James 2: Warning: Favoritism

 Warning: Favoritism

James 2:2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes,
3 and you pay attention to the wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool,"
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

Habang binabasa ko ang passage na ito, napaisip ako kung gaano kadaling magkaroon ng favoritism, minsan , hindi pa natin namamalayan.

Imagine two people entering the church. 

One is well-dressed and looks successful;
the other is simply dressed and looks ordinary. 
Do we welcome them with the same warmth? Or mas nagiging accommodating tayo sa isa kaysa sa isa?

Ito ang warning ni James sa atin.

Favoritism is not just about how we treat people; it reveals what is in our hearts.

Minsan, kahit sa church, mas napapansin natin ang mga taong close sa atin, may position, may influence, or may magandang contribution sa ministry. Meanwhile, those who are quiet, simple, or not part of our circle can easily be overlooked.

But church should never be a place where people feel they need a certain status or position just to be noticed and valued. 
We are all recipients of God’s grace, and no one is more important than another in His eyes.

This passage challenges me, especially as someone serving in God’s ministry, to examine how I treat people.
Am I giving everyone the same warmth and respect? 
Do I only make time for people I am comfortable with?
Do I notice those who are often left out, 
or am I too focused on the people around me?

I don’t want to be someone who speaks about God’s love but fails to show it through my actions. I want to be intentional in welcoming everyone, reaching out to those who feel unnoticed, and treating each person with dignity—not because of what they can offer, but because they are loved by God.

Let us be careful not to allow favoritism to create walls where Jesus wants us to build relationships.
In God’s house, nobody should feel less important. We don’t choose whom to love; we learn to love everyone the way Jesus does.

Personal Prayer

Lord, search my heart and remove any form of favoritism in me. Teach me to see people through Your eyes. Help me to love beyond my comfort zone, welcome those who are often overlooked, and treat everyone with the same grace You have shown me. May the love of Jesus be seen in the way I treat others.
In Jesus name . Amen.

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PASTORA SHERLY - JCRC RIYADH

Hebrews 13 Leaving Comfort, Choosing Christ

 

Hebrews 13:13 Leaving Comfort, Choosing Christ

“Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”
Hebrews 13:13 NKJV


Camp-symbolizes our comfort zones, and the things we find difficult to leave behind.
The camp is a place where we feel safe, comfortable, and familiar.

It can represent:
*Our old habits and sinful ways.
*Our desire for security rather than obedience.
*Our comfortable lifestyle.
*Our fear of being rejected by others.
*Our unwillingness to sacrifice for Christ.

Going outside the camp symbolizes leaving behind the security, acceptance, and religious traditions that prevent us from fully following God.

Before I became a Christian, I was always uncomfortable with the idea of leaving my safe place. I never felt secure whenever I stepped outside my area of convenience.

My comfort zone was a place where I could remain unbothered, free from responsibilities, and live according to my own desires. I had become so comfortable with my sinful lifestyle that I didn’t even realize how much I needed a change.

While I was staying in my comfort zone, I had no clear understanding of my purpose in life. I was comfortable with the way I was living, but I was far from discovering the life God had prepared for me.

But I will always praise God for the invitation He extended to me—to leave my safe place, step out of my comfort zone, and follow Him.

Through Jesus, I realized that true security is not found in familiar surroundings, a life free from responsibilities, or the freedom to live according to our own desires. True security is found in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus calls us to step outside our comfort zone, He is not asking us to walk alone. He is inviting us to walk with Him.

And I have learned that sometimes, we need to leave what makes us comfortable to discover the purpose God has prepared for us.

My greatest comfort is no longer found in my comfort zone, but in Christ, who gives my life security, direction, and purpose.


In Hebrews 13:13, It is an invitation for us to follow Jesus.

“Let us go forth to Him” means God is calling us ,inviting us to come closer to Jesus and follow Him.

Leaving the Camp means leaving our old ways:
*Giving up habits that separate us from God.
*Choosing obedience even when it is difficult.
*Leaving a sinful relationship to honor God.

Following Him means we must be willing to experience:
*Rejection instead of acceptance.
*Sacrifice instead of comfort.
*Obedience instead of convenience.

We are reminded that Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates of Jerusalem.
Jesus was crucified outside the gates, His comfort zone, rejected, humiliated, and treated like a criminal, even though He was sinless. But Jesus willingly suffered because He wanted to make us holy through His own blood.

We cannot fully follow Christ while holding tightly to the things He calls us to surrender.
Following Jesus is not always comfortable, but it is always worth it.

Sometimes, what stops us from growing spiritually is not the enemy, but our unwillingness to leave what makes us comfortable.
But God invites us to move beyond our comfort and follow Christ wherever He leads.


Prayer:
Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who suffered outside the city gates and shed His precious blood to make us holy.

Give us the courage to stand firm in our faith, even when we experience rejection, criticism, or suffering.

Teach us to leave behind anything that prevents us from following You wholeheartedly. Help us to remain faithful, not only during comfortable times but also during difficult seasons.

May our lives reflect Jesus Christ in everything we do.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

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ELDER SHEILA - JCRC RIYADH

Hebrew 12: Not a Punishment, But Training

 

Not a punishment, but training:

 
V11 – For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
 
When I was young, my parents used to discipline me at home. They would ask me to do chores that I find unfair and difficult because I was young, small and powerless. I used to throw tantrums and whine all the time because I always wanted to play and be with my cousins and friends. But they would make me do the chores and only until I finished my tasks, then I get to play. I really hate afternoon naps, and I used to sneak out from the house and come home muddy and dirty.
 
Growing up, I learned valuable lessons from my parents, and I’m grateful for everything they taught me. Now that I have become a parent myself, it is the same discipline I teach my 2 sons. However, it is more difficult and frustrating now because kids nowadays are really different. They think they know better than us, they are too smart, opinionated and entitled. But as a parent, I will never get tired of teaching, disciplining, and guiding my son to be a better person. A God-fearing person!
 
As it is written in Verse 11, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant”. Yes indeed! We all have experienced such. We’ve gone through trials, hardships, corrections, pain, suffering, and the list goes on. But the verse teaches us to endure and carry on. It is actually awful, uncomfortable, and unpleasant at most times, but it is not a punishment, but training. When we set our mind and will to it, we will reap the fruit later on. We can build a strong foundation, sets of values and skills to carry on life.
 
In the same manner, our Heavenly Father disciplines us, trains us so we can be righteous before Him. He is shaping us to be like His own son Jesus Christ. While I was studying the verse, I came across this statement… “God uses the challenges, conflicts, and pruning seasons of life to strip away unhealthy habits and mature believers into the likeness of Jesus Christ”. AMEN!!! I totally agree with it!
 
Same goes to our Pastors, they would always correct, discipline, rebuke, equip and guide us in our spiritual journey to Christ. They function as our spiritual parent/mentor so we can be guided in our walk with Christ. They would often check on us, message or call us. But they are not being nosy but wanting to know how we are. Sometimes, they would become “Banal na Marites” to find out what’s going on with us so they can know what to pray and how to guide us.
 
Remember, discipline is not a punishment, but training. Discipline is coupled with love and care, while punishment should only come from our God Almighty! Training teaches us how to control our emotions, actions, and words. Training is genuinely difficult and uncomfortable when you are going through them. But it builds you and strengthens you. In doing so, we should set our mind to “The Harvest” which is the “fruit of righteousness”. When we are trained to endure with a will to obey, to learn, to yield, and to grow, our life will surely be aligned with God's will ("righteousness").
 
Prayer:
Lord, I pray to you today that you give us strength to endure all the hardships in life. To be disciplined in all our ways, to practice the fruit of righteousness that we we’re trained for. Especially at these trying times here in Riyadh. That each day we face the uncertainties of life, we battle for our safety, for our jobs, amidst the conflicts of all nations. I pray that the Holy Spirit be with us while we combat each day to carry on with our lives as we go for work and come home safely. Lord, we come to you for shelter, cover us with the precious blood of Jesus Christ that we may show love and compassion to every soul we encounter in this nation. Continue to train us with your righteousness so we may obey what pleases you. All these I pray in Jesus’ mighty name, AMEN!

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ELDER JOEL - JCRC RIYADH
 

Hebrews 11: Even When I Don’t See, I Still Believe

 

Even When I Don’t See, I Still Believe

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

As I read Hebrews 11, I find myself reflecting on what it really means to have faith.
Sometimes, we say we trust God because we believe He can do the impossible. But I realize that faith is not only believing that God can do something; it is also trusting Him when we don’t see anything happening yet.

Hebrews 11 tells us about people who chose to trust God even when the future was uncertain.

Abraham obeyed God without knowing where he was going.

Noah built an ark even before the rain came. 

Moses chose God’s purpose over the temporary comforts of Egypt.

Imagine obeying God without knowing what comes next.
Imagine holding on to a promise when there is no visible sign that it will happen.
Yet they believed. Not because they knew how everything would turn out, but because they knew the God they were trusting.

And this speaks to me personally.
There are moments when trusting God feels easy, especially when prayers are answered and things fall into place. 
But what about those moments when we are still waiting?

When we pray for healing, but the situation remains uncertain? 

When we ask God for direction, but the next step is still unclear?

 When we keep believing for something, yet nothing seems to change?

Honestly, waiting is not always easy. There are times when we have questions, when our hearts grow weary, and when we want God would simply show us what lies ahead.

But Hebrews 11 reminds me that faith does not always mean seeing the fulfillment of what we are praying for. Some of the people in this chapter experienced great victories, while others went through suffering, persecution, and even death. Yet they continued to believe.
That truth reminds me that faith is not about getting the outcome we want. It is about remaining faithful to God, even when the outcome is different from what we hoped for.

Mga kapatid, having faith doesn’t mean we will never feel afraid, discouraged, or tired. We are human, and there are moments when our hearts become heavy. But even in those moments, we can choose to bring our fears to God instead of allowing them to take away our trust in Him.

As I continue my own journey of faith and service to the Lord, I am reminded that I don’t need to understand everything before I obey. I don’t need to see the whole road before taking the next step. I just need to keep trusting the One who is leading me.

Maybe some of us are carrying unanswered prayers today. May naghihintay ng healing, restoration, provision, or breakthrough. Some may be going through battles that other people don’t even know about.

Whatever season you are in, I pray that you will not allow what you cannot see to make you forget the God you already know.


Let’s keep trusting Him, even in the waiting.
Let’s continue serving Him, even when life is not easy. 
And let’s not measure His faithfulness by how quickly our prayers are answered.
Because the truth is, God remains faithful even when we don’t yet see what He is doing.
And this is what I want to hold on to:

I may not see the answer yet. 
I may not understand the process.
I may even have moments when I don’t know what to pray for anymore. 

Whatever tomorrow may bring, I choose to keep trusting Him. He has been faithful through every season, and I know He will remain faithful. I may not know what lies ahead, but I know the One who walks with me every step of the way is FAITHFUL.

Lord, even when I don’t see, help me to keep believing. ❤️

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PASTORA SHERLY - JCRC RIYADH

Hebrews 10: DRAW NEAR TO GOD

 

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

This verse encourages us to draw near to God to come close to Him. We are not suppose to stay far or hide from Him. We can always come to Him to know Him and to be truly near Him.

With a sincere heart. God is not looking for a perfect heart. He is looking for an honest heart. In whatever situation you might be. Tired, confused, guilty, or doubting, you can come to Him as you are. Our God is a faithful God we can always depend on Him as this verse says “wecome to Him with the full assurance that faith brings”.

Also, we are reminded today that we are now completely washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, our thoughts our actions, our body, our whole being. And since we are already cleansed, we should no longer return to our old sinful ways.

Come close. Come honestly. Come confidently. Come clean.
You don’t need to clean yourself up first before you come. You come because you have been made clean by the blood of Jesus.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for calling us to draw near to You despite us being sinners. Thank You for sacrificing Your own blood to cleanse us. We come with a sincere heart. We surrender to you our fears, our failures, our doubts, our tiredness. We give it all to You. Thank You for reminding us that our confidence is not in what we have done, but in what You have already done for us. So here we are Father we come to You and we put our confidence in You.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.🙏🏼

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ELDER JOY - JCRC RIYADH

Hebrews 9: Cleansed by the Blood of Christ to Serve the Living God

 

Hebrews 9:14

*Cleansed by the Blood of Christ to Serve the Living God*

1. Scripture – Hebrews 9:14 (NKJV)

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

1. Observation – What does the Scripture teach me?

Hebrews 9:14 reminds us of the power and sufficiency of the blood of Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, the blood of animals was used for ceremonial cleansing, but it could not fully cleanse the human conscience from sin. Jesus offered Himself as the perfect and spotless sacrifice once and for all.

This verse reveals three important truths:

* The blood of Jesus cleanses us. His sacrifice removes the guilt and condemnation of sin.
* Our conscience is made clean. God does not only change our outward behaviour; He transforms our hearts from within.
* We are cleansed to serve God. Salvation is not only about being forgiven but also about living a life devoted to the Lord.

God cleanses us not so that we can continue living in sin, but so that we can serve Him with a pure heart.

3. Application – How Can We Apply This to Our Lives?

• Let us not allow our past mistakes and sins to define who we are, because through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have received forgiveness and a new identity in Him.
• Let us continually examine our hearts and repent whenever sin influences our thoughts, words, and actions.
• Let us not serve God merely out of religious obligation, but with genuine love, gratitude, humility, and obedience.
• Let us remember that we are cleansed for a purpose—not simply to receive forgiveness, but to serve and glorify the living God.

Church, let us examine our hearts. Are we serving God with a clean heart, or are we simply performing religious activities?

Sometimes, even after receiving God’s forgiveness, we continue carrying the guilt and burdens of our past. But Hebrews 9:14 reminds us that the blood of Jesus is powerful enough to cleanse our conscience.

Therefore, let us no longer live in condemnation or allow our past to hold us back. We are not serving God to earn His forgiveness; we serve Him because we have already received His grace.

Church, let us live with grateful hearts, walk in holiness, and serve the Lord with sincerity. We have been cleansed by His blood, and we have been given a purpose: to serve the living God! 4. Prayer –

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Thank You for Your amazing grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Lord, cleanse our hearts and consciences from every sin, guilt, and anything that hinders our relationship with You. Forgive us for the times we have served You with the wrong motives or simply out of religious obligation.

Father, teach us to live with pure hearts, renewed minds, and willing spirits. May our words, actions, decisions, and daily lives become an offering of worship that brings glory to Your name.

Remind us, Lord, that we are not only saved from sin but also saved for a purpose to serve the living God. May we serve You not out of fear or obligation, but with genuine love, gratitude, faithfulness, and obedience.

Let our congregation become a testimony of Your grace, love, and transforming power. May our lives reflect the holiness of Christ, and may everything we do bring honor and glory to You.

We declare that we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, restored by His grace, and called to serve You faithfully.

In the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Church, let us remember this:

“We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, not merely to escape condemnation, but to live a life that serves and glorifies the living God.”

We are not cleansed to remain idle; we are cleansed to serve. We are not forgiven to return to our old ways; we are forgiven to walk in a new life with Christ.

Our forgiveness has a purpose, our cleansing has a purpose, and that purpose is to glorify God through our lives.

Let us therefore serve the Lord with clean hearts, grateful spirits, and faithful hands!

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ELDER NEL - JCRC RIYADH

Hebrews 4: While Rest still Stand Today!

 

While Rest still Stand Today!

 

“[1] Now the promise of entering into God’s rest is still for us today. So we must be extremely careful to ensure that we all embrace the fullness of that promise and not fail to experience it. ”

Hebrews 4:1

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The door is still open.  The promise has not expired.

1. While Rest Still Stands Today, Share the Faith of Those Who Obeyed. (v. 2)

Israel Heard about deliverance, heard about Promised Land ngunit hindi nila ito pinanampalatayanan.

While in the wilderness, they never fail to complain, to turn their back to God. Those people na lumabas sa Egypt na generation we weren't able to enter the promised land the rest. Except Joshua and Caleb who experienced the rest because they believed and obeyed.

Sinugo sila kasama ng 10 spies upang mag spy sa Promised Land. All of them saw the same giants, same na naglalakihang pader ngunit ang pinagkaiba nila ay ang kanilang FAITH. The 10 died in the wilderness because they heard but did not mix what they heard with faith and obedience.

Today, two people sit in the same church, hear the same sermon about God's provision. One goes home worried, still trying to control everything, still restless. The other goes home peaceful, trusting that God will provide for the tuition, for the bills, for the application. The difference is not the message — it's the faith that receives it.

Rest does not come by just hearing about God. It comes by trusting and obeying what He said.

“[22] But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ”

James 1:22 ESV

 

2. While Rest Still Stands Today, Hear His Voice — Do Not Harden Your Hearts (v. 6-7)

 God is still speaking today— not yesterday, not tomorrow. Today. But many of us have hardened hearts. Not because God stopped speaking, but because we stopped listening.

Like Pharaoh, God spoke to him again and again through Moses "Let my people go." Every time Pharaoh hardened his heart, his burden became heavier. The more he resisted, the more restless his kingdom became. Hardness never brings rest, it brings bondage.

 Today, God whispers, "Forgive."

You say, "Not yet, they don't deserve it."

You stay restless.

God whispers, "Surrender your anxiety.

 You say, "I need to figure this out first." You stay sleepless.

God whispers, " Let go"

You say, " I can't". You stay stuck.

 Rest is not the absence of problems. Rest is the presence of trust in the middle of problems.

The promise is still standing TODAY. Don't just hear about rest — enter it. Share the faith of those who obeyed, and hear His voice before your heart grows hard.

Today, He is calling you to rest.

Do not hesitate.

Do not doubt.

Enter the Rest.

 Remember:

 “[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:14-16

 

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PASTORA CZAR – JCRC SORSOGON