Hi dear Ya's! Thanks for posting! I wonder if there are others who have seen this blog already. Siiguro we should email blast this to all YA's no? Whatchathink? hmmm....
Friday, October 5, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
THE WATCHMAN
Ezekiel 3:17-21
(As spoken before the Vesper Congregation, Cosmopolitan Church on September 23, 2007 )
In the movie Spiderman, the main character said that great power comes with great responsibility. The dictionary defines power as the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively. It also means strength, force or might. Responsibility on the other hand is defined as a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible. Today, our main character Ezekiel will show us that a godly life is a life of power. He will also show us that anyone who receives the responsibility of a godly life, can change the destiny of a nation.
Ezekiel was a priest, the son of Buzi, and was in the land of Chaldea. Chaldea, in the early period was the name of a small territory in southern Babylonia. It extended along the northern and probably up to the western shores of the Persian gulf. When he was 30, at the prime of his young adult, he received his first vision and his call from God. As part of the priestly family, Ezekiel would have been eligible to begin his service as a priest. However, as an exile he would not be able to fulfill his priestly calling. Instead, God called him to be a prophet in Babylon.
In verse 17, God told him that he would be a watchman for the house of Israel. A watchman is someone who stood in the tower or on the walls or at the gates of the city and patrolled the streets. Besides protecting the city and its inhabitants from violence, he was required to call out the hours of the night. As a watchman, he was called to warn God’s people of incoming danger.
There are two roles of a watchman. The first one is to hear. The second part of verse 17 says “ so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me”. God tells Ezekiel that his role is to take the words of God and use them to warn the people.
Five years ago, I came to Cosmopolitan Church. I never knew anything about prophecies, or the power of prayer. I did pray but I did not know the kind of prayer that could usher in the power of God in my life. I used to sit in the back pew because I was the last one to come inside the church and the first one to go out. It was an obligation to go to church every Sunday and to pray every night. Everything was a routine.
But God’s call to me came in a strange way. He led me to the choir. I said strange because I don’t know how to sing. During my initial years with the choir, I was just opening my mouth and nothing was coming out. It took me almost four years to be able to sing confidently.
In those years of rigid training, God was not just shaping my voice; He was shaping my heart as well. I became involved with the other ministries of the church. I started attending different bible studies, the condensed world mission course, retreats and other prayer activities. I began to understand that just going to church every Sunday was not enough. Slowly God gave me the desire to grow in my faith. These activities and courses I attended opened my eyes to God’s Kingdom agenda. I realized that God’s Kingdom Agenda was not just about me. It was about His glory in my life and in the world. There is a big world out there waiting to hear the good news of salvation. I learned how to pray powerfully as God answered my prayers. I received prophecies, visions and revelations from the Lord. Though they used to sound weird and confusing, I saw how everything was being fulfilled as God’s plans unfolded in my life.
To be able to hear God’s voice, the heart must be prepared. When Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord, he fell on his face with all humility. He was ready to hear and ready to receive the Holy Spirit.
The second role of a watchman is not just to hear but also to speak. A watchman is called to speak both to the wicked and to the righteous. God expected the watchman to warn the wicked about their sins. If the watchman failed to do so he would be accountable in the eyes of God. The righteous man on the other hand should also be encouraged to continue to live in righteousness. Verse 20 says that when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, God will hold him accountable. Whether it was to speak to the wicked or to the righteous, what mattered was that Ezekiel could not rebuke people on his own. If you read further in verse 26 & 27, you will find out that Ezekiel’s mouth was closed. He could speak only when God put His words in Ezekiel’s mouth.
Last month, Pastor Chris asked me to preach in the Vesper Congregation on a youth Sunday. I thought she was joking. Why would they choose someone who never had a preaching experience? Speaking is something I never wanted to do. As a shy person I’d rather listen than speak, I’d rather read than speak. The mere thought of standing in front of people terrifies me. But God did not want me to stay that way. I could not remember if I said yes or no to the invitation, my mind went blank.
That Saturday night I had a prayer time with Pastor Bernie and she confirmed that the ministerial team was considering the CYF to speak in the morning services and the young adults in the afternoon services. She told me to pray for it. And just to make sure that it was for real I went to Pastor Bing and she confirmed that I would be the speaker.
God will not send me unprepared. I was invited to attend a preaching seminar with Pastor Bernie as the facilitator. She challenged us that if we feel we’re not ready to preach, when will we be ready? That day may never come. Those words rebuked me, it means I cannot say no to the invitation. After that seminar, my fear turned into excitement. Finally, God is opening my mouth and putting His words into it.
Ezekiel’s responsibility is to communicate the words of God. The purpose is to bring the exiles to a point of personal accountability for the destruction of Jerusalem and call them to repentance. As Christians, we are to communicate the words of God wherever we are and whenever God opens our mouth. It may be in our home, our school or in our workplace.
Yesterday, the Young Adults had a conference entitled Breaking Barriers, Breakthrough part 2. And it focused on workplace ministry. Workplace ministry is an intentional focus of equipping men and women in all spheres of work and society to understand and experience their work and life as a holy calling form God. We learned the two models – Jesus and Paul’s model in the workplace transformation ministry. It was encouraging to hear testimonies of workplace ministers.
Remember that we are accountable to God for both the wicked and the righteous. We should not be afraid because it is God who will put the words in our mouth.
Ezekiel ends with hope. The final chapters show a New Jerusalem rising from the ruins of the old. The book concludes the whole concept of God’s glory as it dwells in Israel. Ezekiel’s last verse says it all: “and the name of the city from that time of will be: “THE LORD IS HERE”. Indeed, this watchman heard God and spoke His words to the people. By listening to God and proclaiming His will, led his nation to their glorious future.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Let us all be excited. God wants us to see the glorious future. This is why God is raising up Ezekiels in our time. God is raising up modern watchmen and watchwomen – men and women who will hear God and speak the transforming power of His word.
Lets pray. O Lord, the trumpet has blown both to the wicked and to the righteous. Move our hearts to live godly lives. May we be able to hear and speak your words. I say a special prayer for the young adults of this congregation, push them from the crowd to the core that they may also receive and experience the abundance of your blessing, the might of your power and the greatness of our love and faithfulness.
All for Christ’s Glory, in whose name we pray. Amen.
(As spoken before the Vesper Congregation, Cosmopolitan Church on September 23, 2007 )
In the movie Spiderman, the main character said that great power comes with great responsibility. The dictionary defines power as the ability or capacity to perform or act effectively. It also means strength, force or might. Responsibility on the other hand is defined as a particular burden of obligation upon one who is responsible. Today, our main character Ezekiel will show us that a godly life is a life of power. He will also show us that anyone who receives the responsibility of a godly life, can change the destiny of a nation.
Ezekiel was a priest, the son of Buzi, and was in the land of Chaldea. Chaldea, in the early period was the name of a small territory in southern Babylonia. It extended along the northern and probably up to the western shores of the Persian gulf. When he was 30, at the prime of his young adult, he received his first vision and his call from God. As part of the priestly family, Ezekiel would have been eligible to begin his service as a priest. However, as an exile he would not be able to fulfill his priestly calling. Instead, God called him to be a prophet in Babylon.
In verse 17, God told him that he would be a watchman for the house of Israel. A watchman is someone who stood in the tower or on the walls or at the gates of the city and patrolled the streets. Besides protecting the city and its inhabitants from violence, he was required to call out the hours of the night. As a watchman, he was called to warn God’s people of incoming danger.
There are two roles of a watchman. The first one is to hear. The second part of verse 17 says “ so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me”. God tells Ezekiel that his role is to take the words of God and use them to warn the people.
Five years ago, I came to Cosmopolitan Church. I never knew anything about prophecies, or the power of prayer. I did pray but I did not know the kind of prayer that could usher in the power of God in my life. I used to sit in the back pew because I was the last one to come inside the church and the first one to go out. It was an obligation to go to church every Sunday and to pray every night. Everything was a routine.
But God’s call to me came in a strange way. He led me to the choir. I said strange because I don’t know how to sing. During my initial years with the choir, I was just opening my mouth and nothing was coming out. It took me almost four years to be able to sing confidently.
In those years of rigid training, God was not just shaping my voice; He was shaping my heart as well. I became involved with the other ministries of the church. I started attending different bible studies, the condensed world mission course, retreats and other prayer activities. I began to understand that just going to church every Sunday was not enough. Slowly God gave me the desire to grow in my faith. These activities and courses I attended opened my eyes to God’s Kingdom agenda. I realized that God’s Kingdom Agenda was not just about me. It was about His glory in my life and in the world. There is a big world out there waiting to hear the good news of salvation. I learned how to pray powerfully as God answered my prayers. I received prophecies, visions and revelations from the Lord. Though they used to sound weird and confusing, I saw how everything was being fulfilled as God’s plans unfolded in my life.
To be able to hear God’s voice, the heart must be prepared. When Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord, he fell on his face with all humility. He was ready to hear and ready to receive the Holy Spirit.
The second role of a watchman is not just to hear but also to speak. A watchman is called to speak both to the wicked and to the righteous. God expected the watchman to warn the wicked about their sins. If the watchman failed to do so he would be accountable in the eyes of God. The righteous man on the other hand should also be encouraged to continue to live in righteousness. Verse 20 says that when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, God will hold him accountable. Whether it was to speak to the wicked or to the righteous, what mattered was that Ezekiel could not rebuke people on his own. If you read further in verse 26 & 27, you will find out that Ezekiel’s mouth was closed. He could speak only when God put His words in Ezekiel’s mouth.
Last month, Pastor Chris asked me to preach in the Vesper Congregation on a youth Sunday. I thought she was joking. Why would they choose someone who never had a preaching experience? Speaking is something I never wanted to do. As a shy person I’d rather listen than speak, I’d rather read than speak. The mere thought of standing in front of people terrifies me. But God did not want me to stay that way. I could not remember if I said yes or no to the invitation, my mind went blank.
That Saturday night I had a prayer time with Pastor Bernie and she confirmed that the ministerial team was considering the CYF to speak in the morning services and the young adults in the afternoon services. She told me to pray for it. And just to make sure that it was for real I went to Pastor Bing and she confirmed that I would be the speaker.
God will not send me unprepared. I was invited to attend a preaching seminar with Pastor Bernie as the facilitator. She challenged us that if we feel we’re not ready to preach, when will we be ready? That day may never come. Those words rebuked me, it means I cannot say no to the invitation. After that seminar, my fear turned into excitement. Finally, God is opening my mouth and putting His words into it.
Ezekiel’s responsibility is to communicate the words of God. The purpose is to bring the exiles to a point of personal accountability for the destruction of Jerusalem and call them to repentance. As Christians, we are to communicate the words of God wherever we are and whenever God opens our mouth. It may be in our home, our school or in our workplace.
Yesterday, the Young Adults had a conference entitled Breaking Barriers, Breakthrough part 2. And it focused on workplace ministry. Workplace ministry is an intentional focus of equipping men and women in all spheres of work and society to understand and experience their work and life as a holy calling form God. We learned the two models – Jesus and Paul’s model in the workplace transformation ministry. It was encouraging to hear testimonies of workplace ministers.
Remember that we are accountable to God for both the wicked and the righteous. We should not be afraid because it is God who will put the words in our mouth.
Ezekiel ends with hope. The final chapters show a New Jerusalem rising from the ruins of the old. The book concludes the whole concept of God’s glory as it dwells in Israel. Ezekiel’s last verse says it all: “and the name of the city from that time of will be: “THE LORD IS HERE”. Indeed, this watchman heard God and spoke His words to the people. By listening to God and proclaiming His will, led his nation to their glorious future.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, Let us all be excited. God wants us to see the glorious future. This is why God is raising up Ezekiels in our time. God is raising up modern watchmen and watchwomen – men and women who will hear God and speak the transforming power of His word.
Lets pray. O Lord, the trumpet has blown both to the wicked and to the righteous. Move our hearts to live godly lives. May we be able to hear and speak your words. I say a special prayer for the young adults of this congregation, push them from the crowd to the core that they may also receive and experience the abundance of your blessing, the might of your power and the greatness of our love and faithfulness.
All for Christ’s Glory, in whose name we pray. Amen.
PROPHECY
On July 22, 2006, the first Breakthrough of the young adults of Cosmopolitan Church took place. I received this prophecy….
The Lord is saying, “You are a Daniel – you will be known for your prayers. Just like Daniel, I will make known to many your achievements and brilliance. I am raising you up to be great in your generation. I will bring you to a position of honor. You will lead movement that will change the world! Receive my anointing!”
I did not understand it then. I only knew Daniel as the man who was spared from the Lion’s den. At that time I was the elected president of the Vesper Young Adults, a newly formed YA group, and all I did was to attend bible studies (Thursday Group & Sunday Vesper YA). I don’t know of any roles or duties that I must do.
The series of YA events (Impact, Breakthrough and Full Force) gave me an opportunity to meet other young adults of this church. I shared with their vision, prayed and worked with them. Little did I know that this was the start of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Just this year, I became the vice chairman of the Young Adults Coordinating Council. I am surprised to see myself in the front line; this is something I never did before.
Daniel was a prophet who has gift of visions and interpretation of dreams. This gift has been made known to many, and one of the reasons why he rose to the position of prime minister of Babylon. God truly honors those who are faithful to Him.
God is not done with me yet. I’m still His work-in-progress. I welcome the changes he is doing in my life. Indeed, he will make me a Daniel…I receive the Anointing!
September 22, 2007 – the second breakthrough come about. And I received this prophecy…
“The Lord wants you to master your emotions because these can deceive you. Do not allow it to take control of you. Let God’s power be your strength over anxieties and worries so that you will see and be able to respond to God’s perfect plans and purposes in your life”
I’ve been struggling with my emotions; somehow it has taken control of me and has affected my decisions. But thanks be to God that He want me to be free from deception of my feelings, worries and anxieties. My growth pains will soon come to pass. I will master my emotions by God’s grace.
by Maurice Carillo
The Lord is saying, “You are a Daniel – you will be known for your prayers. Just like Daniel, I will make known to many your achievements and brilliance. I am raising you up to be great in your generation. I will bring you to a position of honor. You will lead movement that will change the world! Receive my anointing!”
I did not understand it then. I only knew Daniel as the man who was spared from the Lion’s den. At that time I was the elected president of the Vesper Young Adults, a newly formed YA group, and all I did was to attend bible studies (Thursday Group & Sunday Vesper YA). I don’t know of any roles or duties that I must do.
The series of YA events (Impact, Breakthrough and Full Force) gave me an opportunity to meet other young adults of this church. I shared with their vision, prayed and worked with them. Little did I know that this was the start of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Just this year, I became the vice chairman of the Young Adults Coordinating Council. I am surprised to see myself in the front line; this is something I never did before.
Daniel was a prophet who has gift of visions and interpretation of dreams. This gift has been made known to many, and one of the reasons why he rose to the position of prime minister of Babylon. God truly honors those who are faithful to Him.
God is not done with me yet. I’m still His work-in-progress. I welcome the changes he is doing in my life. Indeed, he will make me a Daniel…I receive the Anointing!
September 22, 2007 – the second breakthrough come about. And I received this prophecy…
“The Lord wants you to master your emotions because these can deceive you. Do not allow it to take control of you. Let God’s power be your strength over anxieties and worries so that you will see and be able to respond to God’s perfect plans and purposes in your life”
I’ve been struggling with my emotions; somehow it has taken control of me and has affected my decisions. But thanks be to God that He want me to be free from deception of my feelings, worries and anxieties. My growth pains will soon come to pass. I will master my emotions by God’s grace.
by Maurice Carillo
Thursday, September 27, 2007
BEFORE BREAKTHROUGH
God speaks to us in so many ways. In the past couple of years, He has been gently leading me to a new ministry. In the past couple of months, the gentle leading became an persistent call that I can't ignore anymore.
Here is one example of how God showed me that I am called to serve.... right now. Whilst doing my usual blog-hopiing, this article just struck me. Amazingly, Ptr Cris quoted some of the stories and points duirng her message. Originallly posted in my multiply, tabulas and friendster blogs last September 4 (http://taritsleseratte.multiply.com).
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me.” Ezekiel 22:30
MINISTRY AT WORK
Penny Schlaf Musco
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/julaug/9.54.html
Jose Zeilstra grew up in a church that focused on sending people oversees to share the gospel. "The feeling was if you're a true Christian, you go into full-time ministry; the business world wasn't a place for real believers," she says. Jose admits she rebelled against this mindset, eventually reaching the position of vice president at J.P. Morgan Chase. But it wasn't until she read Roaring Lambs by Bob Briner, a book in which Briner argues that Christians should be salt and light in all arenas of life, that she finally realized her career was a legitimate calling from God. "The first time I spoke publicly about my faith was for Fortune magazine," she says. "In the business world, it doesn't get more public than that." She connects her two worlds by attending and speaking at Bible studies and workplace seminars in Manhattan, as well as meeting regularly with a Christian mentor and a group of spiritually like-minded CEOs.
Angie Tracey's revelation came at a women's event. "I'd seen the value of the National Prayer Breakfast and other prayer gatherings when I worked in Washington, D.C. So when I started working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, I felt strongly that our agency could benefit from having similar meetings. I immediately started praying God would bring someone to lead them." Then, while at a women's conference, the Holy Spirit told Angie she was that leader.
"I was going to send an e-mail inviting our employees to a breakfast or lunch," says Angie. "I thought maybe I'd have 10 or 15 people respond, 20 if I was truly blessed." She quickly discovered that to use the CDC's e-mail system for this kind of solicitation, she had to establish an employee association. So Angie tackled the detailed forms and the bureaucratic layers typical of an agency with nearly 10,000 employees in 10 states. She prayed every step of the way, and to her amazement, what should have taken a year took two weeks start to finish. The first ever official Christian employee association in the federal government was born.
Within hours of approval, Angie received more than 200 e-mails and phone calls. Six days later, planes crashed into the World Trade Center. She believes God was preparing the agency to handle the extra stress from 9/11 and the war on terror. The first meeting attracted 225 employees; now the CDC Christian Fellowship Group has more than 500 members.
Jose and Angie would be the first to say they're not doing anything special. They've realized they don't have to separate their faith from their vocation; they're missionaries right where they are.
Everything Old Is New Again
Bringing God to work is often referred to as workplace or worklife ministry. Os Hillman, director of the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries, defines it as "an intentional focus on equipping men and women in all spheres of work and society to understand and experience their work and life as a holy calling from God." Os points out that Jesus spent the majority of his life as a carpenter, not as a preacher; 122 of Jesus' 132 public appearances were in the marketplace, and 45 of the 52 parables are set in a work environment.
Jesus spent the majority of his life as a carpenter, not as a preacher.
Dr. Bob Reccord, former president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and author of Made to Count: Discovering What to Do With Your Life, indicates that although the Hebrew word avodah is the root word of both work and worship, the Reformation effectively separated the world into two classes: secular and sacred. This split led to what Os sees as a "hierarchy of calling" within the church: "We said the most spiritual vocation is the pastor, then the missionary, then the full-time Christian worker, and then the stay-at-home mom, and way down at the bottom is the ad agency executive or the nurse. It's often an unspoken hierarchy, but it's there."
But when you read the Scriptures, you never find culture referred to as secular and sacred. "God literally intended for everything to have a sacred touch," says Bob. So while he doesn't intend to diminish the importance of pastors and missionaries, he seeks to raise the church's view of the calling to workplace ministries.
Preach Not
The path from vision for workplace ministry to concrete action isn't always clear. As Jack Munday of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association emphasizes, "We're not encouraging people to go to work on Monday and start preaching." Instead, he says Christians must change the way we view our job, to see it not only as the place where we make our living, but where we consciously live out eternal values. That kind of perspective, he insists, can't help but positively impact the people with whom we spend the majority of our time.
"We hear a lot about the church's involvement in city transformation today, but we've not seen one city transformed in America," says Os Hillman. "The reason is that we haven't equipped, empowered, and affirmed those in the marketplace who have the ability and authority to make changes in the cities and in our culture." If there's going to be real revival in the nation, he believes it will come through Christians purposefully bringing their faith into this "9-to-5 window."
Linda Rios Brooks couldn't agree more. She's the author of Frontline Christians in a Bottom Line World and president of the Lakeland Leadership League, which, among other things, ministers to the Colorado Springs community by providing affordable housing. "The kingdom is going to advance through commerce, science, the arts, and education," she says. "If all we ever tell people is that to be really holy you've got to have a job in the church, we're going to continue to forfeit our influence in those areas."
Angie knows how tough it can be to balance working for her earthly bosses and for the heavenly Boss. After a few employees took issue with her Christian fellowship group, the CDC reexamined the separation of church and state issues involved. "That's when I had to become quite an expert on the matter," she laughs. Her favorite tool is a set of guidelines released by the Clinton administration on respecting religious practices within the federal workplace. "It's amazing how much we employees can do and how little we Christians know about it," she says.
"Most groups are well aware that you can't force your religion on another employee," Angie adds. "As Christians, we wouldn't want to do that." Case in point: At the CDC, an atheist employee sent her a "venomous" e-mail blasting the Christian fellowship group. After much prayer, Angie replied graciously, addressing the legal concerns, and the woman backed off. About a month later, the woman sent her another e-mail: "'I thought you might want to know I was visiting one of our facilities and the Christian Fellowship Group there was having their Christmas party. I went for the first time, sang Christmas carols, and thought of you.'"
Like any good businesswoman, Angie keeps her eye on the bottom line: "I believe God equips us with certain skills to do the kind of job he has for us to do for society. But I also believe that as Christians we're ambassadors for the kingdom of God, and that's our job too."
Here is one example of how God showed me that I am called to serve.... right now. Whilst doing my usual blog-hopiing, this article just struck me. Amazingly, Ptr Cris quoted some of the stories and points duirng her message. Originallly posted in my multiply, tabulas and friendster blogs last September 4 (http://taritsleseratte.multiply.com).
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me.” Ezekiel 22:30
MINISTRY AT WORK
Penny Schlaf Musco
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2007/julaug/9.54.html
Jose Zeilstra grew up in a church that focused on sending people oversees to share the gospel. "The feeling was if you're a true Christian, you go into full-time ministry; the business world wasn't a place for real believers," she says. Jose admits she rebelled against this mindset, eventually reaching the position of vice president at J.P. Morgan Chase. But it wasn't until she read Roaring Lambs by Bob Briner, a book in which Briner argues that Christians should be salt and light in all arenas of life, that she finally realized her career was a legitimate calling from God. "The first time I spoke publicly about my faith was for Fortune magazine," she says. "In the business world, it doesn't get more public than that." She connects her two worlds by attending and speaking at Bible studies and workplace seminars in Manhattan, as well as meeting regularly with a Christian mentor and a group of spiritually like-minded CEOs.
Angie Tracey's revelation came at a women's event. "I'd seen the value of the National Prayer Breakfast and other prayer gatherings when I worked in Washington, D.C. So when I started working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, I felt strongly that our agency could benefit from having similar meetings. I immediately started praying God would bring someone to lead them." Then, while at a women's conference, the Holy Spirit told Angie she was that leader.
"I was going to send an e-mail inviting our employees to a breakfast or lunch," says Angie. "I thought maybe I'd have 10 or 15 people respond, 20 if I was truly blessed." She quickly discovered that to use the CDC's e-mail system for this kind of solicitation, she had to establish an employee association. So Angie tackled the detailed forms and the bureaucratic layers typical of an agency with nearly 10,000 employees in 10 states. She prayed every step of the way, and to her amazement, what should have taken a year took two weeks start to finish. The first ever official Christian employee association in the federal government was born.
Within hours of approval, Angie received more than 200 e-mails and phone calls. Six days later, planes crashed into the World Trade Center. She believes God was preparing the agency to handle the extra stress from 9/11 and the war on terror. The first meeting attracted 225 employees; now the CDC Christian Fellowship Group has more than 500 members.
Jose and Angie would be the first to say they're not doing anything special. They've realized they don't have to separate their faith from their vocation; they're missionaries right where they are.
Everything Old Is New Again
Bringing God to work is often referred to as workplace or worklife ministry. Os Hillman, director of the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries, defines it as "an intentional focus on equipping men and women in all spheres of work and society to understand and experience their work and life as a holy calling from God." Os points out that Jesus spent the majority of his life as a carpenter, not as a preacher; 122 of Jesus' 132 public appearances were in the marketplace, and 45 of the 52 parables are set in a work environment.
Jesus spent the majority of his life as a carpenter, not as a preacher.
Dr. Bob Reccord, former president of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and author of Made to Count: Discovering What to Do With Your Life, indicates that although the Hebrew word avodah is the root word of both work and worship, the Reformation effectively separated the world into two classes: secular and sacred. This split led to what Os sees as a "hierarchy of calling" within the church: "We said the most spiritual vocation is the pastor, then the missionary, then the full-time Christian worker, and then the stay-at-home mom, and way down at the bottom is the ad agency executive or the nurse. It's often an unspoken hierarchy, but it's there."
But when you read the Scriptures, you never find culture referred to as secular and sacred. "God literally intended for everything to have a sacred touch," says Bob. So while he doesn't intend to diminish the importance of pastors and missionaries, he seeks to raise the church's view of the calling to workplace ministries.
Preach Not
The path from vision for workplace ministry to concrete action isn't always clear. As Jack Munday of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association emphasizes, "We're not encouraging people to go to work on Monday and start preaching." Instead, he says Christians must change the way we view our job, to see it not only as the place where we make our living, but where we consciously live out eternal values. That kind of perspective, he insists, can't help but positively impact the people with whom we spend the majority of our time.
"We hear a lot about the church's involvement in city transformation today, but we've not seen one city transformed in America," says Os Hillman. "The reason is that we haven't equipped, empowered, and affirmed those in the marketplace who have the ability and authority to make changes in the cities and in our culture." If there's going to be real revival in the nation, he believes it will come through Christians purposefully bringing their faith into this "9-to-5 window."
Linda Rios Brooks couldn't agree more. She's the author of Frontline Christians in a Bottom Line World and president of the Lakeland Leadership League, which, among other things, ministers to the Colorado Springs community by providing affordable housing. "The kingdom is going to advance through commerce, science, the arts, and education," she says. "If all we ever tell people is that to be really holy you've got to have a job in the church, we're going to continue to forfeit our influence in those areas."
Angie knows how tough it can be to balance working for her earthly bosses and for the heavenly Boss. After a few employees took issue with her Christian fellowship group, the CDC reexamined the separation of church and state issues involved. "That's when I had to become quite an expert on the matter," she laughs. Her favorite tool is a set of guidelines released by the Clinton administration on respecting religious practices within the federal workplace. "It's amazing how much we employees can do and how little we Christians know about it," she says.
"Most groups are well aware that you can't force your religion on another employee," Angie adds. "As Christians, we wouldn't want to do that." Case in point: At the CDC, an atheist employee sent her a "venomous" e-mail blasting the Christian fellowship group. After much prayer, Angie replied graciously, addressing the legal concerns, and the woman backed off. About a month later, the woman sent her another e-mail: "'I thought you might want to know I was visiting one of our facilities and the Christian Fellowship Group there was having their Christmas party. I went for the first time, sang Christmas carols, and thought of you.'"
Like any good businesswoman, Angie keeps her eye on the bottom line: "I believe God equips us with certain skills to do the kind of job he has for us to do for society. But I also believe that as Christians we're ambassadors for the kingdom of God, and that's our job too."
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Starbucks tumbler still up for grabs!! hehe
Post by Charms Ü
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All praises and glory be to the name of Jesus Christ! Amen! Ü
I just wonder... Are Starbucks tumblers no longer appealing to the YA's? hehe... Anyway, I'm just posting this to set the ball rolling. ;-) The tumbler prize is still good. Post your blogs now! Ü
This is actually a recycled blog from one of my sites, hope no one would mind. hehe...
One of the very popular accounts in the Bible goes back to the time Noah when the Lord displayed a beautiful rainbow and said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth." (Genesis 9:17)
I was taught in my science class during my grade school days that a rainbow is a result of the reflection and/or refraction of the sun's rays whenever it strike the droplets of water in the atmosphere.
More than the scientific explanation, I have always believed that rainbows are among God's ways of communicating His assurance and comfort. Let me share with you three amateur photos of rainbows that I took on different ocassions, and from different places. Each time that they appear, I know that It was God telling me that everything is going to be ok because He is with me and He is in control. Praise be to God!
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This one was taken at the Niagara Falls in Toronto, Canada. I was so amazed by the power of the falls and also for realizing how truly wonderful are God's creations. During these times, I was having nervous fits becuase the immigration in these countries are not very friendly and that each time we would cross the boarder from US to Canada or going in and out of each state, I was afraid that their unfriendliness might choose to attack me. But praise God, after the first incident in Seattle, everything went smoothly in all points of entries.
I was taught in my science class during my grade school days that a rainbow is a result of the reflection and/or refraction of the sun's rays whenever it strike the droplets of water in the atmosphere.
More than the scientific explanation, I have always believed that rainbows are among God's ways of communicating His assurance and comfort. Let me share with you three amateur photos of rainbows that I took on different ocassions, and from different places. Each time that they appear, I know that It was God telling me that everything is going to be ok because He is with me and He is in control. Praise be to God!
.jpg)
This one was taken at the Niagara Falls in Toronto, Canada. I was so amazed by the power of the falls and also for realizing how truly wonderful are God's creations. During these times, I was having nervous fits becuase the immigration in these countries are not very friendly and that each time we would cross the boarder from US to Canada or going in and out of each state, I was afraid that their unfriendliness might choose to attack me. But praise God, after the first incident in Seattle, everything went smoothly in all points of entries..jpg)
I was walking toward the tryc terminal station in our subdivision at Sta. Rosa, Laguna one early saturday morning and I was in awe when I saw this beautiful rainbow that stretched from one end of the horizon right to the other extreme end. It was the most perfectly shaped and brightly colored rainbow I ever saw. I was up and awake that early because that day was Aileen's birthday and we were all going with her to do volunteer work for Gawad Kalinga the entire day. I really felt assured and very glad when I saw this beautiful creation of God in the sky. I know that it was just the Lord's way of sending His blessings and approval. Ü
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And finally, this one was taken just this afternoon (friday, Sept 21, 2007). I was about to ride the bus going to church along Ayala Ave, when this very pretty rainbow caught my eyes. I had this giddy and happy feeling within me and felt the Lord painting His assurance through the colors of this rainbow. In a few hours from now, the YA's of Cosmopolitan Church are holding their first Prayer Fellowship for 2007. I believe with all of my heart that the Lord is doing something to really raise up a Godly generation and I am praying that the wind of His Holy Spirit will always be upon us, the youth, and the children - that we may be His instruments for raising up and being part of this Godly generation. That Jesus Christ may be glorified and our spiritual mentors may likewise praise God more because of this Godly occurence and promise.
All praises and glory be to the name of Jesus Christ! Amen! ÜAnd finally, this one was taken just this afternoon. I was about to ride the bus going to church along Ayala Ave, when this very pretty rainbow caught my eyes. I had this giddy and happy feeling within me and felt the Lord painting His assurance through the colors of this rainbow. In a few hours from now, the YA's of Cosmopolitan Church are holding their first Prayer Fellowship for 2007. I believe with all of my heart that the Lord is doing something to really raise up a Godly generation and I am praying that the wind of His Holy Spirit will always be upon us, the youth, and the children - that we may be His instruments for raising up and being part of this Godly generation. That Jesus Christ may be glorified and our spiritual mentors may likewise praise God more because of this Godly occurence and promise.
.jpg)
And finally, this one was taken just this afternoon (friday, Sept 21, 2007). I was about to ride the bus going to church along Ayala Ave, when this very pretty rainbow caught my eyes. I had this giddy and happy feeling within me and felt the Lord painting His assurance through the colors of this rainbow. In a few hours from now, the YA's of Cosmopolitan Church are holding their first Prayer Fellowship for 2007. I believe with all of my heart that the Lord is doing something to really raise up a Godly generation and I am praying that the wind of His Holy Spirit will always be upon us, the youth, and the children - that we may be His instruments for raising up and being part of this Godly generation. That Jesus Christ may be glorified and our spiritual mentors may likewise praise God more because of this Godly occurence and promise.All praises and glory be to the name of Jesus Christ! Amen! ÜAnd finally, this one was taken just this afternoon. I was about to ride the bus going to church along Ayala Ave, when this very pretty rainbow caught my eyes. I had this giddy and happy feeling within me and felt the Lord painting His assurance through the colors of this rainbow. In a few hours from now, the YA's of Cosmopolitan Church are holding their first Prayer Fellowship for 2007. I believe with all of my heart that the Lord is doing something to really raise up a Godly generation and I am praying that the wind of His Holy Spirit will always be upon us, the youth, and the children - that we may be His instruments for raising up and being part of this Godly generation. That Jesus Christ may be glorified and our spiritual mentors may likewise praise God more because of this Godly occurence and promise.
All praises and glory be to the name of Jesus Christ! Amen! Ü
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