CbJCB:
"What's in a name? Have you ever wondered just what it is?"
I borrowed and changed a line from the old song from the 80's generation,by Gilbert O'Sullivan "What's in a kiss?" or in this case, "What's in a name?" Let me tell you that it makes a world of a difference to be known by your name, it gives some personal worth to the person. I will link this story to my previous post where I shared that I was born again in 1983 and, since then I never had the proper growth in Christ due church-hopping or changing churches every year or two. Why ? Because, coming from a poor background, I was deprived of self-worth even by my own family. I personified what JESUS loved, the last, the least and the lost all rolled in one. This list is first in the heart of JESUS, and for this reason HE came.

As a baby Christian, I began attending a Southern Baptist fundamentalist church, where I seemed to be invisible, nobody knew me,let alone, my name. Later on, I realized it was partly my fault because I was being sensitive,or I expected much from people or, I didn't come regularly to church, back then, I wasn't yet fully aware  .  . .  I kept on changing churches until GOD planted me in Icfrome here in Italy. The growth took so long and so much,but it was worth it. Actually it's not ICfrome per se,that made the difference.It's the fact that Christ is my personal coach, that I wasn't aware of before. That HE literally trained me to open up more,everytime. It is the first time in my church experience that I have been called and known by my name, our Pastors, associate Pastors, ministry leaders,ministry teams, know me by my name.The LORD,also opened up opportunities for me to serve in the hosting/welcome team, and recently I got enlisted also in the kids ministry.Thankfully. In the same token,I've known these wonderful ministry leaders in icfrome,their smiles bright as they are, couldn't do justice to the wisdom of CHRIST that emanates from them ,and their passion in serving,in humility. They are actually the first church people that called me by my name,along with our lead pastors.I thank GOD for them.

First time, since 1983 that the Word of The LORD in Psalms 92:13 manifested in my personal relationship with my Lord JESUS. To flourish,to grow.

"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God."

Let it be clear, it's all HIS work in me or, in us, and only all of JESUS.Even,the strength,the will to do HIS will in our lives,everything is about and from HIM.

So what's in a name. It's the person that CHRIST loved very much,that HE died for and accepts into HIS family. For this reason, in the gospels, JESUS personally knows people and personally calls them by name;

 'Martha, MArtha you are troubled about many things..' (Luke 10:41),

Lazarus come forth! (John 11:43), '

Zaccheus come down,I must stay at your house today.' (Luke 19:5),

Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?  (Acts 9:4)

The Lord called Samuel and he answered here I am (1 Sam. 3:4)

 Tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus is going ahead of you..' (Mark 16:7)

Jesus teaches us the importance of knowing and calling people by their name. It is our name that carries our identity,our person.
And I have learned and still learning,to know and call people specially, the newcomers and visitors in our church, by their name.More than that,I smile and try to reach out to people because I understand how it feels to be ignored and rejected. (I used to be an ultra-shy person, having suffered from inferiority complex)

I'm really in awe about this GOD Who is All in All, and rightfully so, HE is the Great I AM.There is absolutely no way to explain and describe this GOD; Holy yet humble, All-Powerful yet loving, Sovereign yet merciful, All-knowing yet faithful  . . .and that HE is madly in-love with the last, the least and the lost.

WORD of Wisdom:
Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,you did for me.
(Matthew 25:40)
Prayer of Salvation here.

I would start by greeting everyone a very blessed Christmas! I really pray that GOD pours out overflowing blessings to fill every need in your life because HE, our GOD is not only that good but infinitely rich and,above all HE loves you incredibly much.



And HE really loves you, for the sake of those who don't know yet, this love has been demonstrated by JESUS' birth , suffering, death and resurrection. HE is mighty proud of you just like this human father, when somebody complimented a boy performing as a beatboxer in a world renown choir from Lee University  Voices of Lee. Can you see how proud HE is? For me it reflects the joy of our Heavenly FATHER over you, over each of us. In the same manner we see in Job 1:8 GOD is mighty proud of HIS servant Job, in a divine sense. HE really loves you as if you are HIS only son or daughter. I believe this and I feel this. I know that HIS love is inexhaustible and so vast that HE can love everyone so much. HE is every ion (if HE per chance, ever consists of one) hydrogen-bomb explosion of love. Actually there is no way to express HIM,as Love. But maybe we can multiply this fleshly father's love for his beatboxing son, a thrillion, a zillion times and it won't even come close to GOD's one ion of love. HE loves you so much. HE's waiting to hear your voice in prayer.

 HE is everything you will ever need in your life. HE is your Loving FATHER Who is in heaven, but HE isn't satisfied to stay up there, HE indwells each of HIS children. HE wants to be in you, never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Do you need healing in any area? Be it financial, physical or relationships? HE is your healer. (Exodus 15:26) or Help in anything ? GOD loves you. This is the foremost reason of this life.
Merry Christmas and GOD BLESS you Tremendously!

CbJCB
We were back recently at the hospital not so much for the scheduled regular check-up (after the second open heart surgery last February) but, to write another line about the goodness and wonderful gift of our FATHER  in healing my husband, in our family storybook, to be read, even by those who need to find HIS Love-manifest. This family storybook to be kept here and remembered even beyond this material world. As a person I tend to be reserved and private, I'm not one who frequently posts photos especially of my family, on social media except when it comes to sharing HIS Love. I asked myself several times when I snapped these shots, what's the use of keeping these photos ? Well they tell an incredible story of a hospital ward (cardiology) and ICU full of highly-specialized and  brilliant medical teams, beautiful, extra-ordinary people, who performed their jobs professionally but never once heard anyone mention about GOD, much more the GOD Who heals. On the contrary I once heard a young doctor or intern say she doesn't believe that there is a GOD. On this day, the heart surgeon acknowledged it was The FATHER Who wanted (in this doctor's own term 'voluto' in italian lingo) him (my husband) to live.

My husband stayed for two months in the cardiology ward and almost two months in the ICU and finally two months in the physical rehabilitation center between the months of February and July. The ICU ward of Umberto I Polyclinic Hospital of Rome is actually what I can consider a heaven of a medical workplace /environment because every nurse or doctor treats his/her colleague like his/her own sister/brother, with matching warm hugs and jovial kisses as if they haven't seen each other for a long time. More than that,they treat each patient like his/her own brother, and they relate to them as if they're not 'sick' or in the ICU as they always smile and make light encouraging jokes to uplift the patients' spirit, except that they have to carry on treating them in the sense of operating state-of-the-art medical life-support machines to cure the patients. They also talked to and updated the families of patients in both a kind and professional manner when it's visiting time. They perform their duties in a very coordinated manner, like , when it's needed they promptly send for specialists to treat the patient,even blood test results are obtained quickly.

The truth that I want to drive through, is that through these experiences, I understand that healing is a process essentially initiated by GOD.  As can be said, in 1 Corinthians 3:6  "I  (Paul speaking) planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but GOD has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only GOD, Who makes things grow. "  If I may add,in my husband's health,it's only GOD Who makes things re-grow! GOD used these doctors and nurses in the process of healing,not that HE can't heal supernaturally which HE continuously does for us until now, but sometimes our faith doesn't measure up to HIS Heart ever Willing to make us well.
In Matthew 13:23 "Then seed (The WORD) falling on good soil (heart) refers to someone who hears The WORD and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop,yielding a hundred,sixty or thirty times what was sown.

So in this passage of the WORD of GOD (The Holy Bible) I realize even more this process of and. growth in faith and healing  And so I think HE meets us at our own level,but never abandoning or forsaking.NEVER! Praise The LORD!

 It is human nature to show off what we have on the outside like materially, financially and status-wise and though I share the feeling, most of the time I realize, ultimately it's not what really makes you, or your life. It's WHO you know that makes you and your life. GOD BLESS you Tremendously. I hope you're blessed by my message today. Remember always, GOD Loves you so much that HE gave HIS Only Begotten SON that if you believe in HIM, you will not perish but have everlasting (John 3:16) He is as close to you as your own breath,as present as your own thought.HE is waiting to hear from you in prayer.

cbJCB:

This has got to be the scariest but by the same token, the most powerful chapter of my life demonstrating our Heavenly FATHER's Amazing Grace and Love.


Feb. 24 this year, my husband Adrian had the second open-heart surgery to replace the defective mechanical mitral valve that was placed on him almost three years prior,which was his first open-heart operation.

The days that followed were such of 'seemingly endless' agony, very strong mental and emotional torment which were extremely fiery darts from the devil.  (Above all taking the shield of faith,wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the devil. Ephesians 6:16)

It wasn't a single dart or mental attack and I wish it was, they were 'darts',  and they weren't even simple darts. They were fiery in the most extreme sense that lasted almost seven months, that had not my GOD upheld me in the inside I wouldn't be here 'penning' this , to testify of HIS faithfulness to HIS WORD. HIS Love. HIS Grace. And until now, I'm learning to clutch with all my strength to HIM. To abide by HIM, HIS WORD.

(I didn't have the courage to take his photo up-close because of how painful his appearance was.He stayed in the Intensive care unit for about three months.)

I confess, it had not been easy to stand my ground in the face of opposing physical sights.

My husband, after the third open chest surgery in less than a month, felt like giving up. And indeed, I know he has a story that he has died, as he recounted about floating above his body, and the medical staff in the ICU treating him.




That time, each day, questions and pain filled my mind, anxiety and depression for what seemed an eternity.

Where do you run for help? What can you do? What can you say ?

 
Yes, we know the story of the four hebrew children who were thrown into the fiery furnace heated seven times more. Daniel 3:24-28 . We may go through the fire, we may suffer, against the will of my Loving FATHER, but HE IS With Me, with us.



Barely  a week after they opened him up, the doctors told me and my sister in-law,  that he had internal bleeding and they found a form of embolism and formation in the wound and so operated on him for the second time.

Then, barely a week after this event, they announced again that he developed an infection of the sternum where they previously operated on. So they had to open him up again for the third time and this time though, they left it open for a week , exposing the scary sight of an open chest covered with some sponge that sucked the bacteria that caused that last problem.

 The last operation done on him was to remove the calcium deposits that solidified due to months of intravenous feeding and a host of drug medications,without possibility of drinking or eating orally.

The last cause of his stay in ICU was due to acute bronchitis which left him with barely a thin slice of air, that every single word  he uttered left him gasping for dear breath. He also suffered from Hepatitis. He was pierced (holes) almost everywhere, in both his sides, for drainage, on his neck, on different parts of  both his arms, every week, everytime a surgery was performed on him, he had to be connected to tubes that caused to be unconscious for two straight days, that I also began to question the doctors if it might cause brain damage, not to mention the large amounts of drugs they administered on him. He could not eat nor drink for three months because his vocal cords which were damaged, caused food and liquid intake to be directed to his lungs or heart.

I clung to HIS Faithfulness to HIS WORD, by Which HE established everything. In tears and sleeplessness and depression, anxiety and just about every mental and emotional torture the devil was throwing at me, my/ our Only and constant Deliverer was our Lord JESUS. Although nobody came to visit my husband, but me and my sister in-law and her family and friend, in all the six months he was confined. I don't really mind, as long as my Loving FATHER GOD IS our Stay and HE IS Perpetually with me and our family. This is all that matters to me. Only JESUS. Only my JESUS. Our JESUS.


And my Loving FATHER also used a wonderful family who took care of  my daughter every single day while I was in the hospital with my husband  and, I lift them up ( A. Estioko family) in prayers to our Lord JESUS. They were the most tangible help from my GOD during those times. GOD BLESS them Tremendously, as I would always pray.

I thank our friends, other Christian ministry prayer warriors and churchmates in ICFRome who held Adrian up in their prayers.

Every single time, when the doctors left a question mark on wether he would make it through the infection, or bronchitis, or other issues, I would run to my GOD (where else? who else can overturn this situation?) Then, my Loving Heavenly FATHER delivered my husband from every single attack of the devil to his physical body. There is no other explanation for the physical survival or recovery of my husband but HIS Divine healing. GOD Loves me, as much as HE loves you.
My GOD turned our mourning to dancing. The test into testimony, a mess into a message of HIS Grace, Mercy and Love through our Lord JESUS. Hence, this testimony of our Loving FATHER 'S Amazing Love and Grace! Praise The LORD in JESUS Name Amen!

This morning is the first of a 5-day English Summer School Program offered freely by my home-church, International Christian Fellowship;whereas the same program costs as much as Eur 150 per week, per child in a regular school. I wanted to enroll my daughter in a regular catholic-sponsored summer school in our area so she wouldn't get bored but she had been looking forward to ICF 's English school because she had bonded (so) well with many kids. So, this morning it had been easy to make her get-up, she was even singing inside the shower, (she tie-coiled her hair on both sides like the star-wars lady and slept on them the night prior) and she did her hair on her own. When we got to the church,I observed how excited she was as she sang and jumped up and down to the gospel songs which she was already familiar with. At home she was ecstatic as she related their activities and was even jealous that somebody drew better than her.

The main point is that,she was always the one demanding that we go to church otherwise I would get blamed.This is the second year our daughter is attending the ICF summer school program.

Now, flashback to October 13, 1983 the day I was born again,my spiritual birthday. I signed my personal covenant with GOD  in a southern baptist or fundamentalist church in Manila's (Philippine capital) university belt area. I learned so much about GOD and the greatest hymns, and supporting my faith through good works.my first steps in my Christian walk. But then it wasn't long before I left the church due to indifference among the members which is comprised of mainly young students, even though I enjoyed the Pastor's style of preaching.Then I learned that there had been a break-away group and the Pastor that I liked started a full-gospel church which I eventually joined. Then I found my first job which afforded me an independent 'single' life and mixing with happy go-lucky people that,meant backsliding for me. In short, since my spiritual birth, I jumped from one church to the next, hampering my growth and relationship with my Lord JESUS for many years. Then GOD led me Italy where I started from scratch, with no job, no money,nobody for a friend, no means to almost anything. But I/we met a family-clan of fellow-Filipinos who hosted us,fed us and helped us for many months until we were able to stand on our own.Year 2002 I found International Christian Fellowship,about the same time that I met an Italian man who eventually became my husband.ICF became our homechurch up until we had our first and only child,who on her third month of life 'played' the baby JESUS in ICF's 2006 Christmas Nativity scene. Since then, yes there had been a few minor and negligible problems such as bickering,indifference,pride and other forms of immaturity,in this church which challenged me to change church yet again.

Now GOD made me realize that, every church is made up of imperfect people like me, trying to live out the mind of CHRIST. GOD showed me that  the church I'm looking for ,will only begin to exist as soon as we change this corruptible bodies to an incorruptible one. I believe it is GOD Who has planted me and our family,here in this church.

The first time that I stayed so long with one church, not necessarily of my own choice. Personally,I find some church-mates who are not exactly 'like-feathers' with me or vice-versa, but I know in spite of our differences,that GOD understands where each of us is coming from,especially me.In the same token, there are also many members here who make ICF church worth attending. Each of us is different and the best thing we can do is not look to each other but Only to JESUS.
 I remember when Peter was curious and wondered (or made a comparison?  about John, in John 21:21) JESUS told Peter 'What is that to you? You follow me.'  As if emphasizing, not to bother about others' business, but our 'business' is exclusively with CHRIST only.

We know that the church is the House of The Father, where HE meets us HIS children. Where HE mainly houses HIS corporate blessings.Where our children are taught GOD's ways and blessed above all.Needless to say, our Heavenly Father loves each of us, and likewise as HIS church, unconditionally.

So having 'said' all, I conclude that; we will have to either (with)stand or celebrate each other's differences until JESUS returns, and praise GOD that HE made each of us unique in HIS Own image.GOD BLESS us all Tremendously in JESUS Name Amen!

Happy New Year! And although this is too-late of a greeting, this comes as my newest post for this fresh GOD-given year 2017! I thank GOD in no uncertain terms,as a matter of fact, categorically,  for how HE has walked closely with me and my family through all the challenges of life;which  served to crystallize even more HIS Own Power,Grace And Mercy and above all, Love, specially for them who would, in all fierceness of spirit,clutchTo HIM through the valleys and low times.
If you submit to be an intelligent creature, you would agree that this life must hold a purpose for each of us. These desperate times must be to an intended end,a lesson to be learned,if not at the first trial,then maybe at the second or the next one  .. . if you are breathing human being,you are not exempted, no one is. Each difficulty is another life lesson waiting to be learned to strengthen and prepare your inner man,for your next level in life. You must understand that in all of these,there's just one dividing line that separates the life in-the-divine from a haphazard life, and it is doubtless, the Name of JESUS!

I would not have known the joy of healing and perfect health and strength,had I not experienced the pain of sickness. I would not be able to appreciate the joy of salvation,had I not known the despair of the perishing. I wouldn't be able to appreciate abundance,had I not known lack.
Then I come to the realization of This Magnificently Loving GOD,Who went to The Extreme, to reach down through the Blood of HIS Only Begotten SON to heal all ills of the original sin of Adam. To reboot or re-set as it were, to borrow the lingo of this techie generation, the whole systems, according to HIS Heart's original intent. As human as each of us is,it will always be  beyond us, to comprehend This Everlasting Act. The only exchange we can offer is our own heart. Stray children coming back to our own Creator and Heavenly Father,under Whose Strong Arms we are safe, and provided-for. Then the challenges of life are like attacks that hit our Shield Who is our GOD,and backfire to its perpetrator; the enemy of our souls, but to us, under HIS Protection,we can only expect GOD to turn bad things to our good. Praise The LORD! I don't define myself as 'fanatic' nor religious. Just a believer in CHRIST. A CHRIST follower,even in my frailties.I have learned not to be critical or apologetic,anymore of the limitations that identify the flesh with this world. But good for me and you,my brother or sister in CHRIST, GOD already knows everything from the day we were conceived until the day this flesh returns to dust (should my LORD JESUS tarry in returning). So what else can I still add? GOD is Infinitely Great in HIS Love for you. There is no way anybody can ever undo or refute all the archeological finds,documents,places and people like the Jews which all point to the infallibility of The Truth WHO IS JESUS.HE gave up HIS Life so HE can win you and me. Do you care about this?

I thank GOD so much for shining HIS Light in the dark parts of my life.
I thank GOD so much for HIS Perfect physical healing in my family.
I praise GOD because HE IS Faithful, Holy and True. And Merciful and Gracious to me and you who need HIM every moment, like me.
I praise GOD for WHO HE IS. Our Divine Healer.Our Loving Heavenly Father.

I have written this for those like me, who want to find the heart of GOD amidst the questions. I am writing this for those who are weary and heavy-laden with worries and pain and other ills,it is for this exact reason CHRIST came,to give perfect health,peace,physical healing,miraculous answers to prayers,provisions,Divine protection.All that define abundant life.
If you want to know JESUS,you can accept HIM into your heart in prayer.
And you and I will Surely,Always find HIM in All HIS Glory,through JESUS' shed Blood. Praise The LORD In JESUS' Name Amen.


HE Who did not spare HIS Own SON but gave HIM up for us all, how will HE not also,along with HIM, freely give us all things (everything)?
Romans 8:32

Amazing LOVE. Amazing GOD!