Made New in Christ

Always been proud with our Umma's ability
to sustain and support our every need.
She's my superwoman! :)

I know my mom and dad raised us the best way they can. I may not remember the memories too well but seeing who I am now, I am beyond grateful that they took care of us with all their love. In my childhood, I have a memory hearing and studying the words “Jesus”, “Religion” and “Christianity” in school but seldom spoken at home. Nonetheless, we are happy as a family and for me as long as we are together; everything is going to be okay. We believe that God exists, we pray, we thank Him for the blessings but that was all. It never crossed my mind the importance “Jesus” is because no one told me. Until the day came when my parents had decided to separate lives and eventually parted ways. And, everything has since changed. It was heart-breaking for me and my younger sister--to see them often fighting, having a misunderstanding and even shouting at each other. I used to think that this was not supposed to happen; used to ask, “What went wrong?”, “Why, among millions of parents, mine has chosen to break apart?”. But over time, we overcame the hardship. However, steadily, fear, emptiness and bombardment of questions crept into me. The most frequent was, ‘WHY?’. This one shattered relationship, just one, I must say, entirely changed the way I see and treat life.

Years had passed and along the way, I met a lot of kinds of people that taught me remarkable things, most of which challenged, strengthened and shaped me. I excelled in my academics and I enjoyed studying and joining different competitions. Yet a time went by when circumstances made me think that without me doing the good stuffs and works for the people surrounding me, they can’t go that far. Then, it clicked in my mind that I was actually the one who went too far. I was too focused on myself, in my achievements and the recognition that I received and whenever I do something 'essential' and 'good' for them. I always thanked God for everything but one thing was for sure during those points in time, God was never real in my life. In spite of those grateful years, emptiness lingered still deep inside my heart and I just couldn't fill it. My happiness was always temporary and I was a contentment seeker. 

So far, all of these achievements and happenings were significant moments for me not until 4th year in high school. My best friend invited me to attend on a Sunday service in their church and since I’d got nothing to do, I went with her. At this instance, I certainly knew an exceptional moment just happened to me—God intervened in my life. There, I had my very first encounter with God. From that day onwards, God continued showing Himself to me. On the contrary, my obedience and submission to God was only partial. The most unforgettable moment was my UPCAT days because after 8 full years, I was able to see my dad again but I was so mad at him knowing that he wasn't able to fight for us with my thought hanging ‘don’t he love us? If he does, he should have done more.’ I couldn't forgive my dad. I was always been so jealous to those who have a complete family.

Photo from google. Credit to the owner.

I entered college in UP Los Banos with excitement but at the same time with a frightened heart. While I had a room for adjustment as a college student, the subjects were tough and I was dumbfounded by them. Also, I couldn't endure being too far away from my siblings. When my Mom left us to work in abroad, I learned how to be responsible to my siblings and be independent. Being the eldest and growing up fatherless, I matured early due to circumstances. Yet, college is way too different. This stage of my life made me cry countless times and I realized that I am never good enough, especially in math; that there are hundreds of people better than me in the field that I actually do best. 

One day, I woke up hopeless and desperately wanting to give up which later led me to a decision to just attend a youth service in Victory. A real and heart-bolting encounter with His presence and it made all sense and clear to me, this time. He isn't just a person, He is the Person. And when He came for me and rescued me, my inner self stood and slowly died in silence. He called me by name, my mind and heart couldn't fathom to process it all at once—that there is Someone up there who cares so much for me and knows exactly what I am going through. That every second of my life is counted by Him and His love towards me is so intense that He sacrificed His One and Only Son just so I might have an eternal life. That all of my sins were forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ to whom in my place was condemned by the world and was crucified on the Cross 2,000 years ago. As I was among the crowd listening to this overwhelming Truth that night on 2012, month of July, I just knew that God, our powerful and heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe and my very flesh revealed Himself and showed me that true love is not earned but is freely given. I stood in awe knowing that all I have to do is to believe in Jesus, the Instigator for my sins and accept Him as my Lord and Savior. That night onwards, I have never been the same again. I finally found a purpose worth living for and understood that God put me at the perfect place in His perfect timing where He really intended me to be. 

Photo Credits to Victory LB Youth

Source: justpsuche.tumblr.com

Then, for the very first time, I understood why Math 17 has to be so hard for me. It was God’s way so that I might respond to Him. It indeed worked. Very uniquely, very thoughtfully planned.  

On 23rd of February, year 2013 I have decided to follow Jesus and publicly declared that I put my faith in Him alone. It was the best day of my life because I am a new creation; I am born again freed from bondage to my old self of self-centeredness, pride, un-forgiveness, selfish egos and desires, the-‘me-versus-the-world’ and ‘all-knowing-me’ attitudes. I surrendered my life to Him allowing Him to use me for the advancement of His Kingdom, laid all of my burdens and worries knowing that He knows what are best for me. Finally, I was able to fully forgive my dad for leaving us. Certainly, in Christ there is a real freedom. I am forever thankful for God pursued, pursued again and never gave up on me.

Receiving his salvation was the most precious gift that I have ever received and Jesus will always be my greatest reward. His intervention in my life was not merely significant, because it goes beyond that, it’s the most substantial and superb.

Fruitcake and Icecream

This is basically a summary of the important points Pastor Louie Giglio highlighted when he preached how significant it is to share the Gospel or let's say how to live in a Christ like-image and as a reflection of Jesus, without others saying about you that you are one of those Christians that seem to have no Jesus inside them.

I do not know but this particular preaching hit me right through my heart. More than any time of my life, I sense the urgency to spread God's Word; to help the lost and wandering people to receive Jesus in their life and to have the salvation God stored for them more than anything else in this world. The passion is raging inside me, desperately wanting to be heard and longing to be used by GOD to share His good news especially for those who have no purpose in their lives yet. The fire has started igniting in me and I can't help but to lighten up other's soul and heart also through the ignition that God is working in my life over the years of my walk with Him. 

Louie Giglio is the pastor of Passion City Church,
located in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a public speaker, author,
and the founder of the Passion Movement.

My utmost thankfulness to Louie Giglio who's been faithfully using by God to speak the truth. I am indeed one of the many people that though who is in Christ and following Christ already has still been touched and moved by his preaching. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I have reminded of many things in my Christian journey. I thought I've been doing great and right in all areas of my life but God revealed to me that I am not. By that moment, I sincerely repented to God the actions and the thoughts that I did, believing that I am doing it right and for His glory but I was not. In my relationship with Him, in the ministry that He has called me to be part of--ushering, in my academics, and even in leadership, GOD has personally spoken to me the day I have decided to watch this podcast entitled 'Fruitcake and Icecream'.

The preaching ran through with Pastor Giglio telling a true story of a college girl named Ashley whose life was very messed up and who was so much broken. Until one day, she had a roommate who happens to be a Christian to whom she calls "fruitcake" because for her, she is not like any other Christians who seems to be 'righteous'. As Louie Giglio is reading Ashley's diary, Ashley described her roommate as unique and different just like a fruitcake. Crista (Fruitcake) wants to be friend with her but for Ashley it doesn't make sense because no one has ever wanted to be her friend.

There came a time when Ashley was crying so much due to pain and hurt that she was feeling yet her roommate stayed silent and just accompanied her (while eating an icecream). Crista and Ashley often have a conversation whenever Crista asked Ashley if she wants some icecream. One night, Fruitcake asked Ashley if she wanted to watch a sermon of Louie Giglio preaching and Ashley said sure why not, she've got nothing to do anyway. Fruitcake let her sink into Louie's entitled "Indescribable" preaching. Afterwards, when Fruitcake asked her how was the preaching, Ashley's feedback was that it doesn't make sense at all--that GOD is for everyone and He cares about each of us. For her, how could a GOD possibly care for me with such a messy life that I've got? Then Fruitcake asked Ashley again if she would want to try another sermon and she agreed. They watched the sermon called"Passport" and Louie Giglio talked about Christians don't have to hope for the best in the end, that people don't have to do good stuffs to get to Heaven. It made sense but pretty weird. Then Louie started talking about grace--that because of grace GOD could love her and forgive her sins. From that moment onwards, Ashley knew that Jesus showed to her and that, she truly have seen Jesus.

Let me share to you (2) main ideas (we seldom remember) about grace: 

GRACE is God at work. 

GRACE is what happens when you can do nothing and God says I can do something else. 

Read 2 Corinthians 5:13-21 for deeper insights.

Source: https://www.youversion.com/
Download your own Bible app with all versions availability to browse! :)

After three months in faith and walking with God, Ashley died in a car accident on her way to a church. Ashley's story is a story of grace, it's a story that Ashley would want and Louie wants to share with the world. "It's a story of GOD who did what we cannot do. It's a story of a GOD who took all of our wrong and put His innocent Son and took all of the innocence of His Son and put it into the account of the people who put their trust in Him. And if you're Crista today, if you're a fruitcake, don't count GOD out. You don't know what GOD is doing to the people that are right around you. You don't know how close they are to wanting something in their lives that is true and real. And if you're Ashley, how could you not know that there is a GOD in Heaven that loves you so much and His message to you today, 'I was in the world, in this same world, in Jesus Christ reconnecting the world to me and I am not counting your sins against you. The story today is even for the screw ups, it's even for the messed ups, it's even for people like you and it's powerful, that's why it's called amazing, amazing grace" (Louie Giglio). 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves,
 it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. 
Romans 2:8-9

You see, Louie Giglio brought us back to the starting line. I believe, he wants us to renew our minds what is so amazing about grace, that only by the grace of GOD we could have an intimate and personal relationship with Him. Only by His grace we could cry out to Him and pray. All we have to do is ask GOD to save us and HE will. And when we have decided to follow Him, surrendering our all to Him, everything just changes and because of His love that is unfailing, we could love Him back and give Him back all the glory that He alone deserves.

The Cross and My Forerunner

In this life, we all run for something and maybe for others, they are running for someone or anything that they find their purpose of living, every single day. Most of us are lost, lost in the sense that we feel like we're trapped in a cage that we barely find a way how can we possibly go out in there. Some are messed up, broken, no sense of direction, in pain. As if everyone is searching for something they do not know what they are looking for nor where should they look for and look at. Are you in a search right now? Then, there is no reason for you not to read what I am about to say. And you better prepare your heart for this!

Do you know Jesus? Or yet, did you hear the word Jesus spoken to you by your friends or maybe in social media, in a book store, in your workplace or in your school? If yes, what did they tell you about Jesus? Did they say something about the Cross or that He is the Son of a perfect God? That He is sinless and His life is sinless? Did they say that He died for you as a sacrifice for your sin because His Father loves you so much that He doesn't want you not to experience a relationship that only through Him we can have? Or did they make you feel bad of His death--being crucified and slaughtered and all because of you? That you are the reason why He is nailed on the Cross where His love ran red and your sin washed white? Because they are all truth but reality is, we are often mistakenly informed of who He is. Many are afraid to know Jesus for that one reason, that is rejection. We are all scared to death of being rejected. We all craved for acceptance. That someone out there cares for us; that somehow in this world we are special. That we are worthy of being loved, of someone wasting and making time for us. This is how people think, if they have not seen Jesus yet. Oh, you may wonder and say, 'So, this writer must have been crazy saying Oh, she has seen Jesus. Well, good for her then because I have not!' No, I am not saying I have literally seen Jesus, I mean not physically but spiritually.

See, I am no better than any of you reading this. I am a sinner, just like you. Just as much as the pastors, missionaries that preach or the people that you see go to church or your comrades that are Christians or even the president or the most kind and well-behaved person you know of. Everyone have sinned, no matter how small or big that is. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). No one is exempted from being a sinner, whether you deny or admit it, you are one. The fact is that we were born with a sin-- a sin that made us eternally separated to God, the Maker of all Creations.

So what's the point of everything? The point is to realize the real greedy reality, "that our sins, your sin have crushed JESUS on the Cross. And JESUS is the victim of the Gospel Story" (Louie Giglio). You have to take this in a very serious manner because Jesus took it very seriously when He died on the Cross 2,000 years ago, for you and for me. I know it is not that easy to grasp this thing and in some way you are on the process of digesting the truth. But here's the catch: You will know that you have seen JESUS and seen the fullness of the Cross when you understand that it is not the Cross but it's YOUR CROSS, where Christ died. Because for us to fully celebrate the power of the Gospel, we have to know that it was not something done to us, but it was something we did to Him. The moment we understood what really happened on the Cross, you would think 'it's not just the Cross anymore, it's my Cross'. Indeed, we need God to assist us in every single area of our lives.

We must fully understand that GOD was not just a passive by passer or a passive by stander on the Cross. He is the instigator. He signed off His own death. And did you know that the place where Jesus prayed to His Father before His crucifixion came from the meaning 'olive pressed'? Gethsemane means 'crushing'. JESUS who is omniscient and omnipotent; you might ask why, if He is all powerful and all-knowing then He should have stopped His own suffering. Yes, JESUS has the power to stop it. But HE made a choice to go through with it. He has paid the price, for you and for me. That is how unconditional His love is for everyone. Isn't He amazingly wonderful?

God's wrath poured out on Christ, obliterated our curse. Here is the good news! Listen to this! OUR SINS ARE FINISHED AND DONE! What God has done is finished! CONDEMNATION IS NO MORE. So if you are someone who longs for worth and of great value, you have it already! If you are someone who trembles and hides when rejection is coming, you need not be! Jesus made it very clear and loud by being the substitution for our sins, He has proven your worth by dying on the Cross that you are special and that He sees you and cares deeply for you. If the Cross is not enough for you to believe that God is pleased with you and He knows you by name which is by the way written in the Scriptures, I can't help you. Because unless you see Jesus, nothing will change. However, believe it or not, guilt is finished and shame is done! So, I challenge you now. Are you willing to take this opportunity to believe in GOD? To accept Him in your heart and very soul as your Savior and Lord? To surrender your life to HIM, the Master and Creator of the Universe? If your answer is yes, you chose the best decision that you could ever have! You just made the Heaven celebrate and angels sing at this moment!

But wait, remember that there is an enemy who wants you to hang on to what God has obliterated. But from now on, you can tell with conviction to that enemy, 'you know what, you are talking to the wrong person!'. No matter how many times the enemy would try to attack you, you will not faint. You might stumble and fall, but when you believe that You have a Big GOD that stands before you, nothing could ever hinder you since God is already in you. Our GOD is a God who always goes with us. He is there 24/7 of our lives. Thank God for who He is--breathtakingly beautiful in His mercy and grace.

More than anything, let us keep ourselves reminded that we cannot do enough to keep GOD from loving us. Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39). From today onwards, claim that you are brand new in Christ. Unconsciously, you will become way less interested in yourself and become way more interested in the One who created you, who crushed for you when you live in the truth. Yourself become squeezed out of the equation day by day.

Above everything, the Cross is the only thing that matters for you now as you live your new victorious identity. And you started running the race, running for God's sake and chasing after all that Jesus is.