Department of Education takes royalty type stance

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Pastorjack

It was a typically hot day in Quezon city on April 2nd, 2012. The various graduating classes gathered together at the Q.C. circle to enjoy the graduation exercises that they spent years going to school to enjoy.

The proud parents equally joyous to see all the hard work that they invested in their children to get them to this point. Parents and relatives were pressing at the entrance. This was not to be their day.

They were told they could not sit up front to see their children. They had to sit in the back behind politicians, teachers, Deped people. They wanted to take photographs of this momentous occasion but told they could not go in the front.
Professional photographers were there of course. These were for photo ops for politicians and officials who just have displaced the parents from seeing their children graduate and being able to take their own photos. Of course the professional photographs would be available for sale, but the poor could not even entertain such an idea.

So here we are, children having their graduation day with politicians and officials seated comfortably hoping to be caught in a photo to show everyone that they care about them while the poor parents were in the back on their tip toes trying to catch a glimpse of their children.

Corruption comes is so many forms. Many of these people find it hard to even get food some days. They live in shacks and here they are once again kicked aside by those who have usurped the power from the people and used it for their own advantage.

Of course I protested to Dep Ed and they forwarded my complaint. Here is what their lawyer so flippantly and arrogantly answered:

From: Liberty Roxas [mailto:maamliberty@yahoo.com]
Sent: Lunes, Mayo 07, 2012 11:12 AM
To: action
Subject: Re: Rev. John Wilson

07 May 2012

Hon. Erna G. Aganon

Executive Assistant V

Head, DeTxt Action Center

Madam:

This Agency would like to comment on the observation of Rev. John Wilson as regards the graduation ceremonies held in this Division. According to Rev. Wilson, the graduation ceremonies held in Quezon City were a slap in the face to the parents as the school officials, politicians, and teachers were seated in front while parents were shoved in the back like “excess baggage.”

At the outset, this Agency recognizes the right of every individual to express their views and opinions, as this right is guaranteed by the Constitution. However, this Agency is not an internet blog, site, or forum, wherein personal opinions, comments, criticisms, or sentiments (such as Rev. Wilson’s) can be posted and answered. As it is the citizens’ taxes that make this Agency operational, we devote and maximize our time in rendering quality public service. We considered it as a waste of time to answer personal sentiments and criticisms unsubstantiated by any proof and are intended merely to express dissatisfaction.

In this view and with due apologies, may we respectfully request your good Office to refrain from sending us personal comments, criticisms, opinions and sentiments (such as Rev. Wilson’s) for this Agency’s appropriate and urgent action. We, however, do appreciate and entertain reports, complaints, and inquiries as this Agency can validly exercise its investigatory and adjudicatory powers on such matters.

With regard to Rev. Wilson’s sentiments, it is a globally-accepted customary act to have the government officials and teachers seated in front during commencement exercises. This customary act is a manifestation of respect and due recognition to government officials who were chosen representatives of the people. As such, it is but appropriate to have them in primus as they are representing the citizenry.

We hope that this sufficiently addressed Rev. Wilson’s concern.

Thank you very much and more power.

Very Truly Yours:

ATTY. LIBERTY D.O. ROXAS

Legal Officer

I wanted to forward this to the DepEd Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC as I read on the internet that he is against such corruption and usage for political reasons. However, as most websites in the Philippines, they do not have email addresses. Perhaps he will read my blog.

I would encourage anyone who has a child which will graduate this year to inform their local powers that be that they nor their children will be attending the graduation service because it is a waste of time and it only serves political interests.

Perhaps if no one shows up these people who think they are something but are not will realize that without the parents or the children, there is no need for any of them.

Posted in Deped School System, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Why should anyone help build a Church in Payatas?

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Pastorjack

Teaching others about Jesus and salvation changes the lives of so many for the good.
Here in Payatas we have reached thousands with the Gospel of hope and Salvation.

Additionally, people with hope , thrive. They believe that the result of a changed life is a better life.

Recently, at out fifth anniversary, we had so many people come forth with testimonies of how their lives have been changed since hearing the Good News about Jesus and it made all the difference.

We heard reports of people getting jobs when there were none, marriages being saved, individual attitudes being correctly adjusted and each one became able to share that hope with others so that others may have renewed life in Jesus.

We need to build a building. We built a church already or should I say Jesus built His Church. Now we need to buy land and build a building. In this world it is easy to do if we think about the incredible number of people who are out there and would like to help change the world one place at a time.

Here is an easy link (http://www.1ph.org/ ) that will show you all our sites. It will take time but if you want to do your homework and make sure we are who we say we are then each link on this site will bring you to see thousands of photos documenting the work as well as a monthly diary for the entire time we have been here. You will also see a link to videos showing you the poverty here and also the accomplishments.

Finally, you will see a link to donate. It will bring you to a page where you can give on your bank card or you can mail a check or money order. By the way, the donation is tax deductible as we are a 501 ( c ) 3
non profit organization. When I say non-profit I mean it. We rent our home, we have no car for the past five years and recently bought a fixer upper for $500, we had no washing machine for the first two and no oven for the first five. We have given our own lives and dollars to this mission. As of this writing, all of our people are volunteers.

Compare that to organizations with all the best equipment and whose officers live in beautiful homes in lovely neighborhoods. We are the real deal and we ask you whether it be $1 or a million, please help save PBC.

This is the vision:
http://www.payatasmissionoutreach.org/vision.asp?page=proposedplan

We want to build this compound. It consists of a large Church that will hold many, many more people. As the saying goes, “if we build it, they will come” , holds true to this building. Statistics show that Churches normally reach 85% of the square footage of the building. Our present rental is tiny and we are over flowing it. If we are overflowing it now, so many more will get the opportunity to hear the word with a larger building.

With a larger building, we can make it so it can easily be converted to a feeding area during the week.
We want to build a school. So many children do not go to school here because there is no money for simple things like a uniform or basic fees. We would like to provide a free education to those who have no hope of going to school.

Right now we teach handfuls of children basic elementary education because the schools in Payatas are overcrowded and are not able to teach them what they need to know. Our teaching brings them higher than the standard. How much more if we had our own school.

We want to build missionary quarters where we can encourage others to come and to help with the outreach , and teaching, feeding programs.

We want to build the medical clinic. It is a great way to reach out into the community as Payatas lacks a decent, clean clinic that respects it’s residents. We have been successful with clinics in the past. The only thing we lack is the proper funding.

We want to build Pastor’s quarters which can house 3-4 Pastors as we look to have three services on a Sunday, greatly multiplying the effort to reach out to the community.

There is so much more to be done and I believe God can absolutely turn the barangay of Payatas completely around.

WHAT IS NEEDED?

The land alone for this compound (1.9 Hectares) is for sale at $1.6 Million dollars. This land has some buildings on it and also a deep well making it unnecessary to deal with the water Company.

The building of the buildings would be approximately $1.5 million additional.

It also will cost to furnish and supply all that is needed in these buildings. Perhaps another $Million.

That comes out to just about $4 million . I know some people are now laughing and others will say that I have gone crazy. Yet God is able to supply all our needs.

Did you know that Hello Kitty has generated Billions of dollars for it’s producers? BILLIONS! Billions of dollars are wasted on junk each year. Do you really think $4 million is too much to change an entire Barangay?

Please, forward this to all your friends. Some will give $10, Some will give a few hundred, some will give a few thousand. Each one of them will be blessed for giving to God’s work. Someone might see this and give a few Million. I don’t know how God will do it but I believe he will.

Thanks and may God bless as you do.

Rev John J Wilson aka Pastor Jack
Payatas Mission Outreach, Inc.
Payatas Quezon City Baptist Church And Ministries,Inc.

Help us go viral. Please click both “like”” and “”share”"
# 1 PHilippines worst Barangay
www.1ph.org

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Sin is a Slippery Slope

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Pastorjack

Sin is a slippery slope!

The young man is introduced to pot by his friends. His option is to accept it or to reject it. He looks it over, sniffs at it and takes a reluctant drag on the twisted stick. He is told to draw harder on it and keep it down. He obeys now even more enthusiastic to take this mystical route to what he feels will pleasure him.

Harmless, perhaps. If like Bill Clinton he didn’t inhale and he walked away never to try it again. Yet that will not be the life for little Johnny. (How come it’s always a “little Johnny?”)

Anyway, smoking pot becomes a ritual with him. He now buys nickel bags and even inquires as to how much it would cost to purchase an ounce. He has bought a roach holder, bamboo papers and has become proficient in rolling his own.

Still harmless? He goes to school but now with more reluctance than ever. He gazes out of the classroom window thinking about hanging out with his friends and doing some doobies. (joints ,grass, yelba, pot) otherwise known as marijuana.

The grades start to slide, down, down, down until it is agreed that little Johnny will quit school.

His father says he won’t be sitting around all day but he will need to get a job.

Oh the pressure on poor little Johnny. One of his friends offers him a hit of smack, (heroin) and the last scene sees them cooking it in a spoon over a makeshift fire.

Is this the case with everyone who smokes pot? Of course not. But it is with some. Pot does not addict. It may become a habit but not an addiction. However, if you enjoy it, you may be open to trying different things. One such thing is Shabu as it is called here in the Philippines and in the U.S., it is called crack a cocaine product. People using this will become addicted. They will have a definite need for it every day and will lie, steal and perhaps kill to get this product.

The purpose of this blog is not to tell you the dangers of drugs which is more than obvious here. The purpose is to tell you of the dangers of sin.

Sin doesn’t start out as “let’s murder someone and take their money.” It starts out with turning from the truth. I am afraid in this Country today so many intelligent, decent, human beings with great intentions have become participants in riding the slippery slope.

If we go back to the thirties and forties, many middle class workers many of whom had government jobs read the Democratic press, ascribed to the philosophies of the unions and the politicians catered to them. They in turn like Pavlov’s dogs followed these “Teachers” whether they be unions, politicians, mass media and for the kids, school teachers. Roosevelt was the working man’s President and he will bring us to the promised land. On the surface it was all good. No longer will there be signs that if you don’t go to work Sunday you won’t have a job Monday. Hours were more acceptable, benefits helped struggling families to survive. People bought houses and cars and life was grand! Well, at least for those who followed this crowd. These were wonderful times and as the working man increased in stature, his needs being met, then these politicians saw the future. Their future was doomed if they weren’t able to “help” others so they turned to the downtrodden, the dead beats, the illegal aliens and they promised them the world. Food Stamps, welfare, medical, no need to work, no need to pay back, Become a citizen and so they added to their rank and file all of the above who sought to get these same things that the previous group had, but this time without working for it. The previous group was already indoctrinated. The party that got them a fair and honest living will be their party for life. However they never saw the changes they like their Pavlovian counterparts, just continued to hear the bell ringing and so they continued to salivate.

Meanwhile the party that they loved started recruiting a entirely new type of generation. It would be the worthless generation that just wanted something for nothing and the first Democrats accepted this as being the right thing to do because their party said it was. Also by this time they started getting teachers
that were inspired by the left although we did not call it that then. Don’t forget, in the beginning they were mainstream.

Also don’t forget that our schools ,at one time, taught the bible. Institutions like Harvard were Christian schools but sin and it’s slippery slope prevailed until our education system was filled with the left thinkers.

That is how we have so many today that think the wrong way even though they are educated, they have no idea of the truth.

These people teach that fair is foul and foul fair.

I told the joke of the little girl and her parents who were liberals. They were speaking to a friend who happened to be a conservative. He said to the little girl, “What will you do when you grow up?” She responded, “I would like to help the poor” to which her liberal parents beamed from ear to ear. Then the man said, “Give me an example of how you might do that.” To which the little girl replied: “Well, there is a man who lives behind the supermarket. He is dirty and he begs for money. I would like to give him $50.” The man answered her saying, “Well, why don’t you come to my house and mow my lawn and trim the hedges and pull the weeds and I will give you $50 and you can give it to him?” The young lady thought for a moment and then asked, “Why don’t you give him the job?” The parents faces dropped and another conservative was born.

Now, that story is funny but more than that it makes a logical point. We are not speaking about a man who can not help himself we are speaking of one who won’t. The liberal philosophy says this man is hurting psychologically and there fore deserves us taking care of him for life if necessary. This is, foul is fair thinking.
The conservative philosophy is to kick him in the butt and get him jump started. He is indeed a man who succumbed to something amiss in his life. Whether it be a bad upbringing or a tragic action such as a death, or self inflicted drug dependance. One needs to say, “I will go on and continue. “ Life affects us all and we must deal with it.

When my Pop was alive he saw a raggedy looking fellow who approached him saying he had not eaten in three days. My father had a kind heart and invited him to step into the diner to get a nice meal. The man in turn asked him if he was a (expletive) wise guy.
The man did not want help, he wanted drugs or booze. Should we enable him?

So many things have changed over the years and it’s only just the last 50 or so. Before that for thousands of years people assumed the moral code for which the Bible was the resource and which we modeled our own laws and Government.

At one point it was wrong to live together without being married then it became “normal” or should I say the new normal. Homosexuality was (as indicated in the bible) a sin and sodomy against the law. Then it became alright as long as they don’t bother me. Now grandmas are marching alongside disgusting men in woman’s underwear chanting “We’re here, We’re Queer.”
There is an organization allowed to exist called NAMBLA which is an acronym for North American Man Boy Love Association. Can you believe it? This is allowed because we are a free country? This should not be but people will fight for them to be able to exist.

Don’t think the right are without their sins.

They have become liars and criminals within our Government right next to the lying Liberals.

This applies to all of those who have turned their own ways:

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Rom 3:14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Rom 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Rom 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

In conclusion, If you can read this and understand the truth it is only because you have been touched by the Spirit of God.

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

This is not about Liberal verses conservatives. They are all gone out of the way. This is about that slippery slope we can so easily follow if we let it overtake us.

Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

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Should Christianity be mixed with Politics?

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Pastorjack

As Christians we hear all the time that we should not bring our Christianity into politics.

My question is, Then what can we bring in?

I have learned from youth the ten commandments, should I now discount that or at least not consider that while in the political arena?

I don’t really think that’s what they mean when they say don’t bring your Christianity with you.

What is meant is, if your Christianity tells you that abortion is murder, you can’t use that. If it says marriage is between one man and one woman, you can’t use that either.

If your Christianity speaks against the cohabitation of a couple without the benefit of marriage, you can’t bring that belief with you.

It is alright to be a politician and do a little “insider” stock trading which is illegal to all Americans except the politicians. It’s Okay to push a secular agenda in the schools where you teach homosexuality as something normal and that it needs to be respected.

It’s alright to spend the peoples money on “Art” such as a upside down Jesus in a glass of urine.

You just can’t bring your religion into it. Hmmmm? Isn’t Secular humanism a religion?

We have given up our rights for so long we have long lost most of them. Christians tell other Christians not to argue about such things and to keep quiet while men in woman’s underwear parade down main street announcing boldly to the world their debauchery.

Perhaps they mean, if you are Christian, don’t even become a politician. Heck, don’t even vote. Wouldn’t they love that?

They will bring their socialism and communism and hedonism and all other kinds of isms as they tell you that your values are not acceptable. Oh how the founding fathers must be turning in their graves.

People, I beg you today, bring God back into your conversations. Bring Him back into your lives. Bring Him to your place of business and bring Him when you go shopping and especially bring Him into the public and political arena.

Please, do it quick before he will no longer respond to our call.

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Know the Truth

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Pastorjack

Know the Truth

When we come into this world our minds are referred to as Tabula Rasa or a blank slate.

We receive knowledge as Woodrow Wilson so aptly put “…by all that I may borrow.”

Truth comes from a variety of sources, my favorite and most reliable being the Holy Word of God otherwise known as the Bible. One verse comes to mind is:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

I could spend hours telling you how I have come to believe the Bible as a valuable and reliable source of truth but then you would have to make a choice whether to believe me or not . So, being that I am not writing to have a debate on whether or not the Bible is true, we will skip that argument. For this Blog we will assume, as I believe it is, true.

What I would like to write about, is how do we find truth outside of the Bible.

Lately I have been going head to head with people I care about very much and yet neither one of us can see the other side of the argument.

So is there a way to determine if the cause you care about is true or not?

I believe there is and I also know that those who are not of Biblical orientation will not agree with my findings.

The word truth is mentioned 224 times in the KJV showing it’s important nature.

First we must know that all truth belongs to God. Psa 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

God is ascribed to owning truth and also leading us in His truth. Even someone who is a constant liar, when he says the sky is blue, still speaks the truth.

So as the verse suggests, we need God to lead us into truth. Although people without God are able to tell the truth, many times it is difficult if not impossible for them to see the truth.

2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

These two verses basically describe those Jew who refused to believe God and so God caused a “vail” to cover their face. Not a literal vail but He caused them not to be able to see the truth. It is said that eventually, those who refuse to believe on the son of God will be heart hardened and permanently blinded in that same way.

I believe those who reject such truth become numb to much truth and begin to believe the lies of the world.

Let’s give an example. Christians look at the fact that Bill Clinton had an affair in his office as being unacceptable. Non – Christians see that as something to get passed and even to ignore.

When right is being ignored for the sake of other things than the truth is not there.

Clinton was said to be a good financial manager. Yet I believe he needed to be rejected for doing what he did and then lying to the American people. If we are a moral people, God will take care of the financial and all other aspects of Government.

The same scrutiny applies to Barak Obama who four times voted for partial birth abortion. I know cat and dog lovers that if they found out someone killed a bunch of puppies or kittens by placing them in a sack and smashing the sack against a wall, would be horrified. They would definitely not vote for him for that reason. However when the Christian sees that this man would favor partially removing a full term baby from it’s mother, drilling a hole in it’s head and vacuuming out the brains, they are equally horrified however the non-Christian can not understand why. They are more than willing not to address the issue and actually claim it as a non issue.

There are many who say they are Christians and are not. They have as the Bible says a form or religion.

This is the Biblical description:

2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

These may attend services, go through rituals, even attend a Bible study or prayer meeting but they deny the power of God. They deny the power of God to supply truth and they deny the power of God to control their lives. They are high minded.

I argue with myself many times as I want to warn someone of the evil I see but those same people fight against me as being the evil they see. Someone is wrong.

The act of filling the slate so to speak consists of compiling data from all kinds of sources. Some of those sources may not be reliable. When it comes to right and left sources, we always see each side writing for their own benefit.

Although I categorize myself as being right it is only as far as moral issues go. I can be very left at times as I feel such a burden to help my fellow man. Not deadbeats as the bible declare if they refuse to work let them not eat. I mean those with sincere needs, that we should help them to be all they can be.

I don’t know if I will ever be able to convince others of what I see as being wrong. The truth burns in my heart.

I ask myself what is my goal? I come up with the first answer being that all should know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and live for Him. The second answer is that we can love our neighbors as ourselves.

In the end, if the perceived truth is cloaked within a lie. If it’s hidden among atrocities. If it is foisted upon us at any cost, than it is not the truth but a lie.

I feel confident in my truth because I believe it is also God’s truth. It never includes hurting others and never forces itself. It does however proclaim, in the face of opposition, what is good and right and lovely.

I pray for the Holy Spirit to enlighten others.

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How Credible is the Baptist Church?

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Pastorjack

How Credible is the Baptist Church?

As you go through Payatas you will come upon a huge piece of land where they have started construction on a beautiful new building for the Jehovah Witnesses. Continuing down the road there is a giant tribute in the form of a Church , being constructed in the name of Iglesia Ni Cristo.

Iglesia Building

As their building rises high into the sky I ask, what do they have that we don't?

For more photos:CLICK

You might wonder, where do they get the money to build such large and beautiful Churches that attract thousands to hear their message?

This is also true for the other denominations.

All except the Baptist churches. In the poor areas where we barely get $20-$30 in the collection each week, we could not dream of building a building. But then again, neither could the others had they not have received outside help.

Baptist Buildings

"Shall we gather by the river?" " Because this buildings soon to collapse!"

Then what is the difference? Why do their organizations care about the poor areas to give them decent buildings and supplies while the Baptists do not?

I am thinking that because these other organizations are more “works” motivated that they have more enthusiasm for saving them selves by their works.

Baptists believe that we are saved by grace through faith and perhaps that tends us to be more self centered and slower to expand the kingdom.

You will notice the large Baptist edifices are in the more wealthy districts while in Payatas we have literally, shanties with broken old wooden signs that we use for Churches. While I am not in favor of building elaborate buildings for the sake of being elaborate, Baptists in poor areas are quickly being overcome by the other denominations.
Many fist time visitors believe if the Church is broken down, their God must be also.

We are believing that God will build His church here. We are just curious as to when and whom He will use. So many people have been instrumental in making us a very active Church and prosperous in the fact that we are able to help so many.

We are anxious to build a place worthy of the name of Christ. One that will say to the passersby that we represent Jesus Christ , come in and hear the word of God.

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Maynilad – May have Water on the Brain

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Pastorjack

Maynilad – May have Water on the Brain

My Deacon and I went to the offices of MWSS (or as we like to say, My water supply sucks)

MWSS provided one engineer to co ordinate the meeting and to try to facilitate solutions to our complaints.

Maynilad supplied six engineers to try to debate and to hold their position of doing a fine job in the community. (which they are not)

We spoke about many things. I must admit it must have been difficult for MWSS’ engineer to moderate although he did a fairly good job, Maynilad’s reps were not there to solve problems. They were there to profess their righteousness.

One of the men there was the man (if you recall in a different blog) who told my Deacon that he would fire the young lady who made the mistake and told us we had residential rates even after he already admitted that the computer also can be wrong.

At that point we established the hardened heart of the Corporate giant and knew that there was going to be virtually no progress at the meeting.

We spoke about the 10-15,000 people that were only getting water two hours per day and how that might be resolved. One engineer calls out, “where did you get that figure?” I said, “From this engineer”.

Where would I get the figure. I did not make it up.

They also brought out a sheet saying we are receiving .10 pressure (don’t ask, they are the engineers) for 15 hours PER DAY. THEY SAID THIS READING WAS TAKEN AT THE TOP OF OUR HILL WHERE OUR SUBDIVISION IS.

Of course it could have been taken at the pipe that is bypassing the pipe that leads to our community. The paper was dated August. This is now February. No one could answer my question why there was only one paper and it was dated one half a year ago? Was that the day they forgot to close our valve?

We did get a glimmer of hope. There is a water tank that was donated to Manila at our subdivision and they SAY they are going to have a meeting, and investigation to see if they can repair it and use it for water distribution for our small community and by next year be able by adding pipes, to address the greater picture of the lower areas.

The other questions however were never addressed properly.

We never were open to paying commercial rate especially being their rules say houses with religious activity will be charged commercial rate. Now I don’t care what they meant when they made that rule but it is just out and out discrimination. Imagine if I wrote all White people will pay commercial or all Chinese?

I could not in good conscience give in and pay 1000% more because I love God. That would mean by doing so I have said that people who love God deserve to be discriminated upon.

When they offered me the meter at residential rates I accepted. We paid the residential rate for the installation of the meter. Then a month later they sent me a commercial bill. When I complained they told me that it was in error and I do have a residential rate. The next month I received a double commercial bill and when I complained they said they made a mistake.

Did you understand that? THEY made a mistake. One of their engineers apologized not once but twice for their “MAKING A MISTAKE”.

Where I grew up it was, you pay for your mistakes and I’ll pay for mine yet Maynilad thinks that we should pay for THEIR mistake. On top of that even after I told them I absolutely would not pay commercial rate for water, they still sent it to us.
Imagine if someone said do you want to buy this watch and you said yes but I will not pay you for it. Would you still give it to him?

They did and at the meeting when I asked why one of the engineers said even that we said we didn’t want it, we still sent it because we know you need it.

That’s right. I almost fell off the chair after hearing that one.

And—they kept sending it. For seven months. Now, even that their policy is after two months you shut the account, they ignored that. Even that we wrote, saying we did not want it, they ignored that. However they still insist we pay 7000 pesos for THEIR mistake.

In all fairness, no one at the meeting, not MWSS and not Maynilad water had any authority to do anything about it. They were just carbon copies of what they were told by their superior.

The next step is to seek the assistance of the President of the Philippines. I know it sounds crazy that a busy man would be bothered with this but he is in charge over such things.

He is also an anti-corruption President and against stupidity so I am sure that we will be helped by him.

By the way, I was told no one has ever complained about these things confirming my assertion that Filipinos are just too darned nice and easy.

Come on, fight back. If you have a complaint, email me.

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To Build or not to Build –That is the Question

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Pastorjack

To build or not to build –That is the Question

I am sitting here wondering of what will be less than five months from now when we were told we need to leave this building.

Of course the plan is to seek another place. We have looked far and wide (while staying here in Payatas) yet found nothing, suitable for a Church. The truth is, this little building was the cleanest and sturdiest available.

So the only alternative is to make our own decent building. The process is simple. First we buy the land, then we get a drawing, then we secure the permits and then we build. That sounds simple enough. Oooops! I left out one detail that is crucial in all the above steps. Having the money!

Jesus Builds His Church

This is in my dreams and in my heart!

So now I am thinking, whose responsibility is it to supply the money? Is it mine? I have already given all that I had (which wasn’t that much) to this ministry. I have been stretched as much as anyone else who is dedicated to the salvation and preservation of mankind. We have gone without many of the creature comforts that our American counterparts assume as necessary to their survival. God knows if I had the money it would go here.

So who? Who is responsible for the building of the Church. Well, ultimately God. The Bible clearly says: Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
In the preceding verses Jesus was asking the Apostles who people were saying Jesus was and then he specifically asked Peter who he thought Jesus was.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

God Himself

I Will Build My Church

That’s when Jesus replied to Peter based on what Peter said, that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God.
That was the rock. His statement. In a further verse Jesus said: Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

He told Peter that the Holy Spirit caused him to say that. He did not hear it from another man but was inspired.

What then is the Church built on? Was it Peter who did not even know what he was saying or was it the fact that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God? The latter is clear.

So Jesus WILL build HIS Church. Hmmmm. At this point did Jesus give Peter money for the building fund? Absolutely not.

God always uses people to do His work. Is it because it is easier for Him? Of course not. God told Gideon to get rid of the thousands of men that he had with him so when he went to fight he only would have 300 men with him. Why? Two reasons. God wants His people involved with the work and to be His tools. The second reason was that God wanted all to know that it wasn’t Gideon winning the war but God Himself.

When Joshua was told by God to go in and kill them all the Bible said that God went before him. God won the war but Joshua got to participate.

So when we are building a Church, the guy with no money is calling on those with money but it will be God who motivates the heart and it will be God who allows or doesn’t allow those who will participate in the building but ultimately it will be God who builds the church.

I once applied to a Christian organization for a grant and they told me that they are only giving grants for those “they found” not those who made applications. I thought at the time it was the stupidest thing I have ever heard but actually it makes more sense. If God is really leading this thing. It will be God to motivate hearts and God to direct the money and God that even gets the permits.

God will build His Church.

God is all in all

Here I AM

With that said will I still be concerned? I hope not but being flesh and blood I wonder when and where and how but isn’t that what faith is all about?

God will do His work and I will post all about it and all will see that it was God who build His Church.

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Churches of Christ – Can you hear me now?

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Pastorjack

Churches of Christ – Can you hear me now?

As one of the poor Churches in one of the poorest areas of the Philippines calls for help. Will the Church of Christ answer?

I remember being in a Baptist meeting in California when the call went out for a Church that was about to close. We were asked if we could give to help this Church pay it’s bills and get on it’s feet. Even as a Missionary on deputation, I felt that “pull” of the Holy Spirit to help and I did with even more than I had. Just like the Macedonian example:

2Co 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

The same Pastor who made the plea said that it was our Christian duty to help one another . It was also that same Pastor who would not receive my calls and when I finally got through he would not receive me for deputation.

It was at that time I realized that helping in SoCal was only for people in their “club.”

I did get a handful of Churches to support the work here in the Philippines. They were the faithful ones and have blessed us considerably. They heard God speak to their hearts and responded but for the many, there was nothing.

I wondered if this was a geographical problem but as I put out the call that this Missionary Church (PBC) was in trouble and needed some cash so we can get a property the silence was deafening.

Where were those Churches and Preachers and Christians who so many times posted their spiritual blips on Facebook and Twitter and Linked-In, who seemingly were pillars of the religious community?

I once heard a preacher say , great minds over the years have no answer for this but I have come to know… Now, I believe God is still giving out new truths but when you start by saying great minds couldn’t do this but I could, you’re a windbag and full of conceit. I am afraid many have become windbags, espousing much but doing little. I look at their banquets and services and the wonderful suits and dresses and catering. Then we see our photos and the difference is amazing. Our poorness however does not equate to sadness (Thank you Lord) I wonder how others richness equates?

Please know that I am not now or have I been concerned about this ministry’s survival. That’s not my job. This ministry belongs to Jesus Christ and He said He would build His Church. My job is to do everything I can to serve and when things go right I know it was because of Him and not me.

What concerns me is the Church of Christ.
I remember before I came here, Pastors who said they were sending the check but never did. I could name at least a half of dozen and not one gave me a call to say why.

One Pastor told another that he would not support me because I was “too pushy”.
Imagine that. Here he was living a good life in America and here I was, going into his poor Country of origin to help his people and I was too pushy.

How pushy would you be to save your child, your family? How much more credit when you love others as much as your self and you are too pushy to help them.

I am thankful for those who do not share my same faith but do share what we are doing here.
Their faithfulness will outshine many who claim a better way.

Jesus said: Luk 18:8 “…Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? “

He was speaking of Christians. He wasn’t looking for faith from non-Christians obviously.

When I first started this journey, we did not even have the money for the plane. I prayed and said to God, if this is your will, I know you will supply the funds.

Right after that I received an email from a Filipina in Dubai. She asked for references because she said she saw our website and wanted to donate to the Mission. Shortly thereafter I received a check that covered the expense of the flight as well as paying to ship some of my books.
I found out after , that it was this woman’s client who was sending the check and he wasn’t a Christian.
Then God spoke to my heart and told me that if the Christians would not support me that He would cause the others to do it and they would get the blessing.

Giving is for the giver. Bill Gates is the richest man in the world because he follows a Godly principle to give. He is probably the most generous man in the world. He’s not a Christian and he doesn’t support Christian ventures but he does follow God’s principle of giving and he reaps the rewards. How much more for Christians that obey God’s word?

CONSIDER YOUR WAYS

If you know of our plight and God has spoken to you and you have ignored it than it is in your hands.
God will not speak to everyone to help but God forbid those that He speaks to and refuses the call.

Our many thanks to those of you who have been supporting this work. We love and appreciate you.

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I’m Sorry

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Pastorjack

I’m Sorry

So many songs have been written to say I’m sorry. Brenda Lee sang: I’m sorry, so sorry that I was such a fool.
Elton John sang, “ Sorry seems to be the hardest word however in this day and age I no longer accept sorry at face value.

Sorry has become a cheap word so easily dispensed at the drop of a hat to relieve someone of the harm that they did. I don’t buy it.

I call Globe telephone because for the 200th or so time, the Internet is down or acting erratic. The first thing the person at the help center says is , “I am sorry you are experiencing trouble with your internet.” My reply is cold and hard. “No you’re not!” “If you are sorry, pay me for my time lost.” “ Pay me for my aggravation.” “ Do something to show me that you really are sorry.”

If you do wrong to your wife you might offer an “I’m sorry” but there better be some candy or flowers along with those easily espoused words.

You may think I am being hard but think again. Sorry never works on it’s own. There needs to be substantiation along with it.

What did John the baptist say?

Luk 3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Luk 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance…”

John was not going to take a simple sorry. He wanted action. He wanted proof that they were truly sorry.

I am not a fan of altar calls. I believe that too many times people come forth to please friends or family or because they have been caught up in the moment. Too many times I hear preachers bragging that 300 people responded to their altar call on friends and family day.

Of course the following week none of those people have shown up at Church. Too many times it’s about the bragging rights and not the conversion.

With that said, I am not against the altar call. I am just against it for me. A sincere Pastor needs to be guided by the Holy Spirit as to His method of operation for that Pastor. What is good for one is not always and necessarily good for the other.

In my church we spend time with new people teaching them what true repentance means and many times they draw to God as they hear the word and apply it to their own lives.

I have spoken to many who have told me that they were “born again” and how were they born again I asked? By attending a born again church. I then proceed to enlighten them on how one is actually born again.

One must understand that without repentance there is no salvation. Without sincerely seeking forgiveness from the Saviour how could He forgive?

Sometimes I get upset with someone and my wife will tell me that I need to forgive however there is one part left out. Unless they seek forgiveness how can they be forgiven? Unless they accept forgiveness how can they acquire it?

Our Calvinistic friends may argue, but we do get involved in our own salvation. Number one we are there and just by being there, we are involved. Number two we are remorseful and seeking forgiveness. Number three we are relieved and thankful for what was done within our souls. We are not doing the saving but we are doing what we are supposed to do.

So the next time you hear the words, “I’m sorry” , listen carefully and see if it comes with something to show you that it’s genuine.

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