Prepare To Meet Thy God

"Behold I am coming as a thief, Blessed is he who watches......" (Revelation 16:15)

A warning for all people: One day each of us will meet God face to face to account for what we have done. This is the most important appointment of life!

I-We must meet God - God does not give empty warning! After death, judgment! We must give an account. No one will escape the final encounter with God. Jesus will look at how we have handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities. God will determine whether or not we have been faithful to His instructions. We must all appear before the judgment seat.

II-We must prepare to meet God - Some mistakenly feel they're ready. It is wrong to say that I am prepared because I am born of Christian nation, and Christian family. God teaches us these preparations:

1. PREPARE BY CONFESSING YOUR SINS. Repentance must come before a person can have true faith in Jesus Christ.

2. WE MUST DENOUNCE WORLD'S ATTRACTIVE SINFUL TEMPTATIONS AND HARMFUL ATTITUDES!

3. WE MUST NOT BE AFRAID TO TELL ABOUT CHRIST.

4.WE MUST ENDURE WITH OUR FAITH AND NOT BE SURPRISED BY PERSECUTUIONS.

5. WE MUST BE MORALLY ALERT!

6. WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD IN ALL AREAS OF LIFE.

7. WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE MOTIVATED TO SERVE GOD.

8. WE SHOULD STUDY GOD'S WORD.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages at Odiongan Baptist Church Incorporated Sunday Worship Service)

The Trials Of Life

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." James 1:2

When troubles come, don't resent them as intruder but welcome them as friends. We should view trouble as joy.

Four Kinds of Trials:

1. Trials of Place and Race - our world is a fallen place and we are fallen race that's why death and sickness plague many. Horrific accidents are all part of planet damaged by sin. In order to overcome this we must remember to accept trial without bitternes or blaming God. We must instead be strong. "When I am weak then I am strong." (1 Corinthians 12:7). If we recognize our weaknesses and limitations, then we will turn to God to seek ways to become strong and effective.

2. Trials of Temptations - It is the pull of man's evil thoughts and wishes. In order to resist, the answer is "worship only the Lord thy God and in Him only we shall serve." "Read the Bible because the power of God's Word is an indespensable ally. "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."

3. Trials of Identification - The world will hate you if you are identified as Christian. In order to overcome this trial, we should apply Biblical standards of righteousness wherever we are! We should commit righteousness and remain strong and have perseverance.

4. Trials of Discipline - If we commit sin God will discipline us. "Our Lord God disciplines us. He also punishes us." "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction: for whom the Lord loves He corrects." (Proverbs 3:11). But God's discipline is corrective. It comes with pain to alert us to get back on right track. Sickness and trials are God's discipline to return back to Him.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages at Odiongan Baptist Church Sunday Worship Service)

When Crisis Hits You

"In Him was life,and the life was the light of men." John 1:4

What the Bible says about Suicide and Euthanasia.

The Bible teaches preservation of life, not taking life. The sixth commandment tells us "thou shall not kill." The Bible prohibits planned, deliberate and intentional killing. There is no such thing in the Bible as "the right to die." Only God can decide life that is why abortion is prohibited. God's power should not be placed on our hands.

We don't have the right to take our lives when life becomes intolerable. Suicide and Euthanasia are not options for Christians..even in extreme pain and sickness which may seem impossible to bear. (Euthanasia means "good death.").Depressed people tend to commit suicide. Depression is a feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. Depressed people thinks that no one loves them anymore.

But God has a solution for this. God tells us to "Go and Worship Him" (Psalm 43:4) "I will go to the altar of God." We must not withdraw from Church because doing so will cut our lifeline with God. This is where the presence of encouraging Christian is crucial in order to help depressed people. Being a Christian, we must show our support by being present to the discouraged and depressed brother.

Touch The Father's Heart

What touches God's heart?

1. Obedience - Number one factor that touches God's heart is obedience. Half-way obedience won't do.

2. Repentance - While everybody sins, only those who confess gets forgiveness. Jesus said "return to me and I will return to you." God's reaction to confession is always forgiveness.

3. Wisdom - like King Solomon we must be wise in everything that God commanded us to do. In all our ways, we must acknowledge God and He will direct our paths.

4. Humility - Jesus showed us humility when He let John the baptist baptize Him.

5. Stewardship - We must be good and faithful stewards and servants of time, talent, our bodies, occupation and our faith. Time and talent even our bodies are not ours. Life is short therefore we must not waste it. Our bodies should be clean because we came out of this world clean therefore we return it to Him clean.

6. Worship - We must worship God in spirit and in truth. Put God first in everything we do.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Worship Messages at Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)

Be Generous

"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." 1 Timothy 6:18

If you give, God will give you blessings or fruits. Here are the fruits of generosity:

1. Generosity results in prosperity - "the law of sowing and reaping is true." In Christ, the giver receives and reaps abundantly. "He will give back more than what we gave." "Wealth is not measured by how much you have but by how much you enjoy what you have."

2. Generosity reaps blessings even to our children - to those who give freely, their children will be blessed. Children will reap what the father has planted.

3. Generosity stores heavenly treasures - "It is only on earth where we can lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven." This is eternal treasure. Generosity to people, to the Lord, and to the Lord's work means eternal treasure. Giving is a wonderful experience. Generous people aren't necessarily faithful to God but faithful people are always generous. As you bless others, you yourself are blessed. Give to God first, give Him the honor of having first claim on your time and your talents.

4. Generosity reaps goodness - If you do good, you reap good. You will get what you give away. You will get kindness if you give kindness.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages @ Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)

Uproot Worry (Part II)

" Love not the world, neither the things in the world." John 2:15-17

The sources of worry are:

4. Men pleasers- Whom are you trying to please? We worry too much in pleasing other people. Don't spend your time devising ways to please others in order to become accepted in the public eye. We don't have to please people at the expense of sacrificing relationship with God. We end up worrying because we will always run short of their expectations. It's beautiful if we please God and we also please people.

5. Excessive love for the world-Makes you worry. Why? Because you get too attached to things, to people, and to status and the fear of not having or losing them cause great worry! Yes, we love our dear ones: wife, children, but don't love anybody more than God.

6. Planting bad seeds- Drinking alcohol, practicing sexual immorality, and all evil-doings are bad seeds being planted in our lives. These are wrong which brings worry. If you have planted bad seeds your "conscience" will bother you! "What you sow, ye shall reap."

7. Playing God - Do not act like God. Do not assume the role of God. Do your best to protect yourself and your loved ones and leave the rest to God! Our needs are provided by God. We should not worry beyond what you can't do. We act like God by playing like healer, life-giver etc. Stop managing the planet and relax a little. We are not the Messiah. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding." Do not worry even about Living or Dying. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages @ Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)

Uproot Worry (Part I)

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6-7

One of the things that make us miserable and rob us of happiness is worry. We should get rid of worry because the Lord does not want us to be worriers.

The sources of worries are:

1. Lies and the exposure of lies - Liars are big worriers. They worry because they fear their lies will be exposed. Telling and propagating lies brings worry. Those who have more than one husband are worriers. Those who have more than one wife are worriers. The Lord wants us to live in truth. Truth shall set us free.

2. Greed or covetousness - Greedy people worry because they might not get what they want. We must not permit these things to happen because this will stain our dignity besides wants and luxuries in our life will not last forever. In having and always having and once you have it, then you keep and keep it until you worry. "Travel light and be happier."

3. Pride -High social status makes you worry. You cannot live well by guarding your honor and status symbol. Do not pretend that you are well off if you are not. We must be real because life is like a weather which is not the same yesterday, sometimes good sometimes bad. Our fortunes change like "shifting shadow." We must be practical in living. If you have none show that you have nothing! If we have borrowed small amount of comfort and glory, Praise God! As the song says:

"The things on earth will dim and lose their value
If we recall it's borrowed for a while
And the things of earth that cause my heart to tremble
Remember they will only bring a smile."

"This weary world with all its toil and struggle
May take its toil of misery and strife
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon
When it's released, its destined for the skies."

"But until then my heart will go on singing
Until then with joy I'll carry on
Until the day my eyes behold that city
Until the day God calls me home."

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages @ Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)

How To Overcome Sin

"He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray." Proverbs 10:17

Here are some tips in order to overcome sin:

1. Know and depend completely on God's Word-Search the Bible daily. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. By knowing and depending completely on God's Word, we avoid the sin of ignorance and self-reliance. Sin is transgression of God's law-knowingly or unknowingly. It is sinful to pronounce independence from God-completely or partly.

2. Believe God's goodness and generosity- people who break God's Word do not believe enough in God's goodness. Many people "partially" obey God. They obey God only in areas they agree. There is no such thing as 1/2 Christianity. A 1/2 Christian is a "non-sense christian." A partial obedience is still disobedience.

3. Trust God's commands as expressions of utmost love- God's commandments and laws are beautiful. We avoid sin by trusting God's command.

4. Do not experiment with sin-Do not experiment sin because before you know the damage have been done. Do not jump from the tallest building to prove the law of gravity. Do not touch the fire to know if it's hot!

5. Focus your desires on what is Godly and acceptable-whatsoever things are true and honest, think of these things. Ask if it is Godly or Ungodly. Is it the truth or not the truth? You cannot stop the birds from flying over your head-but you can stop them from nesting your hair. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

6. Follow God's warning- The Bible is a book full of warning. We must not neglect God's warning in order to be free from danger of falling into sin.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages @ Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)

When God Seems Late

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:21

The story of Martha, Mary and Lazarus in the book of John tells us that God is never late! Martha, Mary and Lazarus are brothers and sisters. Jesus is very close to them and they consider Him as their personal friend.

When Lazarus was sick, Martha and Mary informed Jesus. But Jesus was not able to come on time to heal Lazarus, instead Lazarus died. This made Martha blamed Jesus for being late.

Did God really abandoned Lazarus? Did he fail to come in Martha's hour of need? Or He was simply late? Sometimes in our lives, we asked God why we were abused, astray, etc. Did God let us down? Did He fail to come in our hour of need? Or His delay has a specific purpose?

One of the reasons for this is that we all live on schedules. We govern our lives by the clock...and we expect God to synchronize His watch with ours! God is not bound by time!

Then Jesus said to Martha- "Thy brother shall rise again." In this case, Martha's blaming was temporary or temporal comfort. When Jesus resurrected Lazarus, Jesus was thinking of eternal comfort. We are interested in benefits which are temporary. God may have forgotten our pain but it isn't so! Jesus told us "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." God is never late.

(From Rev. Teofilito A. Rufon's Messages @ Odiongan Baptist Church Inc.)