Salamat, Lord!

Salamat, Lord!

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness. - Psalm 115:1

To Worship with a Heart

Peace be with us!

I write this at the time when we celebrate our Lord’s Ascension and commissioning us to continue what He has started. He was very clear --- “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20)… What a privileged time for us to spread the Good News through the music that we do.

But as I read His message for today, what bothered me most was what happened before He said this great commission. The Word said “And when they saw Him they worshiped him; but some doubted.” (Matt 28:17).

I continue to be amazed by how God reveals His words and messages, at least for me. For the past several months, He has swamped me with just one word, this word --- worship. I don’t know why, but all these past months, all He says to me is worship!

I have to confess too, that for the past months, I felt there was something lacking in me. I felt, just as some of my brothers described with their past experience, about “something spiritually dry and empty inside”. It’s the feeling that as if everything that you are doing has come to naught. And in everything that you do, the perennial question always pops out “Why am I doing this?”

And the answer to this emptiness came from His loving deluge of that one word --- worship. It suddenly dawned on me that for the past months what I lacked was indeed worship --- worship with my heart. Worship that is true to Him and for Him, and not just something that goes through the motions, or just an after thought.

With His infinite grace, He even showed me what He meant with worship. He led me to the YFC ILC, and there He made me remember how it was to worship --- youthful praise, total surrender to Him, with all hands up raised, even unmindful of being in tune --- it was all about just being with Him.

Yes, worship for Him is being with Him. Not because of what good you’ve done, or what great talents you have. All these are His anyway. All He needs is you being with Him. I remember a youth once told me “worship is heaven here on earth”. And another, talking about her worship experience, “I just kept on crying, not because I was hurt or anything, but because I was with Him”.

Then the pieces of the puzzle fell into their places. I am just awed when this concert we are doing now was titled “Heart of Worship”. It isn’t a coincidence that all these time, He has saturated me with “worship”, and now Bob comes with a concert title “Heart of Worship” (from “Labor of Love”).

I was taken aback having learned about the story of how the song “Heart of Worship” came to be. At times I see the parallelisms of the song’s story and what we have right now. We may be too engrossed with being a lead singer, or being with the choir, or being a musician, that we may be blurring worship. We may be too engrossed of how good we are, of how many missions we have and will have, that we may be setting aside worship. But, as one of the lines of the song goes, as we worship, we have to bring more than a song. We have to bring our hearts to worship.

Let not our talents and our songs be louder than our worship.

We must learn how to worship more, intensely, intimately, individually and as one. The focus is always worship, worship for Him.

Maybe that’s why for the disciples, when they saw Him, they worshipped Him but “some doubted”. The doubt maybe was not because they didn’t believe like Thomas, but because their hearts were not yet ready for worship, their hearts were engrossed and being blurred with something else. Worship was half-hearted, worship was in doubt.

It may seem that during resurrection, whenever people saw Jesus, they worshipped Him. Backtracking a bit in the same Matthew’s account (28:8-9), he says: So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him!

Luke (24) even shortly narrates about His Ascension, and even ends his gospel as the disciples saw Him in His glorious ascension: Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Let us pray then that as we do this concert, we may see Him. And as we see Him, we have our hearts of worship.

God bless us all.

I'm sorry, Lord

I'm sorry, Lord
For the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus

The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.
- Isaiah 29:13

I'm coming back

I'm coming back
To the heart of worship
And it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus

Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to Your name be the glory,
because of Your love and faithfulness.
- Psalm 115:1

Though I'm weak and poor

Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is yours
Every single breath

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
- Luke 10:27

King of endless worth

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much you deserve

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
-Nehemia 9:6

You search much deeper within

You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
- 1 Samuel 16:7

I'll bring you more than a song

I'll bring You more than a song
A song in itself
Is not what You have required

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," He said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
- Mark 10:12

Longing just to bring

Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
-Matthew 13:44-45

When the music fades

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
- Luke 5:15-16

It's been 2 years!

The blog is two years old today!

True to Worship

Maymay de Guzman, 14 year old daughter of Phil and Jazz, shares about her experience during last year's "By His Wounds We Are Healed" concert. Her experience brought her to dance for God. It was her worship for her Lord.

------------

On July 20,2007 another GK concert was held entitled "BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED", that was actually my first time to join a GK concert. My family and I arrived at 7:30am in the morning and I was very surprised when I saw how big ULTRA was, I was shaking after I saw the venue because of nervousness. I can't imagine myself dancing in front of a big crowd.

When we were having our technical rehearsal on stage, I missed some of the steps, I was very nervous that I might also missed some steps on the actual concert. All I can think of was the fact that I need to dance for our Lord God.

When I saw the venue already filled with crowd, I prayed hard and ask God for HIs guidance and I told Him that " GOD this is not for my family, this is not for me, THIS IS FOR YOU" and when I step up on stage, I never felt any nervousness, I didn't missed any steps and I was was not shaking. We had a very good dance performance, my friends and relatives told me that it was good. It was "PERFECT" and I realized then that with GOD nothing is impossible, no worries, no difficulties, no harm, if you will do it for the LORD, coz everything you'll do for our God is perfect and never be afraid when God is with you!!!!

------------

join our Hearts of Worship on 06/07/08.
come with your hearts of worship,
to worship!


Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
- John 4:23-24

Pentecost Rally

We welcomed the Day of Pentecost at the Amoranto Stadium with our CFC community, with worship and praise and a eucharistic celebration! Mama Mary interceded and stopped the rain for us to commemorate the Holy Spirit's descent on the first Christians. (Thank you, Mama Mary. And Happy Mother's Day!)

More pictures here.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. - Acts 1:8

Heart of Worship

A month from now,
you will hear a Heart of Worship.



Be with us on 06/07/08, happening at the Crossroad77 (at 77 Mother Ignacia corner Scout Reyes Sts., Quezon City).



Come with your hearts of worship, to worship!




Want to help? Want to be a sponsor? Click here.

It's Up!

The 29AD website is up. Now in "test broadcast". Give us some feedback.

The link is http://www.29-ad.com/.

May this site glorify our God even more!

Thanks to Omong "King of Flash".

HOLD ICON

We were Saturday's Music Ministry for the HOLD International Conference held at the Subic Convention Center last April 18-20. It's a wonderful privilege to bring music and worship (and dancing!) to our sisters in HOLD. Talagang mga Dancing Queens ang mga HOLD!

Praise God!

Pictures here. And here.









Happy Birthday too, Tito Bob! We'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places!





The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. - Psalm 28:7

Dumaguete

We were the music ministry for the Disciple's Weekend in Dumaguete last April 12-13. Thank God for this opportunity to serve and spread God's love to our brothers and sisters. Praise God!

Pictures here.

(Thanks to Biboy).

Angelful Angeles

Two angels vowed.
And angels sang.

See the pictures at 29AD's Multiply site.




If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so i never have to live without you...
- winnie the pooh

Happy Easter!

From a blood donor:

I gave blood, He gave His life.

I gave a pint, He gave it all.

The needle was short and sharp, the nails were large and dull.

The bed was soft and restful, the cross was rough and hard.

The nurse was kind and gentle, the soldiers were mean and cruel.

My friends applauded my sacrifice, He was mocked and deriled.

Mine was given to prolong life, He was given for eternal life.

It's all about YOU

His destiny was the cross...

His purpose was love...

and

His reason was YOU.



You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit --- fruit that will last. - John 15:16

Pagbilao

We were at the Southern Tagalog Disciple's Weekend last March 8 to 9. We played for the Saturday RETRO PARTY NIGHT where we did songs from the 60's, 70's and 80's.

We also played for Sunday's culminating Praisefest with Kirby Llaban leading it. We sang Kirby's song "You're My Disciples".

We praise God for this opportunity to serve Him.

Visit also the 29AD Multiply site at http://29admusicionaries.multiply.com.

UPDATE: New pictures here.

humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. - james 4:10

Love at the Rally, Part Two?

We were the music ministry for the Central-A Evangelization Rally held at the Mandaluyong Gym last Sunday Feb24 1-5pm.


--- These very words were said also a year ago, except for the date. But what makes it so amazing was the scriptures after those words. You can read the entry last year here ---- and in God's own time, it is our theme for this year!

This is a new generation! A generation who sings and leaps for our Lord. A generation of youthful praise and reverent worship.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. - Matthew 24:35

Some pictures at Kam's Multiply (thanks Kam!).

Hearts in Harmony

Update: Here are (some of ) the pictures in the Harmony of Hearts dinner show. Click HERE.

Also from Jamie's site, click here.

Afire in His Image and Likeness

More than a year ago, the Lord spoke through Jazz, and He said --- “29AD, the anointed musicionaries, called to love and serve the poor by bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth through Christian fire music. Christian fire music --- spirit-filled music that touches the soul and sets the fire in every heart to worship God which brings miraculous healing and transformation.”

I personally didn’t understand what “Christian fire music” was, even when there was an accompanying description --- “spirit-filled music that touches the soul…” Isn’t it that the Christian music you are listening to right now, the likes of Hillsong or Himig Heswita, “touches your soul”. What is it then? How is it different?

It was until recently that Couples for Christ went through a lot of transformation, from which came an expanded vision statement of the community. We are now more than “families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth”. I could only listen in amazement when it was said that in our beloved community, we now are “…Family Evangelizers That Set the World on Fire”. On fire?!? Christian Fire?!?

Try shouting “fire!” in your neighborhood, and for sure you’ll get a panic reaction. But if I were Abraham or Jacob, I would have a different reaction when I see fire --- maybe I would panic for I doubtlessly would melt in my unworthiness. Nonetheless, I would bow down in reverence and awe, for the significance of fire during their time connotes God’s presence and glory. Nothing is more reassuring for me if I were one of the Israelites in exodus to the Promised Land, for it is written that God guided them in the desert in a form of a cloud by day and flaming fire by night.

I marvel at the truth of what God Himself said that He made us in His image and likeness. You just need to look at me and must agree that God must be a handsome man! Kidding aside, I am simply amazed how God must have decided on this. He could have made us in the image and likeness of a donkey or a monkey. Or He could have settled for a dog, a namesake’s backward, to be like Him. But He instead chose man and woman to be in His image. As He breathed life into us, He too must be have breathed His spirit of fire in us --- a guiding fire that was eminently holy with the Israelites, a fire that consumes but doesn’t burn up, a fire that lives, and makes us live.

All of us have this God’s living fire in us. But maybe in our weaknesses, we continue to douse it with our sins. Even then, God must love us so much because, all throughout history, He kept on breathing fire into us so that we will once again be guided by that “flaming fire at night”. Yet we still persist on sin, and little by little, we extinguish the fire God has breathed in us, and the world around us starts getting darker and darker.

Because of this, I sense a little frustration when Jesus said “I have come to bring fire in the earth, and how I wished it were already kindled.” (Luke12) How He wished? How He wished??? The all-powerful Son of God who, with just a snap of a finger, can send all our sinful lives to a burning end. But like His ever loving Father, He doesn’t. He can only wish that His image and likeness still burn in the hearts of every men.

But, in contrast to this divine frustration, I too sense a joyful commandment from Jesus’ words --- “to bring fire in the earth”. As His disciples, as Christians, we must continue His mission. We too must continue to bring fire in the earth. How else can we do this but with the fire that God has breathed into us through our music. How else but through this Christian fire music that would set the world on fire.

I am reminded by how God showed Himself to Moses in a burning bush. And as God called, Moses responded, “Here I am”. In our calling to bring fire to the earth, to enkindle the fire in every heart, to bring back the image and likeness of God in everyone, this can only be our response --- “here I am”.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." --- Hebrews 12:28-29

All I Am

Feb9 - We attended the Creative House Workshop "All I Am" given by Arun Gogna, Rissa Singson, and Alvin Barcelona.

Even though we had a long day the day before doing the Harmony of Hearts dinner show, we still got up early in time for the morning talks. We learned a lot and had a great time!

It was always said in the workshop "Sing to the Lord a new song...". Appropriately, this is the first line of Psalm 96, the missionary hymn, posted here dated Dec31! So, let's do it, 29AD Musicionaries!

Click here for some pictures.

Harmony and Love

It was a night of fun, fellowship and of love. It was just great to serve! We realized it was difficult to be a waiter or a waitress. But it was just so fulfilling when done with a lot of love.

For those who came to be with us that night --- thank you very much. We pray for your harmony and peace, and that may God's love always be in your hearts.

Missions, here we come!

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. - Romans 5:5

Picture courtesy of Kam.

Harmony of Hearts

To support our missions, to spread the Good News, to burn the hearts of many with the Love of God to the ends of the earth --- we're doing a Valentine Show on 02.08.2008 (Friday) 7pm at the North Greenhills Clubhouse. Tickets at P500/person.

Have a household group date, come with your friends, have a dinner date with your spouse (or your future spouse!), request us to sing your theme song...

Fall in love, feel the love!


Add a comment in this blog entry with your contact info to request for tickets, or for any inquiries. Or you can call/SMS our untiring 24x7 Ticketress --- Girlie Ubaldo at 0916.558.3148. GBU

(24x7 kasi she tends to her 7 kids 24 hours a day! :-) )

The Power of Je Taime, Te Amo, I Love You

We were at the CFC Leader's Conference last January 12 at the Araneta Coliseum. We sang the gathering songs, and for the Holy Mass. The conference was net-casted live via Channel 63256 of TVUnetworks.com.

We also did the 2 opening songs --- The Power of Your Love, and Isang Mundo, Isang Awit. These really brought us to tears. The Holy Spirit was within.

And the videos:

The Power of Your Love


Isang Mundo, Isang Awit

The Work of Christmas

Bob said -- "Just want to share this... Bishop Ongchoco mentioned this in his homily sa Araneta. Bro. Roquel also included it in his talk na preempt lang nga, and Fr. Marin (MTQ parish priest) a few days earlier also read it in his homily... sobra. More than a coincidence. A very strong message for all of us... see you all in the battlefield mga kapatid as we do the work of Christmas".


The Work of Christmas

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the men from the east go home,
when the shepherds are back with their flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to feed the hungry,
to free the prisoner,
to redeem the nations,
to bring peace among the peoples,
to make music in the heart.

(Bold text of last line, mine --- The Garden of Eden)
Text based on "The Work of Christmas" from The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations by Howard Thurman (Friends United Press, 1985).

Love, Love, Love

Je Taime, Te Amo, I love you, Watashi wa anatao aistomasu, Ich liebe dich, Iniibig kita, Gua ay di! Paano man sabihin, ang mundo'y turuan natin, tanging lunas ay PAG-IBIG!

It was an awesome day of worship! 18,000 strong worshipping our Lord. The spirit of love was in every heart present in the coliseum. God's powerful love is really over-overwhelming!

We are so blessed to be part of this celebration!

God bless CFC! Praise God!

(Pictures courtesy of KamV.)

Happy New Missions Year

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

"I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth." - Acts 13:47