a student. We hold unto them now but one day...they will become meaningless.

You have a higher purpose, dear student. Don't forget!

We should not be living for any temporal earthly purpose that will fade away. We should not invest our lives in something that will not last. We should pour out every second of our life in something that will last forever—a purpose that is eternal—we should live our lives for God and His purpose! More than just earning high grades, getting involved in extra-curricular activities, & preparing for a future career, God has a higher purpose for each and everyone of us in the campus. That in the limited time we have as students, He would use us to reach out to others, share the Gospel to them, and disciple them.

Our mission is stated here:

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

 Matthew 28:18-20

Who is a DISCIPLE?

A disciple is not a mystical person who performs magic- it is someone who puts his/her faith in Christ and decides to dedicate his/her life in servitude of Him. Disciples are God's helpers in spreading the Word about Christ in this world. There are still thousands of people who do not know about Christ, therefore, as His disciples, it is our mission to proclaim His name.

God is calling us to reach out and WIN each and every people group in this planet! Not just the tribes, but first and foremost the people around us, closest to us--our family, and schoolmates! It’s time to step up and fulfill our call to go and make disciples in our respective campuses.

So, how do we begin?

1. To make disciples, you have to be a disciple.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go

Matthew 28:16

Before you can go you first need someone to disciple you. It's vital to have someone mentor you about Christ and His Word before you set yourself in teaching others as well. Jesus invested His life in mentoring his disciples. He taught them about Scripture, the importance of prayer, how to overcome sin and basically, how to believe. We need people who will also invest in our lives and teach us how to face the world with Christ as our shield. 

Remember: disciples are not born...they are MADE.

Discipleship is the process of leading someone to Christ, and helping that person grow in their relationship with Him! God desires to use you to reach our and disciple others! But step one is for you to make disciples.

2. God's will for His disciples is for them to make disciples.

Want to know what God's will is? Primary source is the Bible.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,..”

Matthew 28:18-20a

Making disciples is Jesus' command. The problem is we don't live a life of obedience because we don't have a clear understanding of Who Jesus is. Some of us do not know Him well at all. Our wrong interpretation of Him could lead to us treating Him differently.

Jesus is described here as having all authority in heaven and earth! No one is above Him, more powerful than Him--most "powerful" person on earth: NOTHING. There is NOTHING He can’t do, He has no plan He can’t accomplish—no one and nothing can stand in His way and prevail. That is why we must have  a HIGH & PROPER view of Jesus.

Our view of Jesus impacts the way we respond to Him. Our responses to discipleship is really an issue of Lordship.

WHO is The Lord of your life? Is it Jesus..or yourself? WHOSE WILL has priority? God's or yours?

A lot of us are fans of musical bands. One Direction, All Time Low, Super Junior...you name it! Some of us are even super fans: every day we stalk our favorite personalities on Facebook, follow updates and tweet them endlessly till we get a response! That is a solid FAN! However, Jesus does not desire fans (or stalkers). He wants FOLLOWERS.

Are you just a fan? Or are you a follower? IF you are really a follower,  WHY are you not making disciples? If there's something hindering you..what are you doing about it?

If we see this as mere religious obligation, then we're missing the point. We're not just workers for Him, we are lovers as well.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 

Matthew 9:35, 36

The Jewish society was very religious and followed strict rules implemented by Law-intellectual Pharisees. They gave 300 rules for the Jews to follow. That's like having 300 rules in your classrooms. It was all about the law rather than what really mattered the most.

Jesus was burdened about the spiritual state of the crowds..it was what consumed His heart. And so as a response to the condition of the multitudes, after commanding His disciples to pray for more workers, Jesus empowered them to reach out!

ARE YOU INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH GOD'S HEART?

When we are in love, we're willing to go the distance for our loved ones. The same should apply with the Lord and His great commission. We should bear compassion and responsibility for our disciples. God knows that the ONLY way for a person to be changed is for a person to be discipled.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you..” 

Matthew 28:19, 20a 

Baptism is an outward declaration of a person offering his life to the Lord. It is assumed that the Gospel has already been shared to the person. Also, the verse talks about teaching our disciples to obey in the Lord and in His will. People need to be discipled because of our sinful natures. No seminar, livelihood program, or wellness conference can change a person's life. These are good, but will always fall short.

Discipleship is God's strategy & solution for genuine transformation!

Jesus was so passionate about this, that of all possible things He would leave His people to do before He ascended to heaven, He asked them to go and make disciples. That is why we should GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES.

3. God promises to be with us as we make disciples.

“..And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20b

One of the reasons why we don’t make disciples: FEAR.

Discipleship is a matter of faith. Jesus promised to be with us until the task is finished in the end of the age. He isn't like us: we break our promises. The Lord does not. If He says He'll be with us, He will be. 

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

Paul had a weakness, a “thorn in the flesh”, and was pleading for God to take his weakness away. But God said, instead of taking away Paul's weakness, He will give His grace so that Paul will depend on Him and His power will become very very real. Same applies to us. We say we are weak, unfit, not for the job but God promises that He will be with us.

God can do this on His own..but He has given us the privilege to partner with Him and be His hands and feet in reaching the world and reconciling the world to Himself. If you're a follower of Christ, God’s Word for you is…GO and make disciples!

Unshakable: When Is Jesus Coming Back?

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When is Jesus Coming Back?

by Daniel Carandang

written by Ana Andres

Life is but a fleeting moment and to some, all they await is death. For us Christians, we await for the return of our Messiah for he promised that He would come back.

When is He coming back?

 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” 

Matthew 24:1-3

It is very clear in those verses that there is ABSOLUTELY NO ONE but only the Father knows when Jesus Christ is coming back. With that, we must be very cautious when hearing predictions because it is an absolute lie. We must be careful to be grounded in the truth we know because people are deceived, as they have no knowledge of this truth. Although we will never really know when He will return, he didn’t leave us to our impressions. He gave signs that would indicate that the end is near, which are;

- Influx of false teachers (Matthew 24:4)

- Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)

- Earthquakes and famines in various places (Matthew 24:7)

- Persecution of God’s people (Matthew 24:8)

- Many will turn away from the faith, wickedness will increase and love of most will grow cold (Matthew 24:11-14)

All of these seem to be happening right now but then again, no one knows! Therefore we are to keep watch. Just imagine if Jesus was to return at this very moment. What would he find you doing? We didn’t wait a lifetime for Him to see us doing something dishonorable, right? We want Him to find us faithfully serving His Kingdom but most importantly, we keep watch of the people because His second coming will be swifter than lightning. By then, there will be no longer a chance to repent and their choice has determined their eternity.

How then do we keep watch?

First is to have a heavenly perspective.

Have you ever tried to unroll a toilet paper until only the cylinder cardboard is left? That would take some time to finish, wouldn’t it? Now imagine unrolling and imagine that it goes on forever. Let’s use that illustration to represent our eternal life. On the other hand, a piece of that toilet paper represents our life here on earth. If you look at the overall picture, our life here on earth is nothing but a dot compared to our life in eternity.  We only get this one tiny chance, which ultimately determines the rest of forever. That being the case, we are to run this race like a runner, having our eyes on the prize, which is Jesus Christ.

Now if we have truly grasped this, we will be faithful in what He has called us to do. We will be good stewards of our time, our resources, our talents and everything that He gave us. We will share the Gospel, love one another, and resist sin and temptation. As for the Apostle Paul, he gave up his everything to fulfill his mission. He forgot about the “good” things here on earth and decided to look to the good things in eternity because really,

EVERYTHING ON EARTH IS TEMPORARY.

All of our pains, all of our sufferings will soon be gone. It will be replaced with eternal joy. He will give us a crown that will last forever and we will be with Him for eternity. Nothing can ever compare to that. Not even the happiest moment we’ve ever had here on earth.

At the end of it all, when you come face to face with Jesus, will you be able to say that you lived your life faithfully?

Unshakable: The Bible is TRUSTWORTHY

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The Bible is TRUSTWORTHY

by Daniel Carandang

written by Ashley Petallano

Our circumstances can sometimes freak the living daylights out of us. When life gives us lemons, we don't know how to make decent juice. Unexpected events can break us: loss of a loved one, heart-breaking conflicts and the likes. We're in search for answers and if we're not grounded in the truth, we are easily shaken.

Majority of our questions in life can be found in one controversial book: THE BIBLE.

For years, many have doubted the reality of it being the Word of God. Those who stand against God and His truths have tried to disprove its trustfulness. But they are wrong. Because no matter what happens- the BIBLE will always be TRUSTWORTHY.

There have been many incidents proving the Bible:

In 1947, a young Bedouin found himself faced to face with a cave, known as the Qumram cave which was located near the Dead Sea. His young goat had gone inside the mysterious cave. The young boy, hesitant at first, finally decided to go inside. Little did he know, he was about to bump into the greatest discovery of all time:

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS

It is significant due to the fact that these scrolls are the earliest known surviving manuscripts of works later included in the Hebrew Bible, all the deuterocanonicals and extra-biblical manuscripts. Original biblical manuscripts that is.

In 1950, the Ebla tablets of the Ebla archives were discovered. These tablets proved that Sodom and Gomorrah did exist. Another amazing account would be that of an Ossuary discovered to be that of James, brother of Jesus.

ALL ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES AFFIRM THE BIBLE!

Even in the field of science, the Bible has proven its worth.

Centuries ago, people believed that the Earth was flat. A society was even formed base on this belief. Those who dared to say that the Earth was not flat, rather it was round, were killed. But the prophet Isaiah says otherwise:


He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in

Isaiah 40:22

The truth of the Earth hanging on nothing is also written in the Bible.

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
    he suspends the earth over nothing.

Job 26:7

Even something as complicated as the hydraulic cycle is also written!

“He draws up the drops of water,
    which distill as rain to the streams[a];
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers fall on mankind.

Job 36:27-28

These seem impossible but they are only possible with a God who spoke the Word.

When it comes to prophecies, the Bible is unbeatable. All three hundred prophecies stored in its pages have been- wait for it- FULFILLED. Every single one of them. The possibility of two of them occurring is considered impossible but all three hundred?

Let's take a look at two major prophecies:

There was a period in time when the nation Israel did not exist. The Jews wandered from one place to another for 2000 years. With all the exiles and the turmoil the nation went thru, its people were forced to disband and settle all over the world. But according to the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord would not allow His people to be disbanded forever. He will gather them.

A man named Lord James Belford introduced the idea of rebuilding Israel as a nation first but the idea was scrapped during latter years. When Adolf Hitler rose to power, six million Jews died under his reign. World War II caused them to run for their lives and be separated more. However, at the end of the war, President Harry Truman of the United States declared that it was time for the Jews to return home.

In 1947, Israel was born.

It all took place in one day. Impossible?

Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen things like this?
Can a country be born in a day
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?

Isaiah 66:8a

The next major prophecy concerns the most controversial character of all time: JESUS.

There have been a number of prophecies concerning Jesus that have been fulfilled. Here are 8 of them:

- Him being born of a virgin
- being born in Bethlehem
- riding through Jerusalem in a donkey
- betrayed by Judas for thirty pieces of silver
- the same 30 pieces of silver thrown in the temple
- His crucifixion (Psalm 22)
- buried in a cave (Isaiah 53)
- His ressurection

The probability of one prophecy coming true in a man's life is already a big deal and quite the impossibility but the probability of eight? The chances are (in statistical terms)1 x 10 to the 17th power. 17  ZEROES! Imagine! It is unthinkable, unimaginable! Except God intervened. The Bible's prophetic nature testifies to its supernatural nature.

The

Unshakable: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

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In Every Suffering

by Daniel Carandang

written by Aggy Apolinario

“Ayaw ko na!”

“This is just all too much!”

Have you ever found yourself saying these words?

Experienced something that just made you breakdown and cry nonstop? Was it because of a failed grade, a family problem, or a broken heart? Did it cause you too much pain that you barely even handled? Did it make you want to give up?

We may all answer differently, but the bottom line is none of us wants to experience hardships and trials. Nobody would want to put him or herself in a painful situation.

But the reality is that no matter how much we want to avoid it, it happens.

At times, when bad things happen to “bad” people, we don’t usually care. We don’t even bat an eye when criminals are thrown into jail. But when it happens to good people, that’s when a magical question mark appears on our heads.

Then, we ask the question “WHY?”

Well, the truth is, bad things happen to all people, whether good or bad. We, all, experience sufferings, trials, and even tragedies for some.

This is one of the greatest challenges that Christians face everyday—explaining the problem of suffering.

Some people would ask, “How can a loving God allow suffering to continue in this world which He created?” And most often than not, this is what thrives atheists and skeptics to try and disprove God’s existence.

With God’s heart and word as a guide, let us answer these four questions:

Why is there suffering in this world?

Skeptics will try and say that God is a cruel and sadistic god for allowing suffering to exist in the world. But to say this, they need to know God’s reason and the depths of his mind, which is humanly impossible.

So, they keep on asking, “Why didn’t God create a world where suffering and tragedy didn’t exist?”

He did.

He did create a world where everything was exceedingly beautiful and great.

“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.”

Genesis 1:31

When God created man, he wanted us to experience love. But to experience it, he had to give us free will because in love, always comes a choice. It is always in our own prerogative to say yes or no. Sadly, we abused this free will and walked away from God.

Most of the time, people blame God for the suffering experienced in this world when in fact, our rebellion against Him ushered suffering in the perfect world He had made.

Do these disprove God’s existence, power, and character?

Most of the time, we judge God based on what we see around us. We tend to doubt Him when we face trials. But do these really disprove his existence?

The answer is an outright NO.

Think about this: would there be an iPad without Steve Jobs? Would there be a Microsoft without Bill Gates? Would there be a Disney without Walt Disney?

No, no, and no.

Can anything exist without a designer, an architect, or a creator?

NO.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

Romans 1:20

Oftentimes, we even doubt His power and character. We often underestimate Him because of the obstacles we face everyday. We keep on thinking to ourselves, “Is He really a God? Then why is this happening…. why is that happening?” And the complaining goes on and on.

But remember this, just because God chooses not to, doesn’t mean He can’t. Just like when He was before Pilate, he chose to die and be crucified instead of sending his legion of angels to His aid.

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.”

Isaiah 59:1

When we face trials and obstacles, we must trust that God has a reason. We may not be able to understand his ways at all times, but we can be sure of His character and ability for He does not change.

We must not judge who God is based on our circumstances, instead, we should judge our circumstances based on the truth of who God is.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows.”

James 1:13

Why do bad things happen to good people?

There may be a time in our lives when we have asked ourselves this question.

WHY?

The truth is that no one can completely know the answer to this, not even the valedictorians or summa cum laude.

But God tells us that every trial we face has a purpose. It does not just happen out of nothing.

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;"

1Peter 1:6-7

God is not a cruel and sadistic god. In fact, He is the exact opposite. He is a loving Father, and we can trust that He has a purpose for everything.

Although we cannot completely know the reason behind all of these, the bible, our very trustworthy guide, have given us some possible reasons why:

- to help us let go of sin

- to use us to bless & comfort others

- to discipline us out of love

- to test our faith

- to display His power & make Himself very real in our lives

- to draw us closer to Him

All the trials and sufferings that we have experienced in the past may have been difficult, but this should not discourage us. Instead, it should help us trust and depend on God more.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28

How do we deal with trials and sufferings?

- Discipline your mind.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.“

2Corinthians 10:5

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8

Everything we say, think, and do, we must align it all to the truth of God’s holy word. Whenever we feel discouraged and tempted, let us focus on God and His word. Let us keep in mind His never-ending love, and let us not dwell on our doubts.

- Surround yourself with godly people.

Like what the famous saying says, “no man is an island”. We need to look out for one another.

When other people experience suffering, it is our responsibility to minister them, to pray and care for them, and to comfort them. But although speaking of the truth about suffering is important, we should also not forget that oftentimes people who are discouraged and are experiencing trials do not need a Theological discussion. Sometimes, all they need is a warm hug and a shoulder to cry on.

At times, the people who are experiencing suffering just need our love and comfort, not a sound reminder of a biblical theology.

This is the reason why we should surround ourselves with godly people. This way, we may help each other out. We may draw each other closer to God, instead of pushing one another farther away.

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

- Spend time in God’s presence.

Of all the things we need, this is the one thing that is most important—our quality time with God.

When we have problems, and when we feel like everything’s just too much for us to handle, there is nothing else we need but peace—a peace that we can only find in God, and God alone.

In His presence, we are reminded of who He truly is, and how much He loves and care for us. That’s when we find peace, joy, and security.

It’s okay to ask Him why, to ask for His wisdom, but like with other people, we should do it with respect.

“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.”

Psalm 27:4

Every time you experience suffering, every time it feels just a little harder to handle, think of God, and remember that He has a purpose for everything.

Seek him in times of suffering because if there is anyone in this world who can completely understand what you are going through, it’s Him.

Remember that you serve a God who has lived in this earth and endured trauma, temptation, torture, hunger, thirst, persecution and even execution.

God completely understands how you’re feeling.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 34:18

And even though we cannot completely understand, let us trust Him for that’s the real answer to becoming victorious.

And when you come to a time where you once again doubt, remember how much God loves and cares for you.

And if you need proof, it is not the exemption from suffering.

It’s the cross where He died for you.

Check out the podcast here: http://www.mixcloud.com/ElevateAlabang/unshakable-week-3-daniel-carandang/