September 28, 2016 - Wednesday Fellowship - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

September 28, 2016 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Bp. Ricardo Alcaraz)

Strengthening the Inner Man

Ephesians 3:14-16 - For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that
He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be
strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.

 

How to Strengthen the Inner Man

1.) Worship

John 4:24 - God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

Isaiah 40:31 - But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

2 Corinthians 3:18 - But
we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the
Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2.) The Word of God

Matthew 4:4 - But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Acts 20:32 - “So
now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which
is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who
are sanctified.

Meditating on what God says.

3.) Prayer

Mark 11:23-24 - For
assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and
be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

1 Corinthians 14:4 - He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Jude 20 -  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit

4.) Fellowship with one another.

Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

September 25, 2016 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

September 25, 2016 - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (+Bp. Ricardo Alcaraz)
Sunday Worship Homily
"The Goal of Sensitivity to the Needy"

"God blesses us that we might be a blessing to others."

Amos 6:1-7 - We
are to care about God and His purposes. (We should avoid falling into
the trap that just because we have what we need, we doesn't need
anything else)

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - We are to fight the good fight of faith.

Psalm 146

Luke 16:19-31

1. (v.19-21) God's blessings are meant to be shared.
2. (v.22-26) How we live now shapes our future.
3. (v.27-31) Consider seriously the Word of God.

September 21, 2016 - Wednesday Fellowship - Fr. Fernando Ilustre

September 21, 2016 | Wednesday Fellowship Service (+Fr. Fernando Ilustre)

Topic: We are to wait expectantly to the revealing of Christ.





Luke 3:15-22 (NASB) – Now
while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering
in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John
answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water;
but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the
thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His
winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor,
and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff
with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. But
when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his
brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had
done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and
the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a
voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am
well-pleased.”



Lamentations 3:21-23 – This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.



“When God reveals Himself to us, they are new every morning.”



“God can use you to reveal Himself to others.”



Psalm 68:19 – Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation.



Psalm 103:2 – Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;



1 Corinthians 2:10 – For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

ICCEC - CCSM Children's Choir Special - September 18, 2016

September 18, 2016 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

September 18, 2016 - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (+Bp. Ricardo Alcaraz)
Sunday Worship Homily

The Goal of Being Faithful

If
the people of the world can be good in the ways of the world, then the
people in God's Kingdom should be wiser in the ways of the Kingdom.

Amos 8:4-12

• Our relationship with God will affect our relationship with others.

1 Timothy 2:1-8

• We are to pray always and be diligent especially in praying for others.

Psalm 113:1-9

Luke 16:1-12

1. (v.1-8) Excel in learning and living out Kingdom principles.
2. (v.9-12) Recognize and focus on the true riches.

3 Things you can do with your life:

1. Waste it.
2. Spend your life (for yourself)
3. Invest in something greater than you =)

September 11, 2016 - 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

The Goal of Seeking the Lost

As we have received His grace and mercy, so let us minister His grace and mercy to others.

Exodus 32:7-14

• Because of God’s righteousness, we need an intercessor…

1 Timothy 1:12-17

• God blesses us, so we can become instruments of blessings to others.

Psalm 51:1-10

Luke 15:1-10

• When we help bring people to the Kingdom of God, there is more rejoicing in heaven.

1. (v.1-3) Be thankful for the Mercy of God.
2. (v.4-10) All Heaven rejoices whenever someone comes back to Him.

 

September 7, 2016 - Wednesday Fellowship - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

Plans Written Before We Were Born

God wants us to follow the plans He made for us even before we were born.

Psalm 139:13-16 - For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.



Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.



Ephesians 2:10 - For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.



Hebrews 10:5-7 -  Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of Me—To do Your will, O God.’”



John 4:34 - Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.



John 5:30 - I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.



John 6:38 - For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.



"You are not an accident. You are God's masterpiece. God wants you to finish the plans He made for you."

September 4, 2016 - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Bishop Ricardo Alcaraz

The Goal of Being Christ’s Disciple

Christ invites us to be disciples who are willing to give up those things that will hinder us from finishing.

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

• Living for God means making the right choices. To obey God, means to choose the way of life, to disobey is to choose death. God told us to choose Life. 

Philemon 4-16

• Living the christian life of faith means making hard decisions. We must follow our faith not our emotions and purpose. Let us purpose in our hearts to obey God’s commands. 

Psalm 139:1-6;13-18



Luke 14:26-33 

1. (v.26-27) Our commitment to Christ must be higher than any other commitment. 
2.  (v.28-33) Christ is calling us to a total commitment to follow Him until the end.