Word International Ministries Ontario

Going Back to the Heart of Christmas

ptrjong — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:49:20 +0000

Each and every one of us have our own expectations of Christmas-what Christmas should be and what Christmas is about. For some, it means a seemingly endless series of gatherings and family get-togethers. For the kids, it may mean receiving gifts and toys. For others it’s an exciting time to shop and hunt for bargains. For others- bright lights and Christmas decors.

Before we get carried away with all the stuff I mentioned above, it will probably do us good if we go back to God’s idea of what Christmas ought to be about.

For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

First of all, Christmas is a demonstration of love. It started with the heart of God that loves us so much He had to do something to show that love. Any gift given or any act of kindness or generosity would be shallow if it does not come from a heart that loves.

Second, Christmas is about giving. God loves us so much that He GAVE! Any gift without love is superficial but love without any outward manifestation or demonstration would be incomplete. We’re missing the point of Christmas if we are focused more on what we’ll receive than on what we can give.

Third, Christmas is a season of faith and hope. The object of God giving his Son to us is that we may believe, that we may grow closer to God through Jesus. The irony of Christmas for many is that we seem to lose Christ in the middle of all the celebrations. We become too busy with the party that we forget to greet the celebrant!

Lastly, Christmas is a celebration that should last an eternity.The effect of the coming of Christ (which, by the way, is also the literal meaning of Christmas) was not intended to last a just day, a week or even a month. Christ came that we may “not perish but have eternal life”. The celebration that started at Christmas should last forever, long after the decorations have been stored back, or even after we’ve put off the weight that we’ve gained!

Christmas is no doubt a time of joyful celebration.But this celebration can only be fully appreciated as we go back to the heart of the one who gave us Christmas.

May we all have, not just a merry Christmas, but a meaningful Christmas as well!

(Pastor Jong Duterte)

When God Breaks His Silence

admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 19:07:39 +0000

But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer.

Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.”

(Luke 1:13, NLT)

There were about 400 silent years between the Old and New Testaments . It was called as such because it seemed that God became silent. For these four centuries no prophecy was spoken. God broke that silence when an angel appeared in the temple with a word for Zechariah. The life of this simple couple named Zechariah and Elizabeth would forever be changed because of that one instance….when God broke His silence. The Lord will sometimes, under the same circumstances, intervene in our lives. In fact that’s also what Christmas is about – God intervening in history to give us His one and only Son. When does God break His silence?

God breaks His silence to answer our prayer. The angel’s declaration to Zechariah was that God had heard his prayer. After waiting a long time, Zechariah and Elizabeth might have given up on their dream to have a child, but God had not forgotten nor was He not listening. At the right time, and as a part of a bigger plan, God broke His silence and gave this elderly couple the child they have longed for all their lives.

God breaks His silence to bring us joy. “You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,” (Luke 1:14). True joy can only be experienced and appreciated by people who have known the deepest of sorrows. After living with the frustration of trying to bear a child and the stigma that their society put on barrenness, Zechariah and Elizabeth were familiar with pain and heartache. That’s why the arrival of John would take them from the sorrow to celebration, simply because God intervened. “”How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”" (Luke 1:25).

God breaks His silence to fulfill His plan. It’s amazing that while God was breaking His silence in the life of Zechariah and Elizabeth, He was also fulfilling a bigger plan for the world. In God’s wisdom, He withheld his answer to this couple’s prayer because He wanted to make them part of a bigger story, a story that would be repeated for generations to follow. What they thought was God’s silence was actually God’s plan at work.

Have you ever felt like God has been silent in your life? Do you feel likeGod is not concerned with your prayers? Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, are you living with the pain of broken dreams, damaged lives, unfulfilled longings? Take heart! God maybe just about to break His silence in your life and is about to fulfill His plan for you. And God may have been silent all this time because His plan for you maybe bigger than you think….

Pastor Jong

Welcome to the WIN Ontario Website!

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:54:18 +0000

Our goal at WORD International Ontario is to be a community of believers that reflect the love and presence of God through Spirit-led Worship, compassionate Outreach, authentic Relationships, and dynamic Discipleship. We invite you to join us as we seek to become the winners in life that God wants us to be by pursuing an exciting and meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.

To visit any of our three congregations in the Greater Toronto Area, click Worship Service Schedule and Locations.