http://www.biblechurchinternational.com Bible Church International Podcasts en Bible Church International Podcasts Bible Church International no Bible Church International jlepasana@aol.com ℗ & © 2009 Bible Church International 720 Since we are honoring all the fathers, many of us can praise God because He has blessed us with great fathers who have done their best to provide us with all the love and care we needed growing up. On the other hand, I also recognize that there may be some here who are finding it difficult to rejoice because they did not have positive experiences with their earthly fathers. They probably have fathers who were abusive to them in their disciplines leaving them with deep emotional pains, or those absentee fathers who were never there to help them out growing up. If this is who you are, I hope I can encourage you to look up to your Heavenly Father and rejoice on Him having filled the place of your earthly father. I’m sure He was able to supply you with all the love and attention you needed in life. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-fathers-love http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/the-fathers-love.mp3 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:09:07 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith father's_love,father's_day,prodigal_son 38:41 Every marriage has conflicts. No matter who you are, no matter how much you love your spouse, how long you live together there will be some things you disagree with. Why? It’s because both husband and wife are created differently with different personalities and needs. But the greater differences we have in our marriage, the greater our potential for spiritual growth and spiritual greatness. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/creating-an-affair-proof-marriage http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/creating-an-affair-proof-marriage.mp3 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 14:03:24 CDT Pastor Ed Ramos A Household of Faith 37:17 Speaking of weddings, I always look forward for the wedding vows. The fact is: that’s really the most important part. All the rest could be considered trimmings. When I do weddings, I always discourage couples to read their vows because they don’t sound right, they sound so mechanical. I want the couples to be able to look at each other and say with all sincerity their promises of love and faithfulness to each other. And then, I want the friends and loved ones present during the wedding to be able to listen to the hearts of the couple. I’m sure you’re all familiar with wedding vows. There may be some variations, but almost all should at least communicate this basic idea of a lifetime commitment. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/making-a-marriage-stick http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/making-a-marriage-stick.mp3 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:56:56 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith marriage_that_stick,lasting_marriage,weddings 43:38 I believe that almost all of us could point to family circumstances where our situation has been undesirable or less than ideal. It may surprise you to find that the Bible contains many instances of dysfunctional family situations, and in a number of these, the believers involved were able to triumph amidst such circumstances and to thrive in their lives and relationships. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/thriving-in-an-imperfect-family Sun, 31 May 2009 14:12:01 CDT Rev. Steve Allen A Household of Faith successful_marriage,life_in_the_lord,harmony_in_marriage Getting married is no doubt one of the most important decisions any man or woman will make in life, most especially for a believer in Christ. In the Bible, it is clear that marriages matter to God and He expects this relationship to be a lifetime commitment. Hence, selecting the right mate has always been the greatest concern among single people who are pursuing marriage. This is the reason why I want to talk about the theme, “Deciding to be the Right Mate.” http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/deciding-to-be-the-right-mate Sun, 31 May 2009 11:45:15 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith deciding_for_the_right_mate,marriage,choosing_the_right_soul_mate The social environments where children are growing today have become more toxic than ever, but I would like to declare that Christian parents need not despair. I believe with all my heart that God is in full control. He is never surprised with all of these things. Being a Sovereign God, He knew everything that would happen even before the foundation of the world. He knew exactly what kind of culture and environment young children must grow up today. And He is able today as He was yesterday, or twenty, thirty, and even fifty years ago to supply His people with power, wisdom, strength and blessings. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/finding-hope-in-parenting Sun, 17 May 2009 17:08:00 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith parenting,family,faith,household “Dads are important too, but for today’s generation of young people their mother remains the most important person …Many parents think that once their children grow up and leave school, they do not have much of an influence.” This is where I want to start our Mother’s Day sermon. I wonder how many mothers here today recognize how important their influence is to their children most especially in terms of their faith in the Lord. I remember reading a Spanish Proverb that says, “An ounce of a mother is worth a ton of priest.” http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-mothers-great-faith http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/a-mothers-great-faith.mp3 Sun, 10 May 2009 10:41:55 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith mothers,home,faith,family,household,christian 33:31 You see, you don’t go to church because you want to be in church and attend the worship service. You come here because your worship experience will allow you to be more intimate with the Lord and you’re convinced that having an intimate relationship with Him will allow you to have a more meaningful journey. I believe with all my heart that if this is our understanding of faith, if it is a relationship; then all of us, even our kids, will make time for the relationship that matters to us. When you examine the Bible, it shows without a doubt that God has ordained the home to be the primary institution to lead people to a deeper relationship with God. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/faith-begins-at-home http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/faith-begins-at-home.mp3 Sun, 03 May 2009 10:32:11 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana A Household of Faith household,home,family,children,parent,church 37:41 Looking at the Scriptures, there is no doubt that we who belong to Christ have been the object of His passion. Christ was very passionate about us that he gave up His own life just to save us. He paid the price. His passion for us is the greatest love story that any man could ever know. This heavenly passion for us defines who we are -- we are sons and daughters of God. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/heavenly-passion http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/heavenly-passion.mp3 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:55:38 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana So, What's the Upside? christian_life,benefits_in_christ,passion 42:07 Why do we do the things we do? As a child, we may do things out of fear: I don't want to be spanked... so I will listen to what my parents say and not punch my little sister. We may do things out of duty... We meet deadlines because we have to. We do things out for no good reason at all. I recall reading a book by author Joshua Harris titled Boy Meets Girl, in it he tried to shed some light on the ins and outs of "Christian" courtship. He wrote this book as a follow up to his previous book entitled I Kissed Dating Goodbye. This book blew the minds of Christian young people everywhere. The problem arose when people starting thinking in terms of dating vs. courtship. In feeling that courtship was the more Godly approach, many people starting following strict rules, blueprints, in their relationships. The author noted that while we should avoid fleshly immorality we should also avoid legalism. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/no-more-empty-rituals http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/no-empty-rituals.mp3 Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:09:04 CDT Pastor AJ Camota So, What's the Upside? rituals 37:26 I'm sure we are all familiar with fire hydrants. Prior to its invention, firefighters used bucket brigades or hand pumping systems to get water to put out fires. With fire hydrants, you have a discharge pipe with a control valve that allows water to flow from a water main with great force making it easier for firefighters to do their job. In a way, there is a parallelism between a fire hydrant and our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember two Sundays ago, I preached on the encounter of the Samaritan woman and the Lord Jesus Christ, and I highlighted the claim of Jesus Christ found in John 4:13-14: Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Jesus explicitly claim that He is able to give us the spring of living water that can continually meet all our spiritual needs. The reality is: He is our spiritual hydrant that allows us to experience a powerful supply of blessings. He wants us to be a fire hose hooked up to Him! http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/finding-the-hydrant-of-blessings http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/find-your-hydrant-of-blessings.mp3 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:40:34 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana So, What's the Upside? blessings 34:06 We're now in the last part of our sermon series called RESERVATION. For every hotel you go to, there are certain policies that all the guests must observe. One of the usual rules would be: NO SHOES, NO SHIRT, NO SERVICE. The last issue under this theme is about not being good enough and not being worthy to receive God's favor. Satan will do his best to make you feel that you do not deserve a personal and intimate relationship with God. He will say, "You're not as good as you think you are; you don't deserve to be forgiven. Your God is good and you're not." But if you believe those words, then, you will become a victim of Satan's trap. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/no-shoes-no-shirt-no-service Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:47:35 CDT Pastor Ed Ramos Reservation reservation,relationship,salvation,forgiveness,good_works If you are like me, I won't book in a hotel that does not offer a complimentary breakfast. About 59 percent of hotels all over the world are offering it. This means that it is not difficult to find a hotel with this amenity if that's what you are looking for. Great hotels are committed to do the best they could to meet the needs of their guests. Spiritually speaking, we also have some needs that must be met in order for our journey to be more meaningful and satisfying. Unfortunately, many are turning to wrong places to find answers only to be led farther from the right one. In our series regarding the reasons that hold back people in pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ, we will find the Samaritan woman pursuing another alternative in place of a relationship with God. Examining carefully the story, I am convinced that many people could easily identify with her as far as what she sought that only led to greater dissatisfaction in life. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/what-no-breakfast Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:50:56 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Reservation issue_of_happiness,issue_of_pleasure,reservation Satan will never run out of techniques in keeping people from committing their lives to Jesus Christ. He will do whatever it takes to deceive and destroy people. As Jesus explained, Satan's goals have always been to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). We will study another very effective method of the enemy, which is the fear of man. Often, we call it as peer pressure or people-pleasing. This happens when we are afraid of what others think of us or will do to us, or when seek the approval or fear the rejection of others. I'm pretty sure that in one time or another all of us have yielded to peer pressure or people pleasing. Many think that this problem is only true with young people, but if we carefully examine the decisions we older folks make, it's quite obvious that even we are not exempted from it. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/nicknite Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:58:30 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Reservation people_pleasing,reservations,peer_pressure Occasionally God allows us to encounter people who have hesitations or reservations about making a commitment to Jesus Christ. Perhaps some of you are struggling to fully embrace Jesus because of some doubts in your heart. We will discuss how a poor image of Christians causes some to have reservations. To keep it interesting, we have compared the themes of these messages with making a hotel reservation. That's why when you look at the themes for this series, they seem to suggest reasons for not pursuing a hotel reservation. As Pastor Jerry has already stated it, "in a way, the point is, 'If something keeps you from Christ, it also keeps you from making a reservation in heaven.'" http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/just-two-stars Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:01:03 CDT Rev. Steve Allen Reservation reservations,poor_image_of_christians,commitment_in_christ One basic reality in life is: There’s always a price to pay for whatever we choose to pursue wholeheartedly. Without paying the cost, no one would arrive in his or her desired destiny. The same can be said in terms of choosing to follow Jesus. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/rates-are-too-high Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:15:50 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Reservation For many people, it's their skepticism that's keeping them to pursue a relationship with Jesus. Just like Lee Strobel, they may have some negative assumptions about Jesus Christ that must be confronted and straightened out. Lee took the time to investigate and was won over to Jesus, but for many it is not that easy. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/no-vacancy Sun, 01 Mar 2009 14:06:51 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Reservation In life there are two trails. When it comes down to life you’ve got to decide which trail you’re going to be on. When it comes to love and relationships are you going to do the safe, predictable, superficial relationship circle? Or are you going to sacrifice? Because really what you are sacrificing is comfort. You’re sacrificing convenience. You’re sacrificing safety. We all have something in common, we all want to love and be loved. You want to know and be known. You want to serve and be served. You want something richer and more in your relationships and your love but how do you get there? We need to look at how Christ loved and follow His example. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/theres-something-about-love Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:26:27 CST Pastor AJ Camota 40 Days of Love christian_relationship._love,priority Would you say, my number one goal in life is to be happy? Or to be loved? Or my number one goal in life is to succeed at my career, or to get married and raise a family. If you haven’t ever thought it through, you need to think it through because your answer to that question is what I call your dominant life principle. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/its-all-about-love Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:26:52 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana 40 Days of Love relationship,love Shortsightedness is a common visual condition in which a person can see close objects clearly, but objects in the distance appear blurry or unclear. Unfortunately, there are so many people who have become shortsighted in life. They only see things as they appear at the moment and are unable to see life 10, 20, or 50 years from now. Would you consider yourself shortsighted? The Bible, both the Old and New Testaments, provides sufficient warning against it. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/slaying-the-giant-of-shortsightedness Sun, 08 Feb 2009 11:10:19 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Slaying the Giants weaknesses,shortsightedness,slaying_the_giants Does man exist for himself? Did God really put us on earth just so we can advance ourselves and live a happy life? To live life simply for oneself may sound repulsive and unacceptable, but the reality is: there are many people whose ultimate goal in life is the pursuit of their personal happiness. Believe it or not, even great men of the Bible are not exempted from this attitude. Solomon started out being so blessed because of the wisdom that God bestowed upon him. He sought for this wisdom because he wanted to adequately serve the nation of Israel. However, his heart eventually turned from serving others to serving and living for himself. I hope you won’t miss the last verse. He ended up being disappointed because his pursuit turned out to be empty and meaningless. Can you imagine the frustration? http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/slaying-the-giant-of-selfishness Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:04:32 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Slaying the Giants challenge,self_improvement,attitude,selfishness,slaying_the_giants It is always disturbing when we hear stories about Christians who deceived fellow Christians because we know it impacts the causes of Christ in negative ways. And it is so easy to pass judgement on people who have been disgraced without being aware of our struggles of living double lives. Is it possible that we are doing our best to hide our own obsessions or addictions? Continuing on the series on Slaying the Giants, I would like to talk about this very sensitive topic about strongholds. For most people, these are commonly known as obsessions or addictions. We need to confront and defeat these strongholds if we want God's best in our lives. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/slaying-the-giant-of-strongholds Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:12:10 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Slaying the Giants slaying_the_giants,strongholds,obsessions,addictions Self-sufficiency is dangerous, and anyone can easily fall into this attitude. Just like in the life of Goliath, image, possessions, and experience can easily contribute to such an attitude. In life, we need to constantly guard ourselves from it. Even God’s people need to take heed. In the Old Testament, whenever God’s people had enjoyed some prosperity, they were most vulnerable to self-sufficiency. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/slaying-the-giant-of-self-sufficiency Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:56:28 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Slaying the Giants overcome,slaying_the_giants,self-sufficiency Our highest goal as a church family is encapsulated in our purpose statement – Leading people to a life of commitment and productivity in Christ. Our salvation goes beyond having the assurance of going to heaven, or enjoying the blessings of an abundant life. We must, while waiting to go to heaven, use our one and only life to bring honor and glory to Him who saved us by making a difference in the lives of others. Productivity is our highest priority, without undermining the value of commitment. The reality is: they should always go together. The more committed we are, the more productive we become. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/pursuing-greater-productivity Sun, 28 Dec 2008 11:26:01 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Our highest goal as a church family is encapsulated in our purpose statement – Leading people to a life of commitment and productivity in Christ. Our salvation goes beyond having the assurance of going to heaven, or enjoying the blessings of ... greater_productivity,highest_goal,bearing_fruit Christmas is all about seeking to worship Christ. Unfortunately, when Christmas comes around, it is so easy for most of us to be preoccupied with seeking the best decorations, best bargains, and the best parties we can attend. Unconsciously, we go through all the motions, neglecting a major opportunity to bring ourselves a little bit closer to our Savior, or to intentionally help someone else to be drawn closer to Him. My fear is: if Christmas does not accomplish drawing us or someone else to Christ, the rest of the year would even be harder because there’s no special emphasis about Christ. Evidently, seeking for Christ is always is rewarding experience. I am reminded of a familiar verse that says, “He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Heb.11:6). In other words, the Lord would like to impress to us that if we seriously exert the efforts to build a closer relationship with Him, we will never be disappointed. He will reveal Himself in a very special way to everyone who would seek after Him. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-eyewitness-account-of-the-wise-men Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:20:32 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The EyeWitness of Christmas wise_men,jesus'_birth,christmas,eyewitness An eyewitness is not merely someone who has seen something but someone who can give a first-hand account of what they have seen. It is by virtue of seeing with their own eyes and reporting upon what they have seen that makes an eyewitness a valued, credible, source to be believed. As we look at the eyewitness account of the angels, we will note that what the angels described to the shepherds and to us was truly more than meets the eye. The Scriptures demonstrate the uniqueness of God's angels, as eyewitnesses to our Lord's unfolding Gospel plan. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-eyewitness-of-angels Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:33:34 CST Rev. Steve Allen The EyeWitness of Christmas birth_of_jesus,angels'_declaration,christmas,eyewitness The birth of Jesus Christ has definitely more than two or three eyewitnesses. More than establishing His birth as a fact, we can also learn significant lessons from people who participated in this greatest event. This is what I want to really emphasize on this series beginning this morning. It would be proper to begin with Mary, the young girl whom God has chosen to be the earthly mother of the Messiah. Why did God choose her? When you contemplate the fact that God has the whole world of women to choose from, why choose a poor Jewish girl named Mary? Perhaps, if we can discover, why God chose her, maybe we can emulate her and be used of God in ways we never thought possible. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-eyewitness-account-of-mary Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:35:49 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The EyeWitness of Christmas Charles Finney, the great revivalist, once said, "Christians themselves are the greatest reason for accepting Christ. But they are also the greatest excuse for rejecting Christ." is it possible that many people are staying away from Christ because of what they see in the church? Truly, we are either the greatest attraction, or the greatest distraction for Christ. Last sermon, I said, the greatest passion of Christ is our transformation, but He needs our cooperation. Clearly, Christ wants to see a glorious church, and we must work actively with Him so our church can be one. What do we need to do in order to keep our church attractive or radiant before the world? http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/radiant-church Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:21:54 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Loving the Bride of Christ christ_loved_the_church,radiant_church,loving_the_bride_of_the_church Today, it seems unfortunate that the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has been getting a bad rap. Many have developed some very negative opinions against her. They label the church as boring, irrelevant, and so out-of touch. Consequently, church attendance has been consistently declining. For many years, statistics in America will always show that about 40 to 45 percent of people attend church. However, the most recent study done by an Episcopal Church researcher, Kirk Hadaway, and Penny Marler of Samford University based on actual head count concludes the number is only about 20 percent today. Apparently, many are staying homes on Sundays, instead of attending church. What is your personal opinion about the church? I recognize that some negative experiences in the past can bring about negative perceptions about her. And perhaps because of this, you have not wholeheartedly plugged yourself in any church until now. I believe it would benefit all of us to understand that God has a very positive view of the church. The fact is: today when God looks at the church, He has a much glorious picture of it. Despite all her shortcomings and imperfections, she remains to be the apple of His eyes and the object of His everlasting love. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/heart-for-the-church Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:03:05 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Loving the Bride of Christ bride_of_christ,church,heart_for_the_church There are some people in the church who will be capable of demonstrating more love and mercy to others because that’s their spiritual gift. Our key text in Romans 12: 8 says, “If it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” This gift is defined as the ability to practically and compassionately extend help to someone who is in misery. John MacArthur writes, "Mercy is not the silent, passive pity that never seems to help in a tangible way. It is genuine compassion with a pure, unselfish attitude that reaches out to help." http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-gift-of-showing-mercy Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:01:40 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Uniquely You In Christ uniquely_you,gifts,spiritual_gifts,showing_mercy,mercy Throughout the Bible, God has demonstrated that He was able to accomplish great things even with the most ordinary instruments. Perhaps, you are one of those people who have the tendency to think that you need to be extraordinary in your abilities or super special in your intelligence before God can use you. You are seriously mistaken! His glory shines the greatest through the weakest of vessels. When it seems impossible that good can come from an ordinary or highly dysfunctional life, God shows up and accomplish the impossible. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-gift-of-administering Sun, 26 Oct 2008 09:02:26 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Uniquely You In Christ uniquely_you,service,talent,gifts,administering One of the significant contributions of Martin Luther during the reformation was when he rediscovered the doctrine of the Priesthood of Believers. In this doctrine, Luther has emphasized the privilege and the responsibility of all believers. The concept of privilege applies to the direct access which all believers enjoy through Jesus Christ. Back in the Old Testament, the common Israelite cannot approach the presence of God without the mediatoral access provided by priests. For responsibility, the doctrine teaches that believers must share the love of Jesus Christ to others. Clearly, if you are some who has been called out from darkness, or someone freed from sins by the blood of Jesus, you are a priest before God. This is indeed as awesome privilege! http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-gift-of-teaching Sun, 12 Oct 2008 09:04:29 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Uniquely You In Christ gift_of_teaching,uniquely_you,talents When God in His goodness give blessings to His people, they are not just for personal consumption. He expects that we invest His gifts for the furtherance of His kingdom. I believe with all my heart that we never fall short of blessings. God has given us everything we need to be fruitful believers. In fact, in our series, we are primarily dealing with spiritual gifts. These are special abilities we have received through the Holy Spirit so we can serve each other and therefore build the body of Jesus Christ. Like the other blessings we have, we have received gifts so we can bless others. I hope we are doing our best to know our gift/s and use them to be a channel of God’s blessings to others before it’s too late. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-gift-of-serving Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:09:48 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Uniquely You In Christ spiritual_gifts,serving,uniquely_you_in_christ Each one of us has been uniquely created by God. Contrary to the theory of Darwin, we are not a product of a big accident. God has carefully designed and crafted all of us. The truth of the matter is: God has created us for service. He has created us to play a special role on earth. This goes with saying that if we fail to understand and accept this, we can miss out on getting the most out of our lives. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/getting-the-most-out-of-your-life- Sun, 14 Sep 2008 09:16:52 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Uniquely You In Christ talent,service,getting_the_most_out_of_you,uniquely_you Being able to pray and draw ourselves in the presence of the Almighty God is one of our highest privileges as believers of Jesus. It is literally through prayers that we are able to experience great blessings. Sometimes we have the tendency to treat prayers in the same way we treat physical exercise. How many of us know that physical exercise is good for our over-all health? How many of you know prayer is truly essential in your Christian life? How many of you really pray as much as you could? I trust we would be able to establish praying as a habit because I know it could bring into ouor lives tremendous benefits. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-seasoned-prayer Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:47:47 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Being able to pray and draw ourselves in the presence of the Almighty God is one of our highest privileges as believers of Jesus. It is literally through prayers that we are able to experience great blessings. Sometimes we have the tendency to ... seasoned_prayer,prayer,grandparents Personal improvement has always been considered as one of the natural drives of human beings. People are consistently looking for ways to improve themselves. The only problem is: so many people give physical enhancement the highest priority. What kind of personal improvement have you taken for yourself lately? Are you at all conscious of any area in your life that needs improving? Until we embrace the fact that we have some responsibilities in our attitudes, we will never be able to live a life that brings honor and glory to God. Just like God’s people in the Old Testament who missed out on the Promised Land because of their hardheartedness, we can suffer if we do not choose to change our attitudes. Therefore, let’s consciously desire to change into Gods glorious image. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/change-in-attitude Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:54:12 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Glorious Change glorious_change,attitude,improvement The Bible explicitly claims that genuine faith in Christ produces a changed life. The apostle Paul himself who experienced the changing power of God declared in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” In other words, the people who really have been saved are people who are changing. It is easy for anyone to talk about his or her religion, but everyone who does it must recognize that he or she must have the life to validate it. Beloved, if you know Jesus, you are set to change. I trust that you are ready to commit yourself to full cooperation with the work of transformation that God wants to do in you. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/set-for-change Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:35:10 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Glorious Change christian_life,transformation,commitment,change There is a spiritual vacuum that exists in the hearts of all human beings. The great theologian, Augustine, affirmed this when he said, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." I hope none of us will be deceived in embracing teachings which are in direct conflicts with the Bible. At the same time, we should be mindful of the ministry of influence God has entrusted to us. We might not have the same influence as Oprah, Tom Cruise, or Madonna, but I’m sure we can influence someone to Jesus Christ. People are spiritually seeking today. If we fail to be an influence for Jesus, many of the people around us, our loved ones and friends, can fall into these false teachings. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/madonnas-kabbalah Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:57:07 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Celebrity Religion celebrity_religion,kabbalah,madonna The Bible has never failed to provide warnings concerning the spiritual conditions of people prior to the second coming of the Lord Jesus. The apostle Paul had impressed to the young pastor Timothy how he needs to be faithful in teaching and preaching the Word because a time is coming when people would rather listen to myths or fables, rather than listen to sound doctrines. If we know the truth in Christ, I pray that we will have the same passion and zeal that Tom Cruise demonstrate, though what he believes contradict the Bible. Let’s all continue to pray that God will use us to influence other people to Jesus Christ. Let’s even pray that celebrities like Tom Cruise will come to know Jesus and would be used to draw people to Jesus Christ. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/tom-cruises-scientology Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:06:37 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Celebrity Religion celebrity_religion,tom_cruise,truth Celebrities are the fascinations of so many people today in our society. Magazines and tabloids about celebrities are selling millions of copies every week, and major television networks like NBC and CBS are spending an hour every weeknight, Monday to Friday on shows like “Access Hollywood” or Entertainment Tonight” to highlight everything that is happening about their lives. Perhaps, this reveals the tendency of people to be attracted to fame, beauty, and glamorous lifestyle. The only way we can know God and have a relationship with Him is through the living Word. He has revealed the Father to us and everything about Jesus and His teachings are found in the Bible. The Bible clearly declares, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). We should never be deceived, it’s by believing, not feeling. May God have mercy on Oprah that she will come to know Jesus and that she would not be an instrument in leading people astray. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/oprahas-new-religion Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:00:15 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Celebrity Religion oprah,religion,celebrity Once Jesus Christ becomes the Lord of our lives, he demands to be number one in our priorities. He insists to be the first in line ahead of everybody and everything else in our lives. When we put Christ in His proper place, He promises to bless us and transform us so that other aspects of our lives will work for us. And this is true, not only for us as individuals, but also as families. In the context of Christian families, we must also learn to prioritize the things which matters to God if we desire His blessings upon us. Christian parents bear the responsibility of instilling the attitude of faithfulness in the lives of their children. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/spending-sabbath-as-a-family Sun, 29 Jun 2008 09:11:09 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Bringing Christ Into the Home sabbath,family,sunday,service One of the more frightening and potentially dangerous crimes that can occur to a family is a home invasion burglary. Often, this crime is conducted while the residents are present. Many of you can probably remember the gruesome murder that happened sometime in July last year that shocked the residents of Cheshire, a small affluent suburban town near New Haven, Connecticut. The victims were the wife and two beautiful daughters of Dr. William Petit Jr., a prominent diabetes expert from Joslin Diabetes Centre. According to the reports, the two armed robbers committed the murders after they have successfully invaded their home. What was more traumatic with this story was the fact that Dr. Petit witnessed the crime against his loved ones. The Reverend Ronald A. Rising, a neighbor for more than 10 years was quoted saying, "They’re a lovely family, it's just awful to think it would happen to a family like that in this community.” http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/standing-up-for-the-family Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:11:43 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Bringing Christ Into the Home family,home,witnesses Everyone desires for happiness. In fact, it is among the most fundamental of all human goals. And most definitely, we want our homes to be filled with it. However, before happiness can rightly dwell in our lives and homes, we must first seek after contentment. It is difficult to be really happy when there is discontentment in your heart. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/instilling-contentment-in-the-home Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:12:05 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Bringing Christ Into the Home home,happiness,human_goals Someone has rightly said, “It's impossible to thank God for our existence unless we also thank our parents.” We definitely adhere to that saying here at Bible Church, and so we always seize the opportunity to celebrate Mother’s Day in order to express our appreciation to all mothers for their great contributions to their children. We recognize that being a mother is a tough job and for that we really want to honor all the mothers today. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/honor-your-mother Sun, 11 May 2008 09:12:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Bringing Christ Into the Home mother's_day,home,family Prayer is absolutely vital in the Christian life. Since Christianity is a relationship with God, this relationship can never become intimate without the consistent communication between us. That is why God is truly honored and pleased when we as believers take the time to pray. On this basis, we must do our best to consistently incorporate intercessions in our prayers. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/seeking-for-prayer-partners Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:16:40 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Passion to Pray prayer_partners_church_life One truth we unashamedly declare as Christians is that we serve a living God who manifests Himself to us in extraordinary ways. Most often, we have experienced this reality in our prayers. In the Bible, you would find God openly invites His people to encounter His presence and power in their prayers. Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) 3 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' Indeed, if we go to Him, He promises not just to respond, but also allow us to experience supernatural things which we have never experienced before. Can you imagine what you and I can miss if we are not praying? http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/love-connection Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:24:48 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Passion to Pray prayer_life,passion,pray When you read the Bible, it is evident that God desires our love and loyalty. The greatest commandment He gave us is - "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). However, with our rebellious nature, we usually do not respond very well with commands. We generally would resent anyone who would tell us what to do. I believe this is the reason why in relation to loving Him, we all need to see that more than expecting it, He has earned it. In other words, He does not just demand love, He deserves to be loved. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/love-compels-me Sun, 30 Mar 2008 13:16:51 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Amazing Grace christ_love,sharing_the_gospel Paul as an apostle had been given some special privileges such as extraordinary revelations. According to verse 7, to keep him in perspective and enable him to grow spiritually, God gave him a thorn in the flesh. With such a language, Paul was obviously referring to a physical affliction that God has allowed for him to have. He pleaded for God to remove it; instead the response He got from God was the assurance of sufficient grace. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/blessings-overflow Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:06:51 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Amazing Grace resurrection_day,blessings,salvation The heart of Christianity is God’s willingness to forgive the sins of man. When man because of pride and arrogance has decided to turn his back from God and began living for himself breaking His laws, he has invited curse and condemnation upon himself. Yet, despite of everything, God made a way so He can provide forgiveness through Jesus Christ. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/freely-and-fully-forgiven Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:12:00 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Amazing Grace forgiveness,amazing_grace,salvation I believe that if there is an area where we should really be amazed with God, it is in His exercise of grace towards us. John Newton gave a wonderful testimony about this grace when he wrote the popular hymn, Amazing Grace. From his own account, he considered himself unworthy of any favor from the Lord because of his sinfulness. Prior to coming to know Jesus as his personal savior, he was a captain of a slave ship; he brought so many captured slaves from Africa who were sold in England. But by God’s amazing grace, not only was he saved, he became one of the leading Anglican ministers of his time. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/why-save-me Sun, 02 Mar 2008 13:12:22 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Amazing Grace salvation,grace,amazing_grace Is your home built on the right foundation? Once, the Lord Jesus warned concerning building the right foundation because of the inevitable storms of life. Jesus teaches that in order for the home to survive the storms of life, it needs to be founded in the Bible. If anyone insists on ignoring the Word of God, their home is bound to sure destruction. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-strengthening-families Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:52:04 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values family_life,christian_home Time and again, we need to re-examine our understanding of the church. I believe there are many who make the mistake of referring to the church simply as the place they go to every Sunday. However, when you go to the New Testament, it is quite clear that the church refers to a group of people who are bound together by their faith in Christ and their resolve to worship and serve God. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-building-relationships Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:05:05 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values relationship Do you believe that our church is set for a great future? If you are in doubt, you need to listen to the words of Jesus Christ when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). Indeed, every church of Jesus Christ has sufficient provisions not just to survive, but thrive in this world. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-discipleship Sun, 27 Jan 2008 13:57:11 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values discipleship,commitment Would you be more encouraged to attend our church, Bible Church International, if we don’t have the collection of tithes and offerings? You see, there are some people who have the tendency to think that the sure way to fill up a church is to avoid the teaching of tithing. However, personally, I would do my best to avoid a church that does not teach me how to be obedient to God and keeps me from experiencing God’s blessings. This is the reason why I teach tithing without apologies. I really believe that God has taught this truth in the Bible. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-returning-gods-tithes Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:01:33 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values stewardship,tithe,giving Throughout the Bible, we can find God using ordinary men and women to carry out extraordinary missions. They were God’s chosen leaders equipped for special tasks. In our church, we want to make sure that we provide the opportunities for our people to share in the Kingdom work. We believe that all believers are ministers. Ministry is not limited to pastors and church staff, but for all who compose the church. However, we also believe that in order for God’s people to serve effectively, we have the responsibility to equip them. This is the reason why we have a core value that revolves around this truth. Let’s spend sometime this morning examining how we can be involved and then equipped as church leaders. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-equip-leaders Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:31:40 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values equip_leaders We as a church consider our corporate worship as important. We are committed in providing worship that is directed to God alone, worship that will facilitate learning about God and His will, and worship which will stimulate praise and thanksgiving. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/committed-to-worship Sun, 06 Jan 2008 11:45:00 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Revisiting Our Core Values Faith is absolutely necessary in order for anyone to experience the supernatural activities of God. Undeniably, we as a church have seen the power and presence of the Lord because we were willing to believe that He is able to do the impossible for us. This day is certainly a milestone of faith. We are holding our last service on this property in Garfield, which had been our home for 22 years, and we are moving to a bigger and better facility in Randolph, New Jersey... http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-milestone-of-faith Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:22:11 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Faith is absolutely necessary in order for anyone to experience the supernatural activities of God. Undeniably, we as a church have seen the power and presence of the Lord because we were willing to believe that He is able to do the impossible for ... faith Throughout the Bible, God wants us to see the connection between these two significant titles of Jesus Christ. Now, when you revisit the Christmas story, the Kingship of Jesus is also emphasized in the Gospel of Matthew. You see, when Matthew wrote to the Jews about Jesus being the Messiah. He wanted to purposely prove to them that He is qualified to sit on the throne of David. In fact, right in the first chapter, he traced the ancestry of Jesus from David.as we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let’s be reminded that He is more than a Savior, He is also the King of kings. If we have sought forgiveness from Him, may we be reminded to bow to Him and crown Him as the Lord of our lives. King of my life I crown Thee now— Thine shall the glory be; Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, Lead me to Calvary. —Jennie Hussey http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-majestic-messiah Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:21:57 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Mystery of the Manger manger._messiah http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-measure-of-christs-humility Sun, 23 Dec 2007 21:43:02 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Mystery of the Manger http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-message-of-the-virgin-birth Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:28:43 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Mystery of the Manger Time and again, we all encounter true seekers. These are people who have some serious questions about God, Jesus, or Christianity, and they are seeking some factual answers. I believe with all my heart that Christians need not to be timid in inviting these kinds of people to consider some of the evidences that God himself has provided in order to bring enlightenment to them. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/meet-mary-the-mother-of-jesus Sun, 02 Dec 2007 11:14:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Mystery of the Manger mary,manger,mystery If there is one important truth that we need to be reminded again and again, it is the fact that each one of us is touching people in our sphere of influence that likely no one else will touch. I wonder if we have truly recognized the value of this influences that God has given us. Are we using these influences positively?nfluence that likely no one else will touch. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/encourage-one-another Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:02:33 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Building a B.C.I. Church one_another,church_life As we talk about intimate connectivity within our church, it forces us to ask:  How close are our members to one another? Are they close enough that when they are hurting, others will be there for them to minister?  Are people sensitive with what’s going on not only with their own lives, but with other members as well? Are members conscious of praying for one another?  Do our people trust each other enough that they will be willing to be transparent and vulnerable with one another? http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/bear-one-anothers-burden Sun, 04 Nov 2007 16:21:37 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Building a B.C.I. Church ,church_life We started with a new theme – Building a BCI Church. Instead of understanding BCI as Bible Church International, we are using BCI to mean a Body Connected Intimately! Perhaps, you have some ideas on how we can be a healthier church like adding more programs and activities, building a better facility, raising more leaders, or enhancing our worship services. All of these are important for our church, but there is an area that is often neglected in most churches that we want to emphasize once again in our context. This is healthy relationships. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/devoted-to-one-another Sun, 14 Oct 2007 14:23:43 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Building a B.C.I. Church one_another,church_life,edification How do you define success? Every person has his or her definition of success.However, when you look at what the Bible says, The Bible says that success is not defined by what you see. It’s not defined by the external things of society. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/defining-true-success Sun, 23 Sep 2007 09:15:08 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Thank God It's Monday success,servant Once a person becomes a Christian, he or she has to ask the question—what does God want me to do with this new life that He has given me? You see, the Bible is quite clear that once a person becomes a believer, God has given him or her a life filled with rich blessings such as forgiveness, hope, purpose, including transformation. With all these, God wants us to take this new life and go out into the world and help other people find the same life that He has given you. Remember that saying, “If life in Christ is worth having, then it is worth sharing.” http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/defending-my-faith Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:44:06 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Thank God It's Monday defending_your_faith The stresses of the workplace have often made it difficult for many to be thankful for their jobs. I’m sure most of you would agree that one of the areas that bring the most stress is dealing with difficult people. With 134 million Americans in the workplace, I guarantee you that with that number of people you will surely encounter difficult people... http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/dealing-with-difficult-people Sun, 19 Aug 2007 08:37:27 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Thank God It's Monday dealing_with_difficult_people Are you willing to look at God as your ultimate boss? The Bible clearly declares that God promises to provide for all the needs of His children according to His great riches (Phil. 4:19). Therefore, when you have a job which allows you to earn money for your needs, you have to regard that job as a gift from God. It is His way to provide for you. If this is you mindset, I am convinced that you will have a better appreciation for your job and a greater desire to do your best in whatever responsibilities given to you because you are working for God and not for men. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/determining-my-career Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:45:21 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Thank God It's Monday career,lifes_ministry We’re talking about Monday because it’s the beginning of the work week. In this series, we will emphasize being thankful for our work and making sure we regularly bring God into our workplaces. The reality is we all spend a lot of our time working. There are some who work 50, 60, 70, even more a week. Fortunately for us, God has a lot to say about work, which means, the Bible can give us significant guidelines on how we can be successful Christians even in our careers or professions. Work is absolutely a part of God plan for us. Right from the creation of the first man, God told him to work: http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/discovering-gods-power Sun, 05 Aug 2007 11:00:27 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Thank God It's Monday One of the most important concepts in the Scriptures is the Glory of God. We are all explicitly exhorted in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” What the apostle Paul is saying is that in our most basic activity such as eating and drinking we need to give Him glory. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-glory-of-his-presence Sun, 22 Jul 2007 10:56:11 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana One of the most important concepts in the Scriptures is the Glory of God. We are all explicitly exhorted in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” What the apostle Paul ... This Father’s Day, we certainty would like to honor fathers by recognizing the many roles they play in order to make a huge difference in the lives of their children. I know we can still add some more from the list given by the poem such as: cook, driver, mechanic, etc. Speaking about all this invaluable roles, I would like to challenge our fathers to consider one very important role which we should never neglect fulfilling. This is being the ultimate coach for our children. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/fathers-the-designated-coach-for-the-family Sun, 17 Jun 2007 13:06:19 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family One of the greatest challenges for Christian parents is keeping their children interested and active in spiritual matters. There are many families who have experienced the heartache of children dropping out of the church and drifting away from their heritage of faith. Statistics bear out that nearly 90 percent of evangelical children leave the church after high school. And many of them never return. According to an article put out by New York times in October 6, 2006, entitled, Evangelicals Fear the Loss of the Teenagers, if current trends continue; only 4 percent of teenagers will be “Bible-believing Christians” as adults. In contrast, this would be a sharp decline compared with 35 percent of the current generation of baby boomers, and before that, 65 percent of the World War II generation. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/preventing-spiritual-drop-outs Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:56:36 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family personal_revival • The lawyer cabled his client overseas: "Your mother-in-law passed away in her sleep. Shall we order burial, embalming or cremation?Back came the reply, "Take no chances - order all three." Often, jokes like these provided the assumption that married couples will always experience difficulty with their in-laws. So instead of cultivating a positive relationship with in-laws, many couples have avoided them. The truth of the matter is a good relationship with in-laws can bring a great source of strength and support to married couples. In the Bible, you have the example of great in-laws. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/building-relationship-with-the-in-laws Sun, 03 Jun 2007 12:45:38 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family relationship_with_in_laws... In a good marriage, it is often seen that an intimate friendship develops between the husband and the wife. This is a kind of friendship, which allows them to mutually encourage and support each other. However, best marriages, while carefully safeguarding the sanctity of the union, also seek out help, encouragement, and counsel from godly friends. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/building-friendship-with-godly-couples Sun, 27 May 2007 16:30:43 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family marriage_and_the_inlaws Motherhood is a special privilege and a sacred duty. Think about the role a mother plays in the nurture and development of a child. There is a South African proverb which states; “the hand which rocks the cradle rules the nation and its destiny.” No wonder there are so many accomplished men and women who would often attribute their successes to their mothers: http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-nurturing-mother Sun, 13 May 2007 15:57:55 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family motherhood_is_a_special_privilege The late United States president, Lyndon B, Johnson once said, “The family is the corner stone of our society. More than any other force it shapes the attitude, the hopes, the ambitions, and the values of the child. And when the family collapses it is the children that are usually damaged. When it happens on a massive scale the community itself is crippled. So, unless we work to strengthen the family, to create conditions under which most parents will stay together, all the rest - schools, playgrounds, and public assistance, and private concern - will never be enough.” We cannot undermine the value of our families in our society, even in the church of Jesus Christ. As the family goes, so goes our society and our church. This is the reason why here at Bible Church International we always designate the months of May and June as our family months. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/nurturing-a-great-family Sun, 06 May 2007 15:49:09 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Growing A Great Family the_value_of_our_families_in_our_society After the deadliest shooting had happened last Monday (April 16) in Virginia Tech, many people including Christians have probably wondered and asked – Where was God when all of this was happening? I believe the answer can come from Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Clearly, the Bible declares, God is sitting on the throne and He was very much in control. Although God does not order evil or sin, an event like this does not take Him by surprise. He knows exactly why He has allowed this to happen. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/following-the-king-of-our-lives Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:28:18 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Following Christ god_is_sovereign,god_is_in_control Doubts are real. And doubts can take roots even to the best of us. It is greatly possible that some of us are struggling with some doubts right now. Our passage this morning provides us an account wherein, after the remarkable resurrection of the Lord Jesus, Thomas who was one of the followers of Jesus expressed his serious doubts with what had happened. It would be interesting to learn how Jesus helped Thomas overcome his doubts. Let’s examine together what happened. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/following-christ-without-doubts Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:24:29 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Following Christ dealing_with_faith_and_doubts Last Sunday, we started with our theme, Following Christ. We tried to explain what it means to be a true follower of Jesus Christ or what it really means to be a true Christian. This morning, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, I believe it is appropriate to say that His resurrection is the most significant reason why Jesus is worth following. HE IS THE ONLY LIVING SAVIOR. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/following-a-living-christ Sun, 08 Apr 2007 16:19:54 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Following Christ discipleship,resurrection_of_jesus_christ Who are you following? Whether we know it or not, we are a follower of someone or something? From the time we were kids, we have had different influences like our parents, peers, teachers or media telling us to do this and to do that, or telling us to be this and that. Now, if someone were to look at your life this morning, would that person be convinced that you are a follower of Jesus Christ? Is He the strongest influence in your life? http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/living-as-christs-followers Sun, 01 Apr 2007 16:10:57 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Following Christ discipleship What is your dream in life? When you think of the future, what do you want to do with your life? You see, dreams are very powerful. For example, Napoleon Hill once said, "Cherish your visions and dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/high-definition-dreams Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:56:02 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana High Definition Living we_all_have_dreams_in_our_lives._however,do_you_ever_bring_god_in_your_dreams?_do_you_ever_dare_say_–_god_i_want_you_to_be_a_part_of_the_dream_i_have_for_my_life. You see, God doesn’t want you to live a mediocre, mundane, mismanaged life. People everywhere are looking to live a life of significance, using whatever God has given them to make a difference in their own lives and in the world. And there are people who will do whatever it takes to find significance. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/high-definition-service Sun, 18 Mar 2007 13:08:20 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana High Definition Living We will be talking about High Definition Living. How can we live a high definition life? How can I live a life that is better then what I have right now, a life that has purpose and excitement? A life that stands out from the low resolution lives of the people who are around me.A life on a higher level spiritually, emotionally, professionally, physically, the kind of life that God wants his children to have. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/living-life-in-high-definition Sun, 04 Mar 2007 09:13:07 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana High Definition Living a_challenge_for_all_christians_to_live_a_life_that_stands_out! Regarding the existence of dinosaurs, it would be a great mistake for anyone to suggest that they never existed. The presence of fossilized dinosaurs in major museums in the world provides strong evidence that they really exist...we will see that with regards to dinosaurs, most of the fossilization happened because of the great flood during Noah’s time. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/did-dinosaurs-really-exist Sun, 25 Feb 2007 13:50:02 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Frequently Asked Questions bible_and_science First and foremost, let me make this statement that nothing should hinder anyone from attending any activity in here at BCI. Our church exists not only for members, but for everyone who wishes to deepen their relationship with God. It is my prayer that as you continually participate in our church family you will experience being led to a life of commitment and productivity in Christ. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/baptism-and-membership Sun, 18 Feb 2007 14:38:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Frequently Asked Questions baptism_and_membership I'm sure none of us want to have a complicated life. But how do we really determine God's will? I believe there's so much confusion among Christians today with regards to this area.I believe, when we think of knowing the will of God, our concern is not so much on the moral issues because in most cases they are stated clearly in the Bible. Often the difficulty lies on some specific areas of our lives like - Where do I go to school? Who do I marry? What is my career path? Do I take this job opportunity or not? These are just some of the decisions we have to make in the course of our journeys. And many of these are make of break decisions. We can't afford to be careless. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/how-do-i-know-gods-will-for-my-life Sun, 11 Feb 2007 12:29:58 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Frequently Asked Questions Maintaining balance between church, home, and work responsibilities is one of the most challenging tasks for any sincere believer of Jesus Christ. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/faq-part-1 Sun, 04 Feb 2007 20:50:12 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Frequently Asked Questions priorities_and_the_christian_life http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-road-to-gods-promotion Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:31:56 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Staying On The High Road god_will_promote_you! What qualities in employees irritate bosses the most? "If a company believes that an employee lacks integrity, all positive qualities--ranging from skill and experience to productivity and intelligence--become meaningless." -Marc Silbert http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-road-to-personal-integrity Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:42:19 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Staying On The High Road a_life_of_integrity Life has often been compared to a journey. And in the journey of life, there is the critical challenge of choosing the right road in order to arrive in the best destination. Take for example, if you stay on the road where you are right now, do you believe your journey will eventually lead to a great destination? If not, have you explored other routes? For most people nowadays, the common expression you will hear is choosing between the high and low roads. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-road-of-spiritual-recovery Sun, 07 Jan 2007 21:32:51 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Staying On The High Road choices_in_life http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-church-moving-forward Sun, 31 Dec 2006 13:02:04 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Our Journey of Faith Do you know the significance of the Christmas tree? Many believe that the evergreen tree represent the most everlasting aspect of the first Christmas in Bethlehem – the eternal life in Jesus Christ. Of course, the Christmas tree, once cut, won’t last forever, but the picture it provides is essential – life in heaven forever. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/jesus-the-life-of-the-world Sun, 17 Dec 2006 16:17:35 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Christmas For The World eternal_life Christmas is celebrated differently in other parts of the world. And it is always interesting to find out some of the unique traditions others have adopted in their celebrations. For sure, Christians wherever they are will consider Christmas as the best time of the year. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/god-so-loved-the-world Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:07:51 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Christmas For The World evangelistic The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the most significant subjects of Biblical prophecy. Just as the Old and New Testaments are filled with prophecies concerning the first coming, so both Testaments are saturated with references to the Second Coming of Jesus of Christ:  It has been estimated that there are 1, 845 references in the Old Testament, where 17 books give it prominence.  In the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are 318 references to it, an amazing 1 out of every 30 verses.  Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books refer to this great event.  For every prophecy in the Bible concerning Christ's first advent, there are 8 which look forward to His second! http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-second-coming-of-christ Sun, 08 Oct 2006 11:24:53 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Back To The Future second_coming_of_christ The church that was built by Jesus Christ was designed for significant accomplishments. The prophetic declaration of Jesus Christ regarding the establishment of the church in Matthew 16: 18 clearly conveyed great prospects. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-church-set-for-greater-heights Sun, 24 Sep 2006 15:57:29 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Our Journey of Faith good_for_church_growth Today, Bible Church International is facing a great challenge – The building of a bigger facility. There’s no doubt a part of us feels excited with everything that is happening in our midst, but at the same time, there’s also a part of us that’s fearful because our project is truly overwhelming. In the Bible, our situation can be compared with David being an inexperienced soldier faced with a giant enemy by the name of Goliath. He had to make a choice whether to retreat knowing his inferior abilities or to proceed believing that he has a great God who will give him victory. Taking a leap of faith, he proceeded and saw a great demonstration of God’s power. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/our-journey-of-faith Sun, 10 Sep 2006 13:46:30 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Our Journey of Faith our_journey_of_faith,moving_into_a_great_future Today, our culture puts a premium on starting but not so much on finishing. A sad illustration of this is the breakdown of marriage. It has been said that there is a jewelry store in Hollywood that has a sign in the front window that reads, "We rent wedding rings." That's sad, isn't it? When the apostle Paul wrote these words, he was in prison in Rome, under the sentence of death and waiting each day for his execution. He took the time to write to his young associate, Timothy, and sought to motivate him to persevere. I believe this is an appropriate challenge for all of us most especially our grandparents. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/faithful-till-the-end Sun, 10 Sep 2006 13:24:36 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Today, our culture puts a premium on starting but not so much on finishing. A sad illustration of this is the breakdown of marriage. It has been said that there is a jewelry store in Hollywood that has a sign in the front window that reads, ... grand_parents_sunday If you have chosen to always play it safe, you would have missed so much in life. I believe it is even safe to say that if you always played it safe. you probably might have missed some advancements in life. You see, often our advancements depend on our willingness to take significant risks in life. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/taking-risks-for-god Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:55:40 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future Can you imagine being called by everybody, the encourager. What a special title! I wonder if this nickname can be appropriately said for any of us. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/leaving-no-man-behind-part-ii Sun, 23 Jul 2006 12:20:18 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Leaving No Man Behind leaving_no_man_behind_(part_ii) Since the Vietnam War, the United States military has taken on the doctrine of “Leave no man behind.” The concept was that should a soldier fall (die) in combat, his or her body would be recovered at all cost. Many times this doctrine also meant that if you were captured by the enemies, you would never be left behind. There is no counting of how many lives have befitted from this doctrine that establishes the strong commitment of soldiers for each other. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/leaving-no-man-behind-part-1 Sun, 16 Jul 2006 01:23:49 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Leaving No Man Behind This morning, I believe it’s going to help us as a church to understand better what our vision is and how we hope to achieve it. I am convinced that the more we understand our vision, the more we will support it. And the more we will be a healthier church. So allow me to share several important factors about our vision... http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/pursuing-our-vision Sun, 09 Jul 2006 21:43:29 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future pursuing_our_vision This morning, as we celebrate Father’s Day, I would like to challenge all our fathers to follow God’s example in living a life of faithfulness. In the book of Proverbs, King Solomon was aware of the boasting of men concerning their faithfulness, but in reality, he knew real faithfulness was hard to find. I believe the same can be said today – faithful men are very rare. And because of this, tragically, many marriages and homes are suffering. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/faithful-fathers Sun, 18 Jun 2006 12:54:15 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters In "Raising Kids Other Parents Love, Part 2" Pastor Jerry continues his focus on raising children. This week, we look at what else is needed to be an effective parent. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/raising-kids-other-parents-love-part-2 Sun, 11 Jun 2006 12:49:36 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters In this message, Pastor Jerry focues on "Building Restraints" to protect our children and lead them into godliness. He looks at the relationship of Eli, his sons, and the prophet Samuel. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/raising-kids-other-parents-love Sun, 04 Jun 2006 12:50:05 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters For singles and married persons alike, however, it is valuable to recognize that God has given to you the privilege of choosing your mate. Through the Apostle Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 7, God instructs single adults to choose your mates in light of your love for one another, in light of your relationship with God and in light of God’s Kingdom purposes. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-privilege-of-choosing-your-mate Sun, 28 May 2006 12:50:33 CDT Family Matters There is a growing segment of our society who falls on the category of being singles. A recent USA Today poll says that 49% of adults in America are singles. 18% of them had never been married, 13% are separated or divorced, and the rest are widowed or living with a partner. However, despite being a big group, it is so easy to overlook and take them for granted... http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-advantage-of-being-single Sun, 21 May 2006 12:51:01 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters Family matters. In this second installment of "Family Matters", Pastor Jerry continues his sermon on godly mothers. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/becoming-a-godly-mother-part-2 Sun, 14 May 2006 12:53:22 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters Family matters. In this first installment of "Family Matters", Pastor Jerry explores what the Bible says about godly mothers. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/becoming-a-godly-mother Sun, 07 May 2006 12:53:43 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Family Matters As we continue to deal with this theme, Boasting in the Cross, I believe it would be significant to emphasize the grace of God in relation to the death of Christ. Of course, when we speak of grace, we are referring to God’s undeserved favor. The truth of the matter is, we all deserve to be punished because of all our sins, but God in His grace punished His own Son instead. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-cross-of-grace Sun, 09 Apr 2006 17:09:17 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Boasting in the Cross Why did Jesus die? Was it necessary? Why did He go to the cross? This sermons answers that very question. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-necessity-of-the-cross http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/the-necessity-of-the-cross.mp3 Sun, 02 Apr 2006 17:09:40 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Boasting in the Cross 31:49 Great leaders leave behind a legacy. In this last installment of "Moving into a Great Future" we see that the last phase of Joshua's journey and the impact it has on Israel. http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/leaving-a-legacy http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/media/leave-a-legacy.mp3 Sun, 26 Mar 2006 12:20:25 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future 30:18 http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/finish-what-you-have-started Sun, 19 Mar 2006 11:55:42 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/watch-out-for-little-compromises Sun, 05 Mar 2006 22:34:51 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/renew-your-pursuit Sun, 26 Feb 2006 00:22:50 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/stick-to-your-standards Sun, 19 Feb 2006 11:52:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/keep-your-faith Sun, 05 Feb 2006 11:46:30 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/remember-your-miracles Sun, 22 Jan 2006 11:42:55 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/follow-the-leader Sun, 15 Jan 2006 17:07:08 CDT Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/time-to-take-action Sun, 08 Jan 2006 11:38:26 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-new-beginning Sun, 01 Jan 2006 04:43:03 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Moving into a Great Future http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/gods-gift-of-joy Sun, 25 Dec 2005 22:21:09 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana All I Want for Christmas http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/gods-gift-of-hope Sun, 18 Dec 2005 22:22:41 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana All I Want for Christmas http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/gods-gift-of-relationship Sun, 11 Dec 2005 22:23:43 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana All I Want for Christmas http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/gods-indescribable-gift Sun, 04 Dec 2005 22:24:33 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana All I Want for Christmas http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-workers-of-the-church Sun, 20 Nov 2005 04:44:00 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Building a Healthy Church http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-design-of-the-church Sun, 06 Nov 2005 04:46:06 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Building a Healthy Church http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/living-in-gods-presence Sun, 30 Oct 2005 23:28:01 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Spiritual Intimacy http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/knowing-god-intimately Sun, 23 Oct 2005 23:24:09 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Spiritual Intimacy http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/desiring-for-spiritual-intimacy Sun, 16 Oct 2005 23:14:22 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Spiritual Intimacy http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/food-in-my-house Sun, 25 Sep 2005 05:05:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Blessed to be a Blessing http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-faith-factor Sun, 18 Sep 2005 23:45:50 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Blessed to be a Blessing http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/godly-grandparents Sun, 11 Sep 2005 13:36:14 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/when-god-blesses Sun, 04 Sep 2005 23:32:28 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Blessed to be a Blessing http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/perfect-change Sun, 21 Aug 2005 00:15:39 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Change for the Better http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/progressive-change Sun, 14 Aug 2005 00:17:52 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Change for the Better http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/positional-change Sun, 07 Aug 2005 00:04:52 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Change for the Better http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/discovering-a-transformed-life Sun, 31 Jul 2005 01:59:52 CST Change for the Better http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/are-we-there-yet Sun, 24 Jul 2005 23:52:55 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Change for the Better http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/mission-for-a-lifetime Sun, 26 Jun 2005 00:26:25 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Mission for a Lifetime http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-call-to-fatherhood Sun, 19 Jun 2005 13:34:29 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/respecting-each-other Sun, 12 Jun 2005 00:45:05 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana State of the Union http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/his-needs-her-needs Sun, 05 Jun 2005 01:37:04 CST State of the Union http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/sexual-purity Sun, 29 May 2005 00:41:20 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana State of the Union http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/is-your-union-frustrating-or-fulfilling Sun, 22 May 2005 00:36:26 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana State of the Union http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/mothers-gods-precious-gift-to-us Sun, 08 May 2005 13:35:25 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/wasted-profit Sun, 01 May 2005 06:14:49 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Life's Too Short http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/wasted-partnership-opportunities Sun, 24 Apr 2005 06:11:56 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Life's Too Short http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/wasted-passion Sun, 17 Apr 2005 06:08:38 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Life's Too Short http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/wasted-plans Sun, 10 Apr 2005 06:04:38 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Life's Too Short http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-suffering-servant-part-ii Sun, 27 Mar 2005 06:24:02 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Suffering Servant http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/the-suffering-servant-part-i Fri, 25 Mar 2005 06:20:20 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana The Suffering Servant http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-self-control Sun, 20 Mar 2005 00:58:54 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-gentleness Sun, 13 Mar 2005 00:55:18 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-faithfulness Sun, 06 Mar 2005 00:52:50 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-goodness Sun, 27 Feb 2005 00:50:09 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-kindness Sun, 20 Feb 2005 00:47:16 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-patience Sun, 13 Feb 2005 00:43:50 CST Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-peace Sun, 06 Feb 2005 00:41:23 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-joy Sun, 30 Jan 2005 00:38:28 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/catch-the-spirit-of-love Sun, 16 Jan 2005 00:35:03 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Catching the Winning Attitudes http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-life-of-productivity Sun, 09 Jan 2005 01:30:36 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Setting Our Direction http://www.biblechurchinternational.com/sermon/a-life-of-commitment Sun, 02 Jan 2005 01:27:21 CST Rev. Jerry Lepasana Setting Our Direction