The God Who Restores

The God Who Restores

  • January 17, 2017

Offense is a word, an act, or a misdeed that lures you to harbor pain. Much of it is based on miscommunication and misinterpretations. When you clarify the intention and not merely judge by the action, or worse, what other people said, there is healing to be had.

In this blog entry, Victory Fort senior pastor Paolo Punzalan tells the story of two friends whose friendship was healed by God, showing how forgiveness is the reset button for any relationship, and how God is indeed the God of restoration.

Stop Giving Lip Service to Christianity

Stop Giving Lip Service to Christianity

  • April 5, 2016

In his blog post entitled, “You Don’t Believe In What You’re Saying,” Pastor Paolo Punzalan talks about the importance of practicing what we preach. As Christians, we need to live a life of integrity because we are living testimonies of the transforming love of Christ. Pastor Paolo quoted Matthew 23:3, “Pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach,” which is Jesus’ warning about religious leaders who don’t walk the talk. Pastor Paolo cautions us that outward appearances can be deceiving. Nevertheless, the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness—will always be evident in a person whose life is truly aligned with Christ—a Christian life that is not merely giving lip service to Christianity. It doesn’t mean we have to lead perfect lives, but it is important to always strive for Christlikeness. Being a Christian shouldn’t mean being adept at Christianity, or knowing the Bible from cover to cover, or knowing the right words to say. The word “Christian” should mean “changed by the

power of the gospel”—repenting of sin and receiving new life in Christ. It should mean, “walking to follow Jesus.”

Both Willing and Able

Both Willing and Able

  • January 5, 2016

As a father, I get various kinds of requests from my children from buying a toy to riding our bikes.  My heart is to do give what would be best for them at any given moment.  Fulfilling a promise is something I will move heaven and earth for so that they won’t end up disappointed and let down.

There are times that I am willing but for some reason unable because of current circumstance. I may be willing to ride our bikes with my 7 year old son, but if it’s raining hard, our current situation will hinder us from doing so.  On the other hand, the weather might be perfect but if I am not willing because of laziness or exhaustion, then my son will still end up disappointed.

The Bible shows us that God has both the ability and the willingness to follow through on His promises to us.  In Jeremiah 32:17, the prophet declares, “Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”

Jeremiah was overwhelmed by this truth.  He makes a declaration about the greatness, majesty and magnificence of the Almighty God.  He then follows it up with two amazing realities.

1. GOD IS ABLE.

How does he know this? He declares His ability by expressing not only His Lordship over creation, but His power to create the heavens and the earth.

If you are facing an extremely difficult situation that may seem insurmountable, know that the God of the universe, the Maker of heaven and earth, is more than able.

Do you ever wonder why the planets in our solar system stays in orbit?  The Bible says that “in Him, all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17)

Now if God is able to run the solar system which is a million times more complex that the lives we live today, don’t you think He has the ability to run our lives?  The answer is a resounding “YES!”

2. GOD IS WILLING.

Jeremiah proclaims that God created the heavens not only by His power but also by His outstretched arms—a picture of God extending His desire to meet His people’s needs.

Jesus declares in Matthew 7:11, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”

Because God is mighty, He is able to do all that He said He would.
Because God is our Father, He is willing to follow through on His promises.

God is both able and willing.  Because of that, I can live life with a smile on my face.

Don’t Get Stuck in the Past

Don’t Get Stuck in the Past

  • September 18, 2015

“Remembering the past can be funny when remembering fashion, but it can be not at all amusing when it involves life experiences.”

In this blog entry, Pastor Paolo Punzalan of Victory Fort identifies the heart behind choosing what to forget and what not to forget in a relationship, and identifies three types of experiences in the past that we should consider forgetting if they stop us from becoming everything that God wants us to be

The Truth About Lies

The Truth About Lies

  • September 16, 2015

“Do not be surprised when your young child comes to you one day with a story that is completely not true.”

In this blog entry, Pastor Paolo Punzalan of Victory Fort shares three truths about lying that parents need to understand, so they, in turn, can address with integrity and love when they catch their children lying.

 

Imparting Wisdom to our Children

Imparting Wisdom to our Children

  • September 9, 2015

“As parents who have been entrusted with these amazing brains, how can we even help them if they know more about us? Smart doesn’t necessarily mean wise. Wisdom comes from experience. Wisdom is applied knowledge.”

In this blog entry, Pastor Paolo Punzalan of Victory Fort shares three things parents can do to impart wisdom to their children.

“Will God Follow Through on His Promise?”

“Will God Follow Through on His Promise?”

  • August 3, 2015

“The promises He released for each and everyone of us are as good as done.“

The Bible says that every promise God has for us is “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ. Pastor Paolo Punzalan reminds us of the truth of God’s faithfulness in this blog post.

“Later, You Will Understand.”

“Later, You Will Understand.”

  • July 13, 2015

“There are a lot of things in life we don’t see, for we only get the benefit of the now. But God sees the end from the beginning.”

God is sovereign through every situation in our lives, both the good and the bad. Learn more about this truth in Pastor Paolo Punzalan’s blog post, “Later, You Will Understand”.

Life Change is Not the Goal

Life Change is Not the Goal

  • July 7, 2015

“What happens on the inside will eventually show up on the outside.” Discipling others means bringing them closer to Jesus. Victory Fort pastor Paolo Punzalan reminds us that genuine life change comes from God, not from us. Check out his blog post!

Joy vs. Happiness

Joy vs. Happiness

  • June 5, 2015

“A lot of life is based on the decisions we make.”

What is the difference between joy and happiness? Know about it in Pastor Paolo Punzalan’s blog post, “Joy vs. Happiness”.

Lead to Leave

Lead to Leave

  • June 2, 2015

“If you go to the Scriptures, Jesus defined leadership differently. He said, ‘Leadership is serving.’” How do you define leadership? In this blog post, Pastor Paolo Punzalan shows us what it takes to be a true servant leader.

Forgetting God and His Words

Forgetting God and His Words

  • November 19, 2014

paolo-punzalanSometimes it is easy for us to forget about what God commands us, particularly with money. In this blog post by Victory Fort pastor Paolo Punzalan, discover the three things that we need to remember in light of God’s faithfulness. Check out his latest blog post, “Forgetting God and His Words.”

Investing in the next generation

Investing in the next generation

  • June 23, 2014

“If we don’t invest in the next generation, someone else will.”

Pastor Paolo Punzalan takes the Bible story of Hannah, mother of Samuel the prophet, and uses it to provide three things we can learn from her story to motivate us to invest in the next generation.

Read the full blog entry here.