Saturday, July 6, 2013

MCGI Holds International Thanksgiving to God

Bro. Jason Consigo readied himself for a six-hour trip from Baguio City, where he works as a Metallurgical Engineer, to participate on the three-day International Thanksgiving service of MCGI (Members Church of God International). He talked to his boss for a leave of absence which the latter generously approved.

On Thursday night, he was already at Apalit Pampanga, all set for the three-day service to God from July 5 to 7.

"I went to work Saturday last week so that I'll have a two day leave this week. I'm just happy to be here." he said.

Jason is just one of the thousands of congregants gathered at ADD Convention Center, Apalit Pampanga to attend the  three-day thanksgiving service to God.

MCGI brethren flocking at the ADD Convention Center during the 2nd Quarter
International Thanksgiving to God.
(Photo courtesy of Abel Suing entitled 'People in the House')

According to him, attending the Thanksgiving of the Body (Pasalamat ng Katawan) is such a wonderful experience.

"It is really remarkable when all brethren are standing up, the whole congregation singing, and seeing our leaders singing with us."

When asked about the importance of this event to him, he said that it is the chance to express his gratitude to God. 

"I'm just thankful that I was called to the Church. While I sing praises, so many things that happened in my life flashes back in my mind, all the good things I receive from God. I owe Him everything. "

The first of the three-day celebration was already concluded. God wiling, more songs of praises to God and a lot of biblical wisdom is expected from Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel for the remaining two days of the International Thanksgiving.

A brief look on the first day

The first of the three-day celebration was filled with a festive atmosphere yet the day passed with peace and calm. 


International Thanksgiving of MCGI during the 1st quarter 2013.
(Photo embedded from mcgi.org)

Solemn songs of praises to God constitutes the early part of the program. The hymns were sang in languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, English, and in Filipino.

After the singing, the opening prayer was led by Bro. Daniel Razon followed by the welcoming remarks of Bro. Eliseo Soriano. He explained the biblical bases of the activities for the thanksgiving service.

"We have undertakings to do as part of our thanksgiving to God, brethren. We have songs of praises, prayers, pronouncement of God's greatness, and each one of this will require time."

(Mayroong mga gampanin sa haing pagpapasalamat mga kapatid. Mayroong pag-awit , mayroong pananalangin, mayroong pagpapahayag ng kadakilaan ng Dios, kaya ang lahat ng gampaning ito ay mangangailangan ng oras. )

Bro. Eli and Bro. Daniel finished two biblical topics for the first day.

Even during breaks, Bro. Eli gave the time for brethren to consult him regarding their questions about faith and verses of the Bible.

As the day ended, Jason meet with his friends who are also brethren in the Church. Some of them he only see during quarterly thanksgiving such as this one.

They chat for a while but they sleep early, all of them just like Jason, anticipating what the remaining two days of the thanksgiving will bring.

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Bro. Eliseo Soriano: Anxiety Disorder is an illness Christians should not have

During a consultation with the brethren, Bro. Eliseo Soriano mentioned that Christians should not have anxiety disorders. Having this “dis-ease” as he calls it, shows a person's lack of trust to the Creator.

Consultations with Bro. Eli is part of the weekly Thanksgiving services of the MCGI.  This one occurred June 22, 2013.

“We shouldn’t have anxiety if we trust God” said Bro. Eli.

(Dapat wala tayong anxiety kung may tiwala ka sa Dios.)

He explained that anxiety comes from the presumptuous mind of a person that something bad will happen coupled with the lack of trust to God.

“If you trust the God that we are serving, you will not experience anxieties” Bro. Eliseo Soriano added.

(Kung may tiwala ka sa Dios na pinaglilingkuran di ka mababalisa.)

Instead, he recommends brethren to pray to God whenever faced with difficulties in life. He read a Bible verse in the book of Philippians that says:


“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

The same advice Bro. Soriano expressed on a tweet dated January 21, 2010:


In addition to that, in Bro. Eliseo Soriano’s blog entry entitled “Stop! Suicide Is Never a Solution, Period.”,  he mentioned that a preacher like himself also has lots of problems but his trust is in the Lord.

“I can say with confidence that my problems and responsibilities are far greater than most people I know, but I live in hope because I have trusted that what I cannot do, can be done by my great God.” Bro. Eli Soriano wrote.


References:

-Live consultation with Bro. Eli, July 22, 2013
-http://www.elisoriano.com/stop-suicide-is-never-a-solution-period/
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Sunday, June 23, 2013

UNTV's Daniel Razon Launches Country's First Tulong Muna Bago Pasada

Three years after the successful launch of Tulong Muna Bago Balita, Daniel Razon introduced another public service dubbed Rescue Cab: Tulong Muna Bago Pasada that intends to include cab drivers in the advocacy of helping first before anything else.

"Maybe, if all cab drivers will have rescue trainings, our streets will be a much safer place." said Razon in an interview.

(Siguro kung lahat ng taxi drivers gaya po ninyo ay makakapag-train ng rescue, mas magiging ligtas ang ating mga kalsada.)



In 2011 alone, more than 11,000 road accidents were recorded by the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group accounting for more than 1,000 deaths and 4,000 injuries that year.

With Tulong Muna Bago Pasada, Kuya Daniel hopes that cab drivers will be instrumental in helping motorists, commuters, and pedestrians in the event of an accident.

In cooperation with Philippine Red Cross, the first batch of orientation started June which covers Basic Life Support (BLS) trainings and is expected to end this July. Attendees will also receive a certificate upon completion of the training.

"I hope that this will be the start of our cooperation to serve, not only to our passengers but also to other motorists and commuters as well." Razon added.

(Ito po sana ay maging isang pasimula ng ating pagtutulungan para makapaglingkod hindi lamang sa ating nagiging pasahero kundi maging pati sa mga motorista at mga naglalakbay sa daan.)

When Razon through UNTV launched Tulong Muna Bago Balita on July 2010 - which is the ascendant program of Tulong Muna Bago Pasada - it opened up plenty of avenues for public services and apparently, it has also inspired public service programs from other media outlets other than UNTV.

As an example, TV5, a local channel, launched 'Rescue5' on February 2011 with the same format of helping first before reporting as UNTV's Tulong Muna Bago Balita.

Kuya Daniel Razon is an advocate of numerous public service projects in the country. Some of his projects includes free college education program through La Verdad Christian College in Caloocan City and Apalit, Pampanga. Also, Clinic ni Kuya has more than 13 branches nationwide to give free health checkups to those in need.

Interested parties to participate in Tulong Muna Bago Pasada may contact UNTV hotlines at (02) 441 8688 and (0938) 803 0777.

References:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exINwpNNuRQ

http://www.danielrazon.com/works/public-service/tulong-muna-bago-balita

http://www.danielrazon.com/

http://www.tempo.com.ph/2011/10/1074-killed-in-road-accidents-from-january-september-this-year/#.UcZiPT5p5n8

http://business.inquirer.net/39691/tv5-to-invest-more-in-rescue-equipment




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Friday, June 21, 2013

Worldwide Bible Exposition (21 June 2013) | Live Updates and Highlights

7:04 PM Philippine Time

Songs of praises were offered by the brethren!

♪♫ Anyaya'y pakinggan mo..nang sa puso'y pumasok..upang maging alagad Niyang lubos.. ♪♫

7:08 PM Philippine Time

Bro. Daniel Razon welcomes everyone to the Worldwide Bible Exposition from all remote points in the country and abroad. Key points include:

  • Abu Dhabi 
  • Japan
  • Cotabato
  • Pangasinan
  • Bulacan
  • Rizal
  • Pasig City
  • Tacloban City
  • Pampanga
  • Nueva Ecija

7:22 PM Philippine Time

Bro. Eliseo Soriano greets everyone and remarked about the importance of these kinds of gatherings which is a study about the spirit and not only about the things of this life.






"Ang ating katawan ay instrumento ng kaluluwa para makarating tayo sa buhay na walang hanggan." - Bro. Eli


7:40 PM Philippine Time

Si Cristo ay di taga rito sa lupa. Muy claro! - Bro. Eli
John 6:38: Sapagka't bumaba akong mula sa langit, hindi upang gawin ko ang aking sariling kalooban, kundi ang kalooban ng nagsugo sa akin.
John 1:14: At nagkatawang-tao ang Verbo, at tumahan sa gitna natin (at nakita namin ang kaniyang kaluwalhatian, kaluwalhatian gaya ng sa bugtong ng Ama), na puspos ng biyaya at katotohanan.



8:13 PM Philippine Time

Next to ask is from Pangasinan. The question is about the real way of accepting Christ.

Colossians 2:6-7: As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Ang pagtanggap kay Cristo ay pagtanggap sa Kanyang turo. - Bro. Eli







 8:33 PM Philippine Time

Love is in the air! Bro. Eli is now discussing about love particularly Eros, Philia, and Agape. 
Read some tweets from people monitoring the event:














 8:57 PM Philippine Time

Bro. Eli pointed out the importance of listening to the words of God.

II Peter 2:21: For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.



"Ang mabuting gawa ay di magbubunga ng masama"

Kahit ginantihan ka ng masama ng ginawan mo ng mabuti, ok lang yun dahil ganti ng Dios ang hinihintay nating bunga.




Luke 6:35: But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Revelation of John 22:12: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.


 9:00 PM Philippine Time


"Basta tao, mahal ng Dios. Gusto Nya, lahat ng tao [ay] maligtas." - Bro. Eli



 9:15 PM Philippine Time

Unlike humans, God cannot lie.

Hebrews 6:18: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

 Titus 1:2: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;







 9:40 PM Philippine Time

Now, Bro. Eli is explaining that early Christians worship God in places like houses of brethren if they couldn't gather in temples.


Acts 1:13: And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 
Acts 1:14: These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

What's prohibited is worshipping in temples which have false gods and idols.

Exodus 20:3: Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:4: Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;


 9:50 PM Philippine Time

The prohibitions in the time of the Israelites is a thing of the past.


Hebrews 9:10: Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.





  9:59 PM Philippine Time

 Katalagahan ng Dios sa tao na tayo ay mamamatay, Iba-iba lang ng paraan.
Hebrews 9:27: 
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" (KJV)
"At kung paanong itinakda sa mga tao ang mamatay na minsan, at pagkatapos nito ay ang paghuhukom; " (Ang Biblia)

Some early Christians experienced recurring sickness like in the case of Timothy.

I Timothy 5:23: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

   10:10 PM Philippine Time
  
As a final note to the exposition, Bro. Eliseo Soriano invited everyone to attend the Mass Indoctrination of Ang Dating Daan on July 15, 2013, God willing. 

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Friday, May 24, 2013

Worldwide Bible Exposition: Live Updates and Highlights

7:04 PM Philippine Time

The Bible Exposition of Members Church of God commenced with songs of praises to God streamed from Ang Dating Daan Convention Center, Apalit, Pampanga.

 7:14 PM Philippine Time

 The first to ask Bro. Eliseo Soriano was from UAE.

 7:31 PM Philippine Time
Bro. Eli clarified that we should not believe that God failed in creating man.  
Job 1:1: "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." 
 Luke 1:5-6: "There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. " 

  7:39 PM Philippine Time

 Catholics should also read their own Pasyon:


 7:46 PM Philippine Time

The second question comes from Guam about handling peer pressure because she's still young.
Bro. Eli responded (as tweeted by followers of the event): 

  7:56 PM Philippine Time

 Why do people commit sin?
  • Because of ignorance: 
I Timothy 1:13: "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief."
  • Because of temptations from the devil:
I Peter 5:8: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"
  • We have weaknesses in our person:
Matthew 26:41: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
A trivia in Philippine history:
 The saying "panahon pa ni Mahoma" refers to prophet Muhammad of the Islam:

The Muslims were in the country first. Even before the Catholics.


 8:24 PM Philippine Time
How can the 7th day adventist church be the true church while it is founded by Ellen G. White?
 Only God should build the House:
Psalms 127:1: "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
8:34 PM Philippine Time
Bro. Eliseo Soriano refuted the claim that worshipping during sundays is the "mark of the beast."
He read:
Acts 2:46: "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, "
..daily includes Sunday.
8:45 PM Philippine Time

 Noah ate pork!
Genesis 9:3: "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

8:53 PM Philippine Time

"The words of God should not be sold. What has been freely received should be freely given."

9:00 PM Philippine Time


9:10 PM Philippine Time

God can force us to do His will. But He won't do that because He wants us to be willing and be obedient.

Isaiah 1:19: "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:"


 9:27 PM Philippine Time

Bakit dumarami ang relihion? Dahil ginagawang negosyo. 

Kinakalakal ang miembro:
II Peter 2:1-3:  
"Nguni't may nagsilitaw din naman sa bayan na mga bulaang propeta, na gaya naman sa inyo'y magkakaroon ng mga bulaang guro, na mangagpapasok sa lihim ng mga makakapahamak na mga hiduwang pananampalataya, na itatatuwa pati ang Panginoon na bumili sa kanila, na mangagtataglay sa kanilang sarili ng madaling pagkapahamak.

At maraming magsisisunod sa kanilang mga gawang mahahalay; na dahil sa kanila ay pagsasalitaan ng masama ang daan ng katotohanan.

At sa kasakiman sa mga pakunwaring salita ay ipangangalakal kayo: na ang hatol nga sa kanila mula nang una ay hindi nagluluwat, at ang kanilang kapahamakan ay hindi nagugupiling."

Kinakalakal ang salita:
II Corinthians 2:17: 
Sapagka't hindi kami gaya ng karamihan na kinakalakal ang salita ng Dios: kundi sa pagtatapat, at gaya ng mula sa Dios, sa harapan ng Dios ay nagsasalita kami para kay Cristo.



 9:44 PM Philippine Time

About the Lord's Supper:





 9:44 PM Philippine Time
Ang Dios ay mayroong daliri, kamay, bisig, likod, sinapupunan, at pati puwit dahil umuupo sya. 'Puwit' ang gamit sa ating salita ng pang-upo.





 10:05 PM Philippine Time

Bro. Eli Soriano lead the closing prayer to conclude the event.
The Worldwide Bible Exposition was such a success, thanks to God.


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Monday, May 20, 2013

Limbo: A centuries-old deceit of the Catholic church

Many religions these days are only teaching invented doctrines and fables which were not taught by the apostles.

This was the opening message by Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano during the Worldwide Bible Exposition on April 26 this year. Bro. Soriano is the long-time host of the multi-awarded program, Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path) and Presiding Minster to the Members Church of God International (MCGI).

Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano, Presiding Minister to the Members Church of God International (MCGI), preaching in a Bible Exposition.
Bro. Eliseo F. Soriano seen here preaching in one of the Bible Expositions of MCGI.
 (Picture embedded from mcgi.org)
According to Bro. Soriano, religious organizations nowadays are full of false teachings geared to extort money from their members. To prove his point, he gave Limbo - the centuries-old teaching of the Catholic Church - as an example.

Modern Catholic Encyclopedia defined limbo as: “...the abode of souls excluded from the full blessedness of the beatific vision but not suffering any other punishment.” It was also mentioned that the limbo of the infants “...is an article of the Catholic faith that those who die without baptism...cannot enter heaven.”

Because of the teaching that there exists a limbo, Catholic parents are obliged to submit their infants to baptism. Even if some of them would have to borrow money just to proceed with the ceremony or even if their child is sick, the baptism has to commence because of the fear that their child might go to limbo if they die.

(“Mahabang panahon na po yan, libong taong pinaniwala ang mga katoliko na ang limbo ay duon pupunta ang mga bata na di mabibinyagan.”)

“It was [for] a very long time, thousands of years that Catholics were made to believe that unbaptized babies will go to limbo,” said Bro. Eli in the vernacular.

If we analyze the numbers, the Philippines have 2.3 Million live births a year with 80% to 85% of that number coming from Catholic parents. Therefore, around 1.84-1.96 Million babies will be baptized under the Catholic Church. Say with a P100 fee for every baptism (even though it is more than that), the Catholic leadership raises an amount not less than P184 Million every year in the Philippines alone, all because of the doctrine of limbo.

However, in 2006, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he is scrapping limbo from the Roman Catholic teachings, saying it does not exist.

The report was published in the paper Metro dated October 5, 2006.
Limbo does not exist, says Pope. All-new view: The Pope opposes the idea of limbo.
Pope Benedict XVI will tomorrow announce he is scrapping the centuries old Roman Catholic concept of limbo. According to church teachings, limbo is home to the souls of children who die without being baptized. It is a state between Heaven and Hell. But the Pope will instead say that unbaptized children go to Heaven.
Mainstream media in the country did not cover the news. The pronouncement was not even heard by Filipinos so they still continue to submit their infants to baptism in fear of the doctrines of limbo.

To conclude his point, the International Evangelist read the verse in Ezekiel 18:20 to clarify that sins are not passed on from parents to children, therefore there is really no need for babies to be baptized.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Bro. Eli read the same verse in nine languages - including Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and some other local languages for audiences attending the symposium-like activity of the MCGI.

Clearly, the doctrine of limbo has deceived many Catholics all over the globe. It is one of those beliefs that has no basis in the Bible but has generated money for the Church that invented it.

After this, the live question and answer portion of the exposition commenced where attendees were given the chance to ask Bro. Eli any questions that they have in mind.

Ten guests coming from different parts of the globe were served; thousands in attendance were also able to monitor the event.

Some of the questions asked were about leadership, knowing the will of God, and salvation, among others.

Apart from hosting Bible Expositions, Bro Eliseo Soriano is also a philanthropist. He has been heading several charitable institutions such as the free college education at La Verdad Christian College in Apalit Pampanga and Caloocan, Metro Manila. He is also the proponent of the Transient Home program in Edsa, Quezon City and Apalit Pampanga, and other medical and feeding programs to serve the marginalized members of society.

The next Worldwide Bible Exposition of MCGI will be on May 24 this year. Thousands of regular as well as first time attendees from different continents are expected to grace the event.


Sources:
Ang Dating Daan Worldwide Bible Exposition, April 26, 2013
http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/irf/2010/148891.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_Philippines

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Thursday, March 21, 2013

To my atheist friends

At least once in our lives, we may have encountered people who do not believe in the existence of  God. They believe, and also preach to others, that the universe or the cosmos came about by some reason other than the existence of a Creator.

I have also entertained the idea of agnosticism and even atheism before, in my life. And I remember that those times were the saddest. I felt that existing in this world has no sense at all. After all, I'm just going to die anyway.

However, I am thankful to have understood the principles that the Bible offers after I heard Bro. Eliseo Soriano preach. At first I wasn't paying attention to what he says, I thought he was just one of those televangelists that only want money from people.

But after some time of listening, I was convinced that he speaks of the truth because I don't believe that such knowledge of the Bible can be learned by a person on his own.

For my atheist friends and colleagues, I sincerely hope that you may understand the points that Bro. Eli explains in these websites.

1. Bro. Eli's answer to an atheist from his personal blog

2. A video clip from The Old Path broadcast

3.  A Youtube playlist of Bro. Eli's discussion with an atheist
 


I hope that non-believers will give Bro. Eli a chance and keep an open mind to what he is saying. Give time to analyze his arguments and the evidences that he presents. He has more Q&A videos at the website above. I suggest that you visit them and see for yourselves how he has converted atheists to believers.

I assure you that he is not like any other pastors and ministers that you have heard.

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