Straight From Pastor Ey

In October 1994, highway robbers killed Nicholas Green, a seven year old boy from California, while the family was on vacation in Italy. The robbers shot their rented car when Nicholas’ father refused to pull over. A bullet hit the head of Nicholas. He died two days later. The senseless, murderous act against an innocent boy shocked Italy. Newspapers bannered the words, “La Nostra Vergogna” (“Our Shame”). But the Green family also surprised Italy when they donated Nicholas’ corneas, kidneys, liver, pancreas and heart. That saved the lives of seven Italians. Yet Nicholas did not only save seven lives. The sacrificial act inspired sign-ups for organ donation to triple in Italy. In 2002, the “law of presumed consent” passed the Italian Parliament. The law presumes that people who are not vocal against organ donation to consent to it. So upon their death, the doctors consider their organs donated. [1] One life literally saved thousands of lives. That’s the Nicholas impact! There’s anoth...

I heard this plug over 702 DZAS AM. It made me weigh how important time is. “How do we value one year? Ask a student who failed a grade. How do we value one month? Ask a mother whose baby arrived prematurely. How do we value one week? Editors of weekly newspapers know. How do we value one hour? Ask someone who lies terminally ill waiting for a loved one who is late. How do we value one minute? Ask someone who missed a plane, a train, a very important engagement that would never be rescheduled. How do we value one second? Ask an Olympic Medalist, someone who just missed having an accident, or someone saying goodbye to a loved one they will never see again.” Thus we have to make the most of our time. How? Keep in mind that we are living on borrowed time. King David prayed, “Teach me, O LORD, about the end of my life. Teach me about the number of days I have left so that I may know how temporary my life is.” (Psalm 39:4, God’s Word) Actually we cannot really save time. It will come and g...

Thomas Constable wrote, “ If we want to obey God... we are in for a struggle. It is not easy to become a mature Christian nor is it automatic. It takes diligent, sustained effort.” That’s why we need to know how to wage a winning war for life. Let us read Ephesians 6:10-13 together: Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. [1] The word “finally” in verse 10 shows that Paul is giving his final thoughts in Ephesians. Let’s look at the basis for this conclusion. From chapters 1 to 3 Paul explained the calling we received from...

The world gave a nervous sigh of relief when the 9/11 fifth anniversary (called “the worst terrorist act on U.S. soil” ) went peacefully. But still security analysts say that the question regarding the next terrorist strike is not a matter of “if” but “when.” We are still in danger, in the words of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, from people who are “trying to murder their way to power.” U.S. President George Bush declared, “The war against terrorism is the calling of our generation. The war is not over and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious.” On the spiritual realm, the battle for the souls of men continues. “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.” (1Peter 5:8, Contemporary English Version) The Enemy knows that his days are already numbered. So he wants to bring down with him as many as possible. He is trying to murder his way to his destruction. However...

A newspaper ran a contest for the best definition of a friend. The winning entry among thousands was, “A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.” This is exactly what the Bible said: “A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17a, New International Version). I like how the Contemporary English Version translated it. “A friend is always a friend...” Peppers Rodgers, head coach of UCLA football team, saw first-hand who his friends really were. Many years ago, his team suffered a losing streak. Rodgers came under so much fire from alumni and fans. Things got so really bad that friends became scarce. “My dog was my only true friend,” Rodgers lamented. He told his wife, “Every man needs at least two good friends.” That’s why his wife bought him another dog. (Adapted from Today in the Word, November 1996.) Poor Rodgers! The world has gone out. But no friend came in. A true friend has staying power. Proverbs 18:24 declared: “A man of many companions may come to ...

Unless we see the worth of our work, we will never find fulfillment in doing it. Unless we see why we are doing what we are doing, we will never be happy with our jobs. Let me clarify that our worth as persons is not dependent on our work. Even if our work vanishes, our worth does not vanish with it. Your company may have fired, retired, downsized, transferred, demoted or even promoted you. But, in God’s eyes, your worth as a person remains. However, I agree with Zig Ziglar when he said, “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it.” You are not your work. But you show who you are through your work. In short, we express our worth through our work. That is the real worth of our work. Let us read Ephesians 6:5-9... Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly...