SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLES

      How many chances do you think is God willing to give us? Every single day that we wake up is another chance for all of us to claim and fight for God's promises in our lives. There is always hope. Amos 9: 11-15 I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. What a wonderful world this place that we live in could be if only we listen to the instructions constantly being given to us in the scriptures. We have an awesome God who always speaks to us in a very timely and specific manner. His messages are fitted to the situation we are presently experiencing right now. We should remain confident that God will make a way. There is really nothing more that God can do for us that He has not done. God is never short of blessings to shower on us. He has made it all available to us through His Son. All that is needed is for us to make our move. Let...

  Have you ever experienced doing something that you have not planned or intended to do and just happened before you know it or without you knowing it as if you had no other choice so to speak. This was what happened to Amos, the prophet whom today’s 1 st reading is taken from. Our bible study teacher, Bro. Willy Santa Maria was so on fire in his presentation of the Book of Amos since he said that Amos is his favorite prophet. He even tackled about who Amos really was and gave us a broad and clear picture of what it was like when God called Amos to prophesy. Which is also why it remained clearly etched in my mind and was always reminded of it whenever encountering a reading from the book of Amos. Amos apart from what is written in today's reading is not just a shepherd and dresser of sycamores. He is a herdsman, rancher and a wealthy person. He lives in the garrison city a place dominated by people of power who live in luxury. He lived in affluence and belonged to the clan system ...

  There is a certain sense of satisfaction that comes in contributing not only to our future but to the future of others. Today's 1st reading speaks of this basic principle of moral life that Amos prophesies today, "Seek good and not evil...Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail..."    It will always be easier said than done. Though, we can always keep in mind what Brother Bo said in his preaching on how to eat an elephant, by taking one bite at a time, without you knowing it you've finished the whole elephant or just like traveling a long road, take one step at a time and we'll get where we're going no matter how long the journey is. Before we know it we've come a long way and reached our goals no matter how long and difficult it may seem. Just think of people who need to exercise but always end up quitting, a fitness expert said that if we can commit to doing exercise for 21 consecutive days then it will become a way of life. We can apply the s...

   Weather forecasts and disaster and calamity preparedness efforts have always been helpful. The Japanese are very well known for these. When I was there in 2000 my sensei (professor) told me to bring my umbrella when we go on a trip because he saw on the weather forecast that it will rain on the day we'll go sightseeing in Kyoto . He even told me what color of the maple tree leaves to expect on specific days while we're there. And he was right, it did rain on that day that he predicted it to rain and the maple tree leaves really turned into the color he said it would become. Very impressing considering that it was a week in advance when he said this. The same is true with our Christian life. We should always be ready to listen and discern God's warnings and advice. Nothing could be more precise and without fail than God's word. Amos 3: 1-8; 4: 11-12 ...7Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. 8 The lion roars — who w...