Passion Manila

PASSION MANILA is a gathering for UNIVERSITY-AGED young people (16-22) throughout Philippines and South-east Asia. Believing in the university moment, and what God longs to do in this strategic window of time, the entire event will focus on the bigness of God, calling students to PRAYER, WORSHIP and ACTION, and a Story so much bigger than their own.

The event will be featuring Passion Worship Leader Chris Tomlin, Kristian Stanfill,and Passion Speaker/Founder Louie Giglio.


The heartbeat of PASSION MANILA is to:

• ENCOURAGE the CHURCH
• Foster UNITY among those who love JESUS
• Spark VISION for the UNIVERSITIES of Manila and the nation
• Tell the STORY of REDEMPTION in compelling ways
• INSPIRE students to EMBRACE their part in God's global plan for the NATIONS

Passion Conferences is a movement established in 1997, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a desire to see a spiritual awakening come to the college campuses in the U.S. and around the world. The small Passion team is led by Louie Giglio and operates under the direction of a Board that is committed to spreading the fame of Jesus Christ to the millions of college students around the globe.

From the beginning, Passion has been rooted in the confession of Isaiah 26:8 – “Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your Name and renown are the desire of our souls.” Passion exists to glorify God – uniting college students in worship and prayer for spiritual awakening in this generation.


If you are a university student, 16-22 years old, and want to strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ and commit your life to our Saviour, this event is for you. We encourage you to attend and be blessed.

August 1, 2008 (Friday)
Philsports Arena (formerly ULTRA)
7:30-11:00 PM (it will be starting on time)
P150/ ticket (it will be a on a first-come, first-seated basis)

Tickets can be availed at House of Praise outlets and through Becca Music.
For more info, check http://www.268generation.com and http://www.passionworldtour.com/

**Youth leaders who are older than 22 are also welcome to attend the event

Spread the news!

PS. The generic promo vid from Passion Conferences was edited with the permission of the publisher/s for modification.

2008 Candy Teen Blog Awards

It's official.... This blog’s the 2008 Candy Teen Blog Awards' Best Special Interest Winner! *screams, applause, and all that*

I feel so ha-ha-happy!
Actually, it was my sister, Vanj, that clicked on the winners' link at Candymag 'cause I didn't want to be the first to see it. ahaha. I was telling her "sabihin mo if nanalo ako, kung hindi, okay lang..", then she shouted "Nanalo kaaaa!". Mom, dad, and nay Paz rushed toward my computer and congratulated me as well :-D

..and then I began sweating. haha.

Out of the thousands of Filipino teens’ blogs, 850+ blogs that were nominated, 80+ blogs that were chosen as semi-finalists, and then down to the 24 finalists (3 for each category), only one won for the Best Special Interest Blog Category --- (and even if it’s awkward to say,) that’s this blog you’re at! Whoohoo :-D

Tonight, I wish to share with you my joy and my sincere gratitude.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing all these.
Thanks to Candy Magazine for sponsoring such a prestigious challenge.
Thank you, Blog Awards judges, for believing on my site. Sana nag-iwan kayo ng message sa cbox ko when you dropped-by to read my blog entries and check on the totality of my blog.. lalo ka na, Mikee Lee. Ahaha. JK.
Thank you as well to those who clicked on that circle beside my [blog] name, even without really reading my blog (if there are people who actually did that).
Thanks to the Candy girls who betted on my blog and plugged it through the Blog Awards Plug thread at TeenTalk.
Thanks to my family and friends who propped me up through their encouraging words and online votes (some even mistakenly voted me thru sms.hehe). Thank you for plugging my blog on your own blogs and Friendster bulletins.

Special thanks to:
mom and dad – for your unconditional affirmations
Vanj – for voting during the finals whenever you have extra time
Ate Joy – for being an encouraging kapatid
Tita Lou & Mitz – for always telling me how proud you are to have me as your pamangkin.
Ptr. Phillip – for even registering just to vote for me! Hehe
my JRC youth ministry buddies (my buddy Jen, Kuya Faith, Jzeza, Julius, Giovan, Jett.. lahat kayo) – sa pag-taas niyo ng kamay to vote for me! Hahaha. Ibaaaa.
my high school batch mates
JRC
…the Lord, above all.

Let’s continue to spread the Word.

All for HIS glory!

Related blogs:

When I got in the semi-finals
When I got in the finals

Here’s a collage of my Candy Blog Awards journey. I hope I can make a better one. Sorry, I must review for my exams so I needed to rush this one :-P

- W I N N E R S -
Best-Written Blog - My Traffic Jam
Best Blog Design - xsabrina.chic productions
Best Blog Name - nikipidya
Best Boy's Blog - CokskiBlue
Best Use of Photography - Kiss the stars with me
Funniest Blog - Ang Desperadong Nobelista.
People's Choice - Nursecissism
Best Special Interest Blog - J e z r e e l F a i t h M a n u g u e
Best Overall Blog (the one who'll have the cute eeepc laptop) - My Traffic Jam

Connected to the Vine // Fifth Time

Let me start this blog post by giving an illustration (..no, this is not a botany class).

A potential fruit-bearing branch is connected to the vine.

Being connected and being able to bear fruits is a requisite to living. Hence, a branch disconnected to the vine is dead, and has no competence to bear fruit.

Moreover, it is important to note that the role of the branch is to bear fruit, while the vine’s function is to produce fruit. The branch shouldn’t mind producing fruit, for it is the vine’s job to do so.

The connection of the branch to the vine is essential seeing that the sap (dagta, in Filipino), the life and the seemingly blood of a plant/tree, flows only to the living branches, to those that are connected to it (vine).

However, there are deceitful connections. Organic attachment is different from organizational attachment.
A good example of one that’s organically attached is a living branch. It received nutrients from the vine or the whole of the tree it belongs and connects to.
On the other hand, the Spanish moss that grows in an oak tree can illustrate best the notion on organizational attachment. It grows and clings to the trunk and branches of an oak tree, but is not wholly and significantly attached to it. The sap doesn’t flow through it (because it is only organizationally attached), thus, it has not potential of getting life and bearing fruit from the vine.

As Christians, our only way to live is to get connected to The Vine.
John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches.

Life comes from being connected to the vine. Unless we’re fully connected to The Vine, we won’t receive full access to His promises and all the others set for us.

“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..”. Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit-bearing is more than going to church and attending Bible studies; it’s living life. Furthermore, those who do not bear fruit shall be cut from the vine and those who bear fruit shall be pruned (remember the stewardship statute).

Some questions to brood over:

• Do I have a genuine changed life?
• Does my service lack the genuine fruit of a changed life?
• What has the Lord produced that I bear?

On organic and organizational attachment…

Judas is an example of a Spanish moss. He was believed to have been connected to Jesus, but was later proved to have been just organizationally attached. The other disciples thought of this because he had the same form they had – he listened to Jesus, walked with Jesus, ate with the other disciples, prayed like them, laid hands like them, did other things that the disciples also did. But then, all these proved to have been just out of organizational attachment for Judas. He was not really connected, but he seemed to be.

Reality check. Are we really connected to Christ? Are we really connected to His bride, the church? Or are we just connected the Judas’ way by being highly active in church activities, our ministries, and others “church-activities”? Do we lack the sap that gives us life? Do we bear fruit, or are we futile branches?

Remember, the difference between a dead and living branch is in the fruit.
What is more is that as branches, we all are totally, absolutely, completely dependent upon the vine – not only for fruit, but for life.

Be connected. Stay connected.

God bless!

Proviso: This blog post is a portion of my notes from the message/ preaching for this morning’s church service (July 6 Sunday Service), delivered by the most amazing woman I know – mom! Yeah, dad was on the front pew while mom was on the pulpit last Sunday :-)

Today was also my fifth time to lead. Yay! Praise God. Almost sunod-sunod na, ha. Hehe. I continuously give all the glory to God for working through me, through the team, through His church. Shall take no credits for all these!

Line-up (just so you know):

As We Gather // The Steadfast Love of the Lord
Faith
Friends in High Places
You are Good
Great is the Lord
Mighty to Save
Shout to the Lord
Hallelujah to the Lamb (chorus only)

Ohhh.. photos after the service… It was a yellowish Sunday! Haha.
(Shoutout: We miss you, Ptr.Phillip!)

Fourth Time

My latest blog entry prior to this was about my third worship leading experience for the (main) Sunday service. To sudden to think about, but I had my fourth the Sunday after!

It was Thursday night when I dreamed about this..

It was Sunday, and the pastor (whom I think was dad) was on the stage – preaching. After he delivered the message for that morning, he called the “youth” to lead instead of those initially assigned. “Yung mga youth nga ang mag-lead”, he announced. I don’t know why, but it was Giovan, Grace, and I who went up to the stage. There were other young people who also went up the stage to lead, but I couldn’t remember their faces very well. I then lead the worship while Giovan played the guitar as Grace backed me up.

I then woke up.

I just thought maybe I would be given another chance to lead for the Sunday service. I got thrilled, yes, but my thoughts about my dream didn’t go any further.

I shared about my dream with Giovan, Julius, Vanj, and my buddy Jen while we were preparing for the Friday youth service.

Out of my expectations (and probably my worship team mates’), on Saturday, while we were preparing for the practice, I was suddenly assigned to lead! Total wow. The line-up was surprisingly outlined immediately not out of rush, but out of the songs and messages the Lord has placed in my heart for the previous days.

Came up with this set:

• No Higher Calling // Hosanna (Blessed be the Rock)
• Awesome in this Place
• My Redeemer Lives
• This is How We Overcome
• Emmanuel
• The Stand
• I Stand in Awe of You

Some of His works may appeal surprising to me, but I know that as I live in and for Him, things will not be “nagkataon lang”.
Psalms 31:15 says “My times are in Your hand...".

Thank you, Lord. May you find me a faithful steward.

(photo on the right taken after the service. waley!)

Third Time

After the service last Sunday, Giovan and I were told that we’ll be leading the P&W (praise and worship) for the main service the following week. We just went on with, “Talaga po?”, and agreed afterwards.

Whoa-oh-oh (sing with me… God be the solution).

It was my third time (remember my second?) to be assigned as the song worship leader for the Sunday service. Moreover, it was my first time to be leading with Giovan, who, on the other hand, is yet to have his first Sunday service worship leading experience.

We decided to first pray for the songs we’ll include in the line-up, and then just combine our sets afterwards.

The final line-up was brought up on the evening of June 11 (Wednesday), during the surprise birthday party the JRC people set for my mom’s 40+^th birthday celebration. It was during the dinner when we showed each other the line-up we came up with. We sort of brainstormed on selecting the songs that’ll be included in the final set.

Giovan’s set	Jez’s Set
Draw Me Close	-none-
For All You’ve Done	Come, Now is the Time
Did You Feel the Mts Tremble?	Mercy is Falling
All Day	Friends in High Places
Consuming Fire	With All I Am
Always	You Stand Alone
How Great // Days of Elijah	For this Cause
Break Free	Break Free

We then came up with this arrangement:

Opening:

• Draw Me Close to You (Giovan: Yung laging kasama sa line-up niyo, ate Jez. hehe)

Joyful songs:

• Come, Now is the Time to Worship
• For All You’ve Done
• Mercy is Falling

Solemn songs:

• Always
• For this Cause
• How Great is Our God (house favorites here! Haha)
• Days of Elijah *bridge only (Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come..)

Acquaintance song:

• Break Free

Communion song/s:

• Hosanna (Blessed be the Rock) // No Higher Calling

June 15, Sunday

The stage setup was the usual, although the little difference was that there were two worship leaders, with one strumming a guitar while his microphone’s on a stand. And no, I don’t play the guitar.

We started off with a group prayer at the office, of course, and then hit the stage subsequently. When I say stage, I don’t mean we’re ready to merely perform, rather to lead a congregational worship.

After the opening song and prayer, the Lord asked me to share these messages with the people:

James 4:8

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Matthew 7:7

“…for everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

My heart was overflowing during the p&w. Indeed, when we pray and commit ourselves to the Lord, He takes over. He answered my prayers --- to just flow and move through our (the worship team’s) united hearts and spirits, and that His glory be shown as we lift and extol His name.

I give back all the glory to Him for all the praises and very good responses we heard during and after the service. It is never about us, but is all about HIM.

There’s just this inner joy that I feel, that we feel. I believe God is about to do more magnificent things; we just have to let Him take complete control of our lives.

Trust me; you’ll be able to live life the way it’s supposed to be lived when you devote yourself not to religion alone, but to a relationship with Jesus Christ :-)

Whoah-oh-oh!

(photos were taken after the service. // click to enlarge)