In the past weeks, we went from one barangay to another as we seek for help in our future campaign that will support our presidential candidate. We asked them if they could refer to us some people who are willing to help our advocate.

It was quite good to hear that they support our cause and our presidential candidate but it was so disappointing to hear that their main leaders were the first one to discouraged us that we might not find the kind of volunteers we’re looking for because we can not offer them any monetary incentives when they will do the tasks. They don’t even like the offer of free food or lunch that will even come from the personal pocket of some of our leaders. In short, they need cash before they will give a little of their time.

Why call them VOLUNTEERS then if we will just pay them. As far as I remember, a volunteer is someone doing a certain cause because he/she pours out his/her life into it even though he will not benefit from it. I also know that when you are a volunteer, you enjoy what you do because you love to do it not because someone’s pocket is telling you to do so.

I am currently working with more than 50 volunteers in one of my teams. Whenever we have a meeting, we’re always looking for food to eat to enjoy the meeting better and we bought our food most of the time from our pockets. We’re not paid and we do not even have allowance in doing our tasks but we still manage to give our best smiles whenever we’re doing responsibilities together!

I am hoping and praying that the spirit of real volunteerism will once again reign in the hearts of everyone specially with the Filipinos. Our ancestors made it before! I hope that they have inspired us enough to do the same or even surpass their achievements!

Truly, nothing beats the heart of a volunteer!

BHKJOURNAL2010_0003: MAINTAIN OR INCREASE THE 120?

120 people attended last night in the Corporate Prayer Meeting of Victory Baguio as we begin the Seven Day Prayer and Fasting journey. I was so happy to see that numbers. In fact, we're praying for it since last year.

Who wont be happy seeing 120 people not eating food just to seek the LORD more than the petitions that they have for this year?

Who would not be happy to see 120 people in faith that 2010 will be a better year for them?

Who wouldn't be happy to see 120 people asking GOD for wisdom so that they can start the year right and obey the LORD for the rest the year and rest assured, for the rest of their lives?

Who would not also be happy seeing some youth responding to the call of GOD in their lives to minister in the campuses and you see them starting to have a vision and a burden in reaching out their colleagues?

I know in the coming days, our attendance will increase when it comes to our Prayer Meetings. But there is one hope and prayer I really want to cry out to GOD - that our numbers in those Prayer Meetings will be sustain in the coming weeks after the fasting.

I know, most of us are excited to do this Prayer and Fasting for seven days especially those people who are doing this for the very first time. I am happy to see those excited people and I am excited for them too.

Now, let me tell that the fasting period excites me too but what really excites me better are the things that are going to happen after seven days. I can sense miraculous healing coming... Financial breakthroughs on the way... Restoration of relationships increasing... Our nation will turn upside down and greater things are yet to come this year!
I am hoping to hear testimonies of answered prayers during the Prayer Meetings, not only in the scheduled Prayer Meetings of the Prayer & Fasting journey but all throughout the year!

Fear the LORD! Have wisdom! =)

BHKJOURNAL2010_0002: BURRYING THE HATCHETS...

After 12 years of not facing each other beacuse of the Montreal Screw job, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart finally buried the hatchets last Monday night on Raw.

I know that this year will be a year of forgiveness! A year where people begins forgetting what is behind and straining forward what is ahead. People are now reconciling with each other and really wanted to start the year right.

Let me share some happenings:

At the start of this year, my mom gave a call and told me that he has forgiven my dad already and the people she had conflict with.

Last January 2, I have a mini-reunion with my some of my college barkadas known as the BBS. We reminisced the good memories that we had before and just laugh at the struggles we've been in that past.

When I checked the WWE website on January 4, The Hitman ansd HBK finally buried the hatchets they had in the past. A thing that we never thought would actually happened.

Today, at the start of the Seven-Day Prayer and Fasting in our church, I heard two stories of reconciliation.

God is doing great in the lives of each one of us.

As I was also reviewing my notes in my One Month To Live readings, I found out that I was bitter with my notes last year but I was so thankful in my notes this year.

One of my friend's reply in a text message after I shared this one said "Change heart... Change Perspective... You are truly blessed."

Do you want to be blessed this year 2010?

Let us now bury the hatchets!

BHKJOURNAL2010_0001: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As usual, I will give you a summary of the blessings I have received in the past years but before I give you the statistics, I want to share you some stories at the end of 2009 and the start of 2010.

Last December 29, I told God that I am the only traveler who don't travel much! December 30, he started doing something in my travel life. He has answered my request. He sent me to Binalonan, Pangasinan to receive lots of blessings from there. Thank you Tope for the accommodation! =)

I traveled the next day for my Cabanatuan homecoming. I was anxious because I will meet my dad after four months of not seeing him and the hurt he did to my mom. As I saw him, love and compassion reign in me, I went to the restroom before treating him to lunch so I could take wipe away my teary-eyes. We went home together and after a the longest four months of my life, I felt the love of my father once again.

After that, I have a re-union with two of my high school barkadas (one attorney and one engineer). Victor treated us with bountiful lunch and they even brought me to my relatives with his car after our lunch.

I made vegetable salad for them and gave my Thank You Card to them. In those simple things and by just being there, our family felt the bond that we have. My aunt even told me that she can feel a great year for us as she felt peace and happiness during our celebration.

I only have a little rest when I returned home. I just took a bath thinking about my provisions when I go back to Baguio because I only have my 200 pesos left (just exact for my fare). I just smiled and said "God will provide!" God's faithfulness reigned again as we got a visit from my uncle and aunt, they even gave me money so I could buy pasalubong for my friends and leave some money for my dad.

I forgot to tell you that during the fireworks celebration and eating time, my mom called and told me that she has forgiven my dad already and she hopes that my brother will do the same and all of us will live a life of love and forgiveness.

It doesn't end there. I had a quality talk with my dad before I leave Cabanatuan. He said that he will be back home on the 21st. Thank you Melay, Jesse, K. Gerard, A.Cathy, Juancho, Jhen, Tintin, Nathz, Sally and Darryl for interceding with me. The Lord has answered our prayers!

The Baguio story will be in a separate blog! =)

Truly, it's a Happy New Year!

2010: Nowhere to go but up!
2010: A year of Radical Change!
2010: Forgiveness will reign!

All honor and glory belong to the LORD! =)
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As promised:
2007
374 answered prayers, 981 unexpected blessings... TOTAL: 1355

2008
631 answered prayers, 841 unexpected blessings... TOTAL: 1472

2009
631 answered prayers, 1151 unexpected blessings... TOTAL: 1782

BHKJOURNAL_09-0044: GOD AS THE LORD OF THIS NATION...

"I thank God for the nation He has given you. May you see God's hand in everything your nation is going through. I pray for you to have faith that God watches over your nation, and will shield it from destruction. May you not be troubled by what you see, but be encouraged that God is in control of everything. I declare God's word: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. May you begin to see God as the Lord of your nation."

This is one of the prayers of Ptr. Jay Duque in a devotional book that he authored and was given to me by some of my friends on my 26th birthday. Yesterday, it was the second time that I have encountered this prayer.

If we will assess the situation of our country today, you could really understand the Filipinos who went abroad for a better living and the Filipinos who told us that there's no more hope in our country anymore. In other words, we can not blame them.

I am not against these people who went out of the country for a better living. In fact some of them became a blessing by remitting much of their salaries to our government. I am not even against the people who tell that our country do not have any hope anymore but I am against the curse that they continue to tell in our county.

If we will go back to Ptr. Jay's prayer, there's so much hope for the Philippines when we put this nation to hands of the Lord and when we declare God as the Lord of this nation.

I had a conversation with a friend last night about the obvious cheating before even the election come, the injustice that we're suffering from the hands of our officials and the many negative things that we're experiencing. We even said that if we're not followers of Christ, we might curse already because of the immoralities but at the end of our conversation, we end up saying, "LORD, let your will be done!"

We are still hoping for a better Philippines and we are also declaring that our nation will be blessed and will be the Tiger of Asia once again. All we have to do as a people is to unite as one and put our full trust in our God.

As I end this blog, I want to say honestly that I was troubled by the things that are happening in our country - graft and corruption at its best, biggest massacre in history, declining economy and a lot more. But when I went back to the promises of God, I am once again at peace that there would be a big turn around coming for our beloved nation.

Psalm 33:12 (NIV)

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in our nation!

May GOD bless the Philippines!

NUMBERS GAME IN THE PRAYER MEETING

Few months ago, our Prayer Meeting Team prayed that the church would be more in love with prayer. We also asked God to increase the our attendance before the end of the year. We asked HIM to help us reach the "30-point mark" and reach the "100 point mark" this December.

In some point, we broke the 30 barrier and just last week we reached the 100 mark because there was an this special event called the WORSHIP NIGHT. Last night in the prayer meeting, we have a less than 50 in attendance.

I am used to see greater things coming when special events are being help and I am also used to the fact that in every victory there is a backlash.

I went to the WORSHIP NIGHT last week and I really enjoyed worshiping GOD that way when you can feel His presence all over the place. After the event, one of my friends (Ptr. Sherwin), plurked that he's hoping to see the same number in our Prayer Meetings, so am I!

What I did not expect is the big turn around... I only saw less than 50 people last night as we come to GOD and pray once again as a congregation. It was more 50% declination from last week's number. I was expecting that after the WORSHIP NIGHT, the people will see a greater picture and they will be expectant for more of that experience in the coming weeks.

We are are wrong with our expectations but we are still holding on to that vision that this year, our congregation will see and put into their hearts the value of corporate prayer.

The Bible says that if there are two or three people who gathered in His name, He will be there. How much more if we will cry out to GOD as a whole church?

Can you see the bigger picture?

Earlier today, I saw a picture of a Father and his children in my mind.

He is running after his children and when he caught any of his child, he's embracing them... His children start to grow up and while growing up, they still run but this time, they left their father... The father feels hurt but he keeps running for his children whom some of them have gone astray... One of his child stops running and starts crying, the father is the first one who approaches and gives comfort to that child... The others are still stubborn and thy keep running away - some of them almost ruined their lives but their father comes to them for rescue. As they see their father not giving up to them, they're about to say sorry for the mistakes that they have done but before they can even say a word, the father hugs them already and he started telling them one by one, "My child, I still love and will love you forever no matter what."

Going back tot the Prayer Meeting, I am really hoping and praying that it will be the most exciting meeting that we are looking forward to attend to.

I am telling about numbers in the start of this blog. I count people not just for the sake of recording but I count people because their lives count!

Finally, I want to say to everyone that you can feel the presence of GOD not just in a WORSHIP NIGHT but also in the PRAYER MEETINGS or wherever you are!

I hope to see you all in the Prayer Meeting on December 9, 2009, 6:00 PM, Wednesday @ Victory Baguio Center...

GOD BLESS US ALL! =)

NEW WAY TO WORK

Apathetic bosses… Bad companies… Corrupt leaders… Deteriorating salaries… Extra-stressful loads… These are just some of the ABC’s of people when it comes to approaching work. If, you will notice, the approaches are all negative. It gives a fact that the workers who see this are just dragging themselves in going to work. They even hate Mondays because it’s another day to start a stressful week.

Now, there is one question that is being asked; is there a new way to approach work? Definitely, there is a new way!

The Bible says in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it will all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”

It might be an old principle but I believe it is not being used by the workers of today. I also believe that if the workers will just apply this biblical principle, they will become more productive in their workplace.

And if they will habitually apply this, their lives will never be the same again.

I am a worker myself and if the workaholic term is an understatement when you talk about me doing such. Work is a very enjoyable thing to do for me; it’s just like a basketball game that I don’t want to end. But do I approach work in such a way ever since?

Definitely, the answer is a big NO! I also approached work the way I started this blog. There were times that I literally drag myself in going to my stressful work but there was a change in me when I realized that to approach in a new way, all I have to do is go back to the old way which we called the BASICS!

Now, every time I go to work, I can feel the excitement! I felt like I am the most energetic man in the world! I love the feeling of imparting my joy, energy and biggest smile to my colleagues. I don’t even care on how small or large the amount that I will see in my pay slip. All I can see is the joy of honoring God by giving my best shot while working.

Let me assure you that if you will do the same, your company would be one of the most competitive team in the world of work. If you will have the same approach, even an office without any standard will look up to you and they will even make you as their standard!

If we will go back to the first word in the scripture that I have shared, it says, “whatever” – in other words, whether we’re eating, drinking, playing or working, we should give our best shot! Whether we don’t’ like our work that much, there would be a difference if we will a have a change attitude towards work. If we work at it with all our heart without any grumbling, I believe God is pleased.

So, there new way to work is not really that new, but we have to renew our minds. Let us all think what is noble and that is to approach work in its highest level. Our Creator loves to work and if he created us in His own image, He expects us to love our work too, whatever it is.

It is not just pleasing the people around us and being delighted while enjoying work, it is all about pleasing and working for the One who make us approach work in a renewed perspective.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.”

Libert Ong
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