Welcome to the Pastor’s Blogs/Notes!
Good News! Only though the grace of God that we are saved through faith, nothing more nothing less.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8-10.
Let us now walk in the newness of life and grow daily in the Lord. I invite you to walk with Christ, also with us, the Bible as our guide, here through the Pastor’s page.
Pastor Limuel Liwanag
Senior Pastor
Pastor Rhidge Garcia
Associate Pastor
“God With Us”
The Christmas season comes and goes, year after year. Yet the memory and influence of each celebration are dynamic rather than fixed. Our experiences, circumstances, and the events that surround each holiday shape how we remember it. Still, as Christian believers, we are invited to look beyond the outward festivities and revisit the sacred truth that stands at the heart of this season—the mystery of God dwelling in human flesh. Simply put: God with us.
Growing up, I vividly remember the sense of comfort and security I felt whenever my Dad was home—especially at night, or when our family was out on the farm some 15 miles away. As a young boy, I was convinced that nothing could harm us as long as Dad was around. He seemed strong, dependable, and decisive. Of course, as I grew older, my understanding of both strength and security matured as well.
In a similar way, all of us long for a sense of safety and protection—not only physically, but more importantly, spiritually. The presence of God in our midst is something we must recognize with fresh awareness and gratitude. “God with us” is the fulfillment of the salvation promised long before Christ’s birth—God’s gracious answer to humanity’s fall.
Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth traces His lineage to assure his primarily Jewish audience that Jesus truly is the promised Messiah. He highlights the prophetic words describing the miraculous nature of Christ’s arrival: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23) For believers, this assurance meant everything then—and it still does today.
The global and local (glocal) political, historical, and societal landscape around us feels increasingly marked by uncertainty, chaos, and hopelessness. Yet this season calls us back to a powerful truth: divine intention and divine superintendence have not changed. God remains on His throne. And the God who reigns above is the same God who dwells with us—no matter what.
-Pastor Lim