“Cross-road”

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Published: Thursday, 20 September 2018 12:27
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“Cross-road”

By Augusto A, Kho

Bureau of Jail, Management and Penology (BJMP)

Balungao, Pangasinan

September 17, 2018 (Monday); 10:30 am

 

 

“… It is a fork in the road that we only realise we have crossed much later”

― Antti Tuomainen, Kaivos

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“Fork-road” : Above photo from the internet

 

Cross-road is quite misleading. It is a conflicting decision that one has to make.

 

Along the way

Along the way, while driving to the Balungao District Jail, my mind is already making outline of what I am about to say. And the word “cross-road” kept reverberating in my mind for the past three (3) days.

 

When I get there at 11:15am, only then when they have started. This time they were around 313 inmates and around 18 jail guards. We feed them both for this once-a-month feeding ministry right after sharing the Word of God. We have been doing this once-a-month feeding program since 2008. It is already about a 10-year program that get’s a lion’s share from the Church’s annual gross income.

 

BJMP- Balungao gets one-fourth of the church annual gross income of around P220,000.00

per year. Meanwhile, it grossly –illegal, unconstitutional and immoral for government funds to go to charity programs of the Church due to the “Separation of the Church and the State shall be inviolable.”

 

Giving it up is just like disobeying God because it was born out of the Spirit of God since 1994 or 1995 when God revealed to me in a dream that 3 lady-inmates will be released on the coming Monday, one of them will be dressed in full white. It did happen exactly as it was told two days later. And in that dream He gave Psalm 79:11 (ISV) that says, “Let the cries of the prisoners reach you. With the strength of your power, release those condemned to death.”

 

The once a year feeding program that normally done only during Christmas time became a monthly-feeding program at the end.


That is why I said that giving the ministry is like synonymous to witchcraft because disobedience is a form of rebellion and witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23).

 

 

A woman’s testimony

After worship came testimony portion. A young, beautiful girl, age 23 came forward with these words, “I may not be as active I should be but I am Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ)… we may have diversity of worship but there is only one God.”

 

The emcee who happens to be their cell-leader supported her claim saying, “Whatever our religion is, there is only one God. It is Him that we worship.”

 

 

Disclaimer

After a brief prayer, I went through with my preaching and I said, “We are all human beings, but there is only one Vilma Santos (referring to the actress-turned-governor-congresswoman). While man is generic, Vilma Santos is a branded one. And you can choose what you are. There are many creations like birds and animals, but there is only one creation far above than God’s creations and that is a man “created in the image of God,” and that is branded one. There are many forms of worship and religions but there is only Son of God called Jesus Christ, and that is branded.”

 

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I had to preach to prove a disclaimer otherwise I defeat the purpose of preaching the truth. Christ claimed that He is the Truth (John 14:6) otherwise what is the purpose of preaching the Word? And what is the purpose of spending over P200,000.00 a year for a group of people who falsely believe in God? Otherwise it will be only a waste of precious time and resources.

 

In one of my seminar stint sponsored by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in San Fernando City, La Union one middle-aged lady employee stood up furiously as she walked out from the venue and yelled, “Don’t’ believe on him, he will just convert you to his religion?” to the great dismay of many including and USEC, one Regional Director (RD) and four others Provincial Directors (PD).

 

I was there as the invited Guest Speaker. That’s agency’s theme on that year was entitled, “Man of God, Father and a Public Official” and while I’ve found the gesture of that lady quite offensive and I said to the crowd to join her should they feel I am not worth sharing the truth. Nobody however stood out to walk out.


When I have made my piece and led the agency in a very subtle way to commit their lives and agency to the Lord Christ, I was amazed to see the USEC, the directors and nearly almost everyone stood in their feet and they prayed exactly what I had prayed.

 

Then the directors ran towards me as if in stampede and asked my preaching outline saying, “Where did you get those sources?” (To me that was very surprising. Those Civil Service eligible personnel like on a stampede clamouring a copy of a speech containing Scriptures? There are plenty of hungry souls indeed!).

 

 

In or out

I first met this man through my senior pastor, Bishop Dan. He brought me in his office one very early morning at 5:00 a.m. Why we were there?


We were there to pray. No less than the city mayor requested prayer should be made every first day of the week. This city’s name was once always a butt of joke. Whenever you are a resident in this city, others would ask you this question, “Saan, sa loob or sa labas,” (Where, inside or outside”).

 

I am referring to the City of Mandaluyong where the National Mental Hospital is. The city is much known as a place where mentally ill patients are being confined in the mental hospital.

 

So either you are in or out.

 

Several times I attended prayer in the Mayor’s Office headed then by the City Mayor Benjamin Abalos. And he will always be there attending. I also visited him several times at Wack Wack, Mandaluyong City several times where he is the President or Chairman of the Wack Wack Golf Club.

 

This infamous city rose to prominence so suddenly until it became one of the fastest growing city in Metro Manila. Until Atty. Ben Abalos became a byword name in terms of economy or governance.

 

Abalos rose to prominence the more and he became the MMDA chairman. After that stint he became the COMELEC Chief.

 

It was also when he was still with Comelec under the leadership of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) that his name is besmirch with corruption due to ZTE deal that also involves the FG (First Gentleman Arroyo). Until graft charges was filed against him by the Ombudsman.

 

Is there anything gone wrong with him or simply the road or path that he have taken?

 

How about you – what path are you heading? Are still on the crossroad?

 


Synopsis

(Ezekiel 21:19)

 

It is 4th times or over that the word “Crossroad” came to my mind in barely 24 hours. I had the word since the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong which was on September 15, 2018. While driving, the same word came to me as I was speeding where I am heading here – in District Jail at Balungao, Pangasinan,

 

"Cross-road” is inspired from my quiet time last Sept ember 13, 2018 (Thursday) in Ezekiel 21:19/NLT that says:

 

“Son of man, make and map and trace two routes on it for the sword of Babylon’s king to follow. Put a signpost on the rod that comes out of Babylon where the road forks into two – “


Ezekiel is a prophet of God who has been hearing Him “expressly” (Ezekiel 1:3) whose prophetic words are so specifically clear. Many times this man of God seemly like a “illustrative board” that whatever God tells him to do no matter how bizarre it may looks will exactly come to pass.

 

Just like this – when God told him to “make a map.” Unlike other prophets who prophesy verbally, this man of God prophesy illustratively like using “brick” or “tile” that speaks of the coming siege against Israel (Ezekiel 4:1) if not being commanded by the Lord to eat human dung that foresees great famine in the land thus defiling the people of God (Ezekiel 4:12-15).

 

To Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) we call this “prophetic act or gestures\ ” unless of course you are strongly sensitive in the Spirit to do exactly what God says.

 

 

Two routes

God instructed Ezekiel to draw a map, whether on a ground or somewhere else – I do not know. And out from this map, Ezekiel is told by God to make two routes at the end of the road where the sword of King of Babylon will be used against his enemies. These two routes leads to Ammon (Jordan) and another path leads to Jerusalem (verse 21).

 

This is exactly what happened when the king of Babylon came. When he reached the fork-road or cross-road, he headed his way to Jerusalem and placed it under siege. He killed the women, the old and the sickly yet he spared the young men and women who were physically and mentally fit and brought them to Babylon (now Iraq) as slaves.

 

The king of Babylon did exactly what Ezekiel have drawn as a map. Ezekiel himself have drawn the fork roads at the end of the route.

 

While reading Ezekiel 21:19, I was reminded of the Lord prophesy given to New Zealander prophet named, Robert Misst sometime in 2013 that “Philippines will be in the fork-road” unless we will pay heed to the Lord’s instruction and we were just given only up to five (5) years to mess up or to shape up.

 

This year - 2018 is the end of our road as well whether we will be blest or we will be cursed according to Misst.

 

 

The fork-road or cross-road is two different roads of decisions. Cross-road is quite misleading. It is a conflicting decision that one has to make, if not two-opposite situations that one has to face.

 


Cross-road defined
KJV called the “two ways or “way” in NLT as “two ways” refers to the Hebrew word “derek” i.e. way, road, distance, path, direction, manner, a course of life (figuratively of moral character) or mode of action. James Strong define “way” as “ as a trodden road, a passenger or a journey. “


Webster called “crossroad” as a place where two or more roads cross. Crossroad is a road that crosses a man road or run cross-country between main roads


While road is directional, meanwhile cross-road is like a pause that cause a man to think or ponder which way to take. It may be directional as well but decision has to be made which way to choose from. Remember that the end of these roads that forks the main road is unseen and therefore uncertain. A wrong choice may be a wrong life that leads to loss and death.

 

 

Why are you here?

Why are you here? Is this not the kind of road that you chose? Is it not this is what you wanted in your life?

 

Creations of God made us man branded as like God who can make our own moral choice unlike animal who simply under instinct (lacking power to decide).


We can choose the road we will take – the road to life or the road to death. We can choose what kind of God we will worship – the true one or the false god. We can choose to be good or evil or choose the truth if not the false.

 

And these choices we have made shall determine our destiny whether you will be set free or rot in this jail, be forgiven or totally cast out in hell, be given eternal life or eternal death.

 

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Choose what road you shall take? It is not about me preaching, it is about you who believes to what the Scriptures say. I can be wrong but the Bible can never go wrong.

 

Will you choose to stay in this jail forever or will you choose to be set free again?

 

 

Why cross-road?

Why placed yourself in a cross-road that makes you confused which route to take, when you can have a better choice?


Why not chose a better road?

 

Jesus said, “I am the Way… no one can comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6).

 

Yes there must be a cross-road in your life yet God want you to take the Way to Christ. It is you who will decide. It is you who will decide for your destiny. There are only two destinies to choose from – the way to death or the way to life. Should the Congress will bring back the death penalty, either you can choose death or life but Jesus said:


And Jesus said, “I am the Life,” (John 14:6). CHOOSE your ROAD.

 

 

 

NOTES

 

DENR Reflections

“We were so blessed with his lecture. I just wish that our (public) officials were awakened again,” says by one of the participants. The DENR officials were tremendously blessed of the lecture during or Monday program. I pray that the Lord will use him more in such endeavors and as an agent of change to transform the government people. God bless and his family.” Wendy Co; DENR Chief; Urdaneta City, Pangasinan (2003)

 

“His words was so powerful and presented how God changed him in a very subtle way, capturing the sensitivities of his audience plus his moving life’s testimony. I praise God for his life.” Hon. Victor Ancheta, Regional Director I, DENR; DENR General Assembly; Northern Luzon Upland Development & Learning Center, Sevilla, San Fernando: March 03, 2003

 

Director Co text message weeks later:

“One of the Provincial Director of DENR just resigned from his office. When asked why he is resigning prior to his mandatory retirement, he said that he was waiting for the Lord’s confirmation to work in His vineyard for a fulltime ministry and you exactly shared the Words that he was expecting to hear from the Lord.”

 

That is what the road he chose to make.

 

 

Ezekiel Hebrew word “yechezqel” means “God strengthens.” He is a priest who was prophesying for the next 22 years and he was taken as captive together with Jehoiachin in Babylon.