The Family of God : Under The Tutelage of Its Master

web-admin June 25, 2017

June 25, 2017, CEC Foundation Day & 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Proper 7)
Theme: “The Family of God: Under The Tutelage of Its Master”
Homily by Fr. Fernando Ilustre

“God reminds us to continually walk in the plans and purposes He has set for us.”

Jeremiah 20:7-13

Romans 6:1-11

Psalm 69:10-18

Matthew 10:24-33

Kinds of fear

fear of persecution (v.24-26) – Jesus said “Do not fear.”. Persecution should not stop us from doing the will of God in our lives.
fear of death (v.28) – Our life here on earth is temporary; but God’s plan for us is to be with Him until eternity
fear of not being valued (v.29) – God sees you as an asset to His Kingdom; See yourself as God sees you.

How To Participate With The Helper – Part 3

web-admin June 21, 2017

June 21, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Abp. Ricardo Alcaraz)

Topic: How To Participate With The Helper (“The Holy Spirit”) – Part 3 (Through the Gift of Tongues)

1 Corinthians 12:1 – Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant

Ignorant – not just the absence of knowledge but also the absence of experience.

“The presence of God’s gift in your life is because of God’s goodness; not because you are more special to God than others.”

“The number of gifts operating in your life is not because you are more loved; God wants to use you to build His Kingdom.”

“Operating the gifts requires faith; faith steps out of your comfort zone.”

Acts 2:17-18 – And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11;31

Word of wisdom – something that has not yet happened

Word of knowledge – something that already happened

1 Corinthians 14:1-5; 14-15; 17-18

Jude 1:20 – But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit

“We build up ourselves by speaking in tongues”

“You are praying in dependence on; as directed by the Holy Spirit”

The Family of God: Unto the Lord a Kingdom of Priests

web-admin June 18, 2017

June 18, 2017, 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Proper 6)
Theme: “The Family of God: Unto the Lord a Kingdom of Priests”
Homily by Fr. Erel Villanueva

“We are all Priests as part of the Family of God. (1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…)”

Exodus 19:1-9a

Romans 5:1-8

Psalm 50:1-7; 15-17; 22-23

Matthew 10:1-8

6-14-2017 Archbishop Ricado Alcaraz Sermon

How To Participate With The Helper – Part 2

web-admin June 14, 2017

June 14, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Abp. Ricardo Alcaraz)

Topic: How To Participate With The Helper (“The Holy Spirit”) – Part 2

“The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to each one for the profit of all.”

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 – There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The Family of God: In the Image of the Trinity

web-admin June 11, 2017

June 11, 2017, Trinity Sunday
Theme: “The Family of God: In the Image of the Trinity”
Homily by Abp. Ricardo Alcaraz

“We are in covenant with the Holy Trinity – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”

“A covenant is a permanent relationship.”

Genesis 1:26-2:4 – God created everything. God is Almighty, eternal and God of all things.

2 Corinthians 13:5-11 – We are to make sure that we are living in the faith that God has given to us.

Psalm 8

Matthew 28:16-20

1.(v.16-17) God is not intimidated by our faults & weaknesses.

2.(v18-20) We enjoy the authority and the power of the Holy Trinity.

“Do not be scared to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel; light will always be greater than darkness.”

“You will only know who you are in Christ, once you understand His authority over your life.”

6-7-2017 Archbishop Ricardo Alcaraz Sermon

How To Participate With The Helper

web-admin June 7, 2017

June 7, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Abp. Ricardo Alcaraz)

Topic: How To Participate With The Helper (“The Holy Spirit”) – Part 1

“The Holy Spirit helps us understand what the Lord has given us.”

John 16:5-7 – “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

“The Holy Spirit helps us do the work that Jesus wants us to do.”

John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 15:26-27 – “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

John 16:13-14 – However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

1 Corinthians 2:9-12

“The Holy Spirit understands the heart of the Father and reveals it to our spirit; the Spirit of God and the spirit of man.”

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Resurrection Life Builds Regeneration

web-admin June 4, 2017

June 4, 2017, Pentecost Sunday
Theme: “Resurrection Life Builds Regeneration”
Homily by Abp. Ricardo Alcaraz

Acts 2:1-7; 12-21 – Pentecost is the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s promise to send the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:3-13 – The Holy Spirit distributes many and varied gifts to Christ’s body according to God’s will and purpose.

Psalm 104:24-31

John 7:37-39

1.(v.37) We must first come and receive Christ

2.(v.38-39) We can pass on the abundant life that Christ gave us.

“God doesn’t just give us enough, He gives us more than enough.”

“As we have received Christ, let us also bring new life of Christ to others.”

5-31-2017 - Fr. Fernando Ilustre Teachings

Our Eyes Fixed Into Heaven, Our Feet Firm In The Earth

web-admin May 31, 2017

May 31, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Fr. Fernando Ilustre)

Topic: Our Eyes Fixed Into Heaven, Our Feet Firm In The Earth

Acts 1:9-12 – Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.

“Our dependence is in God alone.”

Colossians 3:1-2 – If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

“Set your eyes on things above where Christ is seated.”

“We become witnesses to what God has done for us.”

Resurrection Life Builds Unity

web-admin May 28, 2017

May 28, 2017, 7th Sunday of Easter
Theme: “Resurrection Life Builds Unity”
Homily by Fr. Fernando Ilustre

“It is when we begin to walk in obedience before God, that we would become one(united) with Him, and that we would bring glory and honor and praise to our God”

Acts 1: 6 – 14

1 Peter 4: 12 – 16

Psalm 68: 1-6; 18-20

John 17: 1 – 11

5-24-201 - Fr. Erel Villanueva Teachings

Knowing The Resurrection Power Of The Lord

web-admin May 24, 2017

May 24, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Fr. Erel Villanueva)

Topic: Knowing the Resurrection Power of the Lord

Resurrection and Pentecost = “The power of the resurrection is the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Philippians 3:8-10 (AMP) – But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did];

“Our goal is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection.”

Knowing God is a progressive state => building a relationship; being deeply, intimately acquainted with Him

“Resurrection gives us a perspective of eternal life and eternal victory.”

Resurrection Life Builds Communion

web-admin May 22, 2017

May 21, 2017, 6th Sunday of Easter
Theme: “Resurrection Life Builds Communion”
Homily by Bp. Ricardo Alcaraz

“The Lord will give us another helper to empower us to walk with and in Him.”

Acts 17:22-31

1 Peter 3:18-22

Psalm 66:1-8

John 14:15-21

1.(v.15-18) He will give us another helper.

2.(v.19-21) He assures us we will never be alone.

Rising Up To The Occasion

web-admin May 18, 2017

May 17, 2017 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Bp. Ricardo Alcaraz)

Topic: Rising Up To The Occasion

“We are to rise up to meet the challenges of our calling.”

Esther 4:13-14 – And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Carpe diem – seize the day! the opportunity has come; don’t let it come past you. Rise up to the challenge!

Genesis 15:6 – And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Abraham rose up to the occasion.

Exodus 4:10-14

Numbers 14:20-25

Joshua 14:6-12

Hebrews 10:38

“As we have risen in the past, let us all rise up!”

I AM BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING