Pastor's Sunday Message: 5.3.2020

THANK YOU ALL for watching our live-streaming service today! Hope you were blessed by engaging in the Word and Worship. Here's today's message:

What made the early church in the book of Acts so attractive and powerful? They grew exponentially and geographically at a very accelerated pace. What can we learn from them?

• The Disciples Began to Preach/Share the Word Like Jesus Did

• The Disciples Began to Love Like Jesus Did

• The Disciples Began to Demonstrate Signs and Wonders Like Jesus Did

• The Disciples Began to See Lives Powerfully Transformed by Jesus

• The Disciples Began to Experience Persecution Like Jesus Did

In other words, the church becomes more attractive and powerful as we become more and more like Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul had this to say:

"I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:10)

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 5.2.2020

Tomorrow is Communion Sunday so please join us at 10:45 am and have the holy elements, symbolizing the broken body and shed blood of Jesus on the cross, the bread and the grape juice ready.

We will follow the journey of the early church in the book of Acts after they were filled with the Holy Spirit. What can we learn from them today? Why was the church so attractive and powerful that many believers were added to their numbers daily?

These and other points I will be sharing tomorrow. Invite your friends and loved ones. See you all!

"So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." Acts 16:5

Pastor's Friday Briefing: 5.1.2020

Even though we've registered the highest number of cases today since the outbreak in one day at 3,137 cases, there are hopes for optimism, thank God. The alternate care facility that was set up at McCormick Place will wind down from 1,000 bed capacity to 500. Our Governor stated that the curve is flattening and our health care systems continue to operate within capacity. Let's keep praying that it stays that way.

I just have a couple of things tonight:

• We will begin to livestream our service from our worship center this Sunday. We will only limit participants to 10 people and under which are the worship team members and the pastor.

• We will celebrate the Holy Communion this Sunday so please have a piece of bread and a cup of grape juice ready. Livestream worship service starts at 10:45 am.

For our message this Sunday, I will be sharing about what makes the church in the book of Acts so attractive and powerful. I will continue my series in the exciting book of Acts. So please tune in with your family and friends.

"Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it (the church) increased in numbers." (Acts 9:31)

Pastor's Thursday Briefing: 4.30.2020

Today we finally had a respite from all the rain for the past few days and tomorrow will look like to be a sunny day, the Lord willing. There was a flood warning at a nearby city and I hope yours was not in danger of any flood. A few things to highlight:

• Today our city has experienced the second-highest daily totals of fatalities since the start of the outbreak. This is far from over and so we need to continue to exercise caution and vigilance.

• Let's continue to pray for all of our healthcare workers and other frontliners. Tonight, we had a well-attended prayer conference call and we prayed for all of our healthcare workers and those who are currently struggling with the virus.

• Tomorrow, May 1st, anyone older than two years old is required to wear a face mask out in public when they cannot maintain a safe distance from others.

Let's continue to persevere, keep our focus on God, encourage others and stay connected with them.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James 1:2-3.

Pastor's Wednesday Briefing: 4.29.2020

We just got done with our prayer phone conference call earlier. There were 25 participants tonight, praise God! The more people praying the more exponential power there is! We are seeing many sick people who are being restored back to health and recovering from the virus. Every night we are praying for more people to get well and we are believing God for their miracle. I just have a quick couple of things:

• It's been raining non-stop throughout the day and even right now, let's keep an eye on our sump pumps if we have them in our basements.

• We have more face shields and ear savers available for those who have need of them. If a co-worker needs one, let us know. We will gladly give them away. Bro. Jhun Almosara Letada is our point of contact.

Here's a word for us tonight: "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3). Have a blessed evening!

Pastor's Monday Briefing: 4.27.2020

We are 4 days away from the month of May and it's just amazing how the month of April has quickly faded (or fading). We are now on our 47th day of a shelter-in-place order. We thank God that He continues to preserve and protect all of us.

We have small groups meeting throughout this week through Zoom or Google Hangout. We also have prayer phone conference call every night. We encourage you to join a small group for spiritual feeding or fellowship during the week. If interested, please send an e-mail to contactus@ffwcchicago.com about a particular group to get the passcodes to join the meeting. Here they are:

• Children's Sunday School - sis. Jenny Agngarayngay

• New Believers' Class - sis. Betty Hernandez

• Keepers of Faith - bro. Dennis Howard

• Refuge of Fatih - sis. Glenda C Lacson or Dr. Archie Hong

• Youth IMPACT - Pastor Warren Fleras

• Lovers of the Word - sis. Lorna Villarias Tippett or sis. Lolet Veloso

• Anchor of Faith - Pastor Warren Fleras

• Young Adults - bro. Ched Cuaresma

• Prayer Team - sis. Maricel Lanuzo-orbon

Hope you all have a great work week start trusting and believing in the goodness and power of God. Let's go forth in the strength and peace of the Lord!

Pastor's Sunday Briefing: 4.26.2020

Thank you all for joining us today in our worship! It's so good to worship the Lord. It always refreshes the soul.

Here's the message outline:

Why an Extended Stay-at-Home Order May Just be our Breakthrough (Luke 24:49 & Acts 1:4,5)

Because as we wait upon the Spirit of God, he will empower and grant us the following:

• New-found COURAGE to witness

• New-found CLARITY from the Word of God

• New-found CROSS-centric and RESURRECTION-centered Message

• New-found CONVICTION brought about by the Spirit in the hearts of the people

• New-found COMMITMENT to the Word, Prayer, & Fellowship among the brethren

Let's use the next 30 days or so to devote more time in prayer and waiting upon the infilling of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we will emerge refreshed and emboldened to share the gospel message to our friends and loved ones. Let's experience our own Pentecost! God bless you and have a wonderful week!

Pastor's Saturday Briefing: 4.25.2020

"Why an Extended ECQ or Stay-at-Home Order May Just Be Your Breakthrough."

That's the tentative title of my message tomorrow for our morning worship. ECQ means Enhanced Community Quarantine in the Philippines. Jesus, before he ascended to heaven after his resurrection, advised his disciples:

"And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. BUT STAY IN THE CITY until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49).

"And while staying with them he ORDERED them NOT TO DEPART from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father." (Acts 1:4) Here's the point:

• Before Jesus left, he actually wanted his disciples to be on a lockdown in the Upper Room praying and anticipating the coming and empowerment of the Holy Spirit in their lives. We may use this extended time to humble ourselves more and seek the strength and power of the Holy Spirit so that we may become mighty witnesses to people around us when we emerge from this lockdown.

We won't have a Holy Communion this Sunday. Next Sunday, being the first Sunday of the month, will be our next Holy Communion.

See you all tomorrow at 10:45 am. Invite your friends to watch our livestream service. God bless you!

Pastor's Friday Briefing: 4.24.2020

The Governor of Illinois has extended the stay-at-home order until May 30th. I've read his order and there was no mention about the number of people allowed to congregate at a time. We will follow the White House guidelines of no more than 10 people with social distancing in place.

I just have a couple of things to pass today:

• Bros. Ched and Jolo have embarked on a very worthy project supported by the church. We are making available a very limited number of face shields to be used by our frontliners - those who are now actively a part of treating COVID-19 patients in their units. If you are in need of one and approved for use by your supervisors, please send us a note. You will have to replace the shield (after using them) with a plastic sheet protector you can buy at the store. Use a 3-hole puncher to make holes that will align with the pins in the headband. The headband will have to be disinfected after each use. Please follow your work place's protocols. We still have some "ear savers" left and you may request them anytime.

• Part of the Governor's order is the requirement to wear face coverings by May 1st. Sis. AC BZ Oro has made some clothe face mask available, about a dozen (mostly for women) with 2 kid-size face masks. She's making some for men too. Let us know if you need one or you may contact her directly. Thank you sis. AC BZ Oro!

Thank you bro. Ched Cuaresma and bro. Jolo (sis. Tess Agsalud) for thinking about our frontliners. You guys are doing such great deeds. We appreciate so much your initiatives!

Hebrews 13:1-3 tell us:

"Continue in brotherly love. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them."

Pastor's Thursday Briefing: 4.23.2020

BEWARE OF PHISHING SCAMS!

A co-worker of my wife fell victim to a phishing scam. Her co-worker received an e-mail stating that her credit card was compromised. She was then directed to click on a link embedded in the e-mail and was asked to provide all her personal info like social security number, address, date of birth, etc. She then noticed after giving all these info that someone had been impersonating her and opening credit card accounts under her name.

There are many scams that come in various forms through e-mail, phone calls, FB messengers, or text messages purportedly coming from "IRS," your bank, credit card company, or someone you know. Elderly people are usually the biggest targets but everyone can be victimized. I am compelled in today's briefing to warn everyone that phishing scams and identity thefts are on the rise especially during this pandemic. Here are a few things to keep in mind to prevent you from becoming a victim to scammers:

• DO NOT GIVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO to anyone you do not know or have not verified and authenticated with a legitimate company. A simple call to your bank or credit card company will sometimes suffice to verify.

• NEVER EVER GIVE USERNAMES or PASSWORDS to any person or entity over the phone or e-mail.

• DO NOT SEND MONEY to anyone you do not know or impersonating someone you know asking for urgent medical or relief help. Nor to anyone who promises big sums of money in return for an initial contribution. They will keep asking again and again once you give money.

• The IRS WILL NOT MAKE A PHONE CALL TO YOU. They will send an official written notice and give you ample time to respond even allowing you to seek legal advice. Do not answer or entertain phone calls supposedly coming from the "IRS."

• DO NOT ACCEPT an unknown person's or a known friend's request on FB that you already have on your friends' list. Call your friend first and speak to them.

There are definitely more preventive measures we can do but this briefing is long enough. If you would like to share any helpful knowledge to everyone, please feel free to comment to this post. Please let us all educate our elders so that they won't fall victim to these kinds of scams. They need to be protected from being duped out of their hard-earned lifetime savings or retirement income. Feel free to share today's briefing.

Here's a good verse from the Bible:

"Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16

Pastor's Wednesday Briefing: 4.22.2020

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (James 4:14)

Like seasons of hardship and uncertainty, this global pandemic has brought some clarity and perspective to many of us reminding us of the brevity of life. Life is short. Do all you can now to live your life with purpose and intentionality in the light of eternity so that once this body gets older and weak, we shall have no regrets for missed opportunities. Finding your true purpose begins with God.

I just have a couple of things:

• Mayor Lightfoot contemplates extending stay-at-home order till June. This is a prediction and not an official word from the state. Hopefully, we won't have to be. We will be hearing more from the Governor for an official word in the next couple of days. Pray for wisdom.

• I know we are all raring to go out and enjoy some semblance of normalcy again. But we have to take this with all seriousness. The statewide totals stand at 33,059 cases and 1,468 deaths. Just yesterday, I received word from people I know that their family members are affected.

My prayer is for the government to make some logical and safe modifications, provide guidelines on how churches and businesses could open safely and effectively while still enforcing social distancing, screenings and testings, and limited number of people to be in a building at a time. This is going to be a gradual process and for the long term. Not an easy task, but decisions have to be made not out of fear but of a sound mind, wisdom from God, courage, faith and trust in Him.

Pastor's Tuesday Briefing: 4.21.2020

I saw a headline this morning that reads, "US records lowest coronavirus-related deaths in 2 weeks." If this is true then there is more reason to be optimistic and hopeful. The staggering number of deaths is unimaginable as we have not seen anything quite like it in our lifetime. Let's remember the families who have lost loved ones. There are still many who are in the bed of sickness fighting and recovering from the virus. Let's keep them all in our prayers.

I just have a couple things:

• We plan to start live-streaming from our worship center on the first Sunday of May. Number of people will be limited to state or national guidelines.

• Our church body has been ministering to multiple families directly affected by the pandemic and we're dropping off groceries, fruits, warm meals, over-the-counter medications, face masks, gloves, and others at their homes. Our benevolence fund comes directly from your faithful giving and keep in mind that whenever we minister to the physical needs of the people you have a big part in making that happen. Spiritual and physical ministries go hand in hand together (message last Sunday). Thank you FFWC and everyone!

Stay strong and resilient. We will weather any and all storm that may come with the gracious hand of God. I pray that we will remain faithful and devoted to God and to one another. God bless you!

Pastor's Monday Briefing: 4.20.2020

"For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Cor. 5:7

As a people belonging to God, we are on a different spiritual plane. We are not moved by what we see, feel, or hear. We operate by faith - in the realm of God's supernatural presence and power. Next Sunday, I'll be talking about this power that is available for every believer. We will continue our journey with the Apostle Peter - how his life was radically transformed by God. We will jump from the Gospels to the exciting book of Acts!

I just have one thing:

• Please continue to pray for all of our families in Faith Family Worship Center and beyond the church. We are not out of the woods yet and we cannot relax our guard. Luke 18:1 tells us that we should always pray and not give up. Pray for families affected by the virus, for our healthcare workers especially in long-term care facilities where majority of the cases and fatalities are occurring. 186 of long term care facilities in 22 counties reported at least one case. At least 1,860 cases can be tied to nursing homes, with 286 deaths - that's nearly a fourth of all coronavirus deaths reported in Illinois (source: Chicago Tribune).

Please stay safe. Go out only for necessary and essential travels. Wear your masks. Check in on the others. There is power in simply being present for someone. The church is here for you. Let us know if you ever need any help.

Pastor's Sunday Briefing: 4.19.2020

Thank you all for watching our service today through Facebook Live! As I've said, last time I checked our FB page analytics, we are in 20 different states and 14 countries! The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ continues to be proclaimed unabated in every nook and corner of the world through His many faithful servants. Amen!

Here's the message outline from the preaching today based on John 21:1-23, "How Jesus Transforms Failures Into Faithful Servants."

JESUS...

• REMINDS the disciples of their true calling. It was deja vu all over again for the disciples by the Sea of Galilee where they made their first decision to follow Jesus.

• REPLENISHES their bodies with a warm breakfast. Spiritual and physical ministries go together.

• RESTORES Peter into ministry and apostleship. Three times Peter denied Jesus publicly, three times Jesus restored Him publicly. God is a God of restoration. No one is a failure. Jesus took all our failures on the cross.

• REVEALS to Peter the cost of following Him. We are not ready to live for Jesus until we are ready to die for Him.

• REFOCUSES Peter's perspective. To follow Jesus is to unfollow everyone else in the sense of our singular devotion and love for Jesus.

God bless you and go forth in His name this week with your true calling!

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.18.2020

We have some unfinished business with Peter the Apostle. We were a little bit tough on him because of his denial of Jesus. He failed big time. But his story does not end there. And just like Peter, our story should not end when we fail to live up to our commitment. Tomorrow, I will be sharing about Peter's path to restoration, and so my topic is, "How Jesus Transforms Failures Into Faithful Servants." This is based on John 21:1-19.

Meanwhile, I have a couple of things today:

• We will celebrate the Holy Communion at the end of my message tomorrow. So please have a bread and juice ready.

• Invite your friends to watch our livestream service. It will be shown on our public page. This is the easiest way to witness to your unbelieving friends. Invite or share.

Our plan is to start live-streaming our service in our worship center by the first Sunday of May, the Lord willing. It will just be the pastor and worship team as we will limit the number of people according to state guidelines. Our reopening will be gradual and will be done by phases.

Have a wonderful and restful weekend! Jesus lives and He lives within our hearts!

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.17.2020

It's okay not to be okay sometimes.

How can we stay emotionally healthy in an age of shelter-at-home, social distancing, and other major disruptive events in our lives? Here are a few things to consider:

• Recognize the sense of loss. There are certainly things that are missing in our lives right now: church fellowship and agape lunches (yup!), jobs, sports, and other group gatherings. Don't overlook your own feelings and emotions.

• It's okay to grieve. Every loss deserves a grief period. Tears are God's gift. But we don't grieve as if we don't have hope.

• Stay connected with people. We have many online communities that you can always be a part of. Last night there were 24 people who participated in our prayer phone conference call. We have zoom video Bible study groups throughout the week.

• Protect our Sabbath. It's your day of rest. No house chores. Nourish your soul. Spend time with your loved ones, listen to music, read a book. Recuperate and recharge yourself.

• Find ways to laugh. Laughter is the best medicine as they say. Share some clean comedy or memes of the mayor :)

• Exercise. The busier and more stressed we are the more important physical activities are. Take time to get outside and walk. You can do workout indoors too (just ask bro. Randy C Allegrezza)!

(Above is based on a modified version of Ron Edmonson’s piece from Outreach Magazine, 4/15/20)

We have a family in our church that has been directly affected by the coronavirus. We've been praying for them in our prayer meetings as well as for other individuals who have been struggling. There are those who are asking how they can help. Pastor Warren Fleras is coordinating all help like dropping off some groceries and warm food.

If you'd like to help, the best way is to use our online giving directed to our benevolence fund. Just visit our website: www.ffwcchicago.com and click on the giving tab. We will be supporting various affected individuals in their time of need. To those who have given donations, a big THANK YOU to all of you!

"We do not grieve as do the rest who have no hope..." (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.16.2020

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thristeth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name." (Psalm 63:1-4, KJV)

We've been live-streaming our worship service for the past few Sundays. Here are some ways to be fully engaged when joining our online service:

• Get out of bed and get dressed. It will put you in the right mindset for worship.

• Go through your normal Sunday routine minus the "hurry up, we're late" part. Set your heart and mind on your Heavenly Father.

• Gather together as a family. No multitasking; worship is a family activity.

• Stream to your largest screen if possible. It will feel like you are really "there."

• Sing along loud with passion. The walls of Jericho fell with a shout. It may feel weird, but it also feels weird to the people leading worship in an empty room.

• Preach with the Preacher. Say "amen," clap, shout and take notes; have a time of prayer at the end; make your home a sanctuary.

That last part is really what makes you get engaged with the preaching of the Word. If the Spirit of God speaks to you, share it to our online audience. Encourage others. Your comments will reverberate long after the service is over as people replay our worship service. You'll be glad you did!

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.15.2020

Winter may have come and gone but light snow early this morning caused a massive pileup of nearly 70 vehicles after two separate accidents on the Kennedy Expressway. Chicago has some of the weirdest weather around so please be very careful. Prayers for those who had been injured and transported to hospitals.

I just have a couple of things today:

• Today's Federal Tax Day (April 15th) deadline has been moved to July 15th as you may know already. States follow Federal deadline so we are automatically adjusted to the same deadline too.

• The government's stimulus payment to eligible individuals and families will begin today especially those who have filed their 2018 and 2019 returns with direct deposit bank information on file. If you would like to find out if you are getting a payment, you may click on the link here and enter your information: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment

There is a segment of the population that we need to be praying for which is very susceptible to the spread of the virus - those who are in prison. Cook County Jail has more than 500 positive cases reported. Pray for their salvation and healing. Jesus listed prisoners as among the least of His brothers.

"I was in prison and you came to me..." Matthew 25:36

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.14.2020

Late last Sunday evening, someone sent me this question through messenger:

"Why did God allow this COVID-19 pandemic?"

Here's my answer. Please bear with me as this is a long answer. It is not a simple question.

The ultimate answer is we do not exactly know. But we know that we live in a fallen, sin-cursed world. Death, diseases, viruses are realities of living in a fallen world. There is evil in the world and man still has a freewill to choose between good and evil.

Why did God allow this COVID-19 to kill thousands? It's the same question being asked over and over again once a calamity strikes like the Tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004 killing thousands, the Yolanda typhoon in the Philippines, earthquakes, hurricanes etc. Death does not come from God. John 10:10 is very clear: "The thief (satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy. But I (Jesus) came that you might have life and have it abundantly."

Creation is groaning the Bible says for its redemption (Romans 8). It is subject to decay and destruction. This makes the promise of a new heaven and a new earth more compelling. Even our mortal bodies which are subject to diseases will one day be transformed by our resurrected bodies (1 Cor. 15:54).

We are shaken to the core when we see too many deaths all at once but we need to realize death is always a reality for mankind. If we look at the numbers of stroke and accident victims, influenza deaths, heart attack and cancer, they are in the millions. This pandemic should not come as a surprise. Creation is awaiting its redemption from its Creator.

So why would God allow calamities to happen? To accomplish His spiritual purposes. To test our faith like how he tested Job. Even then satan had to ask permission to test Job. Now because of this virus, people are crying to the Lord, humbling themselves before the Lord and repenting of their sins. People are beginning to realize that God and relationships are more important than anything. God is beginning to remove the idols from people's heart. Nations are beginning to realize that they are powerless against the forces of this disease and that they need divine intervention. Doctors in Italy who are rabid atheists are turning to God.

Jesus gave us a warning and reassurance some 2000 years ago: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). He lets us know in advance that there will be trials, sufferings, sicknesses, and hardships while we live in the world. But he encourages to take heart because he has overcome. He is living in us, so he gives us the ability to overcome even to the point of death.

So now we are seeing some of God's purposes throughout this. We just have to continue to draw near and trust Him in the midst of this global pandemic. For Christians, death is not the end of everything. It is the gateway to our eternal destiny. Let's spread the hope of the gospel during this turbulent times. It's the only hope for humanity.

Pastor's Daily Briefing: 4.13.2020

A devastating tornado ripped through a couple of states yesterday killing 19 people. Mississippi and Louisiana, already reeling from coronavirus, were hit hard by dozens of tornadoes. Please take time to pray for the people of both states especially for the victims.

I just have a couple of things today:

• Let's continue to pray that we will be able to open up our worship center by the first Sunday of May depending on local and national guidelines, the Lord willing. Opening will be on a gradual basis and will be by phases with all the precautionary measures in place. It may start with just a handful of worship team members and the pastor with a live-streaming service. Masks and a few feet distance from each other will be the norm. Agape lunches will take some time to be back (sorry!). I'll be in consultation with our ministry leaders. More details to follow.

• Our Governor had mentioned yesterday that we may be seeing a bending of the curve as the number of deaths hit a 6-day low. But we should never let our guard down from hereon. Shelter-in-place and social distancing are working effectively. And of course the prayers of God's people are the most effective means of combating this scourge.

Let's continue to spread the good news and the risen Christ! More people have heard the Resurrection story than in previous years with so many pastors live-streaming their messages yesterday to a combined audience of probably in the millions. The enemy tried to put the Resurrection story on a lockdown but he failed and failed miserably! The gospel marches on and is transforming the lives of those who will commit to the Savior.